Static King

The Static-King and I got off to a rocky start. So much so that I almost sent it back. It wasn't all the Static-King's fault, however, as it turned out the first two batteries I installed were bad (what are the chances of that?) So I watched some videos and put in a good battery and now I am satisfied with its performance, but still disappointed. Here are some of the problems: 1) The battery compartment door doesn't close when the battery is installed. You might think this is a small issue, but it's not. 2) The wired pad that the 9V battery plugs into fits so tight that I could barely get the battery off without breaking it (the pad, not the battery). 3) The grounding cable is too short. 4) The alligator clip on the end of the cable is too small. It pops off almost everything with the least provocation. 5) The instruction manual contains a lot of pretty pictures and is written in many languages but it is sorely lacking in actual information. That said, I guess it does actually do what it is intended to do, but there is a learning curve. Here are some of the things I've learned. 1) Always fill the hopper at least half full, regardless of how much grass you intend to put down. This helps distribute the static charge. 2) Keep the end of the shaker as close to the surface as possible. 3) The more you use, the better it looks. 4) Clipping the clip to a nearby rail works just as well as using the grounding thing that comes with the Static-King. Hat tip to Kathy Millat. 5) All glues are not created equal. For the thing to work best, use a glue that is somewhat liquid and does not form a skin (so things like white glue and Tacky are out). I used matte medium at full strength and mixed with water and it worked well. However matte medium is hideously expensive. Luke Towan says that Modge Podge works, so I'll try that next. Hat tip to Kathy Millat for the word on the glue. 6) DO NOT mix sizes or colors in the hopper. Lay each size and/or color separately, starting with the shortest. For why, see below. 7) When each layer dries (which can take a while depending on what glue you are using) vacuum up the excess but put a sock over the vacuum nozzle. This will allow you to catch all unused bits (which is usually at least half of what you shook out) for reuse. Static grass ain't cheap. Hat tip to the Maarklin of Sweden guy. That's it, I guess. Good luck! I hope your batteries work!