I’d use artistic license to justify sand that looks like sand even if it
is out of scale (too big).
Dave Husman:
Look at diatomaceous earth from a pool supply
company.
Matt:
I recently was sanding down some plaster castings with
80-grit sandpaper. I’m thinking the sanding dust would be about
right. You might want to just use solid plaster and color accord-
ingly. When I’m at the beach, unless I’m closer than a few feet I
don’t see sand, I see a sand-color landscape.
Joe Atkinson:
Sift dirt from a gravel road or lot. I’ve found that
this works great for hard, packed dirt or sand. I sift it through a
piece of window screen, then again through a Tide laundry bag,
available at Walmart for around $3.
Diatomaceous earth has a particle size typically 10 to 200
microns, or 0.007874”. A #80 mesh screen has a 0.007” opening.
That leaves you with a particle that’s 10 times bigger than a large
grain of sand, but will still look granular instead of powdery.
Barr-CEO:
Cut a block of foam to fit the bin, paint the top gener-
ously with craft acrylic “sand color” (whatever that is for your
railroad) and sprinkle on baking soda. If necessary, touch up the
edges with more paint and soda after installing. Vacuum up any
loose dust. Using a form under the soda keeps it from shrinking
and cracking, and it’s less of a mess overall. It also lets you get a
more precise shape.
Other suggested materials include plaster dust from sanding,
sandblaster sand, white pepper, beach sand, garlic powder, and
tile grout.
Sand:
Questions, Answers & Tips -
MRH-Dec 2014
