Helpful Hints

Please feel free to contact Timberline Scenery with your questions or comments. They're modelers too and want your experiences to be good ones! 

Send them your photos showing how you used their products, and your photos could end up on the world wide web!!!

Planting Instructions - CLICK HERE

The following hints and tips are provided by Jim Wilde, owner of Timberline Scenery.

ROCK RITE - When using Rock Rite, I like lighter cliffs so I begin with Taos Tan. That's the color I use as a base, then I cover that up in spots with Sonora Sand and Phantom Canyon. If you're modeling the East where there are many limestone cliffs, try using just the Shade 'n Shadow. That will give uncoated plaster a washed out look mimicking the limestone. All the colors may be applied separately or on top of one another. I like to apply them on top of each other while the previous color is still wet, thus they tend to blend a bit. Remember, this is modeling! Don't be afraid to try different things to achieve different effects!

Here in Colorado, there is a secluded road that cuts through "Phantom Canyon." Even in broad daylight, it's dark and eerie, thus the name.

Shade 'n Shadow - This member of the Rock Rite family has several uses. Use it as a wash over the entire scene or by itself to create a limestone look (both described above). However, it also works well as a stripwood dye. Allow stripwood to sit in Shade 'n Shadow and it will give it an aged look.

TREES - When planting your forest remember a few simple facts and you're results will be stunning!

1. Keep the larger trees off of the summit of hills. Smaller ones may be planted on or near the summit. By keeping the larger ones toward the base you force a perspective, and that foot-high mountain or hill can look miles off or thousands of feet high. The smaller trees may be planted either at the base to simulate new growth or at the top to force the desired perspective.
2. Unlike other brands, Timberline trees are made to be planted directly into the scene by using a 5/64" drill bit. (It's not necessary to use this size, a large one will do too, but you'll need hot glue if you use a larger one.) Since our trees are made of wire armatures, they can easily be bent to fit onto any hillside or angle. To plant Timberline trees, simply hold a tree in place. If you like it's new home, drill the hole and with needlenose pliers, hold the tree at the base and press it into place. You may use hot glue, but this usually isn't necessary. Using the same method, hold the second tree in place and repeat the process until the desired forest is obtained. While trees from other manufacturers MUST be planted on a level spot, Timberline trees can be planted right into the side of a cliff. Again, here in the Rocky Mountains, this is a very common sight. Since our armatures are wire, it's not necessary to drill the hole straight up and down. Drill at any angle to make it easy on yourself, then press the tree into place amd bend it toward the sky with the needlenose pliers.
3. We've found that it's best to plant trees as singles or in groups of three or more. For some reason pairs don't look right. Mix in a few dead trees on occasion. Here in the high country of Colorado, and all places West, we have what's known as beetle kill. These trees are attacked by the Japanese beetle and within a few years turn brown. Timberline Scenery's Deadwood Brown trees, simulate these "beetle kill" trees.
4. When planting Timberline Pines with real wood trunks, or Timberline deciduous trees into plaster, wood, or some other hard surface such as the side of a cliff, you may want to put a pinch of our ground cover at the base to cover up the area where the trunk meets the plaster, but this step isn't always necessary. 
   

FOREST FLOOR - This is a very realistic product exclusive to Timberline Scenery. As a hiker myself I've spent many hours in the dark timber of Colorado. If you've hiked the backcountry of the Rockies, you know that it's almost impossible to walk without stepping on a twig, over deadfall, or a stump. Forest Floor was developed to duplicate this aspect of nature. 

NOTE - To install our Forest Floor, we recommend that you first apply a layer of Base Coat to color the top of the plaster, wood or other base to which you will apply the Forest Floor ground cover. Although this step is not mandatory, if you don't color it with something, the color of the base may show through. Base Coat will also cut down on the amount of ground cover you need. If you do choose to apply Base Coat, there is no need to wait for it to dry before applying the ground cover. It too will help act as adhesive for your ground cover. Bottom line, for best results we recommend you follow these simple steps below.  

TO APPLY FOREST FLOOR

1. Follow the directions on the bottle and apply the Base Coat color of your choice.
2. While Base Coat is still wet, sprinkle on the desired amount of Forest Floor, sticks, stumps and all.
3. Allow to dry.
4. Spray entire surface with TSA (Timberline Scenery Adhesive). Allow this to dry and if necessary, repeat this step.
5. Hot glue any large sticks and stumps down.
   

Below is a simple list of the colors and part numbers of Base Coat and their matching Forest Floors  

Base Coat            Forest Floor/Ground Cover  
8400                    400 & 60400
8403                    403 & 60403
8406                    406 & 60409 and 409 & 60409

It is not necessary to use the above mixes together. Remember, you're the modeler! Use your imagination. There is no wrong way. Although Base Coat was formulated to blend perfectly with the Forest Floor line of ground cover, it's use is certainly not limited to that product; it can be used as a base with any ground cover.

