How I Make Inexpensive Conifer Trees

[Jumijo]

In an effort to make the scenery on my layout realistic and inexpensive at the same time, I came across a way to make conifer trees for just pennies per tree.

My first step was to purchase a 20" x 30" x 1" furnace filter at a home improvement center.





Next, I gathered a bunch of twigs (various lengths) and cut branches from my back yard. Painted dowels would work just as well. I sharpened both ends of these sticks in a pencil sharpener. One end will be the pointed top of the tree. The other will be for planting the tree in our styrofoam scenery.

I then cut 3 ovals of various sizes out of the filter material. You can use more or less, depending on your tastes. Smear some white glue on a stick, and drive it through the middle of the filter material. Cutting a hole in the centers of the discs first is a good idea! Below are the basic ingredients (sans glue) for one tree.




Space the 3 filter discs out evenly and then start "teasing" the material in all directions. I stretch them, cut them, twist them, etc. The intent is to fill out the tree. The less perfect, the better. Here's what you should end up with up to this point. Look Ma, blue spruces!





The next step is to paint them. I used two different shades of green Krylon paint, but any brand will work. Trim away any odd looking fibers, and place them on your layout.





Why isn't there more text? Because this method is so simple, anyone can do it. To add more "random" realism, cut the ovals in a jagged or star shaped fashion. For pennies/tree, I'm very happy with my new conifers.

Got questions? Post them here and I'll answer them as best I can..

Jim

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the post. I'm just getting to the stage of thinking about scenery, and with no experience a little intimidated to try. Your post ha inspired me to give this a try and get started. Your trees would look just great on any layout. Thanks again. Ralph.[:)]

[Blueberryhill RR]

Jim,
That's a great idea. I am going to try it.
I need a bunch for a mountain I am building.
Thanks, Chuck

[laz 57]

JIM,
Nice job.
laz57

[FJ and G]

Jim,

I've never been a big fan of using furnace filter material. Results usually look like giant cobwebs. However, the way you did it is very convincing. I think it is b/c you shaped it better, whereas many others who use that technique just tear off a piece and put a stick thru it. Good going!

[Dr. John]

[tup] Nice job, Jim!

Very effective method - thanks for sharing it!

[Jumijo]

I purchased a bunch of Woodland Scenic's conifer trees right after Christmas. They remind me of darg green steak teriyaki on a stick! Not very convincing trees if you ask me. If you want convincing trees, you have to pay through the nose! When my trees are placed on our O27 layout, they look just right, at least to me. Much better than the thin blobs of foam on a stick. Just the right amount of airy-ness. One could sprinkle course ground foam on some before painting to add texture. A few dozen more to go and I should be all set. The first dozen went very fast.

Jim

[zeames1]

Excellent Idea!!!!!! Many thanks to you.

[Anonymous]

The Current (April 06) MR has a short article on the last page about tree making that seems may be even simpler and cheaper. They use two dryed pine cones, rub them together the wrong way so the scales fall off, then dip them in diluted white glue and sprinkle ground foam on them. That's it.

Neat idea.

Fractile pine trees. The smallest part of the tree is similar in structure to the whole.

[DCmontana]

Brilliant! I am going to make some!

Thanks, ***

[FJ and G]

emmaandy,

Why do it simple? The fun is in the work. :-)

Here's how to work till you drop. Get a number of sticks or dowells, tapered to the top; drill holes up and down the dowell. Insert a moss product you can buy from Michaels (forgot the name) into each of the holes with glue.

You can do about one tree every 2 hours. [:D][:D]

[csxt30]

Jim : Those are terrific !! I'm going to try to make some also ! I just have to remember to pick up the filters ! [:D]
Thanks,

[lyle_styles]

ROFLMAO, Dave you just made my day.

Lyle R Ehlers

[ChiefEagles]

If you would see this "boy's" layout in person and see the buildings and scenery he has done, you would know he has a special talent. Wish I was that good at building buildings, trees and etc.

[palallin]

I think I even have some green filter!

[crip]

Great idea Jim! Now I know what to do with all the twigs I pick up in the yard.Any ideas on what to do with moles?

Mark

[mitchelr]

Jim,

Excellent work. I am very impressed. I may have to try to make a few trees myself.

Thanks for the tips.

Mitch[:D]

[Anonymous]

Wonderful job, Jim! The picture says it all. They seem quick, easy and inexpensive to make yet can still stand the scrutiny of being set in the forefront of a layout. Imagine a whole forest of this quality? Printing this off right now! Thanks for the post.

Bruce Webster

[Jumijo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by crip

Great idea Jim! Now I know what to do with all the twigs I pick up in the yard.Any ideas on what to do with moles?

