Home Made Ground Foam Scenery Part 1

How I make 'ground foam' flock scenic scatter in fine, medium and coarse grades and all shades for grass, bushes, trees and vines. I use my own scenic material for railway, dioramas and wargaming. I hope you find this video useful. All the best...Tom
Adding colour part 1 is here • Home Made Ground Foam ...

[@clashofminiatures]

Frist of all Tom, this was 20 minutes well spent! Your scenery is awesome! In the opening shot your scenery on the right was great. thanks for sharing, Chuck RVRR

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks very much Chuck. I'm glad you like my scenics. I have a fair sized layout to build up here in the attic, around 60 ft of track with lots of countryside. I worked out that I'd need around £300 ($400) just to pay for the bushes so I decided to make everything up here. Thanks again and all the best mate.

[@parabot2]

@@tomjenssen7486 will the paint run when you put spray glue / white glue . Thanx

[@tomjenssen7486]

@@parabot2 No the paint won't run once it has dried. It's color fast as long as you use acrylic paints. Thanks for the great question. All the best....Tom

[@bugler75]

Seriously, thank you for your time and effort spent making these videos! I’ve just started back into modelling, starting with static dioramas but planning to move into railway layouts. This has given me such great inspiration. Thanks again, Ian

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Ian, thank you very much for your kind words of support. Much appreciated. Very glad to have provided some inspiration. Happy modelling and all the best...Tom

[@russellstambaugh4528]

I’m just getting back into building dioramas and I found this video really helpful. Lots of money being saved and nice product to use.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks Russel. Happy modelling

[@wolvertoncentresidings5676]

I've just started making my own scatter materials and thanks for the tips. Very good way to save money considering how expensive proprietary material is getting!

[@StrathpefferJunction]

I used to do something similar when I was into war gaming in my teens. I may yet resurrect it after this excellent video! Thank you.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you for your support...and you're very welcome. Glad to be of help. All the best...Tom

[@markbridle9329]

Just followed your instructions, made about £25 worth in an afternoon, worked a treat thanks again

[@tomjenssen7486]

Very pleased to hear this and very happy to have helped. I hope you enjoy the rest of the playlist...There will be more coming soon.. All the best....Tom

[@GrannyGooseOnYouTube]

You, Sir, are a frikkin GENIUS!!!!! Thank you so much!

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you for your kind words. Very happy to help :)

[@reefranger38]

Wow! You are a genius! Thank you for sharing this information. I certainly am going to use it.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Chris, thank you very much, I'm glad to help. I hope you'll enjoy my other scenic videos. I plan some updates soon. All the best....Tom

[@reefranger38]

I posted this and then saw the part 2 video were you color it. Thanks again for this outstanding cost saving idea! Great videos!

[@ZodZulu]

Thank you for sharing your techniques. I am on a tight budget so this is great info.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks for the comment and your support....I hope this is helpful for you. All the best...Tom

[@designsbydawn976]

Beautiful scenery! Great job⛄

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you very much :) I hope you'll enjoy the playlist...Lots more info there. All the best...Tom

[@shiroumxm2052]

it looks incredibly realistic, not only colors but textures distribution, just like the countryside looks once rainy season begins

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you for your kind words

[@TONYNORTHEASTERN]

Brilliant idea Tom and cheap thanks for sharing regards Tony

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks Tony :) It really comes into it's own with the foliage textures...the fine turf is the remainder and that's great, too. I'm just working on a colouring video and I'll be making another on foliage for trees and vines etc soon. All the best mate :)

[@stewartgreenwood6654]

Brilliant , going to save me some money. Thanks.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Very happy to be of help. Good luck and all the best....Tom

[@jamesmcneil2472]

Brilliant video, thanks for the tip.

[@tomjenssen7486]

You're welcome and thanks for the comment, I'm glad you find the tips useful.

[@ronhill5964]

Thank you! You solved my questions.. I use a blender to break down... never thought of a grinder to get that finer grade... wow.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks for the comment....Very happy to help. All the best....Tom

[@cprtrain]

Amazing. I just found your video and will give it a try. Thanks for sharing this.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you so much. I hope you get good results. I have some more clips in the playlist that may help you and I'll be adding more soon. Thanks again and all the best...Tom

[@christopherkingsland4604]

Brilliant and innovative!

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you for your support, Christopher. Much appreciated.

[@chrisbarber5840]

This series is great, really insightful and inspiring 😊

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you for your kind comment, it's much appreciated. All the best....Tom

[@Knappist]

Great work Tom, I have already started production on my ground cover with your methods 👍

[@tomjenssen7486]

Great to hear. Good luck :) Tom

[@Pyrografpl]

Thank you, really brilliant idea!

