Shake it, Bake it, Make it

I wonder how my wife would feel about me baking dirt in our oven. 

I seem to remember another post about oven baked dirt and a ruined flour sifter.  That Mrs. was none too happy!

LOLOLOLOL . . . . . 

 

The first bake job went well until a small twig caught on fire.

I got to that one fast.

I broke my wife's flour sifter and, after a brief chase at the point of a machete, I made my getaway.

 

Now I bake at a lower temperature with the number of the fire department nearby.

My wife has a new sifter and the machete is locked up.

 

Hey . . . .  you want good ground cover or what?

 

Scrappy the Fast

Hey Scrappy,

 

This is the first I've heard of this procedure. Why do you bake the dirt? Is it to dry it out? To kill parasites? Would sifting the dirt before baking help, since it would aerate the dirt and pull out items such as twigs? What temperature did you drop down to?

 

And lastly...

 

I get a lot of my ground cover that way also have a gravel drive

I've been using dirt for nearly 20 years and I've never baked it.

Eliot if you choose to bake it, try it as I do it to debug or de- mite it buy taking the cookie sheet and place on the grill on the deck at med heat for a few min, then cool and keep in dry covered containers. No smell in house from using oven, Ginny happy, Eliot happy!

I love this Forum.

i believe the dirt must be baked to kill anything living.

The folks in Roseville have always insisted on that.

They have enough of a problem with me, without mites and spiders.

In addition, I have allergies.

The baking process dries out the dirt and makes for MUCH easier sifting.

The dirt then practically cleans and sifts itself.

I use the oven to control temperature and time. That way I can use the grill for burgers.

If I ran out of propane, out would come the machete.

 

You will love your dirt.

Scrappy the brown dirt cowboy.

Scher, do you glue it down or leave it loose?  I've found glueing dirt down (at least with with white glue) turns it into a kind of mud - which when it dries it looks like dried mud, not like dirt.  I did use that to advantage on a past layout to make rutted roads -- and very realistic, dried-mud rutted roads they were, too. 

It sounds like Ginny wields that machete like a Samurai.  You really need to hide that thing.  I agree about the grill and saving propane especially since you promised us all burgers and beer.

I'd pay to hear that conversation... 

The dirt has to be dried, it doesn't have to be baked. I dig up a 5 gallon bucket full, put it somewhere where it will dry out. I stir it occasionally, to bring the moist dirt to the top so it can dry. Once it's dry you have nothing to worry about. Nothing on God's green earth will survive without moisture.

 

Lee, it sounds like you are wetting the dirt too much.

I agree with Vulcan, you are going to glue it down

If you followed this recipe,

 

http://www.houseofannie.com/dirt-cookies-recipe/

 

you'd be quite popular...trust me!!  In fact, you might be surprised by your wife's response!!......!!

 

KD

A light spray with wet water (water w/ a few drops of dishwashing detergent) followed by a dribble of dilute white glue will glue down most loose materials without changing the look much.

 

If that doesn't work, proceed as above, let it dry, then coat with a spray adhesive, and sprinkle a top coat of dry material.

Same; never had any problems if it's going to be glued down. 

 

If it's not, then that's something different altogether...

"Scher, do you glue it down or leave it loose?  I've found glueing dirt down (at least with with white glue) turns it into a kind of mud - which when it dries it looks like dried mud, not like dirt.  I did use that to advantage on a past layout to make rutted roads -- and very realistic, dried-mud rutted roads they were, too. "

Lee . . . .  My process is quite simple. I brush on a solution of 50/50 yellow glue/water. I just cover the table barely. I then lightly mist with window cleaner to "soften" the water so it is sufficiently absorptive. I then sprinkle the dirt with a spoon so that it not only covers the glue but adds a very thin layer. The water/glue then soaks into the dirt, but only enough to hold it down. You might have to play with the amounts before you are comfortable. The result is a fairly hard shell that does not move. 

Vulcan . . .  You are absolutely right, baking the dirt is not needed for drying unless you have the dirt we do in the yard. It is water soaked. If I let the earth dry by itself in our garage, I would be even older than the reprobate, irascible old curmudgeon I already am.

I do believe that it must be baked to be sure impurities are removed. I have allergies and I need to get the living organisms to be unliving.

Hey, the process works for me. Is it necessary for everyone to do each step? Probably not.

Scrappy

Thanks.  I have lots of free dirt in my backyard, too, so I will definately try exactly what you do.  I will buy my own sifter though ;-)

 

A couple of years ago I did my SHEEP (a BEEP converted to a Shay-like loco) and a set of scratch built logging cars: I filled them with "logs" I cut from branches from some big bushes we trimmed back in our yard. I baked all of them for two hours at 240 deg - hot and long enough, I though, to kill any bugs/germs/whatever in them, but not nearly hot enough to cause problems.  I think it is a good precaution with any "outside" material.

I bought a $39.00 microwave that I keep downstairs. I nuke the dirt for about a minute to kill any organisims.

