GrassTech2 review

[RTJ]

Hi; thinking about using as static grass floc tool on my upcoming SDJR route (Wellow).

 

The GreenScene's GrassTech2 seems relatively good value at roughly half the price of a Noch - but do they work OK?

 

Has anyone got one? If so what are they like?

 

Has anyone RM Jan 2010 (Vol61)? If so I think there's a review on P77. Could someone either precis the article or send it to me please? (rtjstevens20(at)gmail.com).

 

I have experimented with the Puffer Bottle and a fly-swatter (home-made) static grass applicator but I can't get either of them to work.

 

Is tem/relative humidity important? I would have thought that the latter would be important - but what are the experts' advice?

 

I'm using a 50-50 PVA /H2O mix which I let stand for a few mins. Should I leave it longer?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

BW

 

Richard

[Andy Y]

Hi Richard,

 

I can vouch for the GrassTech2; it does the job and is certainly better than the puffer bottle/flyswatter options.

 

I haven't found any substantially difference through temperature and I haven't paid much attention to the humidity. I've tried with different glues and Greenscenes own adhesive (which seems to be a PVA/latex glue mix seems more effective than just PVA. I wouldn't dilute the PVA but spread it thinly on the surface to present a sticky surface to the static grass.

 

Trial and error on the height of the applicator above the surface and how long you leave the applicator over an area will give an idea of how 'sticky-up' you can get the grass.

 

Compared to the other similar products the Greenscenes product is value for money and out-performs them from a technical perspective.

 

If you want to treat smaller areas cut a piece of card with a smaller hole in it and insert behind the grille.

[RTJ]

Thanks for that - a really positive review!

 

I'll try again with the home-made devices using a latex-type glue but I've a funny notion that I'll be buying the grasstech2 very soon!

 

Thanks again,

 

Richard

[lofty55]

Richard,

I bought one of the GrasTech2’s earlier this year at the Redditch show.

 

I can’t claim to be an expert in the scenic aspects of model railways but it seemed a good place to start at a “reasonable†price.

 

I’ve only experimented with it so far but even for an utter novice is seems simple and straight forward to use and the results look good to me.

 

I’ve only tried it with the Greenscenes glue but that instantly holds the grass which doesn’t droop when you switch off the charge. It also has the advantage that the glue dries flexible, so as andy says there must be some latex in there somewhere. So you can create your own “tufts†or lines of grass or whatever shape you want off model and when fully dry peel them off and position them on the layout. I just use a sheet of A4 put thru a laminating machine and the tufts peel off that a treat.

 

I can try and put some pictures up if you’re interested

 

Hope that’s useful as a first post.

 

Dave

[RTJ]

Hi Lofty, thanks very much. Any further evidence/review/news etc most welcome.

 

I wonder if you could expand on ..." I just use a sheet of A4 put thru a laminating machine and the tufts peel off that a treat."

What exactly are you doing? why a laminating machine?

Many thanks,

BW

Richard

[gastwo]

Hi Richard. I don't know about Lofty's method, but I use a non-stick baking tray. Put blobs and smears of PVA on the tray, attach the flying lead from my fly-swatter to the tray, and then shake the fibres onto the blobs of glue. When they are thoroughly dry, peel off using a bit of thin plastic as a spatula. Place the clumps on site using tweezers.

 

Regards,

Shaun.

[Andy Y]

What exactly are you doing? why a laminating machine?

 

It forms a nice surface on which you can form your own tufts of grass in the same way as Shaun describes but don't worry if you don't have a laminator, just use Shaun's baking tray. Small blobs of glue on the surface, use the grass applicator and let them dry for about 6-8 hours. Peel them off and save a fortune*.

 

*Once you've spent all that money on the applicator.

 

See http://ardleybridge....t/c1412580.html

[RTJ]

Hi, I see; I hadn't come across that before; good idea.

 

Thanks,

 

BW

 

Richard

[lofty55]

Richard,

 

Sorry it wasn’t clear what I was going on about with the laminated sheet of A4.

 

I only mentioned it because I find it rigid enough to use as a base, flexible enough to bend when you want to peel the tufts / rows etc off and they do peel off really easy due to the smooth surface I guess.

 

I just apply a very thin layer of the Green Scenes glue usually on the edge of the sheet so that I can attach the clip directly to the edge of the sheet where the glue is and away I go.

 

Photo below is 2 mins of work with a mix of Green Scenes long spring and summer fibres.

 

As I said I am an utter utter novice at this sort of thing and I'm happy with the results. I haven't tried doing areas directly my layout yet, but I feel confident it will go OK.

 

Dave

 

[RTJ]

Hi, thanks; that's very clear - and very good.

 

I'll try it with my swatter and if no good I'll buy a 'proper' unit!

 

Bw

 

Richard.

 

Richard,

 

Sorry it wasn’t clear what I was going on about with the laminated sheet of A4.

 

I only mentioned it because I find it rigid enough to use as a base, flexible enough to bend when you want to peel the tufts / rows etc off and they do peel off really easy due to the smooth surface I guess.

 

I just apply a very thin layer of the Green Scenes glue usually on the edge of the sheet so that I can attach the clip directly to the edge of the sheet where the glue is and away I go.

