Woodland Scenics trees

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I have probably groused about this before, but I am just about done using Woodland Scenics trees. I liked to use them for foreground scenery but some of them have lost their shape along with a majority of the foliage. It is almost like the plastic armatures have a ‘memory’ and want to return to their flat shape and the HobETac adhesive didn’t hold the foliage in place.

Anybody else run into this? Would Eileen’s be a better type of adhesive?

Maybe it’s just tiime to switch brands and go to Scenic Express.

2

That is my plan too, to move from WS trees to Scenic Express. I have the same problem as you do with foliage falling off the WS trees.

I used WS Scenic Accents glue to secure the foliage to the branches.

Rich

3

But a quart of the old fashioned contact cement from a big box or hardware store. Not the water based kind. You will have enough for a forest. You won’t go broke & it won’t fall off. If possible do it outside or with PLENTY of ventilation or you might be planting some of them upside down. You don’t have to let it dry like the inst. says, put a dab on the armature & push the foliage into it…happy Arbor day!

4

Rich,Harold,

Did you guys,spray them with, el cheapo,non scented hair spray,when you were done grooming them???

Cheers,

Frank

5

Frank,

No, I did not use the hair spray step.

Coulda, shoulda, but didnota.

Rich

6

I use cheap hairspray for weed and puffball trees. It may help the WS foliage stick to itself but maybe not to the trunk.

Will try the contact cement idea. I think I have seen in quarts and maybe even in tubes. Need my morning trip to Lowes.

7

Don’t really need the hairspray unless you are adding some ground foam to add highlites. jerry

8

I’ve used the Woodland Scenics trees with none of the problems you’re having.

9

LION goes out into the back fields in the fall, and harvests any thing that looks like a tree and brings it in. He plants these on his railroad and covers them with WS foliage netting and/or clusters, and calls it a tree.

HO scale trees, like real trees do fall apart with age, though if you keep them well watered with plenty of sunlight they should be able to continue to grow for years to come.

ROAR

10

Like Medina, I have a number of trees on my layout made from WS armatures, and while I’m not exactly keeping track, many of them have to be over 15 years old, with none of the issues you’re having. Here are some tips 've discovered over the years. First, I think most people must be afraid of breaking them. Star by giving them a good, hard twist to spread the branches, and aggressively bend them PAST the point where you want them to stay. White stress marks are a good indication that you’ve bent them enough. In all my years of working with them, I can’t recall ever breaking one. Secondly, as with other plastic models, wash them before assembly to remove contaminants from the plastic before assembling them. I’used everything from Super77 to Aleene’s Tacky Glue to attach foliage clumps or poly fiber. Super77 or dilute matte medium will hold the ground foam on. When completed, hairspray or more dilute matte medium will hold everything on.

11

So, Marlon, what kind of adhesive do you use to secure the “leaves” to the trees?

Rich