Static Grass – first test

You know how it is … I can’t wait …

Landscaping on the Boltorr branch is only half done – let alone the trackwork. But I couldn’t wait to try out the Magic Grass Machine.

Basically, the groundwork has been laid with Woodland’s Shaper Sheet and a skim of Plaster of Paris. This has resulted in a pretty resilient surface which I finished off with Woodland’s Earth Undercoat. This took a couple of days to really dry out in my dry, but cool basement.

I found that Gordon Gravett’s “Modelling Grassland …” was an inspiration and source of technique and expertise on rendering a realistic representation of grass in the model environment.

It became obvious that any realistic looking grass would have to use the static application technique.

I used a Noch GrasMaster static applicator and various manufacturers’ static grass mixes from Noch, Woodland’s Scenic, SilFlor and Scenic Express. In this case I used mixes between 2mm and 6mm long.

Application turned out to be really easy. I used Noch Grass Slime as an adhesive. This appears to be not much more than a PVA mix, although I imagine it’s formulated to be able to take a static charge.

I moistened the area of ground to be treated with “wet water“. This is merely a spray of water mixed with, literally, a drop of washing-up-liquid / dish soap to help break down surface tension and aid the application of the glue which I blended in with a large brush so that the “ground” was very thinly coated.

I loaded up the GrasMaster with a blend of 2mm fibres, chose an appropriate grid and pushed a pin into the ground to provide an earth for the grass machine.

I connected the earth lead from the GrasMaster and switched it on. This generates a 20kV static tension which encourages the grass fibres to cross the gap and stick into the glue vertically so it really looks as if it’s standing up. I followed up with a sprinkle of 6mm fibres to represent some longer grasses.

I finished up with a (careful) blast from a heat gun to give the lie of the grass some direction from the prevailing wind from the west.

So, at my first attempt I am very pleased. I think the images speak for themselves.