diff --git a/src/timeline/Timeline.js b/src/timeline/Timeline.js
index 5ffea046..321257f3 100644
--- a/src/timeline/Timeline.js
+++ b/src/timeline/Timeline.js
@@ -71,13 +71,6 @@ function Timeline (container, items, options) {
 
   this.options = {};
   util.deepExtend(this.options, this.defaultOptions);
-  util.deepExtend(this.options, {
-    // FIXME: not nice passing these functions via the options
-    snap: null, // will be specified after timeaxis is created
-
-    toScreen: me._toScreen.bind(me),
-    toTime: me._toTime.bind(me)
-  });
 
   // Create the DOM, props, and emitter
   this._create();
@@ -92,7 +85,12 @@ function Timeline (container, items, options) {
   this.body = {
     dom: this.dom,
     props: this.props,
-    emitter: this
+    emitter: this,
+    util: {
+      snap: null, // will be specified after TimeAxis is created
+      toScreen: me._toScreen.bind(me),
+      toTime: me._toTime.bind(me)
+    }
   };
 
   // range
@@ -106,7 +104,7 @@ function Timeline (container, items, options) {
   // time axis
   this.timeAxis = new TimeAxis(this.body, this.options);
   this.components.push(this.timeAxis);
-  this.options.snap = this.timeAxis.snap.bind(this.timeAxis); // TODO: not nice adding snap to options
+  this.body.util.snap = this.timeAxis.snap.bind(this.timeAxis);
 
   // current time bar
   this.currentTime = new CurrentTime(this.body, this.options);
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/Component.js b/src/timeline/component/Component.js
index 5dfe5342..8e3a96e7 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/Component.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/Component.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /**
  * Prototype for visual components
- * @param {{dom: Object, props: Object, emitter: Emitter, range: Range}} body
+ * @param {{dom: Object, props: Object, emitter: Emitter, range: Range}} [body]
  * @param {Object} [options]
  */
 function Component (body, options) {
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/CurrentTime.js b/src/timeline/component/CurrentTime.js
index ca0008f4..975ad45c 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/CurrentTime.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/CurrentTime.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ CurrentTime.prototype.redraw = function() {
     }
 
     var now = new Date();
-    var x = this.options.toScreen(now);
+    var x = this.body.util.toScreen(now);
 
     this.bar.style.left = x + 'px';
     this.bar.title = 'Current time: ' + now;
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/CustomTime.js b/src/timeline/component/CustomTime.js
index 4cd9e96d..e944ba5f 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/CustomTime.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/CustomTime.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ CustomTime.prototype.redraw = function () {
       parent.appendChild(this.bar);
     }
 
-    var x = this.options.toScreen(this.customTime);
+    var x = this.body.util.toScreen(this.customTime);
 
     this.bar.style.left = x + 'px';
     this.bar.title = 'Time: ' + this.customTime;
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ CustomTime.prototype._onDrag = function (event) {
   if (!this.eventParams.dragging) return;
 
   var deltaX = event.gesture.deltaX,
-      x = this.options.toScreen(this.eventParams.customTime) + deltaX,
-      time = this.options.toTime(x);
+      x = this.body.util.toScreen(this.eventParams.customTime) + deltaX,
+      time = this.body.util.toTime(x);
 
   this.setCustomTime(time);
 
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/ItemSet.js b/src/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
index 4b926c62..678606bd 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ function ItemSet(body, options) {
   // one options object is shared by this itemset and all its items
   this.options = options || {};
   this.itemOptions = Object.create(this.options);
+  this.itemConversion = {
+    toScreen: body.util.toScreen,
+    toTime: body.util.toTime
+  };
   this.dom = {};
   this.props = {};
   this.hammer = null;
@@ -543,13 +547,11 @@ ItemSet.prototype.removeItem = function(id) {
  * @protected
  */
 ItemSet.prototype._onUpdate = function(ids) {
-  var me = this,
-      items = this.items,
-      itemOptions = this.itemOptions;
+  var me = this;
 