I have been using real dirt in the form of washed sand for about 20 years now. Sand is available from any sand and gravel plant in varying degrees of fineness. I usually use something a bit coarser than sandbox sand. Locally it's about $5 for an 80 pound bag.  After putting it down with the traditional white glue and wet water mix and letting it dry, i often add Woodland Scenics turf in varying shades of green to some areas (where i want the appearance of vegetation) and in the yard/industrial areas mist i on light amounts of black paint from a rattle can to give the appearance of oil soaked dirt.

jackson

I have used both local field dirt and sand from a small creek out at the Farm. Normally I just sift it through an old piece of screen wire over a frame and let it air dry while scattered on plastic or cardboard.

I tried Microwave drying once and got a light and noise show for a few seconds--iron in that dirt and creek sand. Cleaning the filthy Mcrowave ended my use of that process.

Over time I have used the wet water/glue procedure for application of any groundscaping. 

 

Try using double stick tape instead of glue.

Nice thread Eliot.  The thread has motivated me to want to lay down some more ground cover.  I've still got plenty to do.  I tend to use real earth along with some of the different commerical materials to give varying colors and tectures.  I  agree baking the dirt does make a difference when trying to sift it.  Thanks!

 

modeltrainsparts - I really like your coal yard. Nice vignette and photo!  Bo 

 

 

Visit my website Bo's Trains at http://www.bostrains.com

 

Real soil plowed field.

 

 

That looks ultra realistic !

 

Scrappy

"The dirt then practically cleans and sifts itself."

If you "clean" dirt it is still dirty it's dirt.

Perhaps he meant "clean" in the aspect of it being free/rid of extraneous, minute materials that would not make it through the sifter.

 

Elliott, you mention that you put it down with a spoon, and it probably works well. Have you ever tried the sifter to put in down in areas where you have the room? Seems like it would give a nice even layer. You could then use the spoon to build up areas you wanted higher.

 

The picts shown of stuff done look great. It appears most have a good idea of how to master the technique.

 

If only I did not do snow scenes for my scenery ............................

 

Greg

cngw . . . . . I use the spoon for accuracy. I have plants and other materials that need to look embedded in the dirt layers or built up or down around them. Sifting is like snow. I will often use the dirt after the initial dirt layers are down. 

 

BLT . . . . . You are absolutely right. But it's a dirty job and someone has to do it . . 

As soon as the snow melts and I can find our garden I am going to try real dirt.  Thanks for the idea.  Now we just need some sun.   Nick  

Do YUZ GUYZ use an underlayment or just glue it right to the plywood? 

 

 This is the start of my 3rd layout and with the previous two I have used 15 lb. felt roofing  paper for my underlayment.  When and if I do another layout, I just take everything off, pull up the tar paper and start over. 

 

Just wondering what YUZ GUYZ use?

 

laz57

It varies with the situation, but more often than not I end up with a layer of foam insulation below the ground cover.  That way, I can sculpt it subtly and avoid an unrealistic "dead flat" look without having to use a huge huge amounts of dirt (or whatever).  I bridge the transitions and cracks with wide masking tape.

Since I am attempting to model the "coal region", I make a point to pick up a bucket of coal dirt when I visit my parents in PA. Next I bring it home, clean it, sift it to the size I want and then use it on the layout. I apply a 50/50 mixture of wood glue and water and brush it on the sculptamold, fusion fiber or whatever else the underlayment is. Then I sprinkle on the dirt. Once ballasting is finished, I will secure with diluted white glue. This past week I have actually been applying the ground cover to the new section of the layout. 

 

In the photo below you could see the cardboard and foam underlayment and then the sculptamold on top of it. 

 

 

Glad I stumbled on your thread! I was thinking of using dirt for my ground, but wasn't sure if it would work. I guess it sounded too good to be true. 

Any more pics anyone can share of their work would be great.

This scene was done with real dirt and rocks from Colorado. There's quite a bit of pyrite in it (fool's gold), which makes it even better around the gold mine.

I did bake it.

 

 

Like Fred I do not bake the dirt. Have also used crusher runner, sand and small stones.  The only issue that occurs is matching color to area of country being modeled.  

 

Bill d

Ok guys, I tried the dirt today on my layout. Looks great, but when I try to spray the 50/50 Elmer's/water on top, it sprays in a stream no matter what sprayer I use. Does it need to be mixed thinner or am I just not doing this right? This is my first layout and any input is greatly appreciated.

I dribble it with an eye-dropper.

Spread a very thin coat of glue first and then sprinkle the dirt.

If you want additional layers, mist with Windex. A fine mist from 18" and then

sprinkle more dirt. Then use an eye-dropper as Avanti said but with a 60-40 water to white glue or even 70-30. 

 

CONFESSION: I don't glue everything. Haven't lost any dirt yet. I use multiple layers with different colors and consistencies.

The dirt works great! I just finished a portion on my new lay out, Fantastic results. Baking did make it easier to sift. Took the sage advice of using the grill though ( hope she does not miss the cookie pan though). Really enjoy the knowledge and originality of the forum.