Home made conifers techniques

YoHo Aug 13, 2010

  1. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hey all, I'm looking for ideas for making conifer trees.

    The most realistic I've seen are the classics.
    Furnace filter and Bottle brush.

    I've made bottle brush in the past, and I've liked them, but I've always wanted a bit more branching.
    On the other hand, Filter trees simulate some of this branching, but lack very strong main branches from the trunk.

    I've recently read about using Silfor or other static grasses to enhance the look of the trees. has anyone tried this? with pictures?

    Also any other techniques? I know there's a method using some sort of organic material, starts with a C, but I'm not impressed with the tress I've seen using that method.

    How about trunks? Any advice on making more realistic trunks? what about multi-trunks?

    I'm generally opposed to buying premade trees, especially conifers since the only ones I've ever seen that look good at all are these
    Canyon Creek Scenics: Model Railroad Forest Products

    Bottle Brush and Furnace Filter give you a lot of bang for your buck, but I'd like to learn more.

    Also I'd be interested in learning about other materials for other types of pines.
     
  2. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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  3. Arctic Train

    Arctic Train TrainBoard Member

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  4. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    Those are pretty good. My only concern with going that route would be the cost of the Woodland Scenics netting.

    I do like the spray can texture. I've been skeptical that it would provide a good effect. You've shown that it does provide one.
     
  5. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    We have, in the past, taken a mixture of N and HO scale trees for our N scale stuff and improved them. Usually, we spray them lightly with trunk-colored paint, and after they dry we roll their tops in a diluted glue solution and then roll them in some ground foam to give them more randomized "foliage." Once they dry, the look much more realistic than the stock tree.
     
  6. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    I've done that too.
    And for small trees, Christmas Tree size, that works great.

    Also, WS's basic conifers are a reasonable model for an N scale Cedar.

    I do notice in the latest MR that WS has revamped pretty much all their trees.

    But again, I don't want to buy them. I want to make them.
     
  7. ratled

    ratled TrainBoard Supporter

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    YoHo check your PM inbox
    ratled
     
  8. Geared Steam

    Geared Steam Permanently dispatched

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    YoHo
    FYI

    The guy that owns Canyon Creek Scenics demonstrates on how he makes those trees on one of Joe Fugates videos Volume 5, Scenery and Bridges, Part 2. Joe also shows his techniques.
     
  9. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well darn it, I may have to buy that video.

    The online version isn't too bad.

    I got a sheet of furnace filter.

    Unfortunately, it's going to be hot this weekend and I have no AC. SO, I've decided to literally go climb a mountain....OK, not literally, I will drive up a mountain. And take pictures. And Sunday will be the busiest club day so far this summer, so I may have to put this project off.
     
  10. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    This video sold me on the furnace filter technique. I'll be doing this for most of the trees on Thunder Ridge.
     
  11. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    He makes good ones, but the problem I have is that furnace filter seems only to be perfect for Pines Lodgepole, Ponderosa.
    Out here in the Pacific NW, there's some that have a much more distinct branch structure and that doesn't look like that.
    I think Capsia may be the answer though I may bite the bullet and buy the video.
    His part 4 on Spruces is interesting though, I've never seen that technique before. I'll need to try it.
     
  12. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    August 06 has a nice article on making ponderosa pine for an On3 layout. The article says easy. I'm not sure I agree.

    Another question for trainboarders. Are your trees proper height? A 200 ft lodgepole pine would be 28" tall in ho. 14ish in N. How many of you are rocking trees like that?
     
  13. Wolfgang Dudler

    Wolfgang Dudler Passed away August 25, 2012 TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    Great looking trees. thank you.

    Wolfgang
     
  14. ratled

    ratled TrainBoard Supporter

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    YoHo - Both Joe Fugate and Charlie Comstock model the same area as you. Take a look at their pictures and see what you think. They both make their own tress and use Canyon Creek trees mixed together. Charlies pictures are here http://s145079212.onlinehome.us/rr/bcsj3/index.html and Joe's are here http://siskiyou-railfan.net/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.26.

