Handlaying Z scale track

[Chris333]

I use them and have seen other use them. Thought it was a rip off at first ($20), but I am no where near using even half yet so they go a long way.

I even made some of my own using dots of glue on a metal tray and Silflor static grass.

[David K. Smith]

I use them and have seen other use them. Thought it was a rip off at first ($20), but I am no where near using even half yet so they go a long way.

I even made some of my own using dots of glue on a metal tray and Silflor static grass.

I have to agree that they seem like a rip-off. But when I tried to reproduce what they make, they looked like blobs of static grass, as opposed to tufts of real grass. The "two-tone" tufts are especially effective, with taller fibers of a different color embedded in the tufts. I can't imagine how one might reproduce some of the effects they create. So... I fork over my greenbacks for the convenience of their technology. Anyway, like you said, they go a long way--at least on a small layout. You just need to remember to spray them with Dullcote first, because they're shiny and the highlights will show up as unnatural bright specks in photographs.

[ednadolski]

David, your modeling is flat out incredible.  Your site was one of the inspirations in getting me to pay attention to Z scale and try it out.

Yes, that is very inspiring.  Has MT released their Z scale SD40 yet?  Does Z-scale have the high-rider cars & pizza-cutter flanges like N, or are there options to improve those?   Has anyone done any Z-scale diesels with (near-)scale handrails and/or wire grabirons?

Thanks,
Ed

[David K. Smith]

David, your modeling is flat out incredible.  Your site was one of the inspirations in getting me to pay attention to Z scale and try it out.

Yes, that is very inspiring.  Has MT released their Z scale SD40 yet?  Does Z-scale have the high-rider cars & pizza-cutter flanges like N, or are there options to improve those?   Has anyone done any Z-scale diesels with (near-)scale handrails and/or wire grabirons?

Thanks,
Ed

Yes, the SD40-2 is out. Some of M-T's Z scale rolling stock rides very high--like their caboose--but others are right on the mark, like the 40' boxcars (and presumably other similar boxcars). It's catch-as-catch-can.

More on the caboose: http://jamesriverbranch.net/project_9.htm

More on the boxcars: http://jamesriverbranch.net/clinic_3.htm

Wheels aren't bad. Not pizza-cutters, not low-profile, but a nice compromise in between. Fox Valley Models has released nice replacement metal wheels for the M-T trucks, but the flanges are pretty much the same as M-T's. AZL and Full Throttle offer their own trucks, wheels and non-automatic couplers (which are still M-T compatible).

More on trucks and couplers: http://jamesriverbranch.net/clinic_2.htm

A number of modelers have upgraded their diesels with wire grabs, etched see-through fans and suchlike. See this thread:

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=112314

[ednadolski]

Thanks David -- I can feel my wallet getting lighter already     Don't know where I'll ever find the time for all this.... 

[Chris333]

Here is a quick shot of my home made tufts.

I used the 2mm Silflor static grass (2 colors) to make them with a home made fly swatter applicator. The big one is an actual Silflor 4mm tuft.

It just happened that I didn't have this color tuft in 2mm so that is why I tried my own. Plus I had everything here to try.

[David K. Smith]

Here is a quick shot of my home made tufts.

I used the 2mm Silflor static grass (2 colors) to make them with a home made fly swatter applicator. The big one is an actual Silflor 4mm tuft.

It just happened that I didn't have this color tuft in 2mm so that is why I tried my own. Plus I had everything here to try.

Ah! A static applicator. I have all the parts to make one... did I ever make one? Nooooo!

[Pray59]

Your tufts look just as good as the Silflor tufts, Chris. That's a great idea, thanks for the tip! 

[ednadolski]

Ah! A static applicator. I have all the parts to make one... did I ever make one? Nooooo!

I just made one, using the 120-volt AC version of the negative ion generator.  For safety, I used a 3-wire AC cord with a grounding wire.  My scenery spike connects to the grounding wire instead of either the hot or neutral line of the AC cord as some designs show (which would of course be dangerous).  Of course, you have to be sure to plug it in to an outlet that is actually grounded correctly.   I don't have any pics, but it seems to work OK on a small test section.

For anyone who is not sure how to wire these things, just get the commercial (battery-powered) one.   Even tho it's pricey, the risk of zapping yourself with household AC is certainly not worth it.

[Pray59]

Haha, you should have seen the static grass applicator that one guy made a couple years ago...  ;D

It worked great but was scary as all hell. He used a car battery charger, and a car ignition coil to create the static, and if you get too close to the glue wetted scenery with the fiber shaker, POW! A scale lightning bolt came down!

-Robert

[Rowan]

Nice tufts Chris.

 

[Chopper Greg]

David,

More and more, i am impressed with your skill.