Mark

So far, I haven't been able to come up with a use for moles on my layout, so whack those moles! Whack 'em! [;)]

Bruce, I placed some at the front of my layout and they look fine. As a matter of fact, I'm "planting" a big grove of them just to the right of the farm scene at the bottom of my posts - right at the front of the layout.

Those trees in the photos are the very first ones I did. As I made more, I got better at it. You will to. Make sure the trees aren't all the same height. Nature is random. So make some short and full, others tall and thin.

I've learned a heck of a lot on this forum. It's my pleasure to give something back to all of you. I hope your trees come out well.

Jim

[ChiefEagles]

Some have seen these but here is some pictures of Jim's layout and handywork.







I think the station is scratch built.

[cnw1995]

Wow, nice. Look at the color differences in the trees - a great fall scene.

Jim, what is the type of furnace filter you bought? The ones at our local hardware aren't foamy or springy - they're made out of plastic or metal mesh. They didn't know NatureAire brand.

[Jumijo]

Doug,

The furnace filter is a washable, reusable type. I don't know if it's plastic or fiberglass. I'll check tonight. I bought mine at Home Depot. A 20x30x1 size was $5.00. If you have trouble finding any, e-mail me, ok?



Looking at the Chief's photos illustrates to me how far the scenery has progressed since he was at my home in January. All of that brown area behind the station, along the river, is now finished, as is the entire area around the farm. I actually had to go back and remove a lot of the foliage along the river because it was obscuring the view. That ugly green Plasticville cape house is now painted much more realisticly. I added ground foam to those dime store pine trees - much better! The area where the red roofed house and the billboard sit is where the pine grove is going. And that curve that you see in the forground in the bottom photo is where I added a second river, which has become my favorite scene on the whole layout.

Check out that hideous mountain! I hope it looks better with a backdrop!

Jim

[1688torpedo]

Jim- Those are very nice Trees you made. Good Work. They look like they would make excellent Christmas Trees with small Diode lights in them operated by Battery power.Spray some of them white for a snowy look & you're all set. Take Care.

[Jumijo]

The one piece of information I've neglected to pass along is the size of those trees. Most of the one's I've made are 6 - 8 inches tall, but I do vary the heights. That's a good sized tree in O gauge.

Jim

[csxt30]

Got my furnace filter today & will attempt to make a tree tonight !! This store also sells just the filter material in a big roll, probably enough to make a thousand trees, but I only got 1 filter, now to try ! Didn't have it in green, but I know I have seen the green in the past, & I'm going to keep looking for the green !! I also thought that 6 to 8 inches tall would be perfect, plus some smaller ones !
Thanks again,

[csxt30]

OK, made one & it only took about 5 minutes, of course it may look like it only took 5 minutes too !! [:D] I only had a 3/8 dowel, so now I think I need to get some smaller ones. The very top seems to be the problem with that point there. It doesn't want to stay down & you don't want it to far down, then the wood sticks out. I will do a little more experimenting up there & any tips in that area will be great, & I think these are going to be great when I get them tweaked out !!
Thanks again,

[Birds]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jaabat

The one piece of information I've neglected to pass along is the size of those trees. Most of the one's I've made are 6 - 8 inches tall, but I do vary the heights. That's a good sized tree in O gauge.

Jim

Jim,

At 1:48 scale that 8 inch tree is only 32 scale feet. In some parts of the country a 32 ft conifer is a nice shrub. [:P]

Make them 18 inches tall and you might have a tree... [;)]

But, they sure do look good! Thanks for sharing how to make them.

[markn]

Jim- please clarify one thing-you said you used Krylon-is that regular oil based Krylon? (and by extension-cheap-buck a can Walmart spray bombs)

[Jumijo]

John,

Great looking tree!! I either shape the top with scissors into a point shape, or just take a really small piece and tease it slightly before putting it on top. Either way will result in a pointed top. With practice, you will develop your own style, but man, you're off to a flying start!

A 6 - 8" tree is tall enough for O gauge trees on my pike. I know trees grow bigger than 32', but unless you have an enormous layout, the larger trees look out of place.

I said I was using Krylon. Yes, regular Krylon. You can use whatever brand you want. The cheapie Walmart stuff is fine. Neither one harms the filter material. I only picked Krylon because of the color selection. Krylon has a new water-based spray paint that I'm eager to try. It's basically latex paint in a spray can. No more harmful fumes? We'll see.

Doug,
I don't know what the filter material is made of, but it's very similar to the green scrubby pads, only much thicker.

Jim

[waltrapp]

Thanks Jim, even non-artistic me MIGHT be able to pull this one off!! You artistic types make all of this stuff look SO easy, then we try it, and well, you know the rest of the story!

I saw a guy (obviously artistic) painting clouds on a background and thought "hey, I can do that". Yeah, right - ever see ugly white blobs?

Nice job on your stuff.

- walt