# Working on trees



## Alphaman (Dec 30, 2012)

The wife and I started building trees today. Got the instruction from a man down in Charleston SC at the train club. Used Hydrangea flower stems, hair spray, micro poly fibers, and course turf grass.


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

they look great, in the real world I see more like that (but darker green) rather than the "bottle brush" style trees people make.


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## midlifekrisiz (Jan 29, 2013)

those look great and I bet it was allot cheaper that the ones at the hobby store


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

nice looking I will have to try that I have hydrangea flowers in my yard. If thay come back after all this snow


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## Bree (Jan 30, 2013)

I actually picked up some miniature Christmas trees only 2-3" tall at walmart for like 25 cents each (just after christmas) - have covered them with the fibre flocking and they turned out great. Also got some really awful bachmann trees - all spikey and yucky colors as part of a lot on ebay - was going to throw them away and decided to cover as well and they look great now too. I just gave them a spray of adhesive and that was it. The ones on each end are the originals and then how they look covered


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## Cooder Mac (Dec 18, 2012)

Look pretty good! I used crepe myrtle bush ends for mine...way cheaper than buying pre made or the trunks and adding clump-foliage to them...used spray adhesive and then just stuck the clump-foliage to them. Had a bunch of the different colors of clump foliage around. They make a great tall oak tree on my layout.


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## dannyrandomstate (Jan 1, 2012)

Wow!! You really captured the effect there!! Right on!


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

Homemade trees are far better then the ones you can waste your money on at the local hobby shops, in my opinion.

Also those dollar store trees alot of us have bought before Christmas turned out very nice if you go over them with flocking material...

Alphaman- nice trees

Bree- nice trees as well


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

I am finding that trees are a challenge. I've made 10-12 and am bouncing around the edges of getting them "right". Trying different materials & methods
is slowing the process. I have found a M&M process that holds the most promise and have seen pics using them "right"....now it's practice, practice, practice.

My latest is on the left. I figure the cost at roughly 3-4 bucks per tree. Some of the materials are not "stuff I had laying around the shop"......bummer.


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

JPIII said:


> I am finding that trees are a challenge. I've made 10-12 and am bouncing around the edges of getting them "right". Trying different materials & methods
> is slowing the process. I have found a M&M process that holds the most promise and have seen pics using them "right"....now it's practice, practice, practice.
> 
> My latest is on the left. I figure the cost at roughly 3-4 bucks per tree. Some of the materials are not "stuff I had laying around the shop"......bummer.


Thay look good


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## Bree (Jan 30, 2013)

wow - those are fantastic - BIG but fantastic


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## CircusFreakGritz (Oct 27, 2010)

That one on the right kind of reminds me of those cell phone towers disguised as a tree. Not that it looks bad or anything, it's just really tall!  

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Cell_phone_tower_disguised_2008.jpg


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

I live in the land of tall timber.....South West Washington. I'm trying to model the virgin forests that grew here "back in the day". In HO scale the large tree is a mere toothpick at 175 feet. The tallest Douglas Fir ever officially measured in WA. was 396 feet......up North in BC the tallest was over 440 feet, IIRC. Per the studies I've read, the pumping system of the Doug Fir can (theoretically) deliver water to 465 feet. God knows we get enough rain here to make that possible. 

To be successful, I'll need to make about 200 of them 176 footers (or taller)...and live long enough to "get her done".

I don't want to hijack this thread.....I have my own to play in.


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## midlifekrisiz (Jan 29, 2013)

Alphaman :

we tried the hairspray but found it dried up to fast to get the turf to stick where we wanted it to.
I am going to try my 3M spray adesive unless you have a trick I missed in how you outlined how you made yours stick.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Would Mod Podge work? It can be brushed on.

If you are going to use the 3M spray....first, the nozzle tends to plug and second, the spray adhesive seems to get on to everything within 3 feet of the spray application..what a mess.


