Hi everyone, I wanted to try out static grass for basing my minis lately. Eventhough no freaking shop here carries it, I ran into a problem. The owner of a model railroad shop told me that I could not just glue static grass onto the base. I would have to have a certain high pressure heat thingy I could buy or, as he suggested, build myself if I had access to the parts. Furthermore he told me it would be practically impossible to use it to flock my minis (I had a converted Crossbowman of Dirz with me to show him what I wanted to do) as the space was too small. However, it seems there are quite some painters who prove they can do the impossible. So.... I suppose he was wrong, but how do I use static grass should I ever get my greasy little hands on a bag full of grassy goodness?
Static grass
- Thread starter Mosch
- Start date
Temperance
New member
The way I typically attach static grass (which I first read from Haley\'s website)
Step 0: Put the static grass in a small covered container, like a margarine container. Shake it up well before use.
Step 1: Take some super glue and squirt it out on a disposable surface. Use a toothpick to apply small blobs of superglue on the base.
Step 2: Stick the base into the container and cover it with static grass. Remove the figure and shake off the excess static grass.
Step 3: Turn the figure upside down, and blow on the figure from below -- that will help make the static grass stand up.
Step 4: Static grass normally looks pretty glossy. Protect your figure with a dull coat of spray varnish -- it will also improve the appearance of the static grass.
Step 0: Put the static grass in a small covered container, like a margarine container. Shake it up well before use.
Step 1: Take some super glue and squirt it out on a disposable surface. Use a toothpick to apply small blobs of superglue on the base.
Step 2: Stick the base into the container and cover it with static grass. Remove the figure and shake off the excess static grass.
Step 3: Turn the figure upside down, and blow on the figure from below -- that will help make the static grass stand up.
Step 4: Static grass normally looks pretty glossy. Protect your figure with a dull coat of spray varnish -- it will also improve the appearance of the static grass.
Considering the fact that he explicitly said that he did not sell those devices, I doubt it
Anyway, thanks everyone. I hope to obtain some of this stuff soon (tomorrow if I am lucky) and will try it out. Then I will probably come back crying, either for joy or pain, we\'ll see :flip:
GunjiNoKanrei
New member
What I like to do is drybrush the grass after the glue is dry. This helps the grass to \'stand up\'. Usually I do this with Bleached Bone but if you do not want to alter the color of the grass you can do this with no paint on the brush too.
airhead
Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
Mosch, I think he misunderstood. Sounds like he was trying to sell you a flocking gun. Uses air (like a spraygun/airbrush) and chops up littl cords into minute bits that the gun sprays along with a glue.
That would be way overkill on a mini. Expensive but handy in terrain work.
That would be way overkill on a mini. Expensive but handy in terrain work.
luckycharms
Member
Static Grass
I found a dispenser made by NOCH, a German company in a model/ train shop in Illinois. The dispenser is a yellow plastic squeeze type bottle with a screw on lid at the top. Under the lid is a flat cap that has holes similar to a salt and pepper shaker. I put the glue on the mini in the areas I require the grass, and set the mini into a box. The directions indicate the bottle should be shaken first, I was told this causes the static grass in the container to generate a slight static charge. I remove the top and squeeze the static grass out onto the mini. When the static grass hits the glue @ 60 - 75% sticks in so that it\'s standing up. Then I can flip the mini over and gently tap off the excess. I recomend using a box to squirt the static grass into as it has a habit of going everywhere. This will also help during clean up as you can scoop the excess static grass back up and put it back into the squeeze bottle. I find this to work pretty good for me.
I found a dispenser made by NOCH, a German company in a model/ train shop in Illinois. The dispenser is a yellow plastic squeeze type bottle with a screw on lid at the top. Under the lid is a flat cap that has holes similar to a salt and pepper shaker. I put the glue on the mini in the areas I require the grass, and set the mini into a box. The directions indicate the bottle should be shaken first, I was told this causes the static grass in the container to generate a slight static charge. I remove the top and squeeze the static grass out onto the mini. When the static grass hits the glue @ 60 - 75% sticks in so that it\'s standing up. Then I can flip the mini over and gently tap off the excess. I recomend using a box to squirt the static grass into as it has a habit of going everywhere. This will also help during clean up as you can scoop the excess static grass back up and put it back into the squeeze bottle. I find this to work pretty good for me.
wiccanpony
Official Freak Bar Witch
removing static grass from eyebrows...
ye globs and little fishies, blow very gentle to remove the grass. \"She who made like the Big Bad Wolf and blew the darn stuff all over the place\".
ye globs and little fishies, blow very gentle to remove the grass. \"She who made like the Big Bad Wolf and blew the darn stuff all over the place\".he\'s full of it.
