Tutorial Sawdust Ground Cover for Model Railroading

This tutorial shows how I make my own ground cover out of sawdust or foam colored with normal fabric dye to use on my model railroad layout. Feel free to check out my other tutorial videos for model railroaders on KZbin.

[@EdwardBallinger-uj7uy]

You used to be able to buy this stuff but like everything else its gone. I make all my own and it looks like the stuff from the 40's and 50's. Good video

[@robertschmidt6383]

Oh my god, I watched your video with the sawdust scenery. I did this 25 years ago. Had made sifters to get fine , medium, coarse. Different colors too. Built a bagging hopper and had labels printed. Was selling it to the local hobby store. Earned like $150.00 doing this. That video brought back alot of memories.

[@alancharles6789]

I’m so glad to have found this! I have been thinking of how to do this and was thinking of using rinsed coffee grounds. Sawdust is a brilliant medium! This gentleman must have been the voice Professor Steven Hawking’s voice synthesiser was modelled on!

[@Lutain1337]

WHAT WHAT WHAT. Ok this is the best Model Railroad video i think i have ever seen. Thank you so much, as i am poor with a large layout.

[@wolfsangeleyes]

Thank you for the great tutorial, very helpful.

[@butterbean4195]

hm 17 people who work/own hobby stores or woodland scenic`s voted this down, thanks very helpful and saves money to boot.

[@kenr8898]

Excellent tutorial I wish others were as well presented THANK YOU

[@whatsitaboutwithphilcraig6661]

Great idea 💡 thanks for passing it on 👍

[@filmtajm35]

Cool! Thank you for the tip. Very useful.

[@kilbraur]

Excellent, this will save quite a bit of money. Thanx for posting.

[@daveyJ213]

Great video, John. I am a wood worker as well as a model rail road builder. You can bet I will not be throwing away as much sawdust as I've done in the past. Thanks for the idea.

[@butterbean4195]

if you use a catch bag on sanders you can get some really fine saw dust to.

[@zcmarty]

Great video! Thanks alot!

[@David-Field.Stuff01]

Very interesting. Thankyou.

[@AlanReynoldsBucklandJunction]

Great Stuff

[@madiskruusmann302]

thank. I will defenetly use that idea

[@jravxii]

WOW Thanks alot !

[@StalkeraBg]

I have also found that the flowers from Cedrus, Pine or Birch trees make for an amazing leaf cover in 1:85 to 1:35 scale , depending on what type of trees you are trying to recreate. Just be sure to pick it before it hits the ground and After they have finished dusting the pollen. It is very resistant to mold too.

[@michaelslack5269]

What type of cloth please, an old T shirt? Thank you for the awesome video by the way great way to save money and still model at a high level...

[@nails6365]

What a great idea. Fake grass per 400g now is really expensive

[@bradster1708]

Great video. Do you have a recipe for static grass?

[@GeneralKetchup57]

Good video. Can you save your dyed water and use later? Did you use a wire screen on the sawdust before dying?

[@glyndevonport7802]

I have done this in the past and used the water/dye mix several times over. As the pigment in the dye becomes depleted the colour of the sawdust becomes lighter therefore you get several shades of ground cover from one sachet of dye making things even cheaper. As for foam, go scavenging in skip's/dumpster's for old sofa cushions break the foam up into large lumps and put them through a HOT wash cycle to clean and kill any possible bacteria/mould etc. then break down further and into a liquidiser/ food processor (But not the bosse's)

[@mauricevandraanen4286]

you should put your dyed sawdust in the microwave at 850 watt for about 3 minutes at the least so you fixate the colour in the sawdust

[@skullzxbonez3790]

I can't find anyone who's willing to sell it to me.. they say it's got poisons in it.

[@sherwinfinch]

+SkullzX Bonez Try a bog box store like homedepot or lowes. They have a sawdust collection bin in their cutting areas. I take a couple grocery bags with me and ask politely for some sawdust from a worker in that area.

[@JRock8899]

Sherwin Finch great idea. I never thought of that

[@joshjohnston7388]

Sherwin Finch I work at a home while i go back to school. I know the lumber guys real well. Wouldn't be anything to ask, "hey bro, ring me up next time you dump they sawdust? I want it." Boom. 20 pounds of sawdust.

[@toinvondenhoff1188]

Not your Business "