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

*Is that the President or General Sherman?*



JPIII said:


> I live in the land of tall timber.....South West Washington. I'm trying to model the virgin forests that grew here "back in the day". In HO scale the large tree is a mere toothpick at 175 feet. The tallest Douglas Fir ever officially measured in WA. was 396 feet......up North in BC the tallest was over 440 feet, IIRC. Per the studies I've read, the pumping system of the Doug Fir can (theoretically) deliver water to 465 feet. God knows we get enough rain here to make that possible.
> 
> To be successful, I'll need to make about 200 of them 176 footers (or taller)...and live long enough to "get her done".
> 
> I don't want to hijack this thread.....I have my own to play in.


Just read an article on the Giant Rewoods and saw your trees....impressive!! Maybe you could replicate this photo!!?? I make my own trees also and really wish I had those old Cartridge filters from Years ago...make great conifers!!


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Niether the Sequoia nor the Redwood live this far north.
I understand the only reason the Sequoia sruvived loggers was that they felt the wood was wasn't any good for anything.

Redwood were/are in much more danger.


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## engelphotos (Nov 22, 2011)

JP III,

Those are fantastic tree's !! I found a guy on U-Tube that was making tree's and they look nice too. He mentioned using sawdust painted green ?? I wonder if anyone has tried that and what was there experience ??

Fred


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

engelphotos said:


> JP III,
> 
> Those are fantastic tree's !! I found a guy on U-Tube that was making tree's and they look nice too. He mentioned using sawdust painted green ?? I wonder if anyone has tried that and what was there experience ??
> 
> Fred


Thanks....but they're not fantastic enough. I seen stuff on the net that makes them look like...er....just OK....but I'm working on it.



I've never used dyed sawdust. I use T45 from Woodland Scenic run thru a #50 strainer as flock....more sparingly as time passes......along with Breck Super hold hair spray. I put some 2mm static grass in the mix.


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## midlifekrisiz (Jan 29, 2013)

Carl said:


> Would Mod Podge work? It can be brushed on.
> 
> If you are going to use the 3M spray....first, the nozzle tends to plug and second, the spray adhesive seems to get on to everything within 3 feet of the spray application..what a mess.


I agree with the "sprays everywhere" but considering that you have to let it sit a wile to tack up one could spray them outside and then bring them in to set and then start adding the greenery.


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## engelphotos (Nov 22, 2011)

I've been looking into making one of those electric static flock applicator's.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

I don'r use the applicator for static grass trees.
I can't get it to generate a static field on a tree......no conductor covers the tree, so I just sprinkle it on with a strainer.


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## engelphotos (Nov 22, 2011)

I'm sorry i meant to apply static grass to the layout where it looks like the grass is standing up


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Well, OK.

I got one from China for 40 bucks including shipping that works fine as frog hair.....but far be it from me to discourage a DIY guy.

The only static generator I've seen came out of Australia on a slow boat.
Dunno the cost.


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## Alphaman (Dec 30, 2012)

Well, I'm back, had to go out of town for a few days, got me run crazy before the paving season kicks in.

Thanks for the complements and for an adhesive I use super hold hair spray from wal-mart for $1, i saturate the fibers and i double dipped some of the trees.


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## Mavryk (Jan 28, 2013)

I love those trees. Very realistic


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## midlifekrisiz (Jan 29, 2013)

Alphaman said:


> Well, I'm back, had to go out of town for a few days, got me run crazy before the paving season kicks in.
> 
> Thanks for the complements and for an adhesive I use super hold hair spray from wal-mart for $1, i saturate the fibers and i double dipped some of the trees.



ok we will give that a try too (i do believe that is the way of diy no)


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## Fighterpilot (Mar 16, 2011)

I would like you to explain the process of making the tree, from what material you buy, where you get it, how you apply it, in a step by step tutorial. Maybe I'm just a little slow, but I really don't have a grasp for the full process of how to git 'er done! Thanks.
I tried spraying with the super hold hair spray, and then sprinkling with the ground cover and all it did was bounce off the tree back into my tray.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Fighterpilot said:


> I would like you to explain the process of making the tree, from what material you buy, where you get it, how you apply it, in a step by step tutorial. Maybe I'm just a little slow, but I really don't have a grasp for the full process of how to git 'er done! Thanks.
> I tried spraying with the super hold hair spray, and then sprinkling with the ground cover and all it did was bounce off the tree back into my tray.


