Wow Phil! Your trees look awesome! I love the "fallen leaves" on the ground. Looks ultra realistic because they match the tree color. It's easy to look at.
Anyway, thanks for the responses guys. I am going to use matte medium and hairspray. Crossing the 3M spray adhesive off my list. Thanks for the help!
-Matt
Phil, those trees look amazing.
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
I found the 3M Super 77 spray extremely difficult to use-- actually found it was too heavy and stuck too well for my Super Trees, making it easy to snap the delicate armatures or make a mess of the foliage while trying to apply it. I experimented with a few things and eventually settled on dipping the edges of the armature in diluted white glue for the first pass (to "seed" the foliage) and then making passes with cheap hair spray, adding foliage in layers as I went.
I found I had a lot of control doing it this way--if I want to add a little bit at a time, the hair spray does not accumulate like the spray glue does.
Of course I'm going fairly light on mine in general, since I model late autumn-- by which time more of the foliage is on the ground than the branches. Your mileage may vary.
Phil
Matt, I started out making Woodland Scenics trees, using 3M super 77 spray adhesive. I eventually moved to matte medium and found it much more reliable and long lasting than the 3M spray. I also use a 4:1 water:matte medium mix.
Rich
Alton Junction
Hi all. I am about to start making a large batch of SuperTrees.
For affixing the foliage, should I use 3M super 77 spray adhesive, or should I dip the branches in matte medium (or white glue diluted 4:1)? I will then cover the branches with coarse ground foam and scale leaves followed by hair spray.
Do you guys prefer the matte medium over the spray adhesive? Vise versa? Does it even matter? Just wondering what people's opinions are.