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you for your kind words. All the best, Tom

[@Denita_Wishart]

So darn happy that I stumbled across your channel over the weekend! It just so happens that I collect antique kitchen gadgets, small appliances etc. and I just happen to have two of these meat grinders 🤭 **score** I am brand new at this and that’s how I found your channel so I have nothing to compare it to, but I certainly cannot wait to give this a try because I love your results !! ❤

[@JohnSmith-gv8kt]

HI TOM ..GREAT VIDEO'S....CANT WAIT TO HAVE A GO AND MAKE SOME....THANKS

[@Vanye111]

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. All the best......Tom

[@rolandhersom239]

The cheapest way to get your foam material is to get hold of an old chair seat, lounge chair or foam mattress and you don't need to outlay any money for raw materials. The age of the material makes tearing it up easier. I colour it with the same paints shown in the video but I have a dedicated cheap coffee grinder to do my mixing in. I don't use water. I add the paint straight from the tube to the foam in the coffee grinder and it is evenly distributed over all the foam. Drying time is minimal and if any clumping occurs, it can be fixed by another quick whiz when dry. If while drying the batch is lightly pressed together in a tray, it is easy to break it into whatever size clumps you might want to use. I usually add about 5 drops of bright yellow to 1 of ultra marine blue and because of the somewhat random measuring of the paint, there are slight variations in colour of batches. I mix them together and thereby get slight colour variations throughout the whole lot. When sieving the last remains I give it a firm rub over the sieve and usually manage to get a considerable amount extra of the fine flock.

[@paull2613]

Marvellous

[@retolop]

Marvelous. Best regards From The Land Of Mesopotamia Iraq - Baghdad

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you for your kind words. I send best wishes to you and your beautiful land.

[@santo5708]

Brilliant ! From Indonesia👍👍👍👍👍

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you very much from London. All the best :))

[@TheOriginalBadger]

Brilliant!

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you very much for the kind comment, I hope you find this useful. There are some more DIY scenery vids in the playlist, you may find them useful too. All the best....Tom

[@tassie7325]

This is brilliant, thanks. My wife and I are about to start on our first train setup and we are doing as much research as possible before we dive in. This suits us to a T because we live in a location where to get our hands on the Woodlands Scenic supplies the postage costs as much as (or more) than the product itself. Therefore we are searching for ways to make our own scenery and this is right on the button. Thanks for sharing.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi, thanks for watching and commenting. I'm glad you like this idea. I haven't had to buy any scenery for a couple of years now so I've saved a small fortune. For the grinder (if you don't have one) search online for an 'antique hand cranked grinder' They cost around $£10. The set-up cost is fairly minimal, all you need is paint and foam. Happy modelling and all the best...Tom

[@tassie7325]

@@tomjenssen7486 Believe it or not, we do have one of those grinders in our kitchen collection that we still use 😁

[@tomjenssen7486]

Perfect :)

[@michaelchartres]

Just watched this Tom. I am most impressed. The opening shot of your completed scenery is amazing and I have learnt a lot. Thanks and regards Michael

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks very much Michael. Glad you like the idea. Sorry for the late reply. All the best...Tom

[@chadrandol1041]

Dude this is AMAZING WORK AND INTEL

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you Sir.

[@katiedave1098]

fantastic idea tom, I have just tried your method and compared to woodland scenic and in (my opinion) I think this is better and more realistic and at a fraction of the price, great upload thanks for sharing.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you very much for kind comment. I'm glad to know you tried my method and I'm very happy that you're pleased with the result. All the scenic material that I use is all home made. Thanks again and all the best.....Tom

[@hansfriess]

Thank you Thank you for this video it will save me a lot of money

[@tomjenssen7486]

You are very welcome. Happy modelling and all the best.....Tom

[@daviemaclean61]

Top quality Tom. I have watched a few "home made" ground foam videos and they have all involved what seems to be very messy processes. Your method seems to be much more user friendly. My mother (probably everyone of a certain ages mother!) had one of those mincer/grinders. My layout is very urban but if I ever do a more rural scene I will refer back to this video. Cheers, Dave

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Dave, thanks for the support, as always. Yes, I tried to keep it fairly simply although I was worried about younger viewers trying the drill and attachment. I made the hand guard for the video (I don't use it, myself...but I have had a few 'kisses' on the back of the hand from the wire brush...lol) The set up cost was probably around the £40/50 mark but when I went out one day and spent £60 on a few bags of dyed 'fluff' I knew there had to be a better way ;). I like the urban layouts, I plan to make the lower track section a bit more like than (when I finally get to it). Thanks again mate and all the best.

