SAW DUST

That's a great idea.  Will you share a "How to" or include some pictures?

Ron

 

When I was a boy and read the 'how-to' books on layouts they always recommended using saw dust soaked in RiT Dye for grass.  Our club needed a LOT of green ground cover so that's what we did. Many batches over a few months and it looks great

I can't believe I threw away all that sawdust from when I built the benchwork.  Arrg!

Just go to your local lumber yard, its free and nice stuff, no fine dust.

I use saw dust from a local wood reel manufacturer to make my wood chip loads. I sift it through a standard window screen box I made, and use the larger stuff in the wood burner that heats my shop.

Don

 

Back your pickup around behind the sawmill and help yourself to the sawdust--but the poplar slabs are a nickel.

 

 

The only saw dust I ever saved was when working with cedar. I do this out of habit taught to me by grandpa. We would throw the saw dust against the walls of the garage after we swept it out as a supposed bug repellant. (never figured out if it actually works but I've never seen ants colonizing in my garage and rarely see any other pests.

 

I wonder if cedar sawdust would retain it's supposed repellant qualities after you soaked it in RIT dye?

I use saw dust exclusively for ground cover, and it's free from a local Middle School Technology Classroom. Most all of the saw dust is pine, and some machine tools make finer dust than others, so there is variety in its texture.

 

Here's my technique for using saw dust:

> Spread it on the layout and shape it;

> Drizzle mixtures of 1/3 water +1/3 white glue + 1/3 latex paint and a few drops of liquid soap to thoroughly wet the saw dust. Make a few squeeze bottles of different colors;

> Once the ground cover is dry, touch-up areas with loose saw dust;

> Vacuum away loose surface material.

 

The saw dust dries with a crust that is to plant trees into. Use white glue to add shrubs and other stuff.

Saw dust can also be mixed with glue and used as a filler.

This barn that I built has sawdust for the grass.

 

 

 

I've always WANTED to try to tint saw dust - I've been saving some thinking that some day I'd try.

 

BUT.... I can't quite mentally figure out what to do.  I'm thinking that people dump a bunch of it in a big container and then somehow add moisture and coloring in that container, followed by some how drying it out.  The drying out part in particular puzzles me.

 

Any tips?

 

- walt

What is RiT dye?

 

Ray - I love the mail pouch tobacco sign on your barn - Makes feels like I'm driving down the PA turnpike back home!

RIT is a fabric dye. I can be used to dye clothing in the washing machine. Hobbiests have been using it for decades.
Don

Very nice workmanship!
Don

 

Walt, 

This video explains is nicely.  It seems easy.  I think I might try this.

Ron

 

john's vidio was excellent. I use a little different method. one or two lb. coffee can with plastic top. fill with saw dust 1/2 or 2/3rds filled. I use a snapple bottle, acrylic paint and water. mix a color you like,just shake the bottle. Pour 1/3 of the paint into the coffee can and again shake it. At this point you check the color of the saw dust and make the necessary adjustments,like more color, water, saw dust. the entire process takes about 15min. I spread the finish product on a alum.pan 12inchx24inch and let dry.

Thanks Ron and Stephen.  One question: doesn't it clump up and stick together or does it easily crumble after it's dry?

 

That first method, in the video, looks like a real pain!!!!  Nice result but yowzers on the process.

 

- walt

Not to mess up the sawdust post, but has anyone tried shavings from a pencil sharpener?  It looks like a rough forest floor.

Many years ago I tried sawdust colored with RIT dye.  Blah!  It faded completely away to the color of plain undied sawdust. I still prefer commercial scenic materials.  beware of RIT fading.      Odd-d

 

I've tinted sawdust with thinned paint, color never faded.

 

Jerry

Ink/alcohol is another option.  Artist's inks may be had in many colors.  Dries fast, too.

The color last and it does not clump up.

I use mine but I don't dye it in advance.  I mix green ink with the white diluted glue and paint that on and then when dry wash it with very thinned down paint, either green if I want healthy grass of yellow/brown if I want to make it a bit more of a drought condition.