Home made tufts with home made static grass applicator

[Hammers]

I just came across this video. I think I will give it a go soon

[FifteensAway]

Well, exceptional craftsmanship.  And it clearly works very well.  But at 2:22 I was asking myself, is the cost of the materials plus time (plus oops costs and oops time) mean finding a commercial product is more cost effective?  At about six minutes, I was checking for commercially available product - and found one.  However, it was worth watching to see the simple technique he uses for heating up heat-shrink tubing.  I'll be practicing that.

My other question, while watching, was how much grass tuft could I buy for the cost of the materials.  Though, if I want ed to create commercial quantities of grass tuft, this would be the way to go - very effective tool.

Nice find.  Just not sure I can justify that much time and expense to build my own applicator.  Will await hearing how your attempt goes.

[Hammers]

Well, exceptional craftsmanship.  And it clearly works very well.  But at 2:22 I was asking myself, is the cost of the materials plus time (plus oops costs and oops time) mean finding a commercial product is more cost effective?  At about six minutes, I was checking for commercially available product - and found one.  However, it was worth watching to see the simple technique he uses for heating up heat-shrink tubing.  I'll be practicing that.

My other question, while watching, was how much grass tuft could I buy for the cost of the materials.  Though, if I want ed to create commercial quantities of grass tuft, this would be the way to go - very effective tool.

Nice find.  Just not sure I can justify that much time and expense to build my own applicator.  Will await hearing how your attempt goes.

The Joy of Making Your Own Shit

[YPU]

Luke towan, the chap who's video this is, also uses this applicator to create great looking grassy areas on terrain pieces, not just tufts. You could still use a commercial applicator for this, but you won't be able to compare it to store-bought tufts. 

[Lowtardog]

I have a grass applicator on its way from Santa, worth a try and off the shelf ones aren`t too bad (I picked the one which is a static plate rather than the dildo type one  ) raw materials and cost of the machine will pay for itself (assuming I can get it working correctly) I recently bought 4 sets of tufts and at £4.50 a pack it will soon pay for itself I think and it can be used on terrain too

these were the guys I got mine from
http://www.war-world.co.uk/product.php/wws_war_pro_grass_box_smooth_case/?k=:::6556496:0

[Cubs]

I love playing with my applicator although my results are a bit mixed to say the least. Things I have learned -

1) the adhesive really needs to be gooey (not wood glue) when 'set', so the tufts can be easily pulled off from the paper and applied to the surface.

2) I didn't bother putting an mdf or thick card template with holes in it over my waxed paper, because I didn't see the point. Then my tufts turned out all flat. The template is a great idea because it helps the tufts to 'sit up' nicely.

3) really long static grass tufts were hard to do ... so hard I didn't bother.

4) ditto flowers, reeds or variegated colours ... I'll just buy those.

5) 1mm static grass makes lovely fuzzy moss patches, but the colours available are quite limited and unnatural looking, so I bought a couple of bags and mixed colours to get a nicer blend.

[Vagabond]

I saw this some time ago on Eric the Sheds site, not as sophisticated but looks a lot quicker and easier.

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/a-fly-swat-sieve-and-soldering-iron.html

It might be worth looking at this.

[Silent Invader]

I’ve made one of the fly swat and tea-strainer thingies. I used it to ‘pull up’ static grass on terrain. Makes quite a bang if you brush the terminals together.  

TBH I lost interest in using it. 

[Vagabond]

I’ve made one of the fly swat and tea-strainer thingies. I used it to ‘pull up’ static grass on terrain. Makes quite a bang if you brush the terminals together.  

TBH I lost interest in using it. 

I suspect the answer is not to brush the terminals together.     

I'm curious as to why you lost interest, was it because it didn't work so well or because you decided the results were not as good as expected and could be achieved other ways.

I've admired your Vietnam board but can't for the life of me remember if the static grass stood up or not, and so maybe it doesn't matter.

However for all the guys enamoured with grass tufts, and there are a lot of them would the fly bat work?

[MediumAl]

I used a £1 Poundland fly-swat to produce mine. Whilst it worked, it doesn't produce the same quality as more powerful applicators such as the You-Tube example above or the commercial ones. Cost less than £3 overall, so if money-saving is the primary limitation, do it, but if I was going to do enough to warrant a longer-term purchase, I'd go for the better quality options.

Al

[FifteensAway]

"The Joy of Making Your Own Shit"  Amen, brother!  Sometimes.   

[Hammers]

5) 1mm static grass makes lovely fuzzy moss patches, but the colours available are quite limited and unnatural looking, so I bought a couple of bags and mixed colours to get a nicer blend.

This would be my main concern.

[Eric the Shed]

and if you want to build a £3 applicator here is a tutorial
http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/a-fly-swat-sieve-and-soldering-iron.html

have to say I have only used it about three times

[Silent Invader]

I suspect the answer is not to brush the terminals together.     

I'm curious as to why you lost interest, was it because it didn't work so well or because you decided the results were not as good as expected and could be achieved other ways.

I've admired your Vietnam board but can't for the life of me remember if the static grass stood up or not, and so maybe it doesn't matter.

However for all the guys enamoured with grass tufts, and there are a lot of them would the fly bat work?

 

The one I made is pretty much the same as by EtS.

I used it for the Vietnam/The North terrain and the grass does stand. It was a matter of applying runny PVA then using the device to scatter directly onto the tile. A decidedly dodgy and nerve-wracking experience as occasionally the contacts would inadvertently contact.

TBH I think I only made 1 clump with it as I like the mix I buy and time was better spent etc. I will use it again on the larger areas when I make more grassy terrain tiles.

[Mako]

Haven't tried it, but suspect any sort of sifting device (even a piece of paper bent into a "V") would work, when paired with an inflatable balloon.

Inflate the latter, rub on clothing, carpeting, or fabric covered furniture to charge the balloon's surface, and then slowly and carefully lower above the static grass sprinkled onto small blobs of white glue, in order to get them to stand up.

The trick is getting the appropriate height so as to attract the grass to get it to stand up, without getting it too close to cause the little fibers to leap through the air onto the balloon's surface.

I suspect if that occurs, you can just wash them off, let dry, and then try again.