New and improved Static Grass Applicator

5/2/2017

I’ve previously built and filmed the making of a great static grass applicator however over time I have seen the opportunity for improvement.

Portability and reliable power are two areas I’ve been looking into as well as size and durability. When it comes to tools and equipment we often think that small should mean cheaper and less effective however, what I’m after is a smaller stronger and more effective tool.

Thus the static grass applicator mark 2 was born…

It’s certainly not the cheapest method for building an applicator but I can bet you it will last a lot longer and give you fantastic results wherever you decide to make your scenery.

FEATURES:

Portability

The main and most important feature is portability. Having wires run over, around and through your scenery doesn’t always end well for the scenery! That’s why I have added a battery power source using a 9 Volt battery which is more than enough to make even 12mm static grass stand on end... provided you have and use a good quality Negative Ion Generator!

Reliable Power

Sometimes you might just need a little extra power to reach those hard to get to spots on the layout! Having more power means you can still get the same great results whilst holding the applicator further away from the surface, which can be great for getting into corners or small valleys and crevices in your scenery.

Now you have the option to connect up to 12 Volts directly into the applicator using a power pack that plugs in directly from the wall. Not to mention if your 9v battery runs out you don’t have to race to the shops to pick up a new battery.

On or Off

I’ve incorporated two LEDs into the wiring so now at a quick glance you can see if you have power coming from the 9v battery or power from the connected power pack. Additionally you can quickly see if the 9v battery has charge or if it has run out.

Size

Given the components that are packed securely in the handle, I’ve managed to bring down the overall size of the applicator to 25cm without external power connected or 26cm with it connected. This means it’s much easier to get into those tight spaces on the layout especially for those with multi deck layouts.

Durability

This unit is very strong, it can withstand a drop from the workbench however it does have one weak spot at the moment and that is the two way switch on the top. I have been brainstorming ideas and future applicators will incorporate a shield that fits over the lid simply using a PVC pipe connector.

All the components inside are secured and don’t shake around so there is no chance loose components will damage the wiring on the inside.
Additionally the previous applicator had a weak spot where the High Voltage Output wire was connected to the wire mesh screen, this is now much more secure.

RESULTS:

These results shown are specifically using the 9 Volt battery only. When using the external power you will get slightly better results although the difference is not immediately noticeable however you will notice that when using the external power and a 12 Volt supply you can hold the applicator further away from the surface and are still able to have the grass fibers easily stand on end.

If you are planning on building one of these applicators just be aware that the heart of the applicator is the Negative Ion Generator and this will determine your results! There are some cheap generators available on eBay however just be warned that these are cheap for a reason… mainly due to the fact they have a much lower output voltage and that is what determines the effectiveness of the static grass applicator.
Most cheap generators have a nominal voltage between 4-6kV however the applicator I’m using has a nominal voltage of 15kV when powered with a 12 Volt power supply so the results will naturally be a lot better.

I purchased mine from Oatley Electronics or you can order from eBay

I’m currently in the process of writing an eBook on making and operating this static grass applicator and I’ll keep you updated once it’s finished. If you’re serious about scenery then making or purchasing a static grass applicator is a must!

7 Comments

David Lindfield link

5/2/2017 18:48:21

Hi Luke,

I find instead of soldering the positive charge lead to the mesh, I fit some copper tape to the mesh and copper tape to the container with the cable soldered to the container.
Love your videos and keep up the good work.

Marco

5/2/2017 20:35:11

Fantastic job.. as always 😉

Rob

1/5/2017 21:20:17

Hi Luke do you have a diagram of the new switch led wiring
Cheers Rob

Leon Crowther

19/5/2018 22:01:41

Hi, I have constructed such a generator, using the one from Oatley Electronics, and the results are very poor. I have not seen a circuit diagram, but as there are only 2 wires and one goes to the scene and the other to the grill, what could go wrong? Any suggestions? or better still to see your wiring diagram.
TIA Leon.

Davey Jones

14/7/2018 23:46:42

You need to attach a 2nd wire to the black wire you use for grounding the power supply. this wire needs to have a clip or pin or something and connect to the glue of the object to be flocked.

without this there will be no static field at all.

Davey Jones

14/7/2018 23:47:52

I never paid attention to brands or anything and simply got the cheapest negative ion generator i could find on ebay.
works like a charm :)

Jake Schaible

7/2/2019 10:25:09

Great job. love the innovation. I'm trying to up the ante even more (mostly given I have a 12VDC -> 20kv (5w) ion generator on hand) . It is physically bigger than the Oatley so I've had to use a bigger body to accommodate. Now considering to replace the disposable 9v battery with a rechargable battery / capacitor or some type . I'm a newb with electronics, but have a pile of components to burn. Thoughts?