# Snow



## ontario mainline (Dec 6, 2008)

I saw some real nice trees, lsat night at a dollar store. but they had that 
fake snow all over them. anyone have any ideals, how you mite be able 
to get the snow off, of them ?

Ron


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Paint? 

What was the snow made of? Was it just white ground foam? Pics might help.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Put 'em in the oven for a few minutes until all the snow melts!


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

I have some of those trees and the snow is a paint like stuff. Not easy to get off and I would either pass on buying them or use them for a winter scene.

Massey


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Ontario,
Sure hope you realize I was just funnin' ya' about the oven bit! 
Massey is right. Getting that "snow" stuff off is a bear. 
Bob


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

raleets said:


> Ontario,
> Sure hope you realize I was just funnin' ya' about the oven bit!
> Bob


Uhhh ...

Ontario can't respond right now. He's busy directing the firemen on where to best run their hoses for quick access to his kitchen.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)




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## ontario mainline (Dec 6, 2008)

:laugh:


tjcruiser said:


> Uhhh ...
> 
> Ontario can't respond right now. He's busy directing the firemen on where to best run their hoses for quick access to his kitchen.


 :laugh:
Thanks xrunner for the vid. painting it will be. for a buck, heck you can't go wrong. now I will have to go back and get some. 

Ron


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

ontario mainline said:


> Thanks xrunner for the vid. painting it will be. for a buck, heck you can't go wrong. now I will have to go back and get some.
> Ron


Hmm ... I think I'll try that also. Except I'm going to go to the 99 cent store and see if I can find them there. After all, they will only cost me 99.99 cents as opposed to a dollar.

That guy in the video has a lot of interesting videos, and he's got some funny political commentary too. He even makes his own trains from scratch.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AG3304


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

That guy in the video is a hoot! Very funny, and very practical, too. I like him!

TJ


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

*Ron,*
*I find it very offensive, repulsive and shocking that you would use a certain four lettered word on this forum!!!*
If you continue to do so I'm going to have to request that a mod have you strung up and beaten within an inch of you life!:knock_teeth_out:
That kind of wording just does not belong on this forum!!:banplz:
Or at least not yet!:sly:


What four letter word you ask......


Well I will repeat it only once just for carity....




SNOW





:lol_hitting:
Enough said!:cheeky4:
Have a great day!
:laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

NIMT said:


> *Ron,*
> *I find it very offensive, repulsive and shocking that you would use a certain four lettered word on this forum!!!*


Had your fill this year? :laugh:


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## ontario mainline (Dec 6, 2008)

hey don't look at me, but the farmer's almanac, is calling for &*#+ next month already. but only over house NIMT. :laugh:

Ron


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Haaa ...

Too funny! Sorry for any significant emotional distress, Sean. 

TJ


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

TJ, Thanks for the support!
Ron, Why not, I've already had my parade rained on and a black cloud over my head!!!
John, Well the last few months have been a little rough! I've even probably said a few too many myself!


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Sean,
When the green leaves start coming down in Michigan we know it's not too long before the white stuff follows! hwell:
That's when I retreat to the back garage and PLAY WITH TRAINS!!!!!!!!!!! 
Bob


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

raleets said:


> Sean,
> When the green leaves start coming down in Michigan we know it's not too long before the white stuff follows! hwell:
> That's when I retreat to the back garage and PLAY WITH TRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!
> Bob


Your lucky that you have a heated garage. I have to man up and wear a winter jacket just to play with my trains in the winter and they don't like to run well in the cold either.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

I went to the local Dollar Tree to find some of those bottle brush trees. They didn't have any, but the manager told me in about 2 weeks they would. I see a pine forest coming ...


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

xrunner,
We must have 9,389 dollor stores in Flint, MI,......so I guess I'm going shopping for some trees! :thumbsup: :laugh:
Bob


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

gc53,
C'mon up to Michigan for a visit this winter. My garage is warm and the beer is cold. What a combo for trains!
Bob


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

I just noticed that I'm not on the Gang Labor Force or whatever it was called any longer. Now I'm a "Brakeman". Good thing I _am_ a man and not a woman, I doubt that it changes to "Brakewomen" to suit the sex of the member.


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

I lived in michigan for about a year back in 5th grade. The amount of snow was great and everything seemed peaceful. At least in Traverse City that is. I really should go up to traverse again sometime, it was a really nice town.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Bob,
gc still needs a nipple on his bottle.:laugh:


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Found these at Hobby Lobby today. Large and small "Christmas" trees. Bought a bunch of packages. I will paint the snow green. They cost $1.47 - 40% off (on sale) = 0.89 cents for a pkg of 6 trees.

Over at the Woodland Scenics area of the store they had almost identical looking pine trees by Woodland Scenics for *$10 for a pkg of 4*. Like the guy in the video said - Outrageous pricing!


