How to make trees for your trains o scale scenery.

by Alex Corbie

Trains o scale update. The methods that I'm going over recently are the real shoestring methods as that is what I have had a lot of feedback for.

Method One:

The first method is go out into your back yard or when you are next out in the great outdoors and simply pick things from nature. Most trees are fractal!
This means that the structure has a reoccuring pattern throughout. A lot of trees will have similar twig structures as their main branch structure, so you go out and find twigs that look like trees!
Sounds obvious hey? But you would be surprised at how many people will bend over backwards to make their own stuff for their trains o scale scenery and yet after one walk you could gather enough to fill your layout.

You can also find trees and shrubs that have very small leaves, this will save even more time and ensure that you dont even have to cover the tree once you are back.


Don't just limit your search to twigs you can find this sort of stuff everywhere, plants can be a great source but usually wont last as long depending on what you are looking at of course. Anything that has dried will last for a long time.
So you come back with your collection from the natural world.
Some of them like I said will already have leaves on them, the best time to get these are autumn as the leaves will already be dry and wont fall off them.

So what to do with the twigs without leaves?
Do you have an old sponge lying around? Maybe from the kitchen sink you can find a sponge or scourer (not metal).
Next time you have the oven on for dinner, leave the sponge in the oven afterward. Obviously let most of the heat out first or it will melt. Then just shut the door and let it get bone dry.
This can then be used to make what people buy in the shops for free, and can be fashioned to any size you like. If it is dry enough you should be able to pull it apart with your hands but if not just use some scissors. Tearing will give a more natural look.

Get some PVA glue and mix with water, around 1 part glue to 4 parts water. Soak your twigs in the solution, then wait for a while until the glue goes sticky. Once the solution is nice and sticky dab them in a tray of your dried up sponge.
You can either spray the sponge once it is on the tree or you can spray two batches of sponge with different shades of green or whatever colour you want and then once they are dry mix them together and cover your trees in that.
You can buy commercial foliage from any model train store or any world of warcraft type place. It is very handy stuff and you can get a big bag for next to nothing, so its probably worth just getting a bag first as last. Then with the sponge method you can make the foliage to your own requirements (size and colour).

Method Two:

The second method of making your own trees is more advanced and can be used to make just about any tree you can possibly imagine. With this method the possibilities are literally endless.

You take some old wire and some pliers. You need some copper wire that is made up of lots of strands not a single solid line. These are perfect:

First you remove the plastic from the wire so you are just left with the copper, then you decide where on the tree you would like the branches to start and make a twist in the wire at that point to secure it.
Pull back a few strands of wire at a time so you can split it further to make branches or twigs.
Then with all of your strands you can fashion the branches however you like cutting and cropping where you feel necessary. The beauty of the copper is that it can be bent into any shape you like and will stay that way. As with the last method you soak the wire structure in your solution of water and PVA, wait for it to dry a little and go sticky, then dab gently in your tray of dried sponge or commercial foliage.
Once dry, spray with your aerosol to finish.
You now have a mixed variety of personally crafted flora to add to your trains o scale or any other scale set.


Hope you found this useful, if you have any hints or tips yourself or you have a question to ask dont hesitate to contact me - info@trainsoscaleus.com

www.trainsoscaleus.com

See the article with pictures here: Trains O Scale


About the Author

I am model train enthusiast from england with a keen passion for making train layouts and making them on the cheap! My sets are trains o scale but I am interested in every scale and gauge. I am a pragmatist through and through and hate wasting money.
You can read my blog here: Trains O Scale Blog