BASE COAT - A water-based colorant that covers plaster, wood, foam or other products allowing you to use less ground cover while keeping the plaster or base of the model from showing though the foam. Base Coat maybe sprayed or brushed on. When using any ground cover, it's more cost effective and more realistic to first color the terrain on which you're installing the ground cover. Timberline Scenery makes three different colors of Base Coat, Forest Floor, a tan color; Deep Forest Floor, a dark brown color; and Mountain Meadow, a green color. If these are applied before the ground cover, bare or thin spots are much less noticeable. Base Coat may also be used by itself as a colorant for plaster, wood, foam and other products. It may be mixed right into wet plaster as well. By mixing Base Coat into plaster, the plaster is colored so that if something is dropped on the finished scene and chips the plaster, the chip is less noticeable. This is NOT recommended if you're pouring rock molds or hand carving cliffs. You will use FAR less water if you're mixing Base Coat with plaster dust.

WEATHER-RITE - A product that makes new things look old or weathered.  It turns unfinished wood into well-weathered barn wood and causes ballast to looks as if many decades of rail traffic have passed over it. For stripwood, simply cut the pieces into the proper length and soak them in Weather-Rite. The Weather-Rite will be absorbed at different rates thus making the timbers different shades, a very realistic effect when building a trestle or old wood building. For roadbed, Weather-Rite not only turns the ballast darker, but if applied to the sides of the rails, gives them the look of rust too. Weather-Rite will not affect the running of locomotives as long as an abrasive pad is used to clean the tops of the rails after spraying or brushing on Weather-Rite. Hint: Although not harmful, Weather-Rite will also stain your hands giving them that, worn out look, or weathered look as well, so we recommend using a pair of latex gloves.

GROUND COVER - Spray area first with TSA (Timberline Scenery Adhesive). While this is still wet, sprinkle on desired amount of ground cover. Allow it to dry and spray on a second coat of TSA. When applying ground cover, don't be afraid to mix several colors and grades together. If you mix colors, we recommend that you do a small test area first as there is no magic magnate for separating the colors once they're mixed. Even if you're not mixing colors, try mixing grades, such as fine with a few pieces of coarse. The coarse will simulate bushes. Our Lost Canyon Sage and Sagebrush Blue are dead ringers for the western sagebrush that is so prevalent in the Rockies. Sprinkle a few pieces of coarse of either color of these on top of Spring Meadow Green, Pine Cone Brown or any other color you choose for the majority of your ground cover and watch the results pop out!!!

POND SCUM - A colorant developed to give your pond, lake, or river a realistic look. As children, we used a blue crayon to simulate water, and there ARE some bodies of water that are truly 'blue.' However, for the most part they're greenish brown, or the color of  'Pond Scum.' 

I started modeling in 1957 at the age of four and have been at it ever since. I developed Timberline Scenery products for my own use and Pond Scum is no exception.  

Follow these few simple instructions and you should end up with a very realistic pond, lake or river. 

1. Brush or airbrush on Pond Scum over the surface you're wanting to color. (wood, plaster, etc.)
2. When youre satisfied with the color, you may want to add another of our products, "Shade 'n Shadow" to bring out 'deep' spots.
3. Along the banks of the water, "Phantom Canyon" may be added for a 'muddy' look. (Phantom Canyon and Shade 'n Shadow are two of the Rock Rite products available in the kit or separately.)
4. When you're happy with the color of the body of water, pour a 2-part epoxy over the entire surface, keeping the depth to less than ¼". Any deeper and it's too expensive and not necessary, nor will it allow the colors to show through. While the epoxy is drying you can tease it with a toothpick to add ripples and waves. It's best to experiment with this step on a practice piece before you attempt it on your model. If you wait too long to tease the water, it won't work properly; if you don't wait long enough, the epoxy will totally cure and you'll not see the ripples. Please feel free to contact us anytime for step-by-step help in your scenery development. (Hint: The epoxy will find ANY whole in the surface you're pouring it on, so make sure there are no cracks! Use the epoxy in a well-ventilated area or you'll feel like you've taken a trip back to the '60's.)
   

Photographing Timberline Trees, Forest Floors & Ground Cover - The closer you look, the better we look! Try shooting a few inches away and watch the detail of our trees pop out. If you're using our Forest Floor, photograph a tree stump and you can actually see the growth rings!!!! 

WARNING!!!!! To avoid great disappointment, do not attempt to photograph our competitors products up close!

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