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

xrunner said:


> Found these at Hobby Lobby today. Large and small "Christmas" trees. Bought a bunch of packages. I will paint the snow green. They cost $1.47 - 40% off (on sale) = 0.89 cents for a pkg of 6 trees.
> 
> Over at the Woodland Scenics area of the store they had almost identical looking pine trees by Woodland Scenics for *$10 for a pkg of 4*. Like the guy in the video said - Outrageous pricing!


Great find!

I'm going to pick some up, paint them green, snip off a little here/there and glue/roll them in ground foam. I bet you can get very realistic trees using these as a base. That's good because I've got a 6'x8' triangular area that will be covered with trees.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

I painted them with a brush since there was so little snow on them, worked out great -


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

How big of a diameter is the base of the tree trunk? I want to cut off the base and drill/install a wire post on the bottom to stick it into my landforms.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

sstlaure said:


> How big of a diameter is the base of the tree trunk? I want to cut off the base and drill/install a wire post on the bottom to stick it into my landforms.


A tad less than 1/16". It just pulls right out of the wood base with needle nose pliers.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Awesome. Thanks


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

xrunner said:


> I painted them with a brush since there was so little snow on them, worked out great -


That color green looks great :thumbsup:
-Art


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Just looked out my back door and compared your trees to mine (real ones) and you have a winner!:thumbsup:


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

The profit margin on Woodland Scenics stuff is a close second to the popcorn at your local movie house 
Bob


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

I saw a package of "dead fall" at Hobby Lobby last night. They want $5 for a dozen broken sticks that you could pull off of any random bush/tree.

Their Supertree armatures are just dried flowers.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

sstlaure said:


> I saw a package of "dead fall" at Hobby Lobby last night. They want $5 for a dozen broken sticks that you could pull off of any random bush/tree.


LOL - I saw the same package. It's a friggin' bag of dead wood, you can find it all over the place if you go to a place called "outdoors". This place "outdoors" shouldn't be too far away from wherever you live.

Here, for anyone who wants to save that money:

A. Go outside

B. Look down

C. Walk around until you see dead sticks

D. Pick them up 

E. Repeat this until you have all that you need

F. Take back to your layout

Protip: If you can't find dead sticks, you can make your own. Simply cut off live twigs and let them die, shouldn't take more than a few days.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Xrunner,

I like your strategy! Now, if we could only get lucky enough to find some dead sticks that fell off of a money tree, and look around "outdoors" enough to actually find a live money tree ...

Hmmm ... maybe I need to get "outdoors" more and look for one!

TJ


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

tjcruiser said:


> Xrunner, I like your strategy!
> TJ


Thanks.

I don't usually give away these secret tips so freely but I want to contribute to the community here. I have another tip on where to get dirt for your layout but I'll save it for a teaser at the appropriate time.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gc53dfgc said:


> Your lucky that you have a heated garage. I have to man up and wear a winter jacket just to play with my trains in the winter and they don't like to run well in the cold either.


I have a nice propane heater for my garage.
Though my trains are in the basement.

Keeps me warm out there in the winter.:thumbsup:


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

xrunner said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I don't usually give away these secret tips so freely but I want to contribute to the community here. I have another tip on where to get dirt for your layout but I'll save it for a teaser at the appropriate time.


Thanks xrunner, I'm rolling on the floor:laugh::laugh::laugh:
You killed my chance of a new business opportunity! I got 12+ acres of authentic, real pine dead fall!
You TX members even get the advantage of getting pre made charcoal from your woods!


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Every time I take a look at the prices on the WS scenery stuff at the LHS I'm forced to haul out my airlines barf bag. 
OK, OK, I'll admit they offer some pretty decent stuff, but the prices are in orbit 
Bob


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

raleets said:


> I'll admit they offer some pretty decent stuff, but the prices are in orbit


I do the same thing, I look at the prices and just can't believe them. I mean how are kids supposed to get into the hobby when they see that kind of pricing? We had a little debate like this about the painted people. I forgot to make this comment - it's OK to have a set of high quality people or trees or dead sticks retard and charge a high price for the quality. But they should also have a lower quality line and let the consumer choose whether they want a Cadillac or a Kia. 

They have chosen to only offer the "high quality" line of scenery and they don't offer unpainted or low quality at a lower price. It just feels like they have a gouge the consumer attitude. Not having a lower quality option just makes the consumer (me and you) to go looking for alternatives, and they are right there in the same store. I just think it's a very foolish marketing strategy.

Another thing I think Hobby Lobby should do is - right smack dab next to Woodlands Scenery - make a section of cheap alternatives for their customers to look at. Just like in the grocery store, you can find higher priced national brands right next to the lower price store brands. That would teach Woodlands Scenery a thing or two!


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