Building a Static Grass Applicator
by Chris Rix.
Having spent many months, indeed years, getting to the point when I could start adding some colour and scenic detail to my new layout "Baytree Road" I decided to use static grass as an alternative to a grass mat and scatter materials. With only small areas to cover this was never going to be a large job but it did need the purchase of a static grass applicator in order to make best use of the grass in the packet. A look on the Internet and local model shops revealed both a Peco product and one by Woodland Scenics. At around £50 and £90 respectively it was easy to see that this was going to work out quite expensive. Making your own is not difficult, so with the help of some online tutorials I set about constructing one for less than £10.
You will need an static electric fly swatter (from your local hardware store or ebay) a metal tea strainer, a map pin, a couple of washers, soldering skills and some strong adhesive such as Evo-Stik Express.
First of all it should be noted that the fly swat does generate a decent voltage. After all it's designed to knock out any insect that might make its way through the grid. I measured approx 1000 volts across the output so keep your fingers away. It is of course safe to use as long as you don't become part of the circuit. Even if you did accidently touch the output it gives no more of a shock than getting a zap as you step out of your car and we have all experienced that at some time! ......... So with the health and safety advice done off we go.
When you purchase your swat make sure that it is the type that screws together. The ones that are glued will fall to pieces when dismantled.
Remove the batteries and then unscrew the cover. With this swat there were two green wires and one white connected to the metal framework. Cut these off and solder the two green wires together (photo 2 & 3.)
by Chris Rix.
Having spent many months, indeed years, getting to the point when I could start adding some colour and scenic detail to my new layout "Baytree Road" I decided to use static grass as an alternative to a grass mat and scatter materials. With only small areas to cover this was never going to be a large job but it did need the purchase of a static grass applicator in order to make best use of the grass in the packet. A look on the Internet and local model shops revealed both a Peco product and one by Woodland Scenics. At around £50 and £90 respectively it was easy to see that this was going to work out quite expensive. Making your own is not difficult, so with the help of some online tutorials I set about constructing one for less than £10.
You will need an static electric fly swatter (from your local hardware store or ebay) a metal tea strainer, a map pin, a couple of washers, soldering skills and some strong adhesive such as Evo-Stik Express.
First of all it should be noted that the fly swat does generate a decent voltage. After all it's designed to knock out any insect that might make its way through the grid. I measured approx 1000 volts across the output so keep your fingers away. It is of course safe to use as long as you don't become part of the circuit. Even if you did accidently touch the output it gives no more of a shock than getting a zap as you step out of your car and we have all experienced that at some time! ......... So with the health and safety advice done off we go.
When you purchase your swat make sure that it is the type that screws together. The ones that are glued will fall to pieces when dismantled.
Remove the batteries and then unscrew the cover. With this swat there were two green wires and one white connected to the metal framework. Cut these off and solder the two green wires together (photo 2 & 3.)
Remove the plastic frame and metal grid and slip the metal tea strainer over the two plastic lugs in the handle. Slide a couple of washers over the lugs and then use your strong adhesive to fix the strainer in place. Once set you can now solder the green wires to the frame of the strainer. The white wire has to be lengthened to about 40mm as this is your fly (no pun intended) lead. Take a map pin, place a washer over the pin then solder the white wire to it. Fit the small yellow plastic plate over the lugs (photo 4) and refit the cover (photo 6)
To apply your grass, coat the area with PVA (I recommend pound shop PVA which is cheap, runny and does not need watering down) Press the map pin into the area and sprinkle the grass from the strainer. Press the button on the side of your new applicators handle to energise it and move it across the grass at a distance of 3mm and you will see it start to stand up. As you can buy different lengths ( I used 6 inch ie 2mm grass) the results will depend on your choice. Most scrub grassland is quite short so 2mm is fine. If you are covering a large area you might need to move the map pin nearer the application area to get a better connection.
For those of you who are interested it works on the basis that PVA is water based so conducts electricty. When you energise the applicator the voltage produced in the strainer jumps across the 3mm gap and travels along the PVA to the map pin thus completing the circuit. In doing so the special static grass stands to attention.
Job done!
For those of you who are interested it works on the basis that PVA is water based so conducts electricty. When you energise the applicator the voltage produced in the strainer jumps across the 3mm gap and travels along the PVA to the map pin thus completing the circuit. In doing so the special static grass stands to attention.
Job done!