[@SheltonDCruz]

Thanks Tom!!

[@Knappist]

Great work many thanks 🤟

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks for your kind words :)

[@queerfusion]

Very kool...

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks very much :)

[@tonyobbeek8910]

Thank you very much for this excellent demonstration, you have really "nailed it" the colors and textures are brilliant. Many thanks and kind regards. tones1957 (New Zealand)

[@Baumeister40]

Amazing! I've watched a lot of blender-based videos... it's good to see a meat grinder in action. I've got one somewhere. Thanks for the demonstration and tips.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Best of luck :)

[@davestrains]

fabulous job Tom !! the end result is amazing...by coincidence i was shown a foam in use at a club i go to known as Kingspan,also known as Celotex..expensive to buy but local builders usually chuck excess away....great video cheers dave

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks very much Dave. Yes, the Celotex is good for all sorts. Thanks again for the support....All the best.

[@fernandodacostaleite4513]

Parabéns Tom pelo seu excelente trabalho e principalmente por esse passo-a-passo. Aqui no Brasil o ferromodelismo engatinha ainda e peças de cenário que voce nos mostra so o temos importando esses itens o que a partir desse seu tutorial não o farei mais. Muito obrigado.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Muito obrigado. Fico feliz em ajudar. Tom

[@fernandodacostaleite4513]

@@tomjenssen7486 Eu é quem agradeço, Estou acompanhando seus videos e deles tirando proveito para fazê-lo em inha maquete.

[@FredWilbury]

The scenery looks great Tom......I do mine in a similar way ...but I used upholstery chip foam ...just go to your local upholsterer supplies shop ...ask for some scrap.....I guess I’m fortunate as I know them quite well so I guess a bonus...and blitz it in in my wife’s Nutri Bullet ....its awesome ..... and does make very fine crumb ...then like you dye in various shades ....I think we’re on the same wavelength....regards Fred...ps I’ve made loads and still haven’t used it ...lol

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks Fred :) Yes, it's a good way of doing the scenics. My Nutri Bullet burned out so I never got the chance to try it with the foam...lol. All the best mate.

[@FredWilbury]

Tom Jenssen I’d better watch out 😱....oh meant to say have you worked in a butchers cos you are dab hand with the mincer....

[@percyblok6014]

Brilliant m8.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks very much

[@mikeskorpion8366]

Great idea, I might try that.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Mike, thanks mate. Yes, it's a good idea for bulking up on the scenics. All the best :)

[@bigdon1a1]

Great job, saving money when you can, you can go to the dump cut foam out of old furniture, chairs, sofas, another thing you can do, go to your local home improvement store, you can get all the sawdust you want for free, a ginder and paint or dies

[@w.rustylane5650]

I use an electric coffee grinder for the same purposes and exactly the same result, only in smaller batches. The lichen (moss) grows out back of my house so I have an endless supply of lichen. I've been doing this for years and have exactly the same results.

[@johnrugman52]

Some good tips here, I have subscribed for more.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks very much , john. I have some more scenics videos coming up. I've subscribed to your channel. All the best...Tom

[@gerlandkent6377]

[thank, you for youre great video]👍

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you for your kind words

[@Castlebridge-00]

Lovely ideas.Your bushes etc look so natural. Not got to scenery stage yet on my layout but I will be trying your ideas. I have subscribed. Barry.Devon

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks very much, Barry, I'm glad you like the ideas. I have a few more scenery videos in the playlist which you may find helpful when you come to do your scenery. I've subscribed back to your channel. Thanks again and all the best...Tom

[@FredWilbury]

Hello Tom I’m sure I’ve commented on this before if I haven’t brilliant. Hope you’re still out there and well. Regards Fred 👌😎☕️

[@Calvertfilm]

I'm still watching but that looks terrific at 0:45 Tom. Very cool. Mind you I do wonder if the wife might miss some kitchen utensils lol......Very inventive though Tom, as ever. Laurie.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Cheers Lauries. Haha....Yes, don't go raiding the kitchen...lol. Thanks again mate :)

[@usmilitaria]

Very interesting method! Most of those grinders have an assortment of cutting heads, which one do you use?

[@mineit5796]

With the hassle mate you might as well just buy some. But still that is a very clever idea I will definitely try this out.

