Guys,
Did anyone catch Howard Zane's article about using red rosin paper for forming his mountains in the latest issue of MRC. I've used that paper in construction a lot for coving floors and I would have never thought to use it for building moutains.
Has anyone tried this procedure? I've very interest in trying it to save money, but I still see using foam as my best answer. I just have a big hang up on installing trees to a shell and try to stabilize it when it is much easier to poke a tree into foam and use the foam for support.
--Zak Gardner
My Layout Blog: http://mrl369dude.blogspot.com
http://zgardner18.rrpicturearchives.net
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Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
I am using the Red Rosin paper method, well actually I have not used the tree mat method yet. I first saw the layout in person and was impressed with the ability to have the clump foliage on a vertical surface. It looked real good and I had a lot of places on my layout that were near vertical that had to be covered with trees so finding out more about the method was looked into.
Viewed the video tape of Howards layout and it showed how he made use of the Rosin paper so I tried it and it works very well. I use chicken wire for the under frame instead of the cardboard strips, only because I began my scenery using plaster over the screen wire and a lot of the screen already in place but had not put the plaster on yet.
I am going to try the tree mat after the first of the year once I gather all of the supplies together
As for planting trees into the paper it is no harder than doing them in shell plaster. If Howard's method work as well as the way it looks, in person, on his layout I probably won't be doing many trees on a hill side to actually worry about planting them in the red paper.
BOB H - Clarion, PA
The HO scale modeling group at the Boothbay Railway Village in Maine has just completed benchwork and is installing roadbed. One of our members has seen the Howard Zane railroad, and is recommending the technique for our new layout. Other members have seen the article and are interested.
One question we all have is how to plant trees, particularly those that are on the paper that is not supported by the cardboard web.
There are some photos of what we have done recently and our track plan on the RR Village website
http://www.railwayvillage.org/modelrr.html
Anyone who lives in the Boothbay, ME area and would like a first hand what we are doing can contact the museum from a link on the above web page or contact me in a private post. We have a lot of work to do to get trains running before the museum opens next May. We meet every Thursday evening and need some more people to help with out new project.
Everyone is
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
As a frequent operator on Howard's layout, I can tell you this. It works! From his spline roadbed, to the Red Rosin paper, to his HIWAB method of scenery (Hide It With A Bush), it all works. Follow along with the article, it will turn out just fine.
I'm also interested in how trees are supported in the 'paper-thin' red rosin scenery and I hate to see the question go unanswered. Perhaps Karlb of the FCSME can tell us. Does Howard ever peruse this site?
I think the method looks simple enough, it's certainly cheaper and neater than foam or plaster, but how are the trees supported?
Jcopilot
Jcopilot,
After the red rosin paper dries, with the glue and groundfoam and other scenic stuff in place, its actually quite tough, and much more than "paper thin". Most trees, with maybe the exception of WS trees, are very light, and don't put much of a burden on the shell.
Its tougher than it sounds!!! (the paper, not the technique!)
Karlb -
Thanks very much for your answer. I can't wait to try it out myself.
BTW - I've seen your club's layout at Howard's shows many times and I'm always impressed. You guys do great work.
Glad you like the layout, next time, say HI will ya!
Like others have noted, Howard's glueshell/red rosin paper scenery base is easy - and little or no mess. I'm using this same approach on my railroad (and have shared a few photos with Howard). It also seems to get stronger as successive layers of ground cover are added.
It is my observation that some free standing tree armature types won't work without some sort of added support (but that is somewhat typical with hardshell as well) - as an example the metal WS trees, larger WS plastic armatures, larger bottle brush pines and the like. Basically anything 'top heavy' is going to be a problem. I'm leaning towards peppergrass/super trees in places where there is no solid surface beneath the shell.
Charles