What kind of trees are you trying to make?

Regardless, the hair spray works IF you follow a few steps. 
On the first coat, really lay it on......to the point where it "beads up" while doing your best to keep it off the trunk. Fine ground flock will stick to it.
Let it dry, then do it again......at this point it is possible to over flock to the point where it clumps up. It takes a bit of fooling around to get the dance steps down. I do evergreens so I can't offer much help with deciduous trees, but at some point adding the leaves is a good plan. Just keep adding layers.


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## Fighterpilot (Mar 16, 2011)

Thanks, will do what you said. I'm using the tops of some Crepe Myrtle trees that I cropped yesterday. They have the shape of a nice generic tree and I believe they would look nice if I can get the flock to stick to it.


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## Alphaman (Dec 30, 2012)

Fighterpilot:

I used Hyd. blooms for the trunks, poly fiber (from hobbby lobby ,micro mark has it too ) use a small piece and strech it thin, spray trunk with hair spray, drape ploy fiber on trunk, saturate out side of poly fiber with hair spray, dunk into bowl of course turf, shake lightly, if not coated to your liking , reapply hair spray, dunk, and shake, apply a light coating of hair spray and let dry for about 20 minutes.

Thats how i did it, remimber to strech the poly fiber so some of the branches show through, hope this helps


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## Fighterpilot (Mar 16, 2011)

I think my problem is I don't know what poly fibre is. I'll research it, thanks.


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## midlifekrisiz (Jan 29, 2013)

Fighterpilot said:


> I think my problem is I don't know what poly fibre is. I'll research it, thanks.


same stuff ppl use as cobwebs for Halloween


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## Fighterpilot (Mar 16, 2011)

Got it. I found some at local Hobby Train Shop. Will try to make some trees this afternoon. Thanks guys, this site is always a wealth of knowledge.


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

*First attempt at Conifers!*

Walking though Walmart last week with my wife, we passed the Outdoor section and something caught my eye....Natural-Aire Camper Air Filter Cartridge for $4.00. These things are cut & fit 20x30 and are absoulutely HUGE. Went to ACE and bought 3/16's and 1/4 dowels, back to Wally World for a bottle of $1.00 Hair spray, and $2.69 Hunter Green Spray Paint and Brown for the trunks/Dowels(The Cartridges are Kelly Green(Stick pins are 200 for $2.49. Cut the dowels to different lengths from 70ft down to 30ft and using a pencil sharpener trimmed the top of the dowel to a point, took a modelers awl and poked a hole in the bottoms for stick pinsm secured w/ Gorilla Glue,Ripped the dowels with a mitre saw length wise for trunk detail, Spray painted the Air Filter and the dowels which took a while to dry as my Wife didn't want the SMELL to take over the house so I had to go into the garage:laugh:, then cut the Filter into different diameter sections(larger for the base and smaller for the top(1-2" sections to 1/4" sections) Then I took the cut filters by size and from the top pushed them over the pointed top of the painted dowels for the foliage...these get squished so you can tease them fuller, trim the squared corners off the filter pieces to make it more round & tapered, Spray with hair sray(give it a good shot with the spray, then dredge in WS Conifer and let them set. You can spray again for areas that get exposed but that first application should do the trick. Then when you are done just remember how you did all of this and produce these assembly line style...its fast, its easy, its FUN. If you don't like how they look take them and use them on the edge of your layout with the other trees that you don't like and together they look MARVELOUS:laugh::laugh:.


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

*Sorry, do the math!!*

So I got distracted and forgot to do the math on this project. So out of that Air filter I will get rough estimate 25 trees= .16 per tree Dowels cost 1.10 x 7= .17 per tree, Spray paint is Trace elements seeing is I haven't run out of paint yet but am monitoring usage, same w/ hairsray,stick pins are .01, Gorilla Glue is monitored....SOOOO....not counting time and labor I'd say conservatively looking at .45 per tree. I still like my Heki Pine trees but this just saved me a butt load of money....great winter project....now I have to make PINE CONES!!:laugh::laugh::thumbsup:


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