[@roysharpe4568]

I get where you are coming from but this is a broad church hobby.. hassle to one person is part of the joy for others. In pure economic terms there is little argument that this method saves you mucho money! You can also small batch stuff, so for instance flower shades where you dont need much.

[@johnneely9576]

Can you show how you went from a yellow sponge to getting the material colored green before grinding?

[@tomjenssen7486]

You can that in the second part. All the best....Tom

[@normanrowe2831]

You, sir, are the grinder!

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you very much for your support and kind compliment. All the best...Tom

[@robertschworm6036]

Tom, What mesh sizes on your sifting screens do you recommend? They seem to range from 10 to 60...or are you just using a couple kitchen items and going by your eye to see that they are different sizes? Can you tell me the paint color ratios for other different shades you are using? Do make material for autumn trees as well. Bob - Brecksville Ohio

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Bob. I use kitchen sieves in three sizes, the mesh gets smaller in relation. The large is 8.5 inches across, the medium is 6.5 and the smaller one is 5 inches and I use a stocking around this one for the finest turf.

[@tomjenssen7486]

I have a color similar to burnt grass that I call 'scorched turf' The ratio is 4 x yellow, 2 x blue and the additive is raw sienna to half a sponge. You'll have to experiment with this and try a few small tests as it's quite difficult to get right. I use smaller measures then dry with 15 second bursts in the microwave. I'm working on some 'autumn reds' at the moment.

[@theoneandonlyrealjoker1827]

WOW Tom Jenssen that's really smart I want to try this out were did you get the grinder at on line

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi, thanks for watching, I'm glad you like the idea. In the UK the grinder make is 'Spong' and in the US it is 'Universal'. Search for a used hand cranked grinder or antique meat grinder on Ebay. They are very cheap. Good luck, happy modelling and all the best...Tom

[@duffy123123]

Great video, I'm trying to make my own with little success on the grinding. What type of attachment is on the grinder?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi, this is a Spong antique grinder/mincer. It has a simple worm running against the blade. If you're trying to grind the foam before adding the paint it won't grind. Or if you're dying the foam it won't grind. If you use a very high density foam you may be able to grind it neat but for this method it needs the paint first (as shown in part 2) and it must be bone dry. I find that grinding small amounts at a time works best to avoid too much foam clogging up the mechanism. I also grind 'two forward once back' to keep everything free. I hope this helps...All the best...Tom.

[@duffy123123]

Thanks for the info, I was grinding unpainted (impatience to try it out!). A mate of mine has some car seats were going to strim the foam out of and try to make a ton of stuff. I've used car sponges like yourself in this video which seem to shred nicely, also done a good bit of damage to my hand with the wire brush attachment, so I see why the hand guard is there hahaha.

[@tomjenssen7486]

The car seats sound great, should be quite a lot of foam in them. I've just bashed up my old sofas and got a nice harvest of yellow foam. I always clean older foam in the bath with the shower hose. Yes...lol...The hand guard should be used with a glove too. My hand guard is cut from hardboard but you can knock up a quick one out of cardboard.

[@PrzemyslawSadula]

awesome work and you can buy those sponges in Poundland 3 per £1 Cheers

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi, thanks very much for the support. Yes, it's a very cheap way to make you're own scenery. Happy modelling and all the best...Tom

[@brianroberts6751]

Just found this .....very helpful. Have you a vidio on how you use the paint to color the foam?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi there . Sorry for the late reply. There is a part 2 to this video where I do the colouring. I hope this is helpful. All the best....Tom

[@GWR-fd1up]

Nice, is your layout British outline?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thank you, it's a mix up.

[@nurabdul1436]

Hi. Stumbled upon this wonderful video in my quest to make finer home made flocking material. What type of grinder is that. please? Would a coffee grinder work as well? Thank you.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi, thanks for watching and commenting, I'm glad you like this idea. It's a kitchen grinder or universal meat grinder available in hardware stores. The old one that I use for fine flock is from Ebay. I hope this helps. Thanks again and all the best....Tom

[@andrewkeeney701]

Great video and instruction, Tom. Can you give us a little more info on how you actually color it? Thanks, Andy

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Andrew, thanks for watching and your words of support. There are some more videos in this playlist that you might find helpful. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKWzeIKlarl5f8U Thanks again and all the best...Tom

[@litahsr.8226]

Nice... the cheapest way I use fresh green leaves and let them dry till they crumble yesterday I used fall leaves and let them dry from the stove for 10 mins and crumbled to power

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi, thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Yes, leaves make great ground cover and this is the best time of year to collect some. Thanks again and all the best...Tom