i think the guy in the train store was full of it. even given the data that such gunes do exist and serve a purpose- whens the last time you saw grass that all stood straight up? i seethe occasional blade sticking up and the rest at random angles whenever i look...
but now the real thing. i know how to make flock (Put foam rubber through a meat grinder three or four times), but i want to know how to make static grass. its got to be made of the most asinine materials around... but i can\'t figure out what. cut up string? hair clippings? fiberglass insulation thats been ground up? if anyone knows, please answer...
i think the guy in the train store was full of it. even given the data that such gunes do exist and serve a purpose- whens the last time you saw grass that all stood straight up? i seethe occasional blade sticking up and the rest at random angles whenever i look...
but now the real thing. i know how to make flock (Put foam rubber through a meat grinder three or four times), but i want to know how to make static grass. its got to be made of the most asinine materials around... but i can\'t figure out what. cut up string? hair clippings? fiberglass insulation thats been ground up? if anyone knows, please answer...
K
klute_in_the_valute
Guest
When they shave the felt on the top of snooker/pool boards the waste is used as static grass.
Sorry that was a blatant lie.Im sure its some by product that is produced in a factory somewhere that a mini painter worked.He got it over himself from arsehole to breakfast time and couldnt get it off.
\"hey that would look great as grass on my bases\"
Maybe,maybe not.
Sorry that was a blatant lie.Im sure its some by product that is produced in a factory somewhere that a mini painter worked.He got it over himself from arsehole to breakfast time and couldnt get it off.
\"hey that would look great as grass on my bases\"
Maybe,maybe not.
vincegamer
Active member
I know the long stuff is usually natural hair fibres (for making tall parie or swamp grasses). I would assume the smaller stuff we generally use is made of the same material, but my package didn\'t say.
luckycharms
Member
More often than not one person\'s garbage is another person\'s treasure.
wiccanpony
Official Freak Bar Witch
so true, luckycharms...
Wiccanpony: \"removing static grass from eyebrows...
ye globs and little fishies, blow very gentle to remove the grass. \"She who made like the Big Bad Wolf and blew the darn stuff all over the place\". \"
Woodlands Senics Snow, much finer than senic grass, 10 times worse if you sneeze. Goes everywhere. (And they say sand gets into everything! )
EDIT:
I just re-read the original post and I\'ve just realised what the shop guy was probably on about. I think he was talking about grass matting sheets. Having used some of this in the past and have just got some more I know that it\'s very difficult to use. The heating device I think he was referring to, could be a type of \"Tacking iron\" used to melt an adhesive tissue between the grass sheeting and the ground. Sort of like a cross between a soldering iron and a pyrograve. (Wood Scorching iron used in \'Pokerwork\' crafts).
The principle is very similar to that used by Photographers to mount pictures for exhibitions.
ye globs and little fishies, blow very gentle to remove the grass. \"She who made like the Big Bad Wolf and blew the darn stuff all over the place\". \"
Woodlands Senics Snow, much finer than senic grass, 10 times worse if you sneeze. Goes everywhere. (And they say sand gets into everything!
)EDIT:
I just re-read the original post and I\'ve just realised what the shop guy was probably on about. I think he was talking about grass matting sheets. Having used some of this in the past and have just got some more I know that it\'s very difficult to use. The heating device I think he was referring to, could be a type of \"Tacking iron\" used to melt an adhesive tissue between the grass sheeting and the ground. Sort of like a cross between a soldering iron and a pyrograve. (Wood Scorching iron used in \'Pokerwork\' crafts).
The principle is very similar to that used by Photographers to mount pictures for exhibitions.
Cerridwyn1st
New member
Originally posted by wiccanpony
Gee, Wicca, does this make you a blow hard? lol
I was always afraid to try this, because I thought I\'d blow all the stuff off. But having tried it, I like the effect.
Sometimes I\'ll cover the whole base with white glue, stick on a couple rocks, sprinkle on sand, and then add the stat grass. This gives the look of real ground, which is often a mix of gravel, rock, and grass.
I also add a drop or two of paint that matches what I\'ve painted my base, so the glue won\'t be a different color than my base.
Has anyone tried applying the cork-type grass first, then using dabs of stat grass and gravel? Seems to me this would also give a nice effect.
Hey, Dragonsreach, be very careful woth the Woodland Scenics snow. You want to use a face mask - I\'ve heard that stuff is nasty if you inhale it.
O
Orchid_Noir
Guest
much of the cheap stuff is the left overs from trimming (mowing, clipping, whatever...) new carpet, the other is basically the same thing, just from much less incedental sources (and with better quality/color control).
