# N scale deciduous tree - twisted wire methods



## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

I thought I'd share some specifics on how I was able to make some nice looking trees for my N gauge layout.

I started with 20ga stranded wire in white color that is about 5.5" long. The wire I used has 20 strands of silver colored wire inside white colored insulation. Using the techniques below, a 5.5" length of 20ga stranded wire becomes a tree about 3.5" tall, give or take how much you twist. The more you twist, the shorter and fatter the tree trunk and branches bccome.

1) Strip off about 3/4" of one end. This will be the base. Spread out the strands in all directions, then insert a straight pin, pointed end in, up into the core just enough to make the pin sturdy. Snip off the head of the pin. This pin will be used to "plant" the tree. Once the pin is inserted, bunch the strands into 3-4 groups and twist to make 3-4 roots. Use CA glue on the roots, using enough to also hold onto the pin. Let dry 15 minutes. Snip to desired length.

2) Leave about 3/4" to 1" of insulation in place to be the trunk portion of the tree below the first branches. Strip off all the insulation above this trunk section. Strip off no more than a couple inches at a time... you don't want to remove any individual strands, and if you try to remove too much insulation at a time, you may end up removing some strands with it.. Once done, you should have 20 individual strands coming out of the top of the trunk.. The trunk, including the roots you made, will be about an inch long. The bare strands will be about 4 inches long, and will kind of fan out and flop around until you do something with them.

3) separate the 20 strands into 2 groups of about 10 strands each. Holding onto the truck section with one hand, twist the 2 bunches around each other at least 3 turns. This extends the trunk a little bit higher, and also ads some rigidity to the trunk for the branches to be effective.. The more twists, the taller the trunk before the first branch or branches.

4) now comes the time to form the branch structure. There are a couple different methods to form the branch structure based on how you want to model the tree:
a) A main "crotch" with 2-3 main branches than further branch off as you go higher.
b) One main trunk with several small branches coming off the main trunk as it gets taller and narrower. These branches will have 2-3 smaller branches at the tips.
c) a hybrid, where a couple small branches come off the main trunk, every few scale feet.

4(a) - the "crotch" technique: By now, you have twisted the 2 bunches of 10 strands together to form a short extension of the trunk, and your 2 10-strand buches are kind like a "Y" at the top of the trunk. Let's do three main branches that all separate at one crotch. Separate the 20 strands into 3 groups of 6-7 strands each. Work with one of these 6-7 strand bunches at a time... split the first group into 2 groups of 3-4 strands each. Then twist these 2 groups to make one branch of all 6-7 strands twisted together. Twist at least 3 times, but I usually do 6-8 twists, and end up with a main branch that is 1/4" to 3/8" long. Repeat the process for the other 2 main branches. Continue to separate branches into smaller branches until you end up with several 2 or 3 strand sections that will become the outer most single strand branches that form the canopy

4(b) - the "one main trunk" technique: By now, you have twisted the 2 bunches of 10 strands together to form a short extension of the trunk. Now it is time to create the first branch. Separate 4 strands from the main bunch of 20. This leaves you with a small bunch (4 strands) and the remaining 16 strands of the main trunk. Trist the main trunk a few more times to extend the main trunk up past the first branch, which is the 4 stands you separated. Then, work with the first branch by splitting the 4 strands into 2 2-strand groups. Twist these 2 2-starnds groups (at least a few times) to make the branch as long as you want. Then, twist each 2-strand portions around themselves. By now, the first branch is formed, and has 2 smaller branches at the tip that are 2 strands each. At the end of this branch, work with a single strand at a time. Make a loop at the end with each single strand, twisting the loop so that it is all held together. Then snip the loop at the very end. This will create 2 tiny branches at the tip. Repeat this whole process until the entire tree is formed.

Here is a picture showing the wire forms after they have been completed. Some of these trees have the insulation as the trunk, some of them are twisted all the way.

The one at the bottom right is a "crotch" style. The one in the center is a hybrid, the one at the bottom left is "main trunk" method.










Here are a few pics of them after being painted, and flocked. I used WS clump foliage with a mixture of medium green and olive green. Just used spray adhesive on the branches.


















I would love to do a video tutorial, but I don't really have the capability to edit video very well.


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Forgot to elaborate on the painting and flocking...

First step was to paint on some "liquid electrical tape." This is basically rubber or latex that is in liquid form. It goes on thick. Coat all strands and let dry. I used quite a bit on the truck, adding some substance. As you work your way out the limbs, be careful to not let it bunch up in the joints too much. I found that going over a section many times before it cures adds substance, and variations the thickness that mimics real branches, and not just a bunch of bare wires. I used white colored liquid tape, which helped me paint it, as I could see where I missed with the paint, allowing me to fully coat the tree with my base color (dark brown)

Then get yourself 3 colors of acrylic paint... A dark brown, a medium tan and a light gray. For mine, I started with "brown oxidation" which had a slight rusty tint to the brown. The gray was called "lichen gray"

First coat is the dark brown. Give the tree a good dose of your dark color, making sure to cover up all the now-dried liquid tape. Once that is dry, you are ready to apply the lighter colors as highlights. Use a dry brush technique to apply the medium tan. Basically, get some paint on the brush, then "paint" a piece of scrap paper until your brush is barely transferring any paint on the paper. Then brush the branches and truck vigorously using what's left in the brush. The result should be a light coating of the tan color on all the high spots, thereby adding highlights that look like light hitting the high points, and shadows in the low points. Let that dry for a few minutes, then repeat with the lighter gray color to ad another variation to the highlights.

Once you are happy with the paint, you are ready to apply the leaves. I used "Clump foliage" by Woodland Scenic. It comes in a lot of colors. I made a mixture of olive green and medium green, and put enough for several trees into an old Tupperware container.. temporarily "plant" a tree into a piece of scrap foam. Dust the top of the tree (limbs only) with a spray adhesive. Just a few short spurts is all you need. Then dip the tree into the foliage mixture. You can sprinkle more on by hand, and you can also lightly squeeze the clumps of clumps onto the tips of the branches if necessary.


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## Bluwtr (Feb 28, 2021)

Here are a couple of pics of ones I've done. I used "mold builder" which is just silicone rubber that your brush on for my coating. I too used clump foliage and I used fine and medium turf for variation. I want to find a way/technique to texture my bark though.. I tried "crackle paint" but it didn't crack--no idea why. The second pic includes some made with natural "trunks" and some made with wire as well.

Mine are N scale btw.


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Those look great!! You have mastered the root system for sure.

Do you start with stranded wire and strip the insulation, or did you start with a bunch of bare wires?


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

Thanks for doing this write up. I look forward to trying this. 

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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## Bluwtr (Feb 28, 2021)

Sorry for the slow response. I use floral wire in the smallest gauge I can find. I cut the wires approximately 2x longer than the tree will be tall. I then double them and twist. I cut the loop on the bottom when I'm done to form the roots. I coat the finished armature with a latex rubber "molding compound". Then I paint with a flat brown. I really want to texture my trunks better though.


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

I have found that liquid tape works really well to obscure the strands of wire, and it holds paint well. Perhaps a soft wire brush to grate the trunk after it dries but before paint?


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## Bluwtr (Feb 28, 2021)

That's not a bad idea. Maybe even a toothbrush. Basically anything that will scratch it etc. I may try that on the next one. 

Here is a pic of the stuff I use. It's water soluble so clean up is easy and it too takes paint perfectly. It dries a "snotty" dull yellow but who cares. The only "problem" with it is that it stinks of ammonia.


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