[Gwent rail]

It's time to populate parts of my layout with trees.
As I could not justify the cost of buying ready made, I've just bought a sample pack of sea foam.
With no previous experiance of using this, I have done a few experiments with twigs etc. and am happy with the process of adding foliage.

The problem I have is in prepairing the samples for foliage treatment. Perhaps someone out there can help with these two questions.
1) On unpacking, they are what I would describe as "slightly more 2D than 3D". Is this normal? If so how can you "fluff them up".
2) Each sample is decidedly "curved" and needs to be straightened before use. How do you do that?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (Gwent rail @ 19 May 2007, 23:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It's time to populate parts of my layout with trees.
As I could not justify the cost of buying ready made, I've just bought a sample pack of sea foam.
With no previous experiance of using this, I have done a few experiments with twigs etc. and am happy with the process of adding foliage.

The problem I have is in prepairing the samples for foliage treatment. Perhaps someone out there can help with these two questions.
1) On unpacking, they are what I would describe as "slightly more 2D than 3D". Is this normal? If so how can you "fluff them up".
2) Each sample is decidedly "curved" and needs to be straightened before use. How do you do that?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Maybe your sample pack was not a good example - we have sold loads of sea foam without problems - where did yours come from ?

 

[Raider]

The Faller trees I bought come as 2D and you have to bend the branches to shape

 

[Gwent rail]

QUOTE (dbclass50 @ 20 May 2007, 08:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Maybe your sample pack was not a good example - we have sold loads of sea foam without problems - where did yours come from ?

International Models, a company who's products I've used before and been well satisfied with.
As far as I recall, every box of sea moss I've ever seen is full of stems with a decided curve, although the compressed nature of these samples may be a post office induced problem!

Raider:- Are the Faller trees made from sea moss?

 

[Makemineadouble]

The rialway channel is currently running a little demo on making Tree - it's excellent I sugguest you take a peek !
TRC-Trees with Jacqi Perrat

 

[Chirkwood]

The best way to straighten a sea moss tree is to soak it in a bowl of warm water for 30 mins or so and then to peg them on a line with a small weight to pull them straight

 

[Raider]

QUOTE (Gwent rail @ 20 May 2007, 12:05) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Raider:- Are the Faller trees made from sea moss?

The Faller ones I have are plastic blanks which come with flock - guess they are different to the ones being discussed.

 

[andymctractor]

QUOTE (Makemineadouble @ 20 May 2007, 14:56) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The rialway channel is currently running a little demo on making Tree - it's excellent I sugguest you take a peek !
TRC-Trees with Jacqi Perrat

Took a look at jacqi perrat's videos on The Railway Channel. I thought I knew enough about making trees but it seems that I have much to learn. These videos are well worth watching for everyone.
Andy

 

[double00]

I may have been extremely unlucky with my purchasing of model trees, finding the trees seem to cast a fine grit that litters the base area on the layout.

I certainly found that Gaugemaster selection caused most deposit, while other makes caused the same trouble.
Are Firs, Pines, Oaks etc available on the market that are clear of shedding foreign matter?

 

[Gwent rail]

QUOTE (double00 @ 6 Jun 2007, 19:36) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I may have been extremely unlucky with my purchasing of model trees, finding the trees seem to cast a fine grit that litters the base area on the layout.

I certainly found that Gaugemaster selection caused most deposit, while other makes caused the same trouble.
Are Firs, Pines, Oaks etc available on the market that are clear of shedding foreign matter?

Without doubt, the best I've purchased to date (not counting the very expensive ones ) are those manufactured and sold by SiSt trees.
Find them on The Model Tree Shop

Reasonable price, realistic and very sturdy ... no foliage drop.

 

[Madkitten]

I use the Gaugemaster Seafoam then after selecting the most tree like peices i then spray them with a very watery mix of PVA and sprinkle Gaugemaster dark green foam on them. While they are still wet i then spray them again and this time sprinkle leaves from gaugemaster over them. I tend to try and mix the colours slightly to make sure its not to uniform in colour. i then dust the underneath and low branches very lightly with some electrostatic grass ( just enough to add a little more variation in the lower branches ). Then leave to dray overnight and you have a pretty realistic tree !!

