So where are our electronics guys who know how to simulate the Wimshurst Machine? I assume what is needed is a high voltage low amperage current producer.
Tom, I found a web site that shows how to make a Simple Electrostatic Generators
Here’s an article on using a Wimshurst by the Hovedbanen Model Railroad Club
German Brew Elektrostatisches Begrasungsgerät (Electrostatic Grass Applicator)
Or could it be they are concerned about liability issues. It’s a high voltage device that could make you pee your pants or worse. If you ever got zaped by a leaky spark plug wire, you know how painful it can be.
There was an article in the November 1994 issue of Branchline Modeller about someone making a applicator from car ignition components. You have to buy a back issue or find out if the Kalmbach Memorial Library can photocopy it for you.
However, I found an interesting article on testing the Noch [url="http://www.ztrains.com/pages/workshop/static/static.ht
Wouldn’t it just be easier to cough up $116 and buy one of the Noch applicators from Scenic Express?
The Noch Gras Master is a completely different tool than the older Noch “turbo” gun, and we’ve found it to be very effective, as long as you use one of the recommended types of fiber.
Thanks for reading MR,
Terry
Having used the Wimshurst machine after the article in the 1980’s it produced fair results in large areas. It is also messy and hard to control length of the grass.
That is why I tried to find a way of coloring faux fur. It is a much easier process.
Just a thought
Harold
After having seen the 1980’s article Wimhurst machine contraption (see my previous post) in operation, that’s my opinion. $116 is a bargain compared to the expense and hassle of trying to cobble together and use other means to generate a good static charge.
Silflor and fake fur have their uses (and I use them too), but there’s nothing like static grass to cover pastures with some great looking grass in any thickness level you want. [swg]
The latest MR article on static grass illustrates the marvelous control and results you get from this technique.
Terry,
I am curious about “recommended types of fiber”… does this include Woodland Scenics Static Grass as well? The reason
I ask is that the Woodland Scenics product is more readily available to me. Thanks, Dave
Try this one.
Thanks for the link,
Dave
I think it might have something to do with the size of the fiber. The GrassMaster comes with two screens, 2mm and 4mm for the flocking that Notch sells. If the flocking is too large for the screen it will only clog up the applicator. Too small, you may not have as good as control over the flocking.
I checked the Woodland Scenics site, but the size of the flocking is not given.
Thanks Gary,
I have a couple of containers of the WS static grass and have tested by simply
sprinklng it over thin glue… it worked okay, but I would like it to stand up a little better.
I would say that better than half of it stood up while the rest layed over. I’m going to use
lots of static grass on the new layout, but I want it to look like the real thing. Good luck. Dave
Hi Art,
I’m really not sure whether my approach actually creates any static and makes the grass stand up. I thought the applicators were just an expensive way of blowing the grass onto the glue. I didn’t realize that the applicators made all the grass stand up straight. I just know I’m happy with the way the grass looks that I’ve blown onto the layout with the empty bottle.
Hope this helps.
Mondo
Well I guess that answers the question “Does anybody know how to make a static grass applicator”
Yes, it can be done and has been done. Although the procedure is not laid out step by step.
But the question now is, is it worth the work building it? The chance of it not working as well, if at all, as the Noch product. And the very real possibility of physical harm? In that respect it is very much worth the money.
Then again, if you have the experience and know how to work safely with high voltage, have the parts on hand, confidence in your skills and plenty of time, only you know if it’s worth a try. At least you could learn something.
We all like to get the most bang for our buck. Yes it is a nice tool and it does a great job doing what it’s supposed to and it cost a lot less than it use to.
I think what underlying question that started this subject is what else will my $125 buy (tool with shipping)? Better or more turnouts? A few more decoders? A locomotive?
We probably already spent at least a couple hundred bucks for a good starter DCC system. A few hundred dollars, maybe more, for locomotives with sound decoders. Track, turnouts, switch machines, structures, scenery supplies, ect., it all adds up.
I supose it’s hard for some of us to swallow buying a tool we most likely only use for a short time. Especially if a guy has to justify his spending money on his hobby to his wife, if not to himself.
Maybe there’s another solution. Perhaps a few friends can chip in to buy one and share it (but then, who gets to keep it?). Resell it on eBay? Start a new career building layouts?
You can increase the static charge in the Palmolive bottle by first loading the grass fibers…shaking the bottle thoroughly…and then (seriously) rub the bottle with an inflated latex balloon. There are also many plans for static generators, and complete units available on line.
underworld
aka The Violet
[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
Dave.
Maybe try a thicker or tackier glue like matt medium. Or let the white glue sit up a little longer to the point it’s just sticky enough to hold the flocking but not wet enough to let the grass fall over.
In the article on the Noch tools, the author said he had better results with the shaker bottle half full.
Just for the heck of it, charge up a piece of plastic by rubbing a cotton cloth just out of the dryer back and forth vigorously. Or even a balloon rubbed on your arm. And hold it just a few inches over the flocking. Try charging up the shaker bottle too.
Good luck to you too!
Tesla Coil
or
Vandegraff Generator here’s a how too
http://www.gocs1.com/gocs1/Psionics/Vandegraff%20Generator.htm
K
Budliner
I think you use this one for the Larger Than Life scale model flocking!!!
underworld
aka The Violet
[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
This static grass stuff is very interesting.
I will be modeling southern california, where my layout will most likely be mostly dirt. Mixing ground foam and dirt just never quite looks right to me.
Now this stuff - wow! Maybe worth buying the applicator.
How much does the grass stuff itself cost?
Wow, the combination of these materials is frighteningly realistic looking.
It’s as if we’ve truly entered the “textured” age of model railroading.
First, they painted plaster green and called it grass. Then they used dyed sawdust. Then ground foam.
Now we have actual model 3 dimensional grass! Nice!
Why not take a shaker bottle take two pieces of foam on either side rub it against another piece of foam static electricity is created and vola static grass applicator. Or so I think. You could also call in frankinstein and hook something up to him.
What makes the electrostatic application attractive to me is that, if I read the article correctly, repeated applications result in someof the grass attaching end to end with previosly applied grass. Thus you would end up with grass of varying heights. Would love to see live what the results look like. Is it worth the bucks? Hmmmm. I’m sure some folks that value scenery aove all else would say “heck yeah” while those that prefer other aspects of the hobby would disagree and many would somewhere in the middle.
If the results are how they appear, it might be worth it to delay buying a couple of engines to get some great looking scenery. Hmmm. I’ll have to process this thought for awhile (this from the guy who spent 3 months to decide to go DCC and then another six to decide which system).
BTW: Joe, fantastic work in the pic!!
Also - some of the posts on the previous page had me rolling on the floor in laughter. You guys rock!
For added applications of the grass, how do you apply the glue prior to blowing on the grass? It seems that dribbled or sprayed on glue would ruin the effect of the first layed down material.