Seaboard Central 2.0

[davefoxx]

@davefoxx - if you put a piece of paper towel or sock over the nozzle of your Shop Vac, you can recycle the vacuumed static grass rather than waste it.  Additionally, vacuuming is a good idea because it stands up what grass isn't already standing vertically.

Good idea!  Thanks.

DFF

[davefoxx]

I applied some more static grass this evening, which you can see to the right of the tracks.  The grass on the left was applied a few days ago, so, with the adhesive dry, I went back over it much more aggressively with my shop vac and pulled most of the errant fibers out.  If you compare the following photo with the one I posted a few days ago on the previous page of this thread, you'll notice that it looks a little better.  I was really surprised how much I could comb the grass with the brush attachment on my shop vac without causing damage to the grass.  I'm pleased.

Also, if you look close at left in this photo, you can see that I started applying the brush that will be the edge of a stand of trees.  Please ignore the obvious adhesive that's still wet since I saturated this area again to apply a forest floor (not visible in the photo) and the brush.  I bought two boxes of Super Trees, so, hopefully, in the near future, I'll begin populating the layout with trees.



DFF

[Bendtracker1]

That looks great Dave!
I like the the lighter color grass that's mixed in.  Is that the 6mm late summer?

[davefoxx]

Yes, it's as close to the recipe that you suggested as I can make it.  I like it.

DFF

[Bendtracker1]

Did you by any chance get a bag of the Noch grass that has some yellow in it?
It changed the color of the Silflor mix when I applied it over the top of the Noch.

[davefoxx]

No, just the two Silflor static grasses that you recommended.  Since I'm leaning towards springtime, I stayed away from the yellow grass.

DFF

[mcjaco]

After almost ten years of static grass on Modutrak, we've been really pleased with it's resiliency.  Jamie has even forgone the application onto wet paint, and just spread Modge Podge down, and the stuff won't come up with the heavy handling it can get at train shows.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Looks good Dave!
Thick & springtimey lush.

I've found that adding in some WS 2mm helps "extend" your quality 4mm-5mm stuff.
If you mix it in evenly before application you can hardly tell it's there yet you use a lot less of the longer, and there's subtle variation.
If you drop it in "clumps" into the cup (or add it to a smaller amount of longer, like at the end of a shake), then you'll have more of a patchy effect.

Another way to get some variation is to wait until totally dry, then use your fingers to rub out some balder patches.

Another trick:
Immediately after throwing down the static grass & doing the vacuum pass, take the smooth rounded back end of a pair of tweezers & drag gently through the grass to create an animal / foot trail:



[Sorry: only real decent photo I can find is a very early ShooFly Free-moN module shot]

Also, to add some flowering weeds, gently brush the grass tops with slightly-diluted white glue, & sprinkle some coarse ground foam on top:



A vacuum pass right away will give a thinner flowering, while waiting until totally dry will result in thicker.  Used this to create the mustard weed & sourgrass that explodes on the green hills of Northern California in the springtime:





And leafy water plants along a slough:



But you can also sprinkle greens to mimic miner's lettuce or any other leafy weed.
Haven't tried a fine ground foam but that could look good as a thick-topped grass or foxtails.
(Or, in your case, foxxtails)

Food for thought.
Given your killer kudzu, looking forward to seeing your fab layers of veg on this end 

[davefoxx]

Thanks, M.C.!  That is just some beautiful scenery that you built.  I don't know that mine will ever look as good, but thanks for the pictures that I can use for inspiration and ideas.

DFF

[Cajonpassfan]

MC, your grassy field is just amazing
Otto K.

[davefoxx]

Still messing around with static grass and ground foam:





Hopefully, this weekend, I'll start working on some trees.  I just need some grayish-brown spray paint.  The trees will be planted in the areas where you can see the prepared forest floor.

DFF

[nuno81291]

I like the variation in the static grass flock colors and ground cover as well as transition to the brush looks very natural. Needs more kudzu.

[Rich_S]

Still messing around with static grass and ground foam:





Hopefully, this weekend, I'll start working on some trees.  I just need some grayish-brown spray paint.  The trees will be planted in the areas where you can see the prepared forest floor.

DFF

Dave, The static grass looks very nice, two thumbs up. But when are you going to finish those buildings for those poor people in downtown Aberdeen? he he he   

[basementcalling]

Still messing around with static grass and ground foam:





Hopefully, this weekend, I'll start working on some trees.  I just need some grayish-brown spray paint.  The trees will be planted in the areas where you can see the prepared forest floor.

DFF

Love the static grass around the brushy areas. That looks quite realistic. My own efforts with it haven't produced photo worthy results yet. I'm trying for more variation in colors for a mid-late summer look.

[davefoxx]

I like the variation in the static grass flock colors and ground cover as well as transition to the brush looks very natural. Needs more kudzu.

Haha!  Thanks.  I'm doing everything I can to keep the kudzu from taking over the layout as it is, so I keep it cut back to the lake and trestle scene.   

DFF