   ids.forEach(function (id) {
     var itemData = me.itemsData.get(id),
-        item = items[id],
+        item = me.items[id],
         type = itemData.type ||
             (itemData.start && itemData.end && 'range') ||
             me.options.type ||
@@ -572,7 +574,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onUpdate = function(ids) {
     if (!item) {
       // create item
       if (constructor) {
-        item = new constructor(itemData, me.options, itemOptions);
+        item = new constructor(itemData, me.itemConversion, me.itemOptions);
         item.id = id; // TODO: not so nice setting id afterwards
         me._addItem(item);
       }
@@ -913,7 +915,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onDragStart = function (event) {
 ItemSet.prototype._onDrag = function (event) {
   if (this.touchParams.itemProps) {
     var range = this.body.range,
-        snap = this.options.snap || null,
+        snap = this.body.util.snap || null,
         deltaX = event.gesture.deltaX,
         scale = (this.props.width / (range.end - range.start)),
         offset = deltaX / scale;
@@ -1058,7 +1060,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onAddItem = function (event) {
   if (!this.options.editable.add) return;
 
   var me = this,
-      snap = this.options.snap || null,
+      snap = this.body.util.snap || null,
       item = ItemSet.itemFromTarget(event);
 
   if (item) {
@@ -1076,7 +1078,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onAddItem = function (event) {
     // add item
     var xAbs = vis.util.getAbsoluteLeft(this.dom.frame);
     var x = event.gesture.center.pageX - xAbs;
-    var start = this.options.toTime(x);
+    var start = this.body.util.toTime(x);
     var newItem = {
       start: snap ? snap(start) : start,
       content: 'new item'
@@ -1084,7 +1086,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onAddItem = function (event) {
 
     // when default type is a range, add a default end date to the new item
     if (this.options.type === 'range' || this.options.type == 'rangeoverflow') {
-      var end = this.options.toTime(x + this.props.width / 5);
+      var end = this.body.util.toTime(x + this.props.width / 5);
       newItem.end = snap ? snap(end) : end;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js b/src/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
index a14591ad..3d1f268b 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ TimeAxis.prototype._repaintLabels = function () {
   // calculate range and step (step such that we have space for 7 characters per label)
   var start = util.convert(this.body.range.start, 'Number'),
       end = util.convert(this.body.range.end, 'Number'),
-      minimumStep = this.options.toTime((this.props.minorCharWidth || 10) * 7).valueOf()
-          -this.options.toTime(0).valueOf();
+      minimumStep = this.body.util.toTime((this.props.minorCharWidth || 10) * 7).valueOf()
+          -this.body.util.toTime(0).valueOf();
   var step = new TimeStep(new Date(start), new Date(end), minimumStep);
   this.step = step;
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ TimeAxis.prototype._repaintLabels = function () {
   while (step.hasNext() && max < 1000) {
     max++;
     var cur = step.getCurrent(),
-        x = this.options.toScreen(cur),
+        x = this.body.util.toScreen(cur),
         isMajor = step.isMajor();
 
     // TODO: lines must have a width, such that we can create css backgrounds
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ TimeAxis.prototype._repaintLabels = function () {
 
   // create a major label on the left when needed
   if (this.getOption('showMajorLabels')) {
-    var leftTime = this.options.toTime(0),
+    var leftTime = this.body.util.toTime(0),
         leftText = step.getLabelMajor(leftTime),
         widthText = leftText.length * (this.props.majorCharWidth || 10) + 10; // upper bound estimation
 