[@litahsr.8226]

I will need to buy some sponge for sure :)

[@blackanpink3149]

Great video i was wondering if you could tell me the specs or where i could get the second grinder from, i would like the same results you get with that it looks amazing and ultra fine, possible to share this info?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi there, thanks for watching, I'm glad you like the video. You can find the grinders on Ebay, search for 'antique meat grinder' look for the make 'Universal' if you can. I've tried different makes and styles and they all do pretty much the same thing, as long as it's an old one. I hope this is helpful. All the best...Tom

[@JumbleLane]

Great tutorial Tom, When and how did you use the colour on the foam? This idea will save me a fortune on my new layout. Cheers, Geoff.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks very much Geoff. After I obliterate the foam I mix up some (slightly watered down) acrylic paint in the large mixing bowl then add the foam, give it a good knead for a minute then set it out to dry overnight. I probably make a part 2 to this one all about mixing the colours. It;s all the trees and bushes where the real savings are made, that's why I like the compatibility. You can then buy a couple of shakers of fine turf for the highlights etc. Thanks again and all the best.

[@tomjenssen7486]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/onnSYYBtl5V4r80

[@metalmicky]

Does the colour fade over time ?

[@kaatom1]

Have you tried missing the first stage and just cutting the sponge into small lumps and grinding them? If so what was the result?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi. For this method the foam needs to be shredded and colored before grinding. Larger chunks compress inside the mechanism and grinding is very difficult. You can use a blender for the first phase if you'd prefer not to use the driver. You'll need to run the pieces through a few times with water and it will work fine. I have made underbrush with scissors, so it's possible. For this I use a short section of 2 inch pipe (about 4 inches long) and stuff it full of wet pieces, then finely cut it as it decompresses out of the tube. I hope this is helpful. All the best....Tom

[@robertschworm6036]

Tom, In part 1 of your series, you grind the foam sponge but suddenly it is green. What did you use for the dark green color - -is this straight green from a tube - what is the name of this green. Also, for other colors you make, can you leave us the formulas for the color combinations that make up these colors please? Thanks Bob

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Bob, Always good to read a comment from you, I hope you're well. The foam I used here was just a sample of basic green. To keep the video shorter I did the coloring in part 2 here : kzbin.info/www/bejne/onnSYYBtl5V4r80 And there are some greens here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGOUiptontqkps0 You can also use yellow ocre as the additive to this light green. I hope this is helpful...All the best...Tom

[@MarkoAbo]

How do you get from the ground up sponge material to the nice green clump material? And what is your "OBLITERATOR"?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Mark, the Obliterator is just what I call the drill attachment with the bucket to prepare the sponge.

[@reefranger38]

Not sure if I missed it or not but how do you color the sponge material?

[@tomjenssen7486]

It's in the other videos ... 'Greens' are here kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGOUiptontqkps0 and the 'Earth green' is here kzbin.info/www/bejne/onnSYYBtl5V4r80 Enjoy :)

[@paulkemna163]

This is some of the best looking DIY scenery foam I have seen. I do have a question though. Is the acrylic paint supposed to actually stain the foam or just basically "coat" it? I am trying to make some orange to test making fall tree foliage, but it seems like the paint is really just embedding into the foam rather than truly staining it. Is the sponge material a factor? Would fabric dye be a better option for true staining?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Paul. The acrylic paint soaks all the way into the sponge/foam. I'm not sure if you've watched the second video but there's more about adding the colors there. Yes, fabric dye would be better and I think that's how the stuff you can buy is colored. I have considered using dye but I'm quite happy with the ease of using simple paints. I would suggest using two colors that make up orange and do a few tests using different ratios of paint on a small batch of foam. I use around 3 tea spoons of paint to half a sponge as my gauge. You can half or quarter this amount for tests until you find the right shade/shades. I add a small amount of water to the paint when I'm mixing it with the sponge but my advice would be to find your color before adding water. acrylic turns white when water is added so the color appears lighter. Leave the tests to dry overnight to see the final results. Also, write down your mixes so you can easily reproduce the one/s you choose. I've found there are two main colors of sponge, one is a light yellow and the other is darker and slightly closer to orange. The darker one is best for natural scenery as it gives a richer finish. I hope this is helpful. All the best...Tom

[@tomjenssen7486]

And thanks, Paul, for your kind compliment, it's much appreciated.....Tom

[@paulkemna163]

@@tomjenssen7486 Thanks for the additional info Tom. It's hard to explain, but I guess it seems like the acrylic paint is just sitting between the pores of the sponge granules rather than actually affecting the color of the sponge material. I am at the coarse stage, as I need to track down a way to grind it further, either via crank grinder or coffee grinder. I am going to find some dye today and give it a try. That is interesting about the color of the sponges. I would have assumed the lighter color sponge yields better results since you are not fighting against the stronger yellow base color.

