Ground cover how to

[RonP]

Ok this isn't a question it is an answer. Ok we made the ground cover with Sawdust.

We used acrylic and water and a coffee can.

Detailed instructions in the link. however for those that don't want to go it is terribly easy and I could not seem to screw it up.

Full article here

[TallDude]

Sounds good! I look forward to it!

[RonP]

The samples have all completely dried. I am thinking if you add the saw dust to colour water 2 to 1 or 1/2 coffee can sawdust to 1/4 can little bit of coluur and water, and the technique is rock solid.

[sptrains.com]

Where do you get your sawdust? I use the woodland scenics ground cover, and it's not terribly priced, but every little bit of savings helps

[RonP]

Soft wood come from many places. construction. My favorite that i will share is stair builders (that I am) use white pine allot for carpet grade stairs it is the best dust I know of.It mixes well to woodland scenics.

[Allegany2666]

The sw dust ground cover method is nothing new it's been around since the days of John Allen etc. I used to use it way back when but it has it's problems such as the color fades and it eventually seems to jsut fall off the layout. Good luck with it thoughif you've found a new way to do it. I liek some of the comercial ground covers or just good old dirt after a ride int he micorwave. works really well

[RonP]

Originally Posted by Allegany2666

The sw dust ground cover method is nothing new it's been around since the days of John Allen etc. I used to use it way back when but it has it's problems such as the color fades and it eventually seems to jsut fall off the layout. Good luck with it thoughif you've found a new way to do it. I liek some of the comercial ground covers or just good old dirt after a ride int he micorwave. works really well

I am mixing it with commercial stuff. It is nice to have a variety of materials to use. Also if it is so popular where is the how-to's for it ? There are a ton of messy 12 step ways but I aint into getting in trouble using the ol ladies Cuisinart

[Allegany2666]

Originally Posted by RonP

I am mixing it with commercial stuff. It is nice to have a variety of materials to use. Also if it is so popular where is the how-to's for it ? There are a ton of messy 12 step ways but I aint into getting in trouble using the ol ladies Cuisinart

Well I'm sure if yu were to check out modelrailroaders website and search their archives you will find some info on a how to segment etc. As far as I can remember we just used to die the sawdust out in the sun on a pan or in the oven when mom wasn't looking. I can still remeber her coming home yelling at my dad becasue he was cutting wood in the basement again without opening the windows..... then we used to mix in this stuff called Rit I think it was die you could get in the super market or we even used food coloring. You mixed it up in a bowl of water and then slowly added the S/D until it absorbed all the color and then you spread it out to dry again.

I guess there's nothing wrong with mixing some of the old with some of the new where model railroading is concerned. I just have this very vivid memory of my best friends layout and all the ground cover just fell off the entire mountin and all the dirt etc. was gone almost over night after it had been on there for quite some time. Who knows maybe we used the wrong type of glue but I've heard this from other old farts like myself.

Good luck with it and post some pics if the finsihed product when your done would love to see how it looks

[RonP]

Sir, I prefer smaller more manageable forums such as these. I don't even go to that forum, the one or two experiences I have had with it aren't fun in any way.