Trying my hand at the N scale Super Tree starter kit. Was a little confused at first with instructions glue use guidance, glue that came with the kit, and Senic Express online video that uses 3M Super 77 as the adhesive for the flock. I figured I would give the 3M a shot to avoid dripping MM solution. (Found 3M overspray may be worse than a few MM drips)
3M spray worked fine but woundering does the 3M ever dry or does it keep a forever tacky feel. Also, is it ok to give the trees a coat of MM to touch up a few spots and seal them up? As an aside, heck of a lot of time and steps so assessing this route vs the WS leaf foliage, which is pretty much ready for a highlight coat and planting. Thanks.
Tryed all the sprays and dips and ended with cheap hair spray being the best. Spray it really good first so it is very wet, dip or sprinkle the covering and when dry spray again but not as much, just a good covering.
WPA3M spray worked fine but woundering does the 3M ever dry or does it keep a forever tacky feel.
3M Changed the formula for Super-77 spray adhesive about ten years ago. Now it never seems to dry, and it has a much stronger initial tack.
I used it for decades, and the change was very noticeable. One of the fellows at work used it to glue the drawer liners into his new tooldbox after the change, and it made a huge tacky mess.
We used it for drawer liners before that with never a problem.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I've used the 77 for lots of stuff. Even works for attaching corner drywall beading. Becareful using it for foliage, if you get it too thick, it shows.
The old stand by, uncented hair spray seems to work just fine.
I'm confussed as to the MM ? Whats that?
Mike.
My You Tube
mbinsewiI'm confused as to the MM? What's that?
I think he means "matte medium".
The Scenic Express "Tak-e-glue" (I left the umlaut out on purpose) is supposedly formulated to have enhanced tack while drying after being applied 'thinned to matte medium consistency', as compared to commercial matte media. How this compares to the 'new and improved' 3M 77 formula might make an interesting test, or article detail.
Has anyone tried damar/Kamar varnish as a final coat over 'tacky' glue?
Yes, MM matte medium. Using 3M I like not having the liquid dripping and not having to hang dry but 3M has its challenges as well. This is all new territory and so many options. Not sure the always tacky finish is good since it will just be a dust magnet but will see if a spray mist of MM seals it up. I was going to try hair spray but instructions said not to and while looking to see options for hair spray for other applictions, for some reason finding basic unscented hairspray at Walmart was impossible. For hair spray do you use the pump or aerosol.
Believe it or not, I still have most of my original spray can of the 3M spray that I purchased in 2005 to make 'aggro trees'. I made maybe 30 trees of different sizes, and used both the 3M Product 77 and a cheapo hair spray to cover it all once I had gotten the flocking onto the armature.
I'm replying to the thread to relate that it was always sticky thereafter, and has held fast the ground foam product that I used 14+ years ago. I'm still using a lot of those trees on my current build on which I have most of the scenicking done, and am building the yard. Aggrojones, wherever he is now, posted his how-to some time in mid-2005, and I went out immediately to find the natural fiber furnace filters locally at Wally's. I actually found a two-fer package, and have maybe 90% of it left, plus that original can of 3M.
Thanks. Guess I will see what a light mist if MM does in top of it since I want to add a few more highlights.
Figured I owed an update. Spraying with a coat of MM sealed it up and not sticky to touch anymore. I am 50/50 on my first batch of the Super Trees. I think I need to put a little heavier coat of flock. Maybe a second quick spray of 3M and another coverage of mixed colors then after dry final color blend and seal with MM. Read many articles on the Super Tree process but guess it just comes down to jumping in and figuring the tweaks out. Happy Turkey Day.
WPA Spraying with a coat of MM sealed it up and not sticky to touch anymore.
This is good to hear. If you can, please share another update in a week or so and let us know if it is still not tacky.
Will do. hoping to plant some over the holiday so will be handling them.
Not tacky, but ended up dipping them in MM solution to give them a heavier coat of flock. I think as someone noted in earlier reply I may have given them a touch too much 3M and the tips were a little frosted. I think the product is good and provides great detail but will say, unless I quit my job or put off trees for a decade there are far too many steps with these super trees. Pretty time consuming when I have limited time. Maybe they should be called super process. Agsin, great product but I did also have a box of WS fine leaf folage and just had to break them up to 12 nice tress and a few medium ones, quick spray of MM to give them some blended flock highlights and once dry was ready to plant. Far less steps and nice product. I still have some super trees left in the bag so sure I will work out my kinks.
Follow up. I think I may owe my super tree heart burn to my first try and owe them a revision to my last post. I prepped another 8 trees (N scale for me) and gave them a minute soak in MM, dried, coat of Rustoleum 2X gray primer, then step away for a few days. Then next session, which was much smoother this time, gave them a LIGHT coat of 3M, coat of Scenic Express forest green for dark layer, another light coat 3M and coat of SE medium green and a dash of various WS greens to match my other brush colors and results were much better and process a lot smoother and faster. I did a few with the SE super leaf that came with starter kit, which looks great and a nice contrast to flock. I plan to give them a light spray coat of MM seal and maybe a few shakes of varied flock mix top off. No MM dipping or dripping this time and the two light coats of 3M allowed for a one session solid coverage. Recommend a light sprinkle of WS Earth tone to a few, adds a nice random red, yellow, brown to the edges. Just felt I may have been a little hard on the Super Trees last post. If you try 3M, use latex or nitrile gloves on your tree holding hand and have a Large piece of cardboard for spray area to avoid sticky floor.
Not tacky either because I was able now to master soild coverage that covered all the 3M, which I didn't do last time and what caused the tacky feel.
Interesting topic. I've been contemplating another use for Super 77 - gluing sheet cork down onto my subroadbed in my yard area. While brushing on diluted carpenters glue works, I have to weight it down to ensure the entire surface adheres, then wait for it to dry. With Super 77 I was thinking I could work on the area immediately after attaching the cork. Thoughts?
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
On the partial upper level of my layout, I used gelled contact cement to put cork roadbed in place, then used it to also affix the Central Valley tie strips to the cork.
After soldering together several sets of four or five 3' lengths of rail, they were also added to the tie strips, using the same contact cement.
Wayne
Not sure I would use 3M for road bed. The spray is bound to get elsewhere and it is sticky stuff. I used Tightbond wood glue for cork road bed.