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Making trees

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  • Member since
    August 2010
  • From: Columbia, IL
  • 394 posts
Making trees
Posted by wdcrvr on Saturday, June 29, 2019 9:21 PM

I have a huge bag of polyester fiberfill that I want to use for making trees.  The fiberfill is white and I would like to make it black or at least a very dark grey or dark brown before using it.  I thought of using RIT dye but is says it is for cotton and it also appears to be a really messy drawn out process.  Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks

wdcrvr

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, June 29, 2019 9:29 PM

Apparently it is possible to use RIT dye.  I wouldn't have thought so but...

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/272020/3092265.aspx

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 723 posts
Posted by UNCLEBUTCH on Saturday, June 29, 2019 10:50 PM

The stuff I have will not take dye. Instead of black. it came out puky gray.

 Pull it apart,and use a rattle can, your choice of color

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, June 30, 2019 3:30 PM

UNCLEBUTCH
...Pull it apart,and use a rattle can, your choice of color

I agree that using a rattle can would be the best solution for colouring non-dyeable material , but it might be more efficient (and more economical) to install the polyfibre on the tree armature, before applying the paint.

It's not a how-to, but there are lots of photos of tree construction using polyfibre on natural armatures to be found HERE.

Wayne

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 547 posts
Posted by eaglescout on Friday, July 5, 2019 9:03 AM

Go to Hobby Lobby.  This time of the year they sell a black poly fiber in the Halloween section that works great and no mess.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 2,360 posts
Posted by kasskaboose on Sunday, July 7, 2019 2:07 PM

This is a timely topic!  I'm looking to make trees soon.  Any ideas are welcome!

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, July 7, 2019 8:06 PM

Most all of my trees have poly fiber involved, and I painted them as Dr. Wayne suggest, after glueing to the armatures, then adding the foliage.

I used the white stuff, that doesn't accept a dye.  

I'm happy with the results.

Mike.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Clinton, MO, US
  • 4,261 posts
Posted by Medina1128 on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:56 PM

I use a product from Woodland Scenics for making trees. It's a fibrous material that gives a realistic appearance and comes in different colors. Below is a link and picture to one of the colors, olive green.

Fine leaf foliage

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 1:17 PM

Sometimes what you have in your wishful thinking doesn't always work.  I would highly suggest you go check out Luke Towan's videos on making trees.  How I got my inspiration on trees.

TF

 

Boulder Creek Railroad.  Australia

 

Try Luke Towan  Tall Forest Pines

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 3:33 PM

A big fan of Hobby Lobby for making trees

 

Cake trees are good too

TF

  • Member since
    March 2018
  • 688 posts
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 3:53 PM

Track fiddler

Sometimes what you have in your wishful thinking doesn't always work.  I would highly suggest you go check out Luke Towan's videos on making trees.  How I got my inspiration on trees.

TF

 

Boulder Creek Railroad.  Australia

 

Try Luke Towan  Tall Forest Pines

 

+1 For Luke Towan. Great content.

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

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