MrWolf Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 It would seem, that by, er, popular demand, I shall be using WWS products, which is handy because I have a bit of it already which came in a bundle with one of their static applicators. It's not summer either. Although the part of the world I am modelling is very green, it's not "all that green", besides, I use muted colour in my artwork, for the same reason that you all use them in your modelling. I remember reading magazines as a kid and thinking that I would never put that psychedelic lichen on a layout! So the materials have changed, but our collective eyesight hasn't... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mick Bonwick Posted July 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2021 I have to be diffferent. It says so in my contract. When WWS first came onto the scene (!) I wondered why they had copied the continental chappies and added red and blue fibres to their mixes. I have never seen red and blue grass leaves in fields or pastures. For that single reason I have never chosen their static grass products. I am quite sure that they have changed since then, or people wouldn't be buying them. I had always used Green Scene static grass fibres because they sold packets that contained only one colour and I could then mix my own from those if I needed to. Then John Lloyd decided that it was no longer financially viable to make his own and I found Polak products had become available. Their range of colours were all fairly muted, did not have a shine to them and I was able to accumulate a good supply from there. I have since added some Noch longer fibres (10mm and 12mm) for when I was working on an O Gauge layout, once again in muted colours. At the moment Polak products are difficult, if not impossible, to find in this country. I saw demonstrations by WWS when they first started in the market and they always included the 'put it on and then mess it up' routine and I always wondered what it was for. If I want an uneven surface I create it as the base rather than try to create one from a flat surface. There are now many producers of static grass fibres, so the choice is much greater. I now simply look for muted colours and non-shiny fibres, which I often find in the Noch and Heki ranges, although Woodland Scenics are good as well. Whichever you use you will have spent a fair bit of the budget on it, and I recommend recovering as much as possible to be used again. My preferred method of doing this is to mask off the area being treated with sheets of paper so that the unused fibres fall on that and can be quickly and easily decanted back into their containers. I have used vacuum cleaners as well but find that there is a bit more hassle involved that way. I also try things out on sheets of greyboard or paper before committing to them on the layout. In fact, if I put all my practise pieces together, I could probably represent a fair part of Derbyshire in a space 6' x 6'. I've rambled enough. Maybe I should seek out some WWS fibres and try them, just to see if they have improved. You can't all be wrong! 4 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JustinDean Posted July 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2021 29 minutes ago, MrWolf said: It would seem, that by, er, popular demand, I shall be using WWS products, which is handy because I have a bit of it already which came in a bundle with one of their static applicators. It's not summer either. Although the part of the world I am modelling is very green, it's not "all that green", besides, I use muted colour in my artwork, for the same reason that you all use them in your modelling. I remember reading magazines as a kid and thinking that I would never put that psychedelic lichen on a layout! So the materials have changed, but our collective eyesight hasn't... If you find yourself needing more (or anyone else here!) pop this code in at checkout for 20% off mate: WWSFB20 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JustinDean Posted July 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2021 2 minutes ago, Mick Bonwick said: I have to be diffferent. It says so in my contract. When WWS first came onto the scene (!) I wondered why they had copied the continental chappies and added red and blue fibres to their mixes. I have never seen red and blue grass leaves in fields or pastures. For that single reason I have never chosen their static grass products. I am quite sure that they have changed since then, or people wouldn't be buying them. I had always used Green Scene static grass fibres because they sold packets that contained only one colour and I could then mix my own from those if I needed to. Then John Lloyd decided that it was no longer financially viable to make his own and I found Polak products had become available. Their range of colours were all fairly muted, did not have a shine to them and I was able to accumulate a good supply from there. I have since added some Noch longer fibres (10mm and 12mm) for when I was working on an O Gauge layout, once again in muted colours. At the moment Polak products are difficult, if not impossible, to find in this country. I saw demonstrations by WWS when they first started in the market and they always included the 'put it on and then mess it up' routine and I always wondered what it was for. If I want an uneven surface I create it as the base rather than try to create one from a flat surface. There are now many producers of static grass fibres, so the choice is much greater. I now simply look for muted colours and non-shiny fibres, which I often find in the Noch and Heki ranges, although Woodland Scenics are good as well. Whichever you use you will have spent a fair bit of the budget on it, and I recommend recovering as much as possible to be used again. My preferred method of doing this is to mask off the area being treated with sheets of paper so that the unused fibres fall on that and can be quickly and easily decanted back into their containers. I have used vacuum cleaners as well but find that there is a bit more hassle involved that way. I also try things out on sheets of greyboard or paper before committing to them on the layout. In fact, if I put all my practise pieces together, I could probably represent a fair part of Derbyshire in a space 6' x 6'. I've rambled enough. Maybe I should seek out some WWS fibres and try them, just to see if they have improved. You can't all be wrong! Mick they have changed them - none of this red fibre nonsense going on. I’m starting to sound like a WWS salesman so in balance…. Leading on from Jonathon’s comment about using hairspray for layering/fixing - I’ve found this just as effective as WWS layering spray. I do wonder if some of these products are a bit snake oil at times - their glues are very expensive. Jay 2 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted July 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2021 18 minutes ago, JustinDean said: Mick they have changed them - none of this red fibre nonsense going on. I’m starting to sound like a WWS salesman so in balance…. Leading on from Jonathon’s comment about using hairspray for layering/fixing - I’ve found this just as effective as WWS layering spray. I do wonder if some of these products are a bit snake oil at times - their glues are very expensive. Jay Yes, I've never bothered buying the specialist glues they recommend, I just use PVA or Acrylic paint for first fix, and cheap poundshop (or Aldi) hairspray for layering. So far, none of my hair grass has fallen out, despite carting Ladmanlow round the countryside... Al. 