# Home built large fir trees



## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Going to make a detailed thread on how I make trees....large ones in this case.
I'm doing a batch of 6 24" to 16" inchers tall.
Doing them one at a time tkaes waaay too long. I hope to speed this up. Feel free to add any tips that you may feel will help.....or just to BS.

First pic is of trunk build. It's a bit of a PITA to get a good taper on em' so's they don't look like ballastic missles. I stick a nail in their butt to stand them up while building and installation on the RR....it's a messy operation.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Up right for the next operation.


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

Best way I've seen is to chuck up a 3/8 inch dowel in a cordless drill and spin it against a disc sander. Works fast!


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Bwells said:


> Best way I've seen is to chuck up a 3/8 inch dowel in a cordless drill and spin it against a disc sander. Works fast!


I can do up to a 1/2 inch dowel in my Dewalt drill motor. Your're right, it works great. A 5/8" or larger dia is more of a problem. That nail (deck screw, actually) in the butt comes into play then. Getting that nail installed concentric to the trunk is damn near impossible.....a wrestling match insues......


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

The next step is adding the root ball (stump wannabe). I'm not real happy with my method, but I have another plan to try.

After this point, things slow down. My shaping tools are too large for the detail required.....my old Dremel took a dump long ago. I have a "New Improved" Dremel OTW.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Are you doing the trunks on a table saw? Try a disk sander.... much easier.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

That is a sanding disc on the table saw. Another piece of equiptment in my shop is out.....unless I can sell the drill press.
Plan B for the Bondo applicaton for the rootball worked out much better. Simulating bark on the trunk is still a PITA.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I see. I did not know such a thing existed.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

JPIII said:


> Simulating bark on the trunk is still a PITA.


At HO scale, the texture of most bark is almost insignificant. 1/32" (about as small as you can see) translates to over 2.5 inches. Tree bark on most species does not have texture that is anywhere near 2.5".

NOTE: The following is a suggestion that I have NOT tried -- because I am not that far along, yet in my layout. But I have observed a lot of trees and have come up with this idea that I will try when I get to the scenery.

I suggest that you try simulating the tree bark texture with color. Pick a base color -- most likely medium gray (for light colored bark) or a very blackish brown (for dark colored bark). (Most tree species to not have reddish brown bark -- but there are some exceptions.)

Paint the entire trunk the base color. The use a light dusting overspray of the contrasting color (e.g. medium gray on the dark bark) -- just enough to speckle the trunk. The dark speckles on the light bark represent the scars from where tree branches used to be and the dark indentations where the bark cracks. The light speckles on the dark bark represent the lichens growing on the tree trunks. You might throw in an overspray of a second color -- like a dark gray -- to give more variety to the texture.

You could also do a light dusting spray of a dark green on one side of the bottom part of the trunk -- to represent moss growing there. By the way it is NOT true that moss always grows on the North side of a tree, but it some areas it does tend to be more common on the North side. Of course (as I'm sure you know), on the Olympic Peninsula there are places where mosses grow on ALL surfaces of the trees, but I'm not sure that there are any railroads there.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Barking.....or whatever you want to call it.
I have a "home tree" that I use for an prototype...it's just a little sucker, 80-90 feet tall.
I did get a real close color match off it....mixed slate gray with umber. 

Short strokes (2-3 inches) over the saw does a decent job of matching the bark split pattern...proly not to scale, tho. Then I use a torch to burn off the fuzzys, then sand most of(some) of the burn marks off.










I thru a 27 inch tall tree in the works to practice on the root ball. Gotta work them over with the Dremel before painting (rubbing on paint).


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

MtRR75 said:


> At HO scale, the texture of most bark is almost insignificant. 1/32" (about as small as you can see) translates to over 2.5 inches. Tree bark on most species does not have texture that is anywhere near 2.5".
> 
> NOTE: The following is a suggestion that I have NOT tried -- because I am not that far along, yet in my layout. But I have observed a lot of trees and have come up with this idea that I will try when I get to the scenery.
> 
> ...


I'll take a pic of my home tree from 15 feet away.
I look at it then take a WAG on how to emulate it, then have at it....but, I hear you and don't know if "barking" is worth the trouble. The base of the cracks are acually lighter in color than the bark.
Moss does figure in the mix, but it goes on after the tree is put up on the RR. I'm doing SW Washington and we don't get nearly the amount of rain that they get in the Olympic rain forest.....thank God. The old pics I model from are B&W. Can't tell from them just how much moss is present. The second pic is from about 10 feet away.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Here is a great website for pictures of old growth trees.

https://www.google.com/search?q=dar...edsteam.com%2Fclimax%2Fimages_E-G.htm;544;357

Cedar & Doug fir mostly....a few monster Redwoods thrown in


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Maybe try unthinned craft paint. That would dry a little chunky and might be a pretty good bark simulation. You could paint the trunk the reddish color and just gob on the craft paint to simulate the effect above.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

I do have some raw material to work with & I ain't above fooling with it. I could mix some of that paint I came up with with very fine sawdust & see how it looks. If nothing else, that tree could go way in the back with my other oopsies. I'm thinking of trimming off lower branches of some trees I've already made...
After checking out more pictures, I think simulating the bark is worthwhile.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

JPIII said:


> I'll take a pic of my home tree from 15 feet away. The base of the cracks are acually lighter in color than the bark.


