Fly swatter/static grass applicator

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hello everybody,

went on the London Ontario self guided train tour last weekend. It was a great tour, lots of wonderful people that opened their homes to great layouts.

One of the people on the tour had a brilliant idea, he used a electronic fly swatter(never knew they existed), attached a small sieve to it and turned it into a static grass applicator. Has anyone else on this forum done the same? Just ordered my electronic fly swatter on Ebay, so looking forward to converting the unit but would appreciate input as well.

Thank you

Frank

2

Yes. I made one several months ago to play around with. For a noob like me and $3 in material it isn’t all that bad. It works okay for me.

3

Ripped off the yellow swatter (save the metal “catgut” bars: good size for pipes / rods) & soldered two wires to the contacts: a short “hot” (red) and a long black with an alligator clip on the other end:

!(http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa332/mcfujiwara/toolz n gadgets/DSC05464.jpg)

The electrical tape is over the solder to prevent shorts.

Found a good-sized mesh strainer at Target for $2 & cut off the ends:

!(http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa332/mcfujiwara/toolz n gadgets/DSC05465.jpg)

Wrapped the handles in electrical tape and then inserted them into the handle:

!(http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa332/mcfujiwara/toolz n gadgets/DSC05467.jpg)

I found two small stacked chuncks of 1/8" masonite fit perfectly between the gaps, holding the strainer in place.

Solder the short hot (red) wire to the mesh of the strainer.

Ta-da:

!(http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa332/mcfujiwara/toolz n gadgets/DSC05466.jpg)

I use a T-pin to ground the black wire into the foam.

I spray alcohol / water onto the area I want to work on, paint some thick white glue, place the static grass in the strainer, press the button and then shake softly back and forth over the area. Vacuum right away (with the nozzle a safe distance away) to get the loose grass / excess off before everything dries.

There’s a first application of WS dark green static grass here on the front right:

!(http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa332/mcfujiwara/Mt Coffin and Kalama RR/P8080137.jpg)

[This is N-scale.] Need to get some 6mm grass and some other colors for some variation.

Warning: as this unit isn’t as powerful as the Noch, the strainer nee

4

I have one. I would do a couple of things differently if I was to do mine over ( I won’t as I now have my “Knoch off”).

I wouldn’t use a the strainer. I would use a small plastic cup with a flat screen on the bottom and get a lid. The reason is the strainer bottom is curved and you really want a even surface like the Knoch or the Knoch Offs. I noticed a difference in coverage and how it affected the grass to stand on end. Also having the curved bottom seems to cause it to hit the grounding spike a little more. And when you hit the grounding spike unexpectedly once you’ll understand the need for the lid

If you can get everything on the cheap the these aren’t bad. If you can spend a little more to make the Knoch Off most folks would be happier, especially the closer in price there is to getting the materials.

ratled

5

Seven dollars to buy and seven minutes to build and it works great. If you use an old wall wart for power they work better. A friend had a 6 volt one attached to his and it worked better than mine did with the batteries. I am not sure if it would damage the electronics though. I have had great success with just the batteries.

You can buy the swatters at dollar stores for about $4.00. So if you mess up it is not a huge loss. I also bought three different sized strainers there for a dollar each. The longer the grass I use the bigger the strainer holes I need.

Go on You-Tube and watch a video on how to make one.

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr298/BATTRAIN/DSC_0006-4.jpg

Brent[C):-)]

6

I made one too. Works great! I could not justify spending all that money on a Noch applicator when the premise is so simple and easy to reproduce. you can also buy the key part from an online electrical dealer…but that is a little more difficult.

I got step by step instructions on how to build my fly swatter applicator on youtube.

7

I also made the fly swatter static grass applicator and am impressed with how well it works. I made a few “practice” lawns before trying anything on my layout. I found that paint seems to be a better grass adhesive than typical glues. It would appear that diluted glues tend to wick up the grass strands and make them stiff. I guess this would be good if you are trying to model stiff, late-season weed growth. I got far better results when I used a wet base coat of dirt or grass colored paint (full strength) as the adhesive. The paint does not wick up the grass strands so the grass remains soft and pliable after the paint dries. The base paint also fills in or enhances bare spots depending on the color chosen. This allows you to model both well tended lawns as well as dry, patchy, less cared for lawns. Both adhesive methods produced grass that stood nicely on end. However, the grass I did with diluted glue feels like a stiff bristle brush. The grass I did with full strength paint feels like velvet. The only problem now is getting people to stop rubbing the velvety grass!

8

Hello,

thank you for all the great replies. Looking forward to getting my fly swatter. It will get the same treatment as others have done and looking forward to planting grass on my layout.

Frank [:)]

9

Yes, forget the strainer a flat screen on a cup works much better.

10

I built a static grass applicator from one of the Harbor Freight electronic flyswatters and is works okay, but the batteries MUST be fresh or the results will be disappointing.

11

No offense intended to those that like their modified fly swatter grass applicators but once I used an applicator based on a negative ion generator, the fly swatter model became something of a joke, by comparison.

If you have the DIY skills and the $30 - $50 just build a better grass applicator to begin with and use the fly swatter for what it works best at, zapping bugs. :o)

12

Agreed. I have seen both in action and the negative ion generator home built is much better. However for my little layout, the flyswatter does the job. I have only had two good long sessions with it so far and while I can easily afford the cost of the more expensive home built, forty dollars saved, is well forty dollars saved.

I have Ford f-350 7.3 litre diesel truck and I can afford to drive that everywhere and would prefer to do that. But it makes more sense to drive my Honda Civic from a monetary and environmental standpoint. I wouldn’t call my Honda a joke but some would.[au][sn][(-D]

13

I gotcha Brent!

Right up until someone runs a red and T-bones you, I’d guess. Besides, I’d rather be riding easy in the F-350 as opposed to being folded into the Civic, but I am not a “compact” passenger. As for the environment, best to ride a bike if that’s your concern. [grin]

For myself, I seldom cut corners when it comes to tools. I’ll spend the extra few bucks for better quality almost every time.

No bones about it, the fly swatter types do work OK. I have just experienced better results, even on small patches with the ion gen. types.

14

Several posters mentioned putting the pin in foam. Does it work in homosote too?

Also, if you put a ladies nylon anklet stocking in the vacuum hose, you can recover any grass or ballast or other landscaping stuff you vacuum from the layout, and re use it. Just a little hint.