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Trees - WS Armatures and Hob-e-tac

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,565 posts
Trees - WS Armatures and Hob-e-tac
Posted by cowman on Friday, May 6, 2011 6:52 PM

Am having a little difficulty keeping the clump foliage on the armatures.  I let the Hob-e-tac dry at least 15 min or longer before adding the foliage.  The problem is that clumps keep falling off.  Am I not using enough adhesive or ???  The clumps don't necessarily drop off right off, some over a week or more later. 

I like the look of the trees, though I need to do a better job bending the limbs to make the trees rounder.

Any suggestions will be tried until I get the stuff to stay in place..

Thank you, 

Richard

Tags: Trees
  • Member since
    January 2011
  • From: Horsham, Pennsylvania
  • 412 posts
Posted by woodman on Friday, May 6, 2011 7:23 PM

I posted a question about Hob-e-tac a few weeks ago and was told to avoid using it as it is not very good. I was told to use tacky glue, sold at A.C. Moore and Michael's. I also saw a few videos on youtube on how to make trees and they also commented that you should  not  waste your money on Hob-e-tac. Their recommendation was to use tacky glue.

  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: East Haddam, CT
  • 3,272 posts
Posted by CTValleyRR on Friday, May 6, 2011 7:51 PM

woodman

I posted a question about Hob-e-tac a few weeks ago and was told to avoid using it as it is not very good. I was told to use tacky glue, sold at A.C. Moore and Michael's. I also saw a few videos on youtube on how to make trees and they also commented that you should  not  waste your money on Hob-e-tac. Their recommendation was to use tacky glue.

Personally, I use Alene's Tacky Glue, which comes in a purple squeeze bottle, and is available at most art supply stores (including AC Moore and Michael's).  You still have to gob it on, though.

I have had clumps of foliage break off, but never come unglued.

You should take a couple of extra steps, though.  First of all, wash the armatures in warm, soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly.  Prime them and paint them a greenish gray color (most deciduous trees have bark that color, not brown.  I mix my own color from Modelmaster and Pollyscale acrylics.  After the paint has dried for a minimum of 72 hours (to fully cure), go ahead and glue on the clump foliage.

Let the tree dry overnight, then either lightly brush some lighter colored green on the tips of the branches or lightly spray it with dilute matte medium or white glue and sprinkle on some lighter ground foam.

  If you take your time, you can produce good quality trees this way.

Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,565 posts
Posted by cowman on Friday, May 6, 2011 10:25 PM

Participated in the earlier post, (went backk and looked it over).  Didn't realize there was such a difference between H-b-t and the tacky glue, will definitely try it. 

Can  use up the remaining H-b-t on the ones I use poly fiber on, seems to work fine for those. 

I did paint the armatures, the brown was a little too much.

Thank you for the responses.

Richard

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • 6,099 posts
Posted by Phoebe Vet on Saturday, May 7, 2011 8:01 AM

It has been my experience that the stuff that falls off was never actually in contact with the glue but rather is just a clump coming apart.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • 1,317 posts
Posted by Seamonster on Saturday, May 7, 2011 8:51 AM

I use those armatures too, the small ones for N scale.  CTValleyRR said it all.  I use Ailene's Tacky Glue and apply it liberally to the branches then apply the clumps or poly fibre.  After the glue dries I sprinkle different shades of green ground foam, the really fine varieties, over the tree to create more foliage and to create light and shadow from sunlight falling on the tree.  A light sprinkle of red ground foam makes a fruit tree.  The final step is a good spray of cheap hair spray.  Do this outside as there's a lot of overspray and fumes.  (And to think we, especially the ladies, used to spray this stuff liberally on our hair!)

 

..... Bob

Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)

I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)

Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • 6,099 posts
Posted by Phoebe Vet on Saturday, May 7, 2011 9:29 AM

That over spray of hair spray is probably what keeps the stuff from falling off.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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