 

[Daz]

QUOTE (Makemineadouble @ 20 May 2007, 23:26) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The rialway channel is currently running a little demo on making Tree - it's excellent I sugguest you take a peek !
TRC-Trees with Jacqi Perrat

is this link broken? I saw this a while back, planning to give this a go but when I went back to look for it on the railway channel it was gone.

 

[Richard Johnson]

Thought these images might show what can be done... all are 4mm scale / correct for OO/HO.

The Willow uses over 50 metres of very fine wire to get the right look of a weeping willow and the Oak and deveral other tree types are also twisted wire. The palm is etched brass and polycarbonate castings.

I teach a tree making course from time to time and so have tried most methods...

Whilst the weeping willow project was originally conceived for my own layout they came out so well we extended the range and now we will market them all. They are all part of the MASTERscene range we are finalising now - Oak, Elm, Ash, Conifers, Generic Deciduous trees etc... in varying sizes up to 240mm depending on species. (all except the Willow already on hand). We will also soon have a 7mm scale maple tree with properly shaped maple leaves on it!

The dearest of them is $A25 or appx GBP10 - the large 150mm palm, the 140mm Willow and the 200mm+ others.... other sizes range to as low as GBP1 for the small deciduous and conifer... NONE are the "bottlebrush" types!

Richard
DCCconcepts
Perth, WA

 

[Gwent rail]

Hi Richard.
I like the examples that you have shown.
Could you let me know if your products will be available to UK modellers and if so, give some details

Reply "on-forum" or by PM and I'll contact you further.

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (Gwent rail @ 13 Dec 2007, 01:09) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Richard.
I like the examples that you have shown.
Could you let me know if your products will be available to UK modellers and if so, give some details

Reply "on-forum" or by PM and I'll contact you further.

*** I'm always happy to quote and send direct which works out reasonable, but Bromsgrove models (now for most models) - and Euroscale models (soon) will have stock in the UK.

Richard

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 13 Dec 2007, 14:09) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>*** I'm always happy to quote and send direct which works out reasonable, but Bromsgrove models (now for most models) - and Euroscale models (soon) will have stock in the UK.

Richard
You don't do Scots Pine do you?

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 13 Dec 2007, 12:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>You don't do Scots Pine do you?

***Neil, it really depends on the look you are seeking - the bare with a heavy top windswept ones or those which grow in softer areas.

One of the delights of all our trees is that if you buy several the same ten minutes tweaking the many branches can totally change the look of each so it is unique to you and your layout - and if you are fussy we also recommend a final treatment with cheap hairspray + our fine static flocks and perhaps a spray with weak water based paint in a spray bottle to match the overall colour theme of your other scenery. I do the "tweaking" over a tea-tray on my lap while watching telly - it takes only a pleasant and easy few minutes to create something very special of each of them.....

Actually the really nice conifer we do can have its branches rearranged to do a very acceptable scots pine with a fuller branch structure, and perversely, for one with less dense branch structure/our generic tree can do a great job for the "less branches more obvious layering" variant. That sort of "flat layering" of the branches is the Scots pine signature look......

the two pictures below are both Scots Pine in reality.... the larger image from Wiki, the smaller from the Royal Scots Forestry Society.... BOTH can be convincingly done with our trees....

 

[neil_s_wood]

Thanks Richard,
it's more the the bare with a heavy top windswept ones I was after for a Caldeonian Forest look. Like these ones.

I may give these a whirl.

 

[Guest]

I'm having the same Problem as you, i dont like the idea of sea foam so if anyone has any ideas id like to know.

Harrison

 

[7113]

Look no further than your back/front garden. If you have shrubs such as **** you will find that judicious pruning can give you a good basis for trees.

Regards