I am trying to locate prior posts or any current info on the use of static grass in scenery. Are there any good alternatives to the devices sold to make it stand up?
The devices sold on ebay are like 1/2 price of the AK Interactive or Ammo Mig ones last time I checked probably ~ six months ago.
HTH
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Never used one of those devices… Seems like money wasted to me … All I do is gently sprinkle the static grass over the glued area, then gentle blow the grass from various angles… Always goes upright, and the stuff that didn’t reach the glue can be reused.
I cover an area with old newspaper to minimise clean up at the end
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A grass mat is a handy solution. They even come in different shades with differing grass lengths and sometimes with small rocks etc.
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Cheaper alternate static grass applicators are available on Ali Express, although they do have a bit of difficulty with grass 8 mm and longer, but still acceptable results.
Or you can make one out of an electric bug swatter.
If you use the Search facility (magnifying glass icon top right) and type in “static grass” you’d find this:
It should tell you everything you need to know, as well as a lot you didn’t need to know.
I made one of these-maybe 20 bucks, works the same as the “professional” ones 
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I’ve actually tried that a couple of times, with varied results. The ionizer element is usually too weak to make a really good applicator. Although you can buy the ionizers, individually, at higher powers than the ones in bug zappers.
Not from a bug zapper, you need 15-20kV ionizer from Ebay/Aliexpress (or if you can find locally) for 5-10 bucks, which is the most expensive part of the build.
Rub a balloon over your arm, creating static electricity, and then over the static grass. It will stand up and pull up loose strands.
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Mine worked okay; maybe because I put a 9 volt in it instead of the AA’s. Does make it a tad shocky if you’re not careful.
Cheapest solution, wrap the base in aluminum foil, go sit near a wall socket and cradle it in your arms, then carefully using your wife’s wedding gift silverware insert a fork into……
Honestly, for the diorama I’m doing I didn’t worry about the grass standing up, I didn’t want it to look that deep, unless your trying to replicate the rough on a golf course calf deep grass looks to deep to me, I used some of that adhesive backed grass clumps plus static grass, the static inlet fall as it wanted to. I thought this looked better to my eyes. I was having the same debate until I tried just sprinkling it first and decided I thought it looked better that when when posing my vehicles and figures.
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