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/item/Item.js b/src/timeline/component/item/Item.js
index 2522b49c..998f3bf8 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/item/Item.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/item/Item.js
@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@
  * @constructor Item
  * @param {Object} data             Object containing (optional) parameters type,
  *                                  start, end, content, group, className.
- * @param {Object} [options]        Options to set initial property values
- * @param {Object} [defaultOptions] default options
+ * @param {{toScreen: function, toTime: function}} conversion
+ *                                  Conversion functions from time to screen and vice versa
+ * @param {Object} options          Configuration options
  *                                  // TODO: describe available options
  */
-function Item (data, options, defaultOptions) {
+function Item (data, conversion, options) {
   this.id = null;
   this.parent = null;
   this.data = data;
   this.dom = null;
+  this.conversion = conversion || {};
   this.options = options || {};
-  this.defaultOptions = defaultOptions || {};
 
   this.selected = false;
   this.displayed = false;
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemBox.js b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemBox.js
index 0ef92303..149b0da2 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemBox.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemBox.js
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
  * @extends Item
  * @param {Object} data             Object containing parameters start
  *                                  content, className.
- * @param {Object} [options]        Options to set initial property values
- * @param {Object} [defaultOptions] default options
+ * @param {{toScreen: function, toTime: function}} conversion
+ *                                  Conversion functions from time to screen and vice versa
+ * @param {Object} [options]        Configuration options
  *                                  // TODO: describe available options
  */
-function ItemBox (data, options, defaultOptions) {
+function ItemBox (data, conversion, options) {
   this.props = {
     dot: {
       width: 0,
@@ -26,10 +27,10 @@ function ItemBox (data, options, defaultOptions) {
     }
   }
 
-  Item.call(this, data, options, defaultOptions);
+  Item.call(this, data, conversion, options);
 }
 
-ItemBox.prototype = new Item (null);
+ItemBox.prototype = new Item (null, null, null);
 
 /**
  * Check whether this item is visible inside given range
@@ -170,8 +171,8 @@ ItemBox.prototype.hide = function() {
  * @Override
  */
 ItemBox.prototype.repositionX = function() {
-  var start = this.defaultOptions.toScreen(this.data.start),
-      align = this.options.align || this.defaultOptions.align,
+  var start = this.conversion.toScreen(this.data.start),
+      align = this.options.align,
       left,
       box = this.dom.box,
       line = this.dom.line,
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ ItemBox.prototype.repositionX = function() {
  * @Override
  */
 ItemBox.prototype.repositionY = function() {
-  var orientation = this.options.orientation || this.defaultOptions.orientation,
+  var orientation = this.options.orientation,
       box = this.dom.box,
       line = this.dom.line,
       dot = this.dom.dot;
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemPoint.js b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemPoint.js
index 7c290cdd..9d1664ea 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemPoint.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemPoint.js
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
  * @extends Item
  * @param {Object} data             Object containing parameters start
  *                                  content, className.
- * @param {Object} [options]        Options to set initial property values
- * @param {Object} [defaultOptions] default options
+ * @param {{toScreen: function, toTime: function}} conversion
+ *                                  Conversion functions from time to screen and vice versa
+ * @param {Object} [options]        Configuration options
  *                                  // TODO: describe available options
  */
-function ItemPoint (data, options, defaultOptions) {
+function ItemPoint (data, conversion, options) {
   this.props = {
     dot: {
       top: 0,
@@ -27,10 +28,10 @@ function ItemPoint (data, options, defaultOptions) {
     }
   }
 
-  Item.call(this, data, options, defaultOptions);
+  Item.call(this, data, conversion, options);
 }
 
-ItemPoint.prototype = new Item (null);
+ItemPoint.prototype = new Item (null, null, null);
 
 /**
  * Check whether this item is visible inside given range
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ ItemPoint.prototype.hide = function() {
  * @Override
  */
 ItemPoint.prototype.repositionX = function() {
-  var start = this.defaultOptions.toScreen(this.data.start);
+  var start = this.conversion.toScreen(this.data.start);
 
   this.left = start - this.props.dot.width;
 
