RMweb Gold traction Posted November 22, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 22, 2011 Well, I'm currently building a very simple OO layout which I reveal in due course......when it's got a bit further!! I need some large trees, looking about I could get some, the model tree shop has some very nice looking large trees 300mm tall and over, but the canopy is also about 300mm plus in diameter, this would take up the whole layout!! With a chat from Mr Ian Morton, who suggested I have a go at building my own, I looked about and found Treemendus models, where you can buy a kit to do just that! I exchanged emails with Anthony from Treemendus and with his help and advice and a good set of photographic instructions took the plunge and had a go at making my own. This is the first tree I've ever built, but I think it's turned out really well. Now I have ordered a tree kit from Treemendus, but as is the norm, I couldn't wait to have a go! I nipped to the local DIY store and bought a 100m roll of green plastic covered wire, which is very easy to bend, they do sell the plain wire as well, which is included in the kit, but thought if the "bark" doesn't stick the green plastic showing through wouldn't look too bad and at £5 it was worth a practice run. I followed the set of instructions Anthony had sent me and created the main structure, in the kit you get 100 x 12inch long lengths of wire, which is enough to make one 10-11inch tall tree. All I did was cut 90 12" lengths off the 100m roll to give me the start for the armature, this is after trimming the ends of the branches back a little bit to tidy everything up:- I have covered the trunk with masking tape as advised and now for the messy bit, I didn't have the glue or the "Treesy Peesy bark powder" as supplied in the kit, so a bit of improvisation was called for! I mixed up some PVA glue with water, I think it was about 50/50 may have been a touch more water, I then added some choc chip emulsion paint from a tester pot I had lying around. Mixed this lot up then added Polyfilla until it went quite thick but not too thick so I could paint it all over the tree structure. This was duly done and left to dry :- The Bark effect has turned out much better than I thought it would, and has dried very quickly, although I'm still gingerly holding it just in case bits fall off, I have no idea if the Polyfilla/glue mix will stick ok to the plastic covered wire! In the kit you actually get a "Canopy" which looks like hair which you pull bits off and thin it out, it actually looks like long hair thats been pulled off a hair brush and loosely made into a ball. The instructions then say spray that both sides with hairspray and sprinkle on the leaf scatter both sides, this is then placed on the branches of the tree armature. This is repeated until the tree is covered, you then spray the whole thing with scenic glue which holds the canopy to the armature. I don't have the kit so had to use what I could find! Searching around my bits and bobs I actually found some autumnal tree foilage, this is on those very thin mat type affairs where you have to pull it out to make it really thin, I think it's Hornby Skalescenics but I just can't remember where I got it from or what make it is! It's more or less the same as in the instructions although this has the scatter already on the mat like material, which I just pulled apart to make as thin as possible then tried to put it on the branches to make it look ok. I will leave the bark to dry out before I spray the foilage with the glue to stick it to the armature but I think it's turned out ok to say it's my first go at making a tree! This is now about 250mm high from the top of the polystyrene block, and about 200mm diameter, I'm hoping once I get it on the layout it will look ok. Yes I could have carried on like this, and not bought a kit. I thought it only fair to order a kit from Treemendus for the help advice and instructions that Anthony has sent me and the tree kit is £20 so I could cut the wire in half and have two 6inch trees if I wanted. This is showing a Bachmann OO scale figure at the base of the tree, I think the tree may be a little on the large side!! Any comments or suggestions would be most welcome, hope it's some useful information. Cheers Ian Oh and Mr Ian Morton you're right it is great fun making them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted November 22, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 22, 2011 Hi there, I have used the Treesy-Peesy bark and it is good stuff, however I have also had some success using a mix obtained from sweeping the garage floor! It's presumably a mix of sawdust and dried mud; collected in dustpan, sieved to remove the big bits, then coat the trunk and larger branches with Woodlands Scenics scenic cement (or dilute PVA) and sprinkle the mix on. Also, I have had some success using small bits of sea foam (forest in a box) superglued onto the ends of the twisted wire branches; these are then dipped in PVA and then foliage is sprinkled on. This is particularly effective for an autumn tree, as the foliage is not quite as thick. cheers Ben A. cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted November 22, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 22, 2011 You can also use the Treasy Bark mixture to thicken the trunks on seamoss trees which is what I did.The Treemendus range of scenics are really worth trying.You've made a good choice Ian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalescenes Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Looks good, nice to see some true scale trees! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campaman Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 I coat the wire frame with pva then I sprinkle on sawdust and leave to dry then repeat the process to build up thickness if required. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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