Hey,
I recently purchased some artifical grass for my m4a3e8 dio.
Can I apply it using white glue or what then?
Bren

Hey Bren!

Yes, use white glue for your static grass.
Here is a simple step by step:
Apply the glue evenly
Put the static grass on pretty heavy
Above a box or something that you can retain the grass again, shake the base off so all the excess grass falls into the box
Let it dry for a few minutes, then gently blow the grass from the side so it will stand up more naturally
And then paint it!!!

Hope this makes sense

Nice answer Anders....if I could just add 1 thing to it...I would suggest diluting the glue with water before putting it on your base Bren....some people say 50/50......I usually tend to go about 60 glue 40 water.

Yes - as dioman states, diluting the glue will allow the flecks to stand up on end better... if you use pure glue, I find it almost impossible to get anything to "lift"....

I never tried this, but I heard you can "lift" static grass upright by using a statically charged comb or something. Who has tried this ?

Sounds like something David Copperfield would do... "and now for all of you dioramaniacs, the Great Ilusion of lifting the static grass using this magical thingie.. *poof*.. " :-)

I find it easier to gently blow on the grass or paint it with a brush after the glue has set... Not only to give more realistic color to the grass, but also to lift it.

Mario M.

but isn't it easier to blow gently

Friends,




This is in the railroad modeling quite normal, since they have very large areas to cover. The compagnies Heki and Faller make special electric tools for this.I havn't used it myself, but friends of mine made very realistic looking fields with it.

Do you guys spray the diluted glue out of a spray bottle or brush it on?

Nic

Folgore
I usually apply diluted white or yellow carpentars glue, (diluted 60% water to 40% glue) with a large "eye dropper". This allows quite a bit of control versus a spray method, allowing placement of the diluted glue in specific areas.

As a tip, add a drop of liquid dish washing soap to the glue/water mixture. The soap helps the glue flow and absorb around any other materials used, such as gravel, small pieces of wood, etc.

A perfect tip !!! Thanks WWH !!

I usually brush on the dilluted glue but have used a spray bottle on very large areas.
And yes....I forgot to mention a drop of something to break the surface tension....I use windshield washer fluid.
Yes I also have used static to lift the grass.....this is actually why it's called static grass....I use a balloon rubbed on my hair.....pass it over the area and......WOW....works better than viagra!!!

Thanks guys, I was sure i could use white glue, but just wanted to check. The buggers at woodland scenics say "only use woodlands ....... glue", I thought it was a load of bollock, so they can get a few extra bob! :-)

I have it on good authority....(my nose)...that Woodland Scenics glue...is just dilluted white glue in a bottle. Good going Bren.....spot those guys before they spot you!!!

Woodland Scenics Glue

I do my static grass the same way Anders explained it. I do use dilute water glue solution, kinda 50/50.

With static grass I have to admit when I first ran into it thought "Static -gotta have the Static" So I searched high and low to try and find out how to introduce a static charge so the grass would truely stand up. Ohh man was it painful. I tried a comb - run it through your hair and then pass it over the poured on grass - No Dice , I tried a PVC pipe and a silk tie. Rub the silk tie over a length of pipe (plastic bathroom kind). The silk is supposed to create static in the tube and then pour the grass through the pipe and onto the dio. Naaa I tried to put the static grass in a soda bottle with holes poked in it as a 'sprinkler' Then I rubbed a balloon on the soda bottle. I then shook the bottle over the dio. Nope I found a web site that gave instructions on how to creat a monster and electify a bottle. Full deal plug it in a go D.I.Y. project. Not attempting that - me and electricity don't get along really well when I have tools in my hand.

So General Failure - I tried - I couldn't get it to work.

LOL,

Slodder,
You get first prize for creative static event! Here is the method I use for getting static on my grass. I took a plastic bottle (hydrogen peroxide) and drilled small holes in the cap (about 1/16th of an inch I believe.) I put a small amount of grass in the bottle. Maybe a shot glass full at the most. I generally paint the ground work in enamels first for a base colour and let dry a couple of days. Then I put the water/glue/soap method (40/60/2drops per ounce) on the ground work. Then I gently squeeze the bottle with the grass in it. The static is applied as the grass sprays out of the holes. The method works well. Then I airbrush areas green for healthy patches and tan for burned out areas. Then a lot of dry brushing getting progressively lighter.

Oh the physics behind the grass is that two unlike objects attract electrons (negative charged bits) differently. When they are rubbed together, the electrons stick more to one object. If it happens in the air (like with the grass), they will be attracted to a neutral item (glue mixture in this case). In my physics classes, I use cat fur and those old style black combs. The drier the air, the better the static works. Any fur will work, or an old wool sweater. The balloon trick works great too, but the comb might be easier to get a little closer to the model. Oh, and I am not suggesting you decrease the pet population in your neighborhood

Andrew

Thanks for sharing your methods with me

la la la

Bren,

For the first time in 15 years I applied static grass myself again. I used a hight tech device this time.....a cleaned and dried shampoo bottle, with a little hole (3mm) in the lid (don't know if this is the propper word, but I hope you know what I mean).

Use thinned white glue (as thin as milk) on you base. Put quite a lot of it on that base. Use an old towel to remove "runners". Hold the hight tech device at about 3 inch away, and gently...very gently squeeze the bottle.

The grass is rocketed into the glue (be sure to squeeze just !! very gently !! don't overdo this). Put a thick carpet of grass on the base this way. When you're done, hold the base upside down and tap off all excess grass. Leave it upside down for about half an hour.Turn back again and....the grass is standing up......

This was the result of last night's action :



Hope these 2c can help you a bit....it sure worked for me.

Verry nice .....but why do all of u guys use a mix (water and glue) ???

If you use pure white glue, the grass falls down into the glue and is very hard to lift again. When you mix the white glue with water, the grass falls into the glue, but is easily to be lifted by blowing, gently burshing etc. If pure glue works for you, without the "lifting problem", then don't change a thing. I guess it's just a matter of taste. As for me....... the mixture works the best.