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ ItemPoint.prototype.repositionX = function() {
  * @Override
  */
 ItemPoint.prototype.repositionY = function() {
-  var orientation = this.options.orientation || this.defaultOptions.orientation,
+  var orientation = this.options.orientation,
       point = this.dom.point;
 
   if (orientation == 'top') {
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRange.js b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRange.js
index 751e3471..859245b6 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRange.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRange.js
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
  * @extends Item
  * @param {Object} data             Object containing parameters start, end
  *                                  content, className.
- * @param {Object} [options]        Options to set initial property values
- * @param {Object} [defaultOptions] default options
- *                                  // TODO: describe available options
+ * @param {{toScreen: function, toTime: function}} conversion
+ *                                  Conversion functions from time to screen and vice versa
+ * @param {Object} [options]        Configuration options
+ *                                  // TODO: describe options
  */
-function ItemRange (data, options, defaultOptions) {
+function ItemRange (data, conversion, options) {
   this.props = {
     content: {
       width: 0
@@ -24,10 +25,10 @@ function ItemRange (data, options, defaultOptions) {
     }
   }
 
-  Item.call(this, data, options, defaultOptions);
+  Item.call(this, data, conversion, options);
 }
 
-ItemRange.prototype = new Item (null);
+ItemRange.prototype = new Item (null, null, null);
 
 ItemRange.prototype.baseClassName = 'item range';
 
@@ -153,9 +154,9 @@ ItemRange.prototype.hide = function() {
 ItemRange.prototype.repositionX = function() {
   var props = this.props,
       parentWidth = this.parent.width,
-      start = this.defaultOptions.toScreen(this.data.start),
-      end = this.defaultOptions.toScreen(this.data.end),
-      padding = 'padding' in this.options ? this.options.padding : this.defaultOptions.padding,
+      start = this.conversion.toScreen(this.data.start),
+      end = this.conversion.toScreen(this.data.end),
+      padding = this.options.padding,
       contentLeft;
 
   // limit the width of the this, as browsers cannot draw very wide divs
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ ItemRange.prototype.repositionX = function() {
  * @Override
  */
 ItemRange.prototype.repositionY = function() {
-  var orientation = this.options.orientation || this.defaultOptions.orientation,
+  var orientation = this.options.orientation,
       box = this.dom.box;
 
   if (orientation == 'top') {
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRangeOverflow.js b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRangeOverflow.js
index f94a7ff8..3d5d474e 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRangeOverflow.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRangeOverflow.js
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
  * @extends ItemRange
  * @param {Object} data             Object containing parameters start, end
  *                                  content, className.
- * @param {Object} [options]        Options to set initial property values
- * @param {Object} [defaultOptions] default options
- *                                  // TODO: describe available options
+ * @param {{toScreen: function, toTime: function}} conversion
+ *                                  Conversion functions from time to screen and vice versa
+ * @param {Object} [options]        Configuration options
+ *                                  // TODO: describe options
  */
-function ItemRangeOverflow (data, options, defaultOptions) {
+function ItemRangeOverflow (data, conversion, options) {
   this.props = {
     content: {
       left: 0,
@@ -15,10 +16,10 @@ function ItemRangeOverflow (data, options, defaultOptions) {
     }
   };
 
-  ItemRange.call(this, data, options, defaultOptions);
+  ItemRange.call(this, data, conversion, options);
 }
 
-ItemRangeOverflow.prototype = new ItemRange (null);
+ItemRangeOverflow.prototype = new ItemRange (null, null, null);
 
 ItemRangeOverflow.prototype.baseClassName = 'item rangeoverflow';
 
@@ -28,9 +29,8 @@ ItemRangeOverflow.prototype.baseClassName = 'item rangeoverflow';
  */
 ItemRangeOverflow.prototype.repositionX = function() {
   var parentWidth = this.parent.width,
-      start = this.defaultOptions.toScreen(this.data.start),
-      end = this.defaultOptions.toScreen(this.data.end),
-      padding = 'padding' in this.options ? this.options.padding : this.defaultOptions.padding,
+      start = this.conversion.toScreen(this.data.start),
+      end = this.conversion.toScreen(this.data.end),
       contentLeft;
 
   // limit the width of the this, as browsers cannot draw very wide divs