shortliner Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 "Yesterday it was tumbleweeds blowing across the road - today it was snow!"Â by pH....... does anyone know if it is possible to get dried stalks of this in UK - I'm told that short lengths make excellent tree-trunks - I know that UK customs are funny about plant matter being imported (though how "Forest in a Box" gets in I'm not sure)? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Tumbleweed isn't the same thing as sagebrush, and there's "good" sagebrush and "bad" sagebrush at that. I've sometimes found some good dry stalks in the Cajon Pass area, but I believe these are "bad" sagebrush anyhow. I'm not sure where the "good" sagebrush comes from that's sometimes sold. I would say that you've also got to look carefully at the species of tree you're trying to model. The sagebrush trunks to my way of thinking probably would do best for live oak or cottonwood, but not much for common trees like maple, sycamore, or elm. Most of the time you're best off doing wire armatures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 Thanks John - from this side of the pond it is sometimes hard to work out what may be "good advice", and what may not! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Jack, you got me thinking, not necessarily a good thing, but I remembered I have some "bad" sagebrush that's been drying out for 20 years or more, never had a good idea what to do with it once I had it. Here's a stalk: The size in the photo is maybe 30 inches top to bottom. As you can see just by looking outdoors (assuming there are trees where you are), the whole idea is better in theory than in practice -- most trees don't reduce to any pieces you can easily get off this. However, here's something that might be done -- these look to be forlorn remnants of cottonwoods, though I'm not a botanist and will stand corrected by anyone knowledgeable: The two in the photo have probably been chewed up by cattle. Here's a more normal (I think probable) cottonwood: Even this would be hard to do from a sagebrush armature. It's best for very gnarly, picturesque trees, but I'm realizing there are probably some spots on my layout where I could do this. Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 John, thanks for that - your picture looks very like the roots of gorse bushes found washed up on the shore of the Cromarty Firth, a quarter mile from me - I think I need to go for a walk! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Yes, roots, I forgot about those. I've known guys who pull up weeds in the back yard and wash off the root structure. If you can soak them with latex or something like that, so much the better. Probably at least as good a solution as sagebrush! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Yes, roots, I forgot about those. I've known guys who pull up weeds in the back yard and wash off the root structure. If you can soak them with latex or something like that, so much the better. Probably at least as good a solution as sagebrush!  A good idea, the roots. Looking quite convincing. Instead of latex: GLYCERINE I've heard. Not yet tried for myself. Anyway I would bake them in an oven (if the Good Lady agrees, of course) to kill bacteriae, fungus, etc. (not that they live up next summer…)  Armin   Edit: and what about thyme twigs/roots? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Microwaving natural stuff for a minute or two usually kills most bugs and germs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 OOOH, ping trees? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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