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted July 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2021 I have the WWS applicator and find a fresh battery gives a better result regarding how well the static grass stands up, i.e. don't borrow the one out of the smoke alarm and if you do, for heaven's sake, don't forget to put it back. 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gedward Posted July 20, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 20, 2021 44 minutes ago, Rowsley17D said: don't borrow the one out of the smoke alarm and if you do, for heaven's sake, don't forget to put it back. I borrow the one from my pacemaker. But I usually remember to put it back after. 1 1 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted July 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2021 41 minutes ago, Gedward said: I borrow the one from my pacemaker. But I usually remember to put it back after. That must be quite a chest cavity to fit a PP3!! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 Pity it's not 6 volt, we have plenty of motorcycle batteries kicking around. That might be overkill, but a friend of mine has a battery drill that died, new batteries were nearly as much as the drill, so he soldered a lead in with two crocodile clips and has run it off a car battery for the last ten years or so. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MrWolf Posted July 20, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 20, 2021 (edited) On a slightly more relevant note than what inventive geniuses / tightwads my friends are, I can report that a quantity of Precision Paints GWR dark stone No3 paint has arrived. I will be busy with that! Also the mill leat on board 3 has its stone revetments installed and another layer of plaster added around it and the river banks. The leat stonework is based on this: Edited August 20, 2022 by MrWolf Replaced picture 22 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Gough Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 33 minutes ago, MrWolf said: Also the mill leat on board 3 has its stone revetments installed and another layer of plaster added around it and the river banks. As we swelter through the current heatwave those snow drifts look very inviting. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 23 minutes ago, Nick Gough said: As we swelter through the current heatwave those snow drifts look very inviting. I'm busy with a paintbrush turning them into mudslides. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Gough Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 2 minutes ago, MrWolf said: I'm busy with a paintbrush turning them into mudslides. That sounds like another option for keeping cool! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 If you've ever ridden a motorcycle in a blizzard, or the slush and ice that follows, you'll know why I'm not complaining about the heatwave! 1 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 (edited) Interesting. Edited August 20, 2022 by MrWolf 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted July 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2021 Fascinating... Al. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 I gave up trying to load the picture after about half an hour, signal keeps dropping out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 4 hours ago, MrWolf said: On a slightly more relevant note than what inventive geniuses / tightwads my friends are, I can report that a quantity of Precision Paints GWR dark stone No3 paint has arrived. I will be busy with that! Also the mill leat on board 3 has its stone revetments installed and another layer of plaster added around it and the river banks. The leat stonework is based on this: Nice bridge. Couldn't resist though, I looked at it and thought "Outwell" Alex 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 Finally. Scroll back up to "Interesting". There's now a picture to make sense of the comment. I have painted, (none too carefully!) a test patch of the Precision Paints dark stone onto the back of the station building. I'll be back in about three weeks when I have repainted everything.... 4 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted July 21, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 21, 2021 I've no idea about the accuracy, but in terms of contrast it looks far better. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MrWolf Posted July 21, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 21, 2021 The general public often think that we railway modellers are strange. I've come to the conclusion that they are the strange ones. Why? Because I am fed up with hearing them whingeing about the heat. These are the same people who pay a fortune to go on holiday to southern France, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Greece, Thailand and Australia. Yet when they get sunshine for free? I've been straightening an Ariel VB motorcycle frame with a dose of good old oxy-acetylene this morning, so going outside was cooling down. Make the most of it, even if you're working, it won't be long before it's chucking it down, cold, windy and depressing. Then they'll moan about that! 4 18 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 21, 2021 Author Share Posted July 21, 2021 (edited) 17 hours ago, wiggoforgold said: Nice bridge. Couldn't resist though, I looked at it and thought "Outwell" Alex Thanks Alex, despite being a cobble up of Wills' parts and a little scratch building, the girders are inspired by the bridge near Bourne End on the Marlow branch. The stonework is meant to represent the remains of a timber trestle (Such as Melverley on the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway,) but with brick pillars built on top of the old stone pilings. Melverley had timber pilings, which added to its downfall. Outwell basin has always been a temptation, I've often wondered if I could move the scene to the upper reaches of the Severn and run the line with a mix of antiquated cast off locomotives. Such as the skirted 0-4-0ST which ran on the Swansea & Mumbles tramway. Edited July 21, 2021 by MrWolf 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 21, 2021 Author Share Posted July 21, 2021 More hacking at offcuts of coarse stone sheet has provided walls for the small wier on the mill leat and abutments for the bridge or rather 'plank' as it's known. This serves two functions, one is to disguise the joint with the backscene and two is to disguise the #### up that I made when fixing the reinforcing for the landscape former. Pictures ASAP! 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 22, 2021 Author Share Posted July 22, 2021 Preemptive posting: My personal preference is potentially posting pictures properly now that I have performance perfection in previously p### poor pointwork... 2 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mick Bonwick Posted July 22, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 22, 2021 Propitious! 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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