Large Scale Central

Lunatic Question/Idea/Hope/Possibility....

General Discussion
#1

Okay, here’s my I-don’t-know-what-to-call-it:

NOTE: This is strictly for indoor layout use.

Would it work long run if you take a real pine or evergreen tree branch, or any evergreen foliage, bush branches for instance, dip or spray it with an acrylic medium so that the needles or evergreen doesn’t fall apart when they dry out, let that dry thoroughly, then spray them whatever colors you want to represent the color of the original foliage?

You see where I’m going? I’m just not happy with furnace filter/readymade/spiral cleaner/etc. trees and bushes, but if you could use real foliage you could find excellent representations.

Has anyone tried something like this successfully?

#2

Sounds like it would work to me. One would need to be most certain to make sure that the “Glue Stuff” you use, got really good into where the needles attach, and or the leaves. The rest would just be normal branch/wood/stems/trunks or such, and painting would be normal. I know in the small scales (N, Z) modelers use weeds and grasses, and coat with clear acrylics and even hairspray as a fixative.

Give it a try and see what happens! Just let us know.

#3

I did just as Dave described in HO. I used all sorts of real vegetation. I dried everything first before applying anything and then once dry I used hair spray then paint then a clear matte finish. Now on evergreen I would be worried about the needles falling off. Figure out how to solve that then I would think it would work.

Now when I get around to my indoor micro I was thinking Bonsai Garden and use real trees and bushes.

#4

My gut reaction is that it won’t work. Even if you can successfully glue the needles in place they will still turn brown when they dry out. I don’t see how to avoid that.

For me, there are so many available artificial plants of all varieties at your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby, I think you’ll be a lot more successful and pleased with the results using the artificial stuff, but… Try it, set up a test stand and try a few of your ideas out. The hardest part will be retaining the green in the drying process. If you can crack that your set.

#5

Vic,

I guess you missed this part…

“then spray them whatever colors you want to represent the color of the original foliage?”

#6

I think you want to dry them thoroughly first, hang upside down, then they will retain shape.

Greg

#7

Joe Zullo said:

Vic,

I guess you missed this part…

“then spray them whatever colors you want to represent the color of the original foliage?”

Lol guess I need to read slower. :smiley:

#8

A long, long time ago I remember reading an article in Model Railroader (I think) about preserving plant material using glycerin. I never tried it but it might be a method that you could try out. You might search for something like “dried evergreen preserving glycerin” for addition techniques.

#9

Greg Elmassian said:

hand upside down, then will retain shape.

Greg

Yes

#10

Double post

#11

Well, yes I did this on my HO logging outfit years ago. The majority of the trees in this picture were done using real plant “armatures” sprayed with spray adhesive and “flocked” with ground foam.

The tree in the background near the house was with an armature found in the woods and flocked much like you are thinking about doing. It was a cheap way to make scenery.

Tom

#12

Sometime last century, somebody sold a tree kit. It had a balsa dowel and some sort of plant material in it. You sanded the dowel to a taper, then drilled some tiny holes in it. Into these holes you inserted the plant material; theoretically it looked like some sort of pine tree when you were done.

There’s one up at the left side of the hill, and another just to the right of the tunnel.

As I recall, it was rather tedious.

#13

I did that with wooden dowels and what was called Air Fern. Its a ferlnlike dyed plant material sold at the craft stores.

#14

Thanks, David! I had obviously forgotten the name of the plant. But, knowing the name there’s places that talk about how to build a tree.

#15

How about not drying out quite so much, so needles are not falling off, drip in white glue, hang upside down and let dry. Spray with adhesive, cover with flock and then paint?

#16

The HO guys use hairspray. They claim “the cheaper the better” I used aquanet and had good results. The best part is the looks you get at the counter when you buy it.

Terry

#17

Terry Burr said:

The HO guys use hairspray. They claim “the cheaper the better” I used aquanet and had good results. The best part is the looks you get at the counter when you buy it.

Terry

Especially if like me, you’re pretty much bald LOL.

#18

over the years i tried many ideas.

the best natural material, i found is “iceland moss”

sprayed, painted or glued, everything else tends to become too brittle after too short a time.

the best way to make trees, that look more or less acceptable, is described in this thread:

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/17297/under-pressure/view/page/1

#19

Mrs. Diesel used to use something called “Super Surface Sealer” for spraying dried floral stuff.

-Kevin.

#20

Terry Burr said:

The HO guys use hairspray. They claim “the cheaper the better” I used aquanet and had good results. The best part is the looks you get at the counter when you buy it.

Terry

Terry, yea, I used some to seal my coal load, then turned the car loose to trundle around the yard in the sun for a few hours. When I went to put it away, it looked like a mud load. The hairspray had turned brown, and so the crushed coal didn’t look like crushed coal anymore.,