 

Photo below is 2 mins of work with a mix of Green Scenes long spring and summer fibres.

 

As I said I am an utter utter novice at this sort of thing and I'm happy with the results. I haven't tried doing areas directly my layout yet, but I feel confident it will go OK.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

 

[RTJ]

Another question.. does the size of the kitchen strainer have an effect on the efficacy of the unit? (Mine's a little large cf many I see on the internet).

 

Richard

[mudmagnet]

John (from Greenscenes) was demonstrating at Taunton at the weekend and was showing how to make the tufts on sheet approach. John, uses a small section of polythene (any clear plastic I guess would work), onto which he applies the Greenscene glue and applies the grass. When dry this can be peeled away and applied as required.

 

John was also suggested making templates of the grass required and making the sections on the modelling bench. One great idea was mentioned - if you want grass around a telegraph pole - first draw round the pole on a piece of paper, overlay the clear plastic and using the drawn mark, apply a circle of glue. Apply the grass and when dry peel away to leave a 'doh-nut' of grass. Then, when the telegraph pole is glued into place, the grass ring can be split and wrapped around the bottom of the pole. I've not tried any of these myself, so cannot comment further. Just thought that this worth sharing here.

[RTJ]

MudMagnet; thanks for that; I'll certainly try it although I am a little puzzled because to- my eyes- it would appear easier to place the pole , put a circle of glue around it and sprinkle the flock in situ. Obviously I'm missing something here.

 

A subsid question: will the new GreenScenes static flocking tool be better than my fly-swatter arrangement?

 

Thanks again,

 

BW

 

Richard

[RhBBob]

A subsid question: will the new GreenScenes static flocking tool be better than my fly-swatter arrangement?

 

Thanks again,

 

BW

 

Richard

 

In a word, yes, Richard

 

I have a very similar version of the flocking tool but purchased on Ebay presumably from the original supplier. With a flat ended applicator, you can deposit the flock and then run the applicator parallel to the surface to make the flock spring up like grass. Actually, at first, I found out the hard way as I simply shook the flock down and left it The previously used metal strainer - large and small sizes - is less effective for the static run-through as it has a round bottom

 

To continue this thread, though, I admit that I have less success with applying further glue to enable another layer of grass to be added so I may try the plastic sheet method 'off-layout', so to speak !

 

Bob

[RTJ]

A subsid question: will the new GreenScenes static flocking tool be better than my fly-swatter arrangement?

 

Thanks again,

 

BW

 

Richard

 

In a word, yes, Richard

 

I have a very similar version of the flocking tool but purchased on Ebay presumably from the original supplier. With a flat ended applicator, you can deposit the flock and then run the applicator parallel to the surface to make the flock spring up like grass. Actually, at first, I found out the hard way as I simply shook the flock down and left it The previously used metal strainer - large and small sizes - is less effective for the static run-through as it has a round bottom

 

To continue this thread, though, I admit that I have less success with applying further glue to enable another layer of grass to be added so I may try the plastic sheet method 'off-layout', so to speak !

 

 

 

Thanks; I was trying NOT to spend the money but it seems there's no escape.

 

 

 

Perhaps this should be on a separate thread but does anyone use the same company's BallastMate? Any reviews ?

 

 

BW

 

Richard

 

Bob

[lofty55]

Richard,

 

I’ve also got one of their Ballast Tools. ( I have no connection with the company BTW )

 

It’s great for the situation where the track is laid on a flat surface, deposits a nice even amount of ballast between the rails and either side of the rails.

 

Where your track is laid on something like woodland scenic trackbed where there is the angled shoulder it can’t cope with that as well, as it can’t deposit enough ballast onto the shoulder.

 

Unless someone knows otherwise of course.

 

Dave

 

 

[RTJ]

Great Dave, thanks. Looks like 2 items I shall be ordering then...

 

BW

 

Richard

[RTJ]

Thanks everyone; have just spoken to John at Greenscenes and have ordered a BallastMate, GrassTech11, some flock and his 'special' glue. There's a backlog on some orders at present so will need to wait for several weeks.

 

I shall post my findings.

 

BW

 

Richard

[R.Langley]

To save a new thread being made, I wonder if anyone has used a GrasMaster (from Noch) and a GreenScenes GrasTech 2 and compared them? I'm interested as I fancy getting one as a christmas present for myself, and is the Noch one really worth nearly double the price of the GreenScenes one?

 

Thanks.

 

Richard

[jhock]

Just wanted to add something to the mix, I have good success with the puffer bottle. I use deluxe materials 'Scatter Grip'. It remains tacky so the grass bonds straight away.

[scanman]

I have just found this very interesting thread, and - having seen 'Waton' and a couple of otherentries in the '2010 Challenge' I'm very tempted with the 'static applicator' system. However, at present, for the sake of scenic continuity I'm committed to the ' dyed teddybear fur' route...

 

One or two people have commented about a PVA /latex adhesive. I use both PVA and 'Copydex' (a latex base which is also water soluble 'cos you can dilute it). Has anyone tried mixing the two?? If not, I'll give it a try & report back. So long as I can get home through the snow at the end of this shift, I've got a few days off - so long as I can get through the snow-drifts to the shed!

 

Regs

 

Ian B