[@Nicola-Lore]

I missed how you dyed the ground up sponge....

[@Vonfluff]

Tom, this video is superb. Found it this morning and I've now got 3 tubs of dyed and shredded sponge. Do you know what size the plate is on the "universal" mincer/grinder? I'm looking on ebay and I want to know what size to get.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi John. I don't know the size of it but I went on ebay and picked up another one as a spare. It's slightly different but it does exactly the same job. As long as it's an old one (antique) you should be good to go. I hope this is helpful. Tom

[@Vonfluff]

Well Tom, my mincer/grinder arrived today and I now have three colours and 3 grades of sponge flock... And more importantly, more control of the colour/size of flock that I need... At about 50p per bag! I was going to upload a photo here but I can't seem to work it out. I really can't thank you enough for your time and inspiration.

[@tomjenssen7486]

@@Vonfluff Very glad to hear this, John. Thanks for sharing with me.

[@Jagthunder1]

Thanks for the fantastic money saving tutorial! Can you put a link to that grinder in the description and maybe do a video for autumn colors? Thanks again!

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi, thanks very much for coming to my channel. I'll be making a short update about the grinders, soon...and I have another coloring video coming soon, too. All the best....Tom

[@Jagthunder1]

Tom Jenssen Appreciate the response Tom. I subscribed also. I bought a “modern” grinder to try out. I found the Universal ones on eBay but not exactly sure which one to get. Looking forward to seeing lots of scenery type videos and ways to save money for sure. The “factory made” stuff is nice but for what you get per bag/container, is just ridiculous! Would love to see how you do water, roads, and anything else. Thanks again!

[@tomjenssen7486]

Thanks again, I'll be sure to sub back (if I haven't already). If you've seen some of my latest clips you'll see that I'm playing around with some toy train conversions. I'll be building a modular foam board layout to run them on. The essence is fun but I'll be using all my scenery and building techniques including tunnels, landforms and water. I hope you'll enjoy them. With regards to the grinder, the modern one will work ok for all the coarse and underbrush textures but it can take some time (make sure to color the foam first and only grind it when it's bone dry) The grinder that I use has a flat front but I've just bought one with a conical front to test...and it works fine. Any old 'antique' style cast iron grinder for around $10 should work fine.

[@Jagthunder1]

Tom Jenssen Just bought a Universal #2 grinder off ebay for $15. The plastic one I bought works ok, but just feels very cheap and not sturdy. Made a few test batches today and turned out ok.

[@tomjenssen7486]

That's great. Yes, the cheaper ones are ok for starters but the big old ones are much better and easier to work with. The one I use is a British 'Spong' grinder...As far as I can see it's identical to the Universal that you have in the states. Let me know how you get on, please. All the best.

[@WhimsyLuna1up]

Glad I watched this. I had concerns blending a sponge to get coarse turf but wasn't sure. I'm wondering though if you have ever consider using clothing/fabric dye to dye the sponges? I'm planning to use rit brand dye to get a pink color for a cherry blossom tree in working on. (I get the feeling the acrylic paint might make the sponges stiff). Thanks for the video :)

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi, thanks I'm glad you like the technique. I will be experimenting with dye, some time soon and I have some colors of rit dye to test. I think it will work fine. Maybe you could watch part 2 of this short series as the coloring process is shown. Adding some water to the paint before soaking the sponge keeps the sponge soft and gives a good cover. Neat paint will definitely make the sponge stiff. Thanks again and please keep me informed of your progress. All the best...Tom

[@WhimsyLuna1up]

@@tomjenssen7486 yeah I didn't get to watch part 2. Was watching it on my lunch hour at work. I'll let you know how it goes with mine. Going to try bucket method(not the stove top) and using the liquid dye. I've seen alot of people so it with the acrylics as you have. New to doing dioramas . So. I'm picking up info here and there to test and see what I like.

