Saguaro Cactus

[ARTHILL]

Anyone figured out how to make a good suguaro cactus in HO?

[cacole]

Green pipe cleaners that can be purchased at craft stores.

I bought some unpainted pewter castings of saguaro cactus that were made by Musket Miniatures, but every one is exactly the same shape so the only way they can be made to appear more individual is to paint them in different colors and turn them at a different angle.

With the pipe cleaners, you can fashion every one differently, but variations in color becomes more difficult.

Not all Saguaro are green -- they range in color from brown to green, depending on the time of year and climatic conditions. Some also develop blotches or have Gila Woodpecker holes in them.

[snowey]

way back in 81 or 82, there was a series of articles in MODEL RAILROADER by John Olsen about building a desert layout called "The Jerome & Southwestern" in HO, and he made saurago cactus with peices of balsa wood, carved them, then sanded them, then painted them.

The articles were later published as a book from Kalmbach, but I think it's out of print.

[Hudsonmike]

How about making a frame out of wire and dipping it in
a soupy plaster mix once or twice. and painting it ??
If tis idea would work you could make Hundreads of them quickly.
Just an Idea
Mike

[tstage]

I wonder if Pele Soeeborg is going to address that in his MRR series on his desert layout? He didn't fini***hat up, did he?

Tom

[jrbarney]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hudsonmike

How about making a frame out of wire and dipping it in a soupy plaster mix once or twice. and painting it ?? If this idea would work you could make hundreds of them quickly. Just an Idea
Mike

Arthill,
Maybe you could take Mike's idea of making wire armatures and instead of using a plaster mix use various colors of Sculpey clay from Michaels, JoAnns or a similar crafts store. Admittedly, it wouldn't be quite as fast.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[Anonymous]

Plastruct makes some Saguaros (and maybe other cacti as well). The prices are a bit alarming however!

www.plastruct.com