Tree and other materials

[msh]

If you want to save money on trees (and other things), do what I say and no one will get hurt. Get in your car and go to two places; Wal Mart and Michael's. If there's no Michael's, any arts and crafts store of size.

Wal Mart:

go to the fake flower isle and look for a rack full of dried stuff for ornamental use. There you will find something called Caspia. Dozens of potential diciduous trees on every branch. I got no less than 50 out of one pack alone and that was just the green ones. Just spray with matte medium and sprinkle on or dip in foliage. WOW!

Next to this (or below) is Create A Craft Floral Moss. Would make great foliage or ground cover too.

Michael's (or art supply):

go to the modeling clay isle and look on the wall for Rigid Wrap. No this has nothing to do with trees. It's a good plaster gauze to replace the messy towels and plaster used for mountains. half the price of Woodland scenics for the same amount.

Go now to the fake flower area and look for what's called Phalaris - this stuff will provide you with dozens of evergreen trees of varied shape - you just have to paint them green along with the matte/foliage combo.

There are other dried goodies there too - so look at all of them.

In the next isle, look for a little, natural looking hand broom - it's a $1.50 but contains unlimited fibers perfect for tall grasses, weeds or anything else you can think of.

That's it for this week! See you on the next episode of Mr. Cheap builds a Railroad.

Good Nite!

 

[Matt Probst]

I echo what MSH has said... I have boxes FULL of caspia and other natural materials just waiting for the "ground" to be "planted" in...
MR had a feature a few years ago that ran for several months> I think it was called "Lets make trees" (or something to that effect)
that gave an extremely good detailed step by step instructions on this method.
With caspia (dried baby's breath) though, the tree trunk should be wrapped in floral tape and roughed up with a razor saw and then painted a good bark color and drybrushed with white to bring out the highlights. Looks awesome.

Matt--Hershey, Pa.

 

[rich maiorano]

am just going to use a couple of dead bushes i have in the yard and cut down some spira (I think thats how you spell it) got a whole load of that to cut down but will be checking out the craft stores and wal-mart we got a micheals and ac moore store close by

 

[TR-Flyer]

Hi:
Have a related question for you "cheap tree guys". I want to make good looking trees that i can transport to train shows and "plant" on my S-gauge modules at the show. What do you think would make the best looking, MOST DURABLE, trees? I like fall colors but for now any ideas would be appreciated. I've used babies breath on architectural models and thought it worked great, but i don't think it will hold up well at shows. Some of the tree kits would work but the cost adds up after a short period of time. Cheap is good.

Was thinking of tranporting them in liquor boxes with the cardboard dividers left in to help isolate and protect each tree or group of trees. At 3/16-inch scale i need something 4-inches tall to represent a 24-foot tree.

Thanks,
Ted

 

[sumpter250]

tr-flyer,
Most of the pictures I've posted were taken on my HO modules( including my avatar). Those trees are permanently mounted on the module scenery. I've been taking them to shows for almost fifteen years now, in the trailer I built, and have had little damage. There's over 270 trees in the 2'X12' of modules. Most of them are over 4" high, and built from natural "armatures", they are very fragile, but survive they do.
Pete

 

[Vic]

Take A Hike!

In the fall after the leaves have fallen off the plants and weeds and such, take a hike around your neighborhood, you'll find tons of stuff that makes great armatures for trees.

 

[NYCentral]

I do the take a hike routine in the Fall and when I run out (like now) I do use Caspia (in fact I have three packages I purchased last week at home).

I use cheap hair spray to attach the foliage to my trees, just spray and dip into foam, spray again and dip, repeat until desired effect is complete. The cheaper the hair spray the better it seems to work.

I also after Christmas collect all the small artificial trees I can find (for free), with a little ground foam and minor alteration they make great Pines.

 

[planeshavings42]

Originally posted by msh
If you want to save money on trees (and other things), do what I say and no one will get hurt. Get in your car and go to two places; Wal Mart and Michael's. If there's no Michael's, any arts and crafts store of size.

Wal Mart:

go to the fake flower isle and look for a rack full of dried stuff for ornamental use. There you will find something called Caspia. Dozens of potential diciduous trees on every branch. I got no less than 50 out of one pack alone and that was just the green ones. Just spray with matte medium and sprinkle on or dip in foliage. WOW!

Next to this (or below) is Create A Craft Floral Moss. Would make great foliage or ground cover too.

Michael's (or art supply):

go to the modeling clay isle and look on the wall for Rigid Wrap. No this has nothing to do with trees. It's a good plaster gauze to replace the messy towels and plaster used for mountains. half the price of Woodland scenics for the same amount.

Go now to the fake flower area and look for what's called Phalaris - this stuff will provide you with dozens of evergreen trees of varied shape - you just have to paint them green along with the matte/foliage combo.

There are other dried goodies there too - so look at all of them.

In the next isle, look for a little, natural looking hand broom - it's a $1.50 but contains unlimited fibers perfect for tall grasses, weeds or anything else you can think of.

That's it for this week! See you on the next episode of Mr. Cheap builds a Railroad.

Good Nite!

Great Article Bonkyrail I'm on my way to Walmart and Michael's today...Thanks Much

 

[TinGoat]

Plaster wrap..

Originally posted by msh
Michael's (or art supply):

go to the modeling clay isle and look on the wall for Rigid Wrap. No this has nothing to do with trees. It's a good plaster gauze to replace the messy towels and plaster used for mountains. half the price of Woodland scenics for the same amount.

Make your own Rigid Wrap.... I haven't tried this yet, but it should work in theory.

Take some cheese cloth from any source. Grocery stores, hardware or craft stores all carry cheesecloth. You could also visit the drug store and get rolls of bandage gauze to use, but it can be a little more expensive.

Dampen it slightly. (Not wet! )

Dredge through / or sprinkle with dry casting plaster (Plaster of Paris) or LePage's Poly Filler dry powder.

Pat it down to make sure that the cheese cloth is well coated.

Lay out the plaster coated cheesecloth on wire mesh, cardboard strips, carved styrofoam or balled up newspapers. (Whatever your preference.)

Spray with wet water and smooth/shape with hands and/or tools of choice.

This is very messy/dusty, but cheap!

 

[davidstrains]

Hey Guys.

In using those dried flowers, do you cut off the flower heads and just use the stems or do you matte the heads and use the ground foam over them?

My wife has about 14 packages of a veriety os stuff that could make a lot of trees. What is your technique.

Thanks

 

[Freelancer]

David, all I have to say is that you check with your wife before you use her stuff. You don't want to start a war.

 

[Drew1125]

Originally posted by davidstrains
....In using those dried flowers, do you cut off the flower heads and just use the stems or do you matte the heads and use the ground foam over them?....

Try it both ways...this will give you a different look, & more variety.