Anyone tried the static grass tool by Grass Tech? It’s only $39.95.
I bought the GrassTech 2. By the price it looks like you are looking at the fly swatter version. When I received mine it was DOA. It was however just a matter of badly soldered connections. I re-soldered them and it has worked fine so far. MRR did a review of the one you are looking at. Here is a link to the review. They seem to like it.
Kevin Rowbotham did a great article in Model Railroad Hobbyist (March/April 2010) showing how to build three version: the flyswatter, the 12VDC and the 120VAC.
I had already built the flyswatter version (which is sold commercially for about $30 and I built for $5) but it was a little weak, so I built the 12V (too scared of electricity to try the 120V):
I call it “The Banananator” 
And it cost under $30 to build, with the neg ion generator being the most expensive at $25.
You can build it in less time than it takes for a company to ship you a $100+ applicator.
Works very well, especially for large areas like our Free-moN modules.
DIY is A-OK! [tup]
hi. i have been trying to find a neg. ion generator. could you tell me where you got yours. and any chance of a wiring diagram. thanks. craig
Got mine from Model-Trains-Video for $25 (they, in turn, import them from Oatley Electronics in Australia for $15 a unit plus the $11-12 shipping).
You can order directly from Oatley if you want, but if you’re living in America, the extra dollar is worth having it show up in your mailbox in a couple of days instead of weeks [tup]
Electronic Goldmine in Scottsdale, Arizona has the negative ion generators in stock.
http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/products.asp?dept=1221
I bought my Grass-Tech from some eBay distributer for about $30. It works fine. I’m very happy with the results.
After trying the 2, 4 and 6mm grass lengths, I like the 4 mm the best.
thanks for that. will check and see if they still have them. i’m in new zealand so getting parts from aussie shouldnt be too much of an issue.
I purchased one and I haven’t been real happy with the results so far. It’s a long way from the cost of the Noch one so I don’t know if I am expecting to much or not. What I have done so far reminds me of my whiskers when I dont shave for two days. It just seems thin and it doesnt stand up like I had hoped it would. I dont know if Im not using enough grass or if it takes two or three applications. Also I am using 2mm grass and it seems like it just balls up it the screen and I have to stop and break it up with my fingers or it doesnt go through the screne. I haven’t used the more expensive unit but all the pictures I see of grass I am just dissapointed with what I have done.
Dugan
I have the same opinion of the 2mm static grass, although my whiskers aren’t green. That’s the first I tried, as it’s all that Woodland Scenics makes and it’s what my LHS had in stock. I ordered some Silflor 4mm and 6mm grass, and it is much nicer. I’m in HO scale, and the 4mm seems the best to me.
I will give 4mm a try, do you have the problem of the grass just balling up after a little bit and having to stop and loosen it all up again?
Dugan
No, that hasn’t been a problem. I usually “crumble” the grass into the strainer, and mix together different colors and lengths. Just the shaking motion I use to apply the grass seems to keep it mixed and broken up pretty well.
This is what my 2mm grass looks like:
This is a mixture of longer grasses, 4 and 6 mm:
I selected 2 colors each of 2, 4 and 6mm grasses, no 2 colors the same, so I’ve got a variety to choose from. By varying the color and length with every batch that goes into the strainer, I get a more natural look than I would with only single grasses.