twisted wire and Seafoam trees

[jon grant]

I have been working towards building some new trees for the layout and re-vamping some old ones, mangled by either kids or cats.

Here's what I got done last night.






Still to get the 'sea foam' or 'Forest in a Box' added to the wire branches




Jon

[selector]

Those look great, Jon! Please keep us updated; I'd enjoy seeing the finished product...layout, too.

[jon grant]

Here's the 'big' tree on the layout. I finally got round to putting branches on.








Jon


Jon

[jon grant]

For them's that wants to know, here's how I did the 'wire and seafoam' trees.

Get some lengths of stiff wire (find a flower arranger) and twist together



Twist the wire into several bundles and keep splitting the bundles as you twist, until you end up with a tree-like object




Cover the wire tree in 'Artex' - a paint/grit mixture used by decorators - or 'flexi-bark'





Take a seafoam tree (Forest in a box, Forest in a flash, or the Noch seafoam tree pack) and pull off the branches.

NB - For some of the trees I did, I just shoved a cocktail stick up the seafoam trunk (ouch!), glued it in with superglue, and covered the stick with flexi bark




I then attached the seafoam branches to the wire former with superglue and sprayed it with matt earth brown and olive green.




This is where I stop for winter trees, but you can make a summer tree by spraying spray glue on the branches and sprinkling on suitable flocks




Jon

[jon grant]

The 'big winter tree' before I added the branches





Jon

[AggroJones]

Thats excellent blood! Good show.

[ukguy]

Two questions for you,

1: are the trees very time consuming, approx how long per tree ? even though the effect is obviousy well worth the time put in.

2: where in the UK are you, I'm from Warrington, now in Mississippi

[jon grant]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ukguy
1: are the trees very time consuming, approx how long per tree ?

The cocktail stick up the trunk method - 2 minutes, if that.

The wire former method, between 1.5 and 2.5 hours per tree depending on the size of the tree. I have over 80 on the layout at the last count

QUOTE:
2: where in the UK are you, I'm from Warrington, now in Mississippi

Born in Wallasey, Cheshire in 1963, lived in Sunderland since 1965


Jon

[jon grant]

Here's a few of the trees from the first post in this thread glued in place, pictured with a couple of 'guests'






Jon

[Anonymous]

Anyway another question, Im guessing any type of wire would work right?
Or does it need to be coated?

[tigerstripe]

Is this the same as "Supertrees" by Scenic Express, if so I have some that I did
2-3 years ago that are starting to droop and bend over especially at the tip.
Anyone else have this problem.

[Fergmiester]

Excellent Workmanship! Where do you get the seafoam?

Fergie

[grayfox1119]

Jon, very impressive!! Excellent workmanship!!!!!

[tatans]

What is seafoam, other than the "foam on the ocean" ? and what part of the world is it available if it is a "thing"?

[jfugate]

Also known as SuperTrees, available from one of my favorite scenery materials suppliers, Scenic Express.


Here's some stuff about SuperTrees from their web site:
http://www.scenicexpress.com/supertrees.html

Their web site is rather disappointing, but call the 1-800 number and get their catalog. It's absolutely fabulous! It's the literal who's who manual to what's available for model scenery detailing, much of it in full color. No affiliation, I just love their catalog! It's the cat's meow for scenery modeling.

You can get a tumbleweed like bush of the stuff for $20, and have enough for 50-300 trees, depending on the size of trees you make. This stuff is my favorite material for modeling decidious trees and bushes.

[jon grant]

Thanks for finding a link to a firm in the US, Joe. It looks to be the same stuff as 'Forest in a Box' and 'Forest in a Flash' I'm certain I have also seen it in WS blister packs in the UK, but I couldn't find any mention on the WS website.

A word of caution to Australian modellers.

I have been informed that with the current laws on importing plants into the country, it will cost $60 (Aus) to have it 'treated' - there are seeds on the branches.

Jon

[nobullchitbids]

Is there some reason why almost all of the photographs have been "x'd" out?

[nobullchitbids]

Belay that: They are coming up on the second try. (Electrical phenomenon?)