Does anyone have any good tree fabrication methods to cover a fairly large mountain. I am looking for realism and obviously a methhod that is easy on the pocket book. I am also looking for a method that provides good coverage, any suggestions are always appreciated, thanks in advance.
Dave
we have one member that showed us all how to make conifer trees out of furnace filters !! Check the link below & I'll look for for his thread on making them. I made quite a few already myself.
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/809360/ShowPost.aspx
Thanks, John
Ok, I found it !!
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/758648/ShowPost.aspx
He may be here tomorrow to give you more info !!
I saw an article in MR years ago where somebody made a lot of trees out of something called bump chenille. It has a flexible wire core with bristles that taper from just bigger than the diameter of the wire out into a "bump" of whatever size. I've seen the stuff at craft stores from 1/2 inch to 2 inches.
underworld
Here is a link for a place that sells bump chenille online....to give you an idea of what it looks like. It's availabe in many colors. You should be able to get it at your local craft supply.
http://www.pearlpaint.com/shop~ocID~6400~parentID~6396~categoryID~6394.htm
The book, Scenery Tips and Techniques from Model Railroader Magazine, a sister publication to CTT, by Kalmbach, c 1989, fifth printing 1996 has an reprint of an article by Gail Holland, Furnace Filter Forests. This is the same technique that our Jimmy A. uses. Also the book has several other methods for making trees. Most of the time you can find these books at the public library if your city is large enough.
In fact many of the methods for scenery can be easily used for any scale.
Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum.
Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR
TCA 09-64284
The furnace filter method does produce acceptable trees at an very affordable price (pennies/tree). It is time consuming, but I think it has a lot of merit. No 2 trees are alike, just as in nature.
If you want to cover an entire mountain with dense forest, I'd suggest a different method. Many HO people use balls of polyfiber covered with green scenery fiber and ground foam to create very convincing forests. There isn't even a need to make tree trunks. Just glue the green balls of fiber down onto your mountain.
Jim
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
I use a top of a bush, don't know the name but this time of year they are on the top and are red or a maroon in color. I snip them off about a inch from the red so it looks like a tree base. I then take them and spray paint them green. When done looks like a evergreen tree. They grow at various lengths and look real good. Actually it was my wife that found them. Check it out when you go for a walk and you'll probably stop them growing in a vacant lot or anywhere there is some greenery.
laz57
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