I have never used a snow scene on a layout. Can anyone tell me the best way to add snow? Will the stuff used to flock trees work?
Thanks!
Mike
I used a roll of cotton that I bought at a crafts store and a bag of glitter flakes. I stapled(used a staple gun) the cotton into place and fluffed it up a little, added glitter flakes then sprayed it with liquid hair spray from a squirt container, not sure if spray can of hair spray will work but I think it should. Do not use a fan or hair drier to dry the hair spray and glitter flakes or you may have stuff everywhere! Let it dry on its own!!
Lee F.
I’ve used everything from flour - not recommended by the way - through plaster, white paint, cotton rolls, the matting you can get from Christmas displays. There’s some used as tree skirts that is very nice. There’s even ‘snow’ mats associated with the cermanic village offerings. I’ve used Scenic Express snow that is granular once - but it was expensive for what you get. In retrospect, in my opinion it depends on whether the scene is ‘permanent’ or temporary.
There’s plenty of “cotton” snow available at retailers this time of year.
Robert
If you want permanent snow, here’s my technique. I paint the scene with any gloss white latex paint on hand, then while the paint is wet, I sift on FloraCraft (also sold as Buffalo Snow) Winter Snow (granules, not the coconut stuff). then I get some crystal glitter and wisp it over the landscape.
My winter themed layout has been up for quite some time, and this method is durable and doesn’t yellow.
Excellent ideas all! I might try the cotton batting first as I live a long way from any Hobby Shops or big box stores. Thanks a million to all. This forum is a true resourse.
Mike
Robert, great picture and great layout. I enjoyed your site. Those Black Angus cattle were ready to go! I need to get some new cattle for mine. The little rubber legs that let them move have been broken off the bottom of most of my cattle. I don’t know why. They are only 58 years old!
Thanks, Mike
If you use the cotton batting be very careful with the placement of track & batting. After last Christmas I spent several hours with dental picks and tweezers cleaning off the axles and out of the axle bushings on the rolling stock. Fortunately it didn’t get into any of the locos. [|(]
There’s a good article in creating a Winter scene in a recent MR - I just read it at the library and forgot the issue. I’ll look again.
Good point!
Mike
Thought I’d throw you some old images to “sell” my technique.
dougdagrump is correct! I might add that the polyester batting is worse than cotton as the fibers tend to be longer and really wrap around the axles. Also, I wasn’t so lucky and had to dig the junk out of two engine/geartrains as well…
Fife-
Those are very nice scenes. Thanks!
runtime
If there is a Menards by you, you can pickup snow blackets at this time of the season. It’s where I get my stuff from
My experience is to use a cardboard cut out of the area to have snow. Then I apply plaster of paris, with some very lightly applied glitter. When the season changes, remove the area and store away for another year. When the scene becomes dirty, a light painting with the plaster of paris restores well.
I make ties from screen door wood trim cut to slightly longer than the metal tinplate ties. I spray paint them black. I slip them between the metal ties and the polyester batting, and it helps keep the batting from being at rail height.
Also looks better having 7 ties rather than 3 per track section.
It’s not a perfect solution, but I like the batting for it’s ease of use and its appearance.
After trying cotton batting, then tearing it out I decided to go to the gloss white latex. Got the platform painted on the outside of the track side and it’s not bad. Since I had no luck finding glitter in town, except for the multicolored stuff kids like these days, I will have to get some silver colored stuff next time I go to one of the bigger places near here and then fix it with hair spray. When I get through I’ll try and post some pics. It’s my first semi permanant layout ever.
Mike
I had previously posted that I use polyester batting from a fabric store, and add extra ties. However, this year that solution again has been imperfect. I still like the batting and the extra ties, so:
So here is my final solution: I got some of the white flexible foam used in packaging that comes in sheets or a roll. It is only about 1/32" thick and easily cut with scissors. I cut pieces about 3" wide to go between the track and the batting. It is not noticeable, but keeps the batting away from the moving trains. I installed it on my 14’ x 10’ Christmas Garden last night, and it worked great. And quiets operation down.
Betwwen that solution and using relays with capacitors to control my automatic operation, I expect this to be a year with few, if any, equipment issues.
Butch, how thick is the batting? Is this similar to the 1" snow blanket I’ve seen in at various big box stores, Michael’s, etc?
thx, Don
There was a good article in the last OGR. Steve’s winter scene is probably the best that I have ever seen. It makes me cold just looking at it. Check out his web site and you will be heading for the coat closet too.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/sirt/main/new_curve_module_2