Yes, some conifers do have lighter colors in the bark cracks than on the surface. I was thinking more of hardwoods (oak, hickory, dogwood, etc. where the cracks are darker than the bark.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

MtRR75 said:


> Yes, some conifers do have lighter colors in the bark cracks than on the surface. I was thinking more of hardwoods (oak, hickory, dogwood, etc. where the cracks are darker than the bark.


Heh......What is going on in my back yard has only been happening for 40 years.
400-500 years in a forest......who knows?:dunno:


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

The trunks are painted and ready for branches. I use Caspia for branches, painted Hunter green.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

I gota do some flocking around with this yet.....then add dead limbs.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

All flocked up.


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## Model Train Structures (Oct 10, 2013)

Neat trees! Where do you buy Caspia plants? If they are living plants, how do you keep them from shedding once they are dried?

Thanks, 
D.A.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Model Train Structures said:


> Neat trees! Where do you buy Caspia plants? If they are living plants, how do you keep them from shedding once they are dried?
> 
> Thanks,
> D.A.


Thanks.
I buy "bouquets" of dried Caspia at Michael's.....a local arts/crafts store (I think they are a national chain). The nice thing about Caspia is it really hangs in there after drying. A large bundle is reasonably priced....less than 10 bucks, IIRC. There is enough of it in a bouquet to make ya sick of making trees........best if taken in low doses over a long period of time.

Michael's also carries paint.....a large selection of water based that will keep one away from
the outragous prices at your local model train store.

I've been slacking off on picture "details" for this thread. I'll get on that.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

I came to visit your site.......didn't see anyone.

Nice stuff in the *sold* section. I'm in the market for a mill town of the 20's era. I do have trouble finding time to build one. I just lost an evilbay scramble for 11 buildings.....I'll bring more horse power........if I ever get another chance.

Speaking of markets. 
There is a market for big trees......dunno how big. The challenge is the price point.
I've seen them advertised for 50 bucks per tree....a 24 inch jobbie....seems like I'm not the only one that finds them time consuming to produce. (I ain't selling any of mine). I'm old enough to remember making 2 bucks an hour. Inflation makes it even less attractive now days. Shipping one cross country would make packaging a large expense.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Some details.
I drill holes in the trunk for branchs. 2 holes 90 deg apart makes room for 4 limbs when the dia of the trunk is 1/4" or greater.....less dia than that? You're on your own.
Pin drills of various sizes chucked up in a 18V drill motor. I make a sharp point ont he bit with the grinder which keeps the drill bit from slipping off the radius.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Caspia.
Here's about a 2/3 of a bouquet.









This gets messy.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

About half way through the limb part. I am going to make the foliage more narrow than in the past. Also going to brown up the trunk some.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

JPIII said:


> All flocked up.


The dead branches at the bottom of the crown are a nice, realistic touch. When trees in crowded conditions, the lower branches will get shaded out, die and eventually be shed.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

Yes, I have to add more dead branches using the natural color of the caspia. The few lower branches at present are alive but not doing well. Some more trunk coloration first.


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

looks like a lot of work goes into making them They look Great !


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

KAL5 said:


> looks like a lot of work goes into making them They look Great !


I'm glad you like them.
I'm doing a run of 6. It seems to be going a bit quicker......which ain't saying much. Which is quicker, a snail or a slug...... then again, who cares?

I have found a few methods to speed up the process.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

The tree on the left is getting real colse to what I want......maybe good enough.These are about 25 inches tall......27 is a scale 200 feet.....just happen to have a trunk ready in that size.
Gotta fool with the trunk coloration a bit more.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Thanks,& centering*



JPIII said:


> I can do up to a 1/2 inch dowel in my Dewalt drill motor. Your're right, it works great. A 5/8" or larger dia is more of a problem. That nail (deck screw, actually) in the butt comes into play then. Getting that nail installed concentric to the trunk is damn near impossible.....a wrestling match insues......


JPIII;

First of all thank you for your prompt response. The type of trees you show being made have been called "Jack Work trees" as I said in my post. This name(and I'm sure there are many others) probably comes from an early modeler who first published the method.
I remember seeing his article in an ancient Model Railroad Craftsman Magazine.
Yes, the method yields beautiful trees, but yes, their a royal P.I.T.A. to make. I also tried, unsuccessfully to buy some of the "Mimosa Asparagus Fern" that I once used to make branches for this type of tree making.
No dice at Walmart, or Home Depot's garden section. I'll probably need to check with a real nursery. 
There is a tool, used by machinists, to find the exact center of any stock they want to turn in a lathe. I have a mini version that came with my Unimat toy lathe. It is quite a simple tool and you should be able to make one easily. First, think of a framing square. This is the large, "L" shaped, no moving parts, type used by carpenters when framing a house. Now shrink that same flat "L" shape down to a 2"-6" flat corner bracket sold by Home Depot.
To make a centering tool, just add a straight piece of flat bar stock on top; that has one side aligned with the exact middle of the "L"s 90 degree angle. This top piece should go off at an exact 45' angle. That's it. Tool's done.
To use it, take that tree trunk dowel and nestle it down tightly into the 90' angle. Now trace a pencil line along the 45' piece. Rotate the whole tool about 90' and draw a second line. Where the two lines cross, will be the exact center.
Hope that helps you with your tree making, as you have helped mine.

again thanks;

Traction Fan


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Micromark sells one, too, if you'd rather not make it.


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## MeCasa (Nov 16, 2007)

For barking, try putting a metal brush on a drill and lightly roughing the wood up. Not sure it will work but.................


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