Static Grass Question...

[MetroRedLine]

I just got a WS Static King grass applicator and have experimented static grass application on a small piece of styrofoam as a test diorama. The results look pretty good so far for a flat surface.

My question is this: Most of my static grass will be applied on large rolling hills on my layout. If I apply the grass (4-6.5mm in height) on these hills, will it stand "up," as in vertically upward, like most tall grasses do, or will it stand "out," as in the blades will be perpendicular to the contour of the hills?

If it's the latter, how do I get it to stand upward?

[Philip H]

i had some lowhills on my last layout and my static grass mostly stood up as best I could tell.  If you are doing test shots on scrap foam, either set on at an angle and try it or just stack some and carve to a shape that matches one of your contours.  Then grass away.  That will tell you.

[Bob]

As Philip said, experiment on scrap pieces.  I paint my base, then put down ground foam, then 2mm static grass, and then if I want tall grass I then layer on 4 to 6mm static grass ,and this seems to work nicely.

[wazzou]

I like to recover my Static Grass as often as I can, so after I apply it, I put a paper towel over the end of my shop vac nozzle and vacuum to retrieve the loose fibers in the paper towel. 
This also helps some in pulling the fibers upright.
In my experience, you'll never get a 100% of them to stand vertically on side hills.

[DKS]

I might recommend checking out this thread: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=51451.0

[JeffB]

I just got a WS Static King grass applicator and have experimented static grass application on a small piece of styrofoam as a test diorama. The results look pretty good so far for a flat surface.

My question is this: Most of my static grass will be applied on large rolling hills on my layout. If I apply the grass (4-6.5mm in height) on these hills, will it stand "up," as in vertically upward, like most tall grasses do, or will it stand "out," as in the blades will be perpendicular to the contour of the hills?

If it's the latter, how do I get it to stand upward?

If it doesn't stand up at the angle you desire, use a wide flat soft brush and gently coax it to the angle you desire.  I've had to do this when applying static grass on small hills on my modules and brushing it to vertical works pretty well.

Jeff

[fire5506]

Don't forget that not all of the tall grass in the wild grows straight up, some even lays down. Just so long as most of it is standing up you'll be fine. Find or take pictures of what you are trying to replicate and use them as your guide, memory isn't as accurate as pictures.

Richard Webster

[MetroRedLine]

If it doesn't stand up at the angle you desire, use a wide flat soft brush and gently coax it to the angle you desire. 

A wide flat soft brush - would that be like a hairbrush for babies or something?

[RBrodzinsky]

Or for cats

[Lemosteam]

A wide flat soft brush - would that be like a hairbrush for babies or something?

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-in-chip-brushes-36-pk-63654.html?cid=paid_google%7C%7C%7C63654&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=CjwKCAiAjp6BBhAIEiwAkO9WuoDtgnWY45SypH7ZxC1Rval1EbdneioYtvkX7yUEVPn5lI8FTYN9mxoC6KIQAvD_BwE

[JeffB]

A wide flat soft brush - would that be like a hairbrush for babies or something?

There are artist's brushes that work well for this.  It has to be pretty soft/flexible.  I use a nylon bristle craft brush that I bought as part of a 3 or 4 pack of multiple sizes.

Any real supple brush will work.

JB