Could someone please me tell me how to make artificial snow.
Many thanks,
Larry
I have never made my own snow. I use Woodland Scenics artificial snow. Here is the website if you want to take a look. http://www.woodlandscenics.com/index.htm
It comes in a large shaker bottle. Someone else may have a better idea but that is what we have been using.
This topic was discussed within the past 30 days, or so (that means that it is not recoverable in the archives due to the new forum).
Plain old Hydrocal can be used to create drifts and deep snow at a distance, but you can use baking soda if it will be in a relatively dry environment. Sprinkle it on, wait many weeks until it begins to look lumpy or dusty, vacuum, and reapply a new layer. Cheap!
Finely ground quartz is also an option. Bonus is that it can be rinsed carefully, drained, spread to dry, and reapplied.
I have used the WS fake snow and thought it was darned good.
Howdy colvid. A company called FloraCraft makes 2 litre bags of WINTER SNOW. It can be found in Dollar Tree or similar Dollar type stores in the fall. The snow is small & granular, just like natural powder snow. It sells for $1 a bag.
This is what I do. My snow scenes are permanent, so I paint all my hardshell and platform scenery with cheap gloss white latex paint. My kids love to help because it’s so easy, little mess, and you can cover a whole 8 x 4 platform with mountains in an evening. I work in 2 x 2 sections, and simply sift the snow onto the wet paint to bond it. I then take a tablespoon of glitter and wisp it over the snow, which gives it a crystal effect.
I discovered the FloraCraft product 10 years ago, and have a section of old Christmas layout propped up in a corner. The snow has never changed color, and the bond is still tight with the paint.
CTT ran an article back in the winter on making snow. They used a product that appeared to be FloraCraft, but I believed their allegience was to Woodland Scenics, which looks too much like flour to me. Plus you can fit 6 of those WS baggies (at 3-5 dollars a bag mind you) in one bag of WINTER SNOW.
Larry,
Take a look at page 4 (for time being) on the ‘Layouts and Layout Buildings’ forum. The subject ‘Modelling Snow’. We hashed this around for a while with some interesting solutions.
Pdragon
Hi Fifedog:
That sounds great, especially not changing color over a period of time and the cost is fantastic.
Many thanks
Larry
Hi Pdragon:
Great ideas on Layouts page 4. Your layout was very impressive and realistic; the ground showing through the snow and using Photoshop for your smoke on the smoke stack.
Larry
equal part salt & baking soda. poured over white paint ,secure with white glue
Vintage Reproductions makes three different varieties of snow crystals: slushy, fluffy & wet, or cold & dry. They are available with or without iridescent micro-crystals, for six varieties total. These do really nice effects.
They’re priced at $ 6.50 per 300cc bag. Also available in “Puff’n-Pak” and “Macro-Blaster” dispensers.
Vintage Reproductions doesn’t have a website, as far as I know. They can be reached at
Vintage Reproductions
2606 Flint Ridge Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
(719) 5998-2274
Prices and location information are from an ad in the most recent (May/June 2006) Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette. I’ve found their products at some hobby stores, as well.
-Ed
P.S. Forgot to mention this before. There’s a couple of really good articles by Rand Hood on modeling a winterscape. Check the January and February 1996 issues of Model Railroader. They’re very well illustrated, and since they’re written by an artist, the final effects are outstanding. These articles are also in Kalmbach’s book: The New Scenery Tips and Techniques.
MR ran a series on modleing snow about 10 years ago. It included winter scenes, how to do icecicles, and melting spring snow. The articles were called ‘Modeling a Winterscape’ and were in MR Jan and Feb, 1996. It’s worth trying to get the back issues or reprints if you are serious about modeling snow.
George Paine