    Also, Pete (owner of Canyon Creek) does away better job on showing you how he makes his trees in the bounus section of that video. Joe's videos, I have all ten and looking to get the next one when it comes out any day now, are well worth the money for any collection

    ratled
     
  15. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well, Since I last posted in this thread, I've worked on some Furnace Filter trees. Meanwhile Mark has been making some great trees, so I had something to drive me to work on it.

    I've had mixed results. Some things I've learned.

    Spackle suchs for making trunks thicker.
    Durham's water putty ain't much better. I'm gonna have to just buy dowels or balsa to make thicker trunks. poop.

    I've also learned that I can be a lot sparser with the branch segments and finally, I learned that what I thought was a container of fine confir green was in fack WS soil shade.
    Which explains why it was way way too dark.

    Photos to come.
     
  16. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    OK, First things First.
    This is a picture of the supplies I used.
    The Furnace Filter is obvious this was I believe $6.99.
    A bag of Shish Kebab Skewers 100 count for $2.99
    A pair of Scissors
    A can of brown Spray paint. I also have a can of black
    A bottle of india ink
    A bottle of 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
    A small can of Spackle
    A can of Durham's Watter putty.
    White glue for attaching limbs.
    Hair Spray
    Spray Glue
    Appropriate ground foam (coarse is shown. Fine is what I actually used.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    What I've made so far has used straight Skewers for trunks.
    These are a bit thin, A full skewer is about a 95' to 100' tall in HO and in reality the trunk is only a little too small, so it works for this size and smaller. Especially if put in the back.

    Step one is to Stain the Tree trunks.
    I do this by mixing about 10 drops of India Ink with Isopropyl Alcohol in a narrow tall container like an old water bottle. I leave the skewers in for around 20 minutes, then flip them. 20 more minutes, then let them dry.
    [​IMG]

    The bamboo will naturally wick up the stain so you have a natural grain in the trunk. It ends up being a little light, but for these tree that's fine.
     
  18. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    Instructions I've seen talk about cutting out shapes. Specificly star shapes. I found this to be wasteful Instead, I would start a cut with the scissors and then just tear it appart.
    This picture shows a chunk that's been cut.
    [​IMG]
    Once a chunk is removed, you then have to further shread the stuff. The filter is on the order of 5/8" thick. So it can be ripped into 2 or even 3 pieces of various sizes and shapes.

    The next step is to create the tree.

    I use the tapered portion of the skewer as the top. You could use that as the "roots" and create your own taper. It really depends on what you feel like doing.
    As for choosing branches. Generally go from wide at the bottom to small at the top, but don't feel like that is a strict rule. These trees have been standing for perhaps hundreds of years and the variety of weather patterns will dictate how much growth occured when.
    Also, Don't always center the filter chunk. Sometimes I would also use odd shape chunks well off center to suggest an inequal growth pattern.
    Use the white glue to take each section on. The Filter material may bind tight or may be loose, but the glue will tack it on good.
    [​IMG]
     
  19. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    Next, I trim some of the most scraggly "branches and spray the branches brown. I try to be light with the spray cover most of the blue. It is ok if a bit of blue shows through. Also try not to completely cover the trunk, but don't worry about it either.

    You'll note on this tree that I specifically left a gap between the lower older branches and the top. This is prototypical.
    [​IMG]
     
  20. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    The final step is to spray it with Glue and sprinkle on ground foam.
    As I stated before, this is actually soil, not conifer color, so its a little dark than I would like.

    I first tried using the spray glue , but in the end I found that was too guey. and causes the branches to stick together. Hair spray is sufficient to stick the material at first,then I come back with dilute white glue in a spray bottle to make it more permanent.

    Liberally sprinkle the tree turning it like you're eating a corn cob, then give it some more holding it straight up. Be light on coverage from the bottom. Let the brown show through.

    [​IMG]
     

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