[@tomjenssen7486]

That's great. I think the bucket method is the easiest. I got some white foam from the hobby store, it's a little more expensive than the jumbo sponges but would be a good choice for pink foam. Have fun and good luck with your project :)

[@WhimsyLuna1up]

So I ended up digging up more information and found out not all sponges are natural. Some are made from polyurethane foam. So i looked into it more to see if I could find white polyurethane. I found out upholstery foam is sometimes white..so I went to the store and found a 4 pack of chair foam cushions(like for the kitchen chairs. ), for $7usd total. I got to shredding it when i got home, which I ended up shoving it in a kitchen blender and put water in. I love the results texture wise. It shredded the same as the sponge. The only reason I did this research was because the yellow sponge didn't take the pink dye so well...it was rit petal pink, which if you look is a light pink. It did take the dye, but the color turned out to be a hot pink color. It might of been the color of the sponge, or how much dye I added. But I honestly think it's because it's synthetic, so I might look into synthetic dyes or continue with the dye I have and add less or more. I Have read some synthetics will take the normal dye, but at a high temperature(not sure how high that temperature is). But I do feel the polyurethane foam(upholstery foam) is a good substitute. Pending on the price of where you live.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Yes, the color of the sponge will make a difference, I was using blue upholstery foam at first and, as I'm modeling nature, the colors were not coming out as I wanted...That's why I switched to yellow. Also, these yellow sponges are very cheap compared to the upholstery foam. The cost isn't a big problem unless you plan to make large amounts. $7 for a 4 pack sounds like a great price. Are you using the powder dye or the liquid? I think the liquid dye is better for synthetics although, again, it's more expensive.

[@aaronclaire8721]

Can you/someone explain your dyeing process? Fantastic tutorial 👍

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Rono, thanks very much for the comment. After I shred the foam I mix up some , slightly diluted, acrylic paint. I work the foam into the paint in batches of different colours then set them out to dry overnight. I'll make a seperate video for you about this. All the best....Tom

[@tomjenssen7486]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/onnSYYBtl5V4r80

[@michaelmaloney364]

How Do you paint your base materials after the grinding of the sponges I was lost

[@logancasey7596]

Can anyone tell me if there is ANY way this can be "sealed" to use outdoors?

[@roysharpe4568]

Hi Tom, would it be possible to share the link to where you got the cast iron grinder from please

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Roy, just have a look on Ebay. You're looking for an 'antique meat grinder' Look out for the make 'Universal' if you can but I've tried a couple of different ones and they do the same job. Just don't get a new one, they're not very good. Best of luck and I hope this helps....Tom

[@roysharpe4568]

@@tomjenssen7486 thanks Tom, my coffe grinder is way too slow. cheers

[@akihoseini9673]

با پودر شوید خشک هم میشه این کار رو کرد؟

[@tomjenssen7486]

Yes :)

[@mr88jmr88]

Hi, Great videos, thanks for making these. I'm trying to make a miniature set for a film project. Im wondering what adhesives you use to attach the foam to your layout?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Mason, thanks very much for the support. I find 'tacky glue' to work best for some instant grab then a fine spray of 50/50 PVA/water mix to lock everything down. I also use a lot of very cheap hairspray. Thanks again and all the best....Tom

[@need4velox]

I’m still missing something, at about 4:35 you have the shredded foam in a bucket with some water added to reduce static. Then at about 4:49 you show it coloured ready to go in the meat grinder. I got the use of yellow and blue and chromium green, but i seem to be missing, in my mind at least the colouring process of water to paint, etc.I need it for dry prairie, not lush English countryside so I would have to experiment with appropriate colours to get them right for the turf and sagebrush.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Allen, thanks for taking an interest. I show how I color the foam in the next video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/onnSYYBtl5V4r80 This deals with the missing parts. I hope this is helpful. All the best....Tom

[@lusean193]

Hi Tom could you post a link for that bigger grinder as I would like to buy the same one Thanks

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi William, thanks for watching. In the UK the grinder is made by 'Spong' in the US look for ones called 'Universal'. I get them from Ebay. Search for 'antique hand cranked meat grinder'. The one I use here has a flat front but I've bought and tested one with a more conical front and it works just as well. Thanks again and all the best.

[@lusean193]

Thanks Tom just started watching your vids and I just love them I always wanted to build a layout but the cost put me off very hard to spend on yourself when you have a family

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi William and thanks again. I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. Yes, I'm in the same boat so I'm always looking for ways to enjoy the hobby without spending a fortune. I have a fairly large garden railway that's made entirely of converted Playmobil and LGB toy trains, including the track...and I'm currently converting some battery operated toy high speed trains to run on my HO layout. Happy modelling and all the best ...Tom

[@phyllisphillips1869]

Please show how you color the foam.

