Ok, as I’m starting to build my diorama, I’m going to need some tall grass for my ditches and other scenic spots. Now I know that the Noch Static Grass is a great tool, but I really don’t want to invest the money into it because I don’t need much. Is there a cheap and easy way to make tall grass? I’ve thought about using thread, but I’m worried it would be too flimsy, and take alot of work.
One thing people do is get some faux fur and dye it the color they want then the glue it fur down to the layout and pull it up slowly cutting away with a hobby knife.
I have used faux fir scraps from the local material store and even scraps of mink fir from the bottom of an old mink coat. This does not mimic yard grass but weed grass in ditches and beside streams and marshes. I have better luck Woodland scenics “tall grass”. A package will make a lot of grass clumps in HO. Two different colors add to the realism.
I’ve used jute string teased out into individual fibres. Just snip a short length and unwind it. If like me you have a foam base it can be simply pushed into that. Double ended tufts work well that way, with the middle section buried.
Cost was about $3 for a ball.
It can be slow going, and I wouldn’t want to be doing a large area, but it takes acrylic paint well. Don’t paint it before you tease it out because it’ll get clogged up and won’t separate. The grasses in this pic were left unpainted, and the colour’s pretty natural I think.
You can make them as neat or untidy as you like.
Mike
Click image to enlarge
Visit:
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/fur_grass/
Thank you if you visit
Harold
Well, I saw a method where you spray paint fake fur green, then apply dirt and work it in with an old hairbrush, when you’re satisfied, you glue it down, then can put trees, ect after.
Could you post some pics when you finish the diarama?[8D]
I would go with static grass and the $3.98 Noch puffer bottle. You can get results with the puffer bottle equal or better than with an electrostatic applicator.
Don’t you read MR Mag? Golden Retriever hair makes wonderful grass. [;)]
Any of the natural rope fibres, hemp, sisal and others can be stabbed end on into whatever goop you are using for mud and later cut off to whatever height(s) you want. The cheapest source (if you can still find it) is old fashioned natural fibre binder twine. Most of the fibres will hold paint if their natural colour isn’t what you want.
[8D]
I used Woodland Scenes Tall Grass. I think that is what it is called, it is sold in small packages of 3 or 4 different colors. I got mine at Hobby Lobby for a couple bucks each. It is kinda slow going but makes great looking grass. You can put it in lumps here and there or make an entire field. I am surprised someone hasen’t mentioned it. Mike
Bristles from old paint brushes.
Great question. I’ve used WS tall grass. It’s ok, nothing great. Not very realistic looking.
To me, even in layout photos in the various mags, it always looks like someone took a scale broom and stuck it in the ground upside down, so that just the broom bristles are above ground 
Never heard of the Noch puffer bottle mentioned earlier, sounds worth a try though.
Go to Joe Fugate’s web site or search this database. I used fleece for N scale.
If you want a lot of “long grass” of the same or similar height (like a corn field) one way to speed it up is to just plant long-enough or longer lengths and then mow it with a Wahl hair trimmer or similar. If you can run a small vacuum cleaner at the same time to clear up all the bits (before they get in your locos [banghead]). Hand clippers will do the job as well.
[:)]
As Dave said, “binder twine” normally used to tie hay bales ---- available at most any feed / seed house that caters to farmers / ranchers. One nationally known firm ‘Tractor Supply Co.’ The last time I bought a ball, it was about $15 — that’s for a 6000 foot roll. Yes, 6000 feet.[C):-)]
John T.
Sorry to barge in on this thread. For those of you that use twine, do you just cut a little bit off and secure it with hot clue?
Thanks guys for your help! I’ll have to look into them. I’ll post some picturesof the Dorima when it’s done in WFP, or in a thread of it’s own, but that won’t but for a while.
After being asked in the weekend fun thread how I made the grass in one of the photos I hope the following info might help with one of the many ways to give a grass effect.
The product used available in the laundry section of your supermarket is a cleaning/polishing cloth using the generic name of 'wonder cloth. The cloth available in many colours but I find green the most suitable measures 195mm x 250mm double sided. The stitching is cut around three sides and you have immediatley doubled your usable size. And all this costs around the $2.00 mark.
Out of the packet the fur lies flat and when brushed up is about 10mm long which scales out as 3 foot tall grass. If you want it shorter fold the cloth over on its self and random cut the ‘fur’ to get an uneven look as the real grass does.
You can cut the cloth to measure, paint and place or just glue into place then proceed to paint.
For painting the cloth I have used water based paints Tamiya, in this case flat green which gives the base colour I want to have. Probably any water based paint will do. Use a stiff brush and massage the paint into the cloth covering up all fibres. Try not and have it too wet or the fur will just flop down. I use an off cut of un coloured cloth and rub it over the wet cloth to help dry and spread the paint.
When the cloth is all coloured dry it up so that the fur fluffs up. The raw product from the pack is on the right hand side of the photo.
This is what it looks like all coloured. If you are modelling a drier area use other colours such as desert yellow, buff etc. The all green can be toned down with other shades as well.
To make variations in the green grass I used various light coloured chalks as shown. Once the grass is dry then rub the chalks over
I’m with you. I just bought a 12" x 19" mat of silflor from scenic express and it came to the grand total of $36.82. WAAAAYYYY too much! I’m going to try something a bit different. I found a hemp door mat with the slogan “wipe your paws” on it at walmart for a mere 9 bucks and looks like all i’ll have to do is cut it out in very small sections with a hobby knife and glue it down. i may need to tease it a bit to hold the fibers in a random pattern with some dilute glue but looks like it will work just fine for tall grass. I’ll get back with you and let you know how it works when I get to that stage…chuck