Best Static Grass Applicator?

Sugar Beet Guy's picture

I need to so some static grass.  What is the best performing applicator?  Are expensive commercial units better than home made?  Do you "get what you pay for"?  I don't mind paying a premium for a tool that is worth it.  But I get frustrated in trying to use a poor tool just to save a buck or 20 (or a 100). 

Is the high priced Nock unit superior?  

Thanks for any recommendations.

 George Booth
Director of Everything, The New Great Western Railway
http://users.frii.com/gbooth/Trains/index.htm

rtw3rd's picture

George - one man's opinion

If you don't mind taking the time and effort I believe that a home made static grass applicator is the way to go.  I spent $30. making mine and it puts out 15,000 volts of static charge.  I've never seen a test between home made vs "Professional" units, but I'll match my Grass-O-Matic Turbo 5000 against any commercially built unit.

Rick

Rick

The former Richlawn Railroad Website - Featuring the L&N in HO  / MRH Blog  Eastern Standard Time

skiloff's picture

Noch

The Noch is a good unit if you don't care about the price tag, but as Rick says, the home built units should be every bit as good or perhaps a little better, but there is nothing wrong with the Noch units.

Dave

New HO Plan Coming Soon!
HO Scale '70s/80s era
N Scale "Collector" '70s/80s era
GMT-6

joef's picture

Did you check out the index?

George:

Did you check out Rod's index using this search phrase: MRH static grass ... ? You will find the index listed under the Magazine menu above.

You will find, among other things, the Static Grass generator article that Kevin Rowbotham did for us a couple years back. Among that article is a collection of videos showing the relative static charge of various units, including the Noch, IIRC.

Joe Fugate
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

Joe Fugate's HO Siskiyou Line

Sugar Beet Guy's picture

Rod's Index?

Oops, no.  I guess I glossed over the introduction of that. 

Thanks to you and Kevin. The articles pretty much answered my questions. 

George Booth
Director of Everything, The New Great Western Railway
http://users.frii.com/gbooth/Trains/index.htm

Build your own using.........

......the Oatley Negative-Ion generator from Model Railroad Hobbyist.  I can say they stand behind their products as my first generator was not working and they sent me a replacement pronto!! 

Good folks..........

Peter

I suppose I could build my own, but....

I am not ready for one since I am far from needing one at the moment. And when I get to that point maybe I can persuade someone to build it f or me assuming that won't break the budget.

Irv

 

Our club has a store bought

Our club has a store bought one. I don't even remember the name. The biggest thing I found was in what consistency the glue that holds the grass. The more liquid(water) the better it stood up. The more glue the more it looked like carpet. That is ok for a business or residence, but not necessarily along track side. Also the club one came with a push pin to ground it. I cut it off and put an alligator clip on it. Then you put a nail in the table top, and use the clip to ground it.

Alan

Scarpia's picture

Now that's interesting

The biggest thing I found was in what consistency the glue that holds the grass. The more liquid(water) the better it stood up. The more glue the more it looked like carpet.

Now that's interesting. My last application, I was having problems with the grass standing up - and I was using full strength glue. Thanks for the tip!


HO, early transition era www.garbo.org/MRR local time GMT +4

 

rtw3rd's picture

50/50

I use a 50/50 mix of white glue / water with a little alcohol added as a wetting agent and it seems to work well.

Rick

Rick

The former Richlawn Railroad Website - Featuring the L&N in HO  / MRH Blog  Eastern Standard Time

kcsphil1's picture

I use Rick's Formula as well

I use a 50/50 mix of white glue / water with a little alcohol added as a wetting agent and it seems to work well.

Rick

 

I just happen to be using Woodland Scenics Scenery Cement at the moment because I have a bottle.

Philip H. Chief Everything Officer Baton Rouge Southern Railroad, Mount Rainier Div.


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