Homemade Corn field

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Does anybody know how to make a homemade corn field? I know i can get kits, but this seems a cheaper way to go.

Thanks for any tips.

2

i saw a guy use astro-turf in N scale. looked pretty good.

charlie

3

Gidday, Don’t know if you can get access to copies but good article in April 93 Model Railroader using an artificial turf door mat, also August 94 MR using natural raw materials.

Don’t know how to make this clickable but;

modeltrains.about.com/od/scenery/ss/ Making-Miniature-Cornstalks-htm uses a Christmas garland

All refer to HO so hope is of some help.

Cheers,The Bear.

4

There was a thread on this last year: http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/191677/2093689.aspx

You didn’t specify scale or if you want a green growing field, harvest time (with ears), or post harvest. Also whether or not you are modeling the dirt. Also, corn fields of the 1930-50s are a lot different than the corn fields of today.

If you want a post harvest field there is the broom stick approach http://modutrak.cgwrr.com/MiNi/Corn.htm

One could always plant a few rows of corn in front of the backdrop and used a photo of a cornfield to extend the illusion.

5

Should’ve been more specitic. Modern era, HO and pre harvest.

I belive I once heard of being able to make them out of round toothpicks( they seem a little big to me) and rafia. Anybody done of tried this approach?

6

If these are to scale, the height is about 1 inch (unless you are aiming for an elephant’s eye) and about .025 in in diameter or about a 22 ga wire. I would venture that a round toothpick is better suited for posts rather than cornstalks. But then it’s your scenery.

7

gabeusmc

I was browsing through the Nov '98 issue (which I found unpacking after the move). While the article by Art Curren was on creating various rural fences (split rail, wire mesh and barbed wire), he did comment on how he created the spring time corn field in his photographs. He also used a plastic type door mat, cutting back on some of the pieces (randomly). He then dribbled thin earth color latex paint between the rows. While I think the leaves are too wide for HO scale, it does allow for a quick field to be “planted”.

Alan

8

Gidday, The April 93 Model Railroader article using an artificial turf door mat was by Art Curren.

Will try to make the Christmas Garland cornfield clickable,

http://modeltrains.about.com/od/Scenery/ss/Making-Miniature-Cornstalks.htm

Cheers, The Bear,