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hello, thanks for watching. The coloring is in part 2. All the best, Tom

[@robertschmidt6383]

How do you get a yellow sponge to turn green? Clothing dye? What is the method to make it green?

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Robert, thanks for commenting. I show how I do the colouring here kzbin.info/www/bejne/onnSYYBtl5V4r80 I hope this is helpful. All the best...Tom

[@robertschmidt6383]

So the craft paint that comes in a gazillion different colors and is water soluble would work for this?

[@tomjenssen7486]

@@robertschmidt6383 Yes, but I never use the ready made colours as they don't work well. I just use blue and yellow with different ratios to get the greens that I need. I use very small amounts of the siennas in the mix, too. I've found the really cheap paints don't work as well as the better quality ones, so it's worth buying some decent paints.

[@Vman7757]

You showed what colors you use? but not how you colored the foam before you grind it all up.

[@erroldawdy3637]

How do you get the colours into it?

[@tomjenssen7486]

There's another video here. I hope you find it helpful. All the best....Tom kzbin.info/www/bejne/onnSYYBtl5V4r80

[@rolandhersom239]

Similar to my methods but my foam costs me NOTHING! All you need to do is find someone who is throwing out an old lounge and you have more foam than you will need for free.

[@user-kq5wq2vw2y]

Use a beard trimmer!

[@dmphilosophy2834]

Please, please...invest in a tripod

[@tomjenssen7486]

I have done that. Thanks for your input. All the best....Tom

[@robinlescot5003]

Hi Tom ! Really interesting tuto :) I'm trying to get myself a grinder like the second one (question : you use both of them or you don't need the first one if you have the second one ?) but it's quite complicated because they're a lot of different grinder... Can you please show/explain the bottom of this magical tool ? (it's a gear or somes blades ?) More like this : image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2018/30/6/1532772090-grinder-1.jpg Or like this : image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2018/30/6/1532772096-grinder-2.jpg Thanks for your help ! And I say it again : great tuto !

[@tomjenssen7486]

Hi Robin, thanks for the words of support. You will only need to use one grinder. I bought the first one when I was experimenting with the technique. The second grinder is a 'Universal Hand Cranked Grinder' It uses a worm against the cutting blades at the front. It's very similar to the ones in your images but the front is flat with a wing nut to hold the blades in place. I hope this helps. All the best....Tom Edit: Like this one www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEYSTONE-20-MEAT-GRINDER-WITH-CUTTER-VINTAGE-ANTIQUE-Weekend-Sale-FREE-SHIPPING/332716282081?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D53344%26meid%3D20986c7d04ce47f597eabfb771aba137%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D132470373960%26itm%3D332716282081&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

[@robinlescot5003]

Thanks for your quick answer :) Is it exactly the one that you're using ? I mean it's a kind of blade that I never seen before... I'm in Belgium and it's quite complicated to find this kind of grinder for less than 35€ (shipping included) so I'm trying to find a second hand grinder in my area and they are only the 2 kinds of grinder that I showed you . Do you think that it gonna do the job ? And if you think so, wich one could be the more efficient ? Have a great day !

[@tomjenssen7486]

A pleasure :) The exact one that I use is a 'London' Antique meat grinder. As an example there's one here on Ebay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Old-Iron-Mincer/142887193148?hash=item2144bd8a3c:g:T18AAOSwwRtbXbiN ....but the ones you have shown look ok for the job, also. :)

[@robinlescot5003]

Here again, your quickness is really enjoyable ^^ Just one more question before I make my choice : it's me or we don't see the blades on the image of the two that you showed me ? Or this ( image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2018/30/7/1532898465-keystone.jpg ) is the blade ? I'm asking because it doesn't look sharp or thin enough to cut something... Or it's more grinded than cutted ? Please bring me light, Lord of the foam.

[@tomjenssen7486]

I'm sorry that I was not as quick this time :) Yes, the blades on the ones I showed you are hidden behind the cover. You can see a quick shot of the front of my grinder at 19:09 in this video. Remember that you will need to buy paints, plastic containers and other bits and pieces to make your own foam. It is cost effective if you make lots of different textures and colours for lots of projects or a large layout. The best value with this technique is coarse turf...You can make lots and you get some fine turf left over after each batch. I very much enjoy making my own scenery and I use 100% homemade on every project. Just make sure it will save you money and it's something you want to do before you make your investment :) Have a wonderful day my friend :) Edit: A discovery :) The manufacturer is Spong.

[@thesultanmerchant]

not very friendly method

[@davidgudgeon2326]

Fanbloodytastic. I've just found your video now subscribed. Now going yo look for a grinder