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 Posted - November 26 2010 : 8:47:01 PM
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While wandering the propertyand nearby ones of my in-laws this week, I noticed a lichen that grew in clumps, was a light mint green color, and looked like it would make nice scenery material. After exploring the Internet, turns out it's Deer Moss, well-known for it's use in scale scenery by model railroaders. And I had a free supply! I brought home a kitchen trash-bag full of the stuff, will donate some to my local club, and keeps some for my own use. Here's what it looks like -
I found it in different sizes and shades, some tight balls and almost white, others bigger and more green. Good variety. Hopefully I'll use it and not let it go to waste.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - November 27 2010 : 09:59:40 AM
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| That looks just like the lichen that Life-Like used to sell in a variety of artificial colors.
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Posted - April 09 2011 : 7:58:32 PM
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| How do you keep it from rotting away? Pete
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Posted - April 10 2011 : 7:42:54 PM
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quote:How do you keep it from rotting away? Pete
Originally posted by norgale - April 09 2011 : 7:58:32 PM
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Basically, it just drys up. It doesn't appear to rot, just get very dry and brittle. Not sure how the scenery people color and treat it to preserve it, if they do. But it DID get very dry, last time I checked it. No rot, though, not enough moisture in it to rot.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - April 10 2011 : 8:50:12 PM
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Spray it with a good clear finish and it will keep its color and last for years.
ken
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Posted - April 17 2011 : 3:54:49 PM
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I have to think that using this stuff or others harvested from nature may be a problem for the family especially someone that may have allergies and you use a lot. I'd rather not find out the hard way. You might say that you could end up "paying through the nose" or worse.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on April 17 2011 3:56:17 PM
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Posted - April 19 2011 : 11:50:17 PM
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quote:How do you keep it from rotting away? Pete
Originally posted by norgale - April 09 2011 : 7:58:32 PM
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there is a process of boiling in glycerine, dye and water that is outlined in Frarey's second edition that will preserve it and keep it soft.
I picked some great "bushes" off the sides of palm trees while down their
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Posted - April 20 2011 : 06:37:03 AM
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quote:quote:How do you keep it from rotting away? Pete
Originally posted by norgale - April 09 2011 : 7:58:32 PM
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there is a process of boiling in glycerine, dye and water that is outlined in Frarey's second edition that will preserve it and keep it soft.
Originally posted by derfberger - April 19 2011 : 11:50:17 PM
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Ah, so that's the secret. :) Wonder if it's too late for my dried-up moss now.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - April 20 2011 : 12:59:07 PM
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What is Frarey's second edition?
Mr Gremlin, glycerin is a miracle moisturizer and I would imagine that it would work just fine even without boiling. I use it to soften up dried snake skin by soaking it for 3 days and then I make cowboy hat bands, wallets and other things from the skin. You can get the glycerin at your local drug store.
I'm going to have to see if deer moss grows in the forest here in Texas!
~ Dave
~ Dave
They're ALL toys
Edited by - RDC1 on April 20 2011 12:59:51 PM
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Posted - April 21 2011 : 1:24:32 PM
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[quote]What is Frarey's second edition?
Dave Frary How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery 1991 Page 65.
Great book with lots of tips
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Posted - April 21 2011 : 4:41:21 PM
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Thank you sir!
I just got back from The Dollar Tree with their deer moss, $1 / bag. Looks pretty good. I'm going to attempt to lighten some of it up with bleach and dye some to see what, if anything good happens.
I'll also be riding through the woods this weekend on my old bicycle, so I'll see if I can find some in the wild. If I can, I'll try my glycerin/alcohol treatment on it, like I do with the snake skin.
~ Dave
They're ALL toys
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Posted - April 21 2011 : 7:01:40 PM
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Where do you get the glyicerin? I live in Fl so...
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - April 21 2011 : 7:10:17 PM
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I get my pure glycerin at Walgreens or CVS. Any drug store should have it amongst the skin moisturizers. I make up a 50/50 solution of glycerin and denatured alcohol in a wide mouth jar. I leave the snake skin for 3 days and this is how I'll try it with the moss. I then lay it out on several layers of paper towels to drain.
~ Dave
They're ALL toys
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Posted - April 21 2011 : 8:14:23 PM
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dollar tree has a incredible assortment of moss.
as does Hobby Lobby. I love to walk through Hobby Lobby and pick and choose dried assortments that can be converted to landscape materials. Got to let your imagination run wild
here's Frary's formula: 3 gals water, 2 gal commercial grade glycerine, 1 1/2 packet green fabric dye. Buy all colors of green dye that look like folage plus several shades of yellow Start with lightest color and every time you replenish with glycerine add a darker color. Heat to 230 degrees stuff in Lichen all that pot will hold, simmer for 5 mins. Let cool, remove lichen squeezing out all the liquid back into pot.. Spread on news paper in sun to dry.
Reheat solution, replenish with 1 1/2 pints fresh glycerine add packet of next darker shade of dye.
sure seems a lot of work for something, at least to me, doesn't look realistic
O K what does one do with pickled snake skins
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Posted - April 21 2011 : 9:56:47 PM
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Hmmm, looks like I'll have to experiment if I can find some wild deer moss. I think I'll try the glycerin first, then the dye process without glycerin and see how that works.
Re: snake skin ... this is me. Take a look at the hat band. I couldn't live in Texas without a Stetson & diamondback hat band! The snake skin dries brittle once the meat and fat is scraped off and the glycerin treatment makes it very soft and flexible, which is why I think it'll work great on the deer moss for scratch built rail road scenery!
If this works out, I may try this for other found items to use it in scenery. Mr. Gremlin posted this just in time for me, as I'm planning my first layout in a few years and it'll be a forest logging & mining scene. Funny you should mention HobbyLobby too because that was the next stop after The Dollar Tree. I was checking out their floral stuff and I think I can make one serious scene between their stuff & natural found items.
~ Dave
~ Dave
They're ALL toys
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Posted - April 26 2011 : 1:08:36 PM
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Oh well, I found no deer moss nearby, but I did find this other type of lichen. I just don't know how I would use it.
~ Dave
They're ALL toys
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Posted - April 26 2011 : 4:47:24 PM
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what you have there is Spanish Moss and agree can't see a use for it.
If i was going to put a snake skin band around my hat I's have the head mounted, mouth open, fangs exposed at the front of the hat
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