aberdare

Hi Nick

I like the idea you have there and it looks an interesting looking project.

It's good to see you involved in something else now that MM is complete.

I look forward to watching the progress of this.

That is looking great. I prefer to use heather and seamoss myself as the heather looks like a mini tree already with exquisit texture and colour. Sea moss you have to work on a bit. Wire ones work better probably for bare trees though as the transition from heather to seamoss isnt the smoothest. Heres the large one I did on Outon Road

 

2012-01-09 21.36.31.jpg

The beauty of Seamoss is that you can also grow it yourself, this was something I considered before going for a more bare tree look.

Lots of options for you now Al.

Said with real feeling, Jim!

 

As for "bog brush trees". I bought a few of them - I think they were by K&M. As realistic as a  - well, a bog brush!

 

I'll certainly be trying out your wire method (a la Hemyock) when I get to detail KL2. 

 

In the meantime - keep looking for those old photos!

 

Jeff

Jeff,

When I say 'lost' I actually mean destroyed, there are just some things in life you are so embarrassed about they just have to be erased from history, the worst thing is I thought it was brilliant and ground breaking, 

Thank God there was no internet then, just doesn't bear thinking about.

Hi Al

I mean the outer sheath of the 8 core cable as this is the one with the most stiffness, the smaller ones will remain fairly flexible but to be honest I prefer to remove the lot so everything stays exactly where I want it. It usually means that more wire is required then to get the thickness but I like that as it means more branches but of course the thickness can be made up with your chosen filler if you prefer, 

Though I went for lots of wires to get a feature tree I would be just as happy producing a wood on expanding foam such as John de Frayssinets 'Cliffhangar', which I think is brilliant.

Hi Al

With regard to the method you are familiar with mine and what works for me.

I find that leaving the sleeving on prevents the trunk or thicker branches from being bent especially if more than one is involved, if this is removed I think it is easier to shape and also prevents that step from sleeved to bare wire being so obvious, if wanting a bare tree I feel it is necessary to avoid that sort thing showing. By all means use Das or some other flexible filler and I think it will improve the appearance no end.

The smaller branches look absolutely fine for a bare tree though as does the general shape.

I look forward to your MkII version.

Best of luck

I lost all my early photographs of the layout from the late 70s and early 80s and I think it's for the best as it was very compressed, Hemyock which is now 10.5ft was on a 6ft board and nowhere near as prototypical, think bog brush fir trees from string and twisted wire made in a drill. Nothing like that was ever there and I did like lots of track as well, twice round the garage and 4 stations, I must have been mad.

Boy, am I ever glad I lost those pics.

On another Topic Yodel have been throwing my new Class 40 around since last Friday, claiming they could not gain entry, despite the fact that there has been someone in all the time and no card has ever been dropped off.

 

I spoke to Hatton's about continued  poor service from Yodel and they said that their experience is very good with Yodel and that I am unusual in having problems with them.

 

AM I alone?  Does everyone else find them fantastic?

 

I did notice that the address for Yodel is not far from Hatton's, so maybe that has some bearing, although in which way, I could not comment.

 

Shame, as I find Hatton's fantastic.  In future I will put a note my orders not to use Yodel under any circumstance, as advised by Hattons

I've had stuff delivered from them over the last three days - not Hattons though - and all items have been delivered the next day so no problems here. maybe it's a regional thing.

Thank you Scott and Chris,

.

Work will appear to stall for a while now as I'm taking the opportunity of the good weather to dye more leaves in a variety of Autumn shades and get them dried for storage, it's also too good a chance to miss and make a few changes to the river bank and grassed area at what is currently the front of the layout.

I seem to have got pretty quick at tree making now and while things are drying I keep the momentum going, however I do need to look at other things too which I shall address later in the month.

Nice to see you joining in the tree making Al, I did mine on the cheap too as all the items used were lying about in my shed.

I do find it easier to twist wires without the outer sheath though, it will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

Hope it all comes together.

Great work with the lights Al, it shows up your interior detailing really well which could be unseen otherwise, not sure whether to do mine or not but seeing this makes it tempting. 

But then again doing all that detail like you have .... Hmmm ???

Thanks dt!

Had resorted to dipping the tiny parts in a small puddle of cyano and wiping most off before placing very carefully. The particular glue used is clear so the misplacements don't show up too bad.

Painting them after was a nightmare in itself! I messed up on the open one but it will be under an awning behind the walkway so hardly seen.

Hi Shaun

I was going to ask how you did those and made such a good job of them, but I think I can guess

Great work so far.

Many thanks for all the replies to the build they are much appreciated and definitely an encouragement to keep things moving.

Just a few comments to try and answer any points made.

I think it was Justin Hayward who sang 'Forever Autumn' Jim.Nice work.

Correct, live concert of War of the Worlds at Wembley was something else. 

 

Thanks. That’s a tune I have often sung to myself, a bit of a favourite track and album and very apt for the layout.

I have a computer with a dongle. A very small dongle, but adequate (as the two Ronnies said).

 

Lovely tree. I have five or six trees in 1:24 scale to build so they should be at least 600mm high. Too scared to start but no doubt once I do, it will all become clear to me.

Now that’s a great scale to add even more detail, make that start and enjoy the build and please post up the results.

G'day Jim,

 

Very nice tree !

 

I read that you use PVA and plaster to cover the wire, which does looks great with a pleasing effect. Have you considered using an acryllic based 'flexible gap filler' for coating the wire. Something similar to this ; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flexible-Acrylic-Gap-Filler-White/dp/B008EHJST0

I have used this on my trees and is quite easy to apply. If the gap filler is too thick to apply with a paintbrush, it can be thinned down with a little water. Also, being acryllic allows it to be painted with acryllics and enamels after it has dried.

 

Cheers, Gary.

Thanks Gary, I did think about using something similar but as it is going to be permanent anyway  I preferred to blow the plaster on to coat each individual branch and get the final texture for the bark, my thoughts were that for this tree the branches – being thin – were too dense and difficult to coat and this method would avoid blobs as well as being very quick though extremely messy.

Strangely enough the mix with acrylic colour added seem to have some flexibility as I was able to bend them again later for better positioning without cracking. Certainly if I didn’t have such thin bare branches I would have used the same method as you.

The second tree is now underway as I intend to build 3 or 4 each year, well, I do need a lot of trees of different species and even a dead one (or two).

Once again thanks for all the likes and comments from everyone else. 

You forgot a leaf.

OMG!!!! Noooooo.

Oh hang on a minute........ Phew, I've just checked and as it is autumn I have modelled it on the line , great believer in authenticity me

Chris – I think you are right as the idea is to have a history of it all being built including the stock which I hope to start on later in the year.

Armin – I did leave it alone, well sort of, I just tweaked a bit here and a bit there when completing the foliage.

Well. I think it is finally finished  or do I just need to.......

No, it’s fine so enough waffling from me and I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves and leave you to enjoy – I hope – the following photographs.

As is normal with my pictures if you click on them you should get a bigger view.

Hopefully I should get another computer tomorrow, no more dongle issues.

A short break now as the polytunnel and DIY jobs are calling.

My interest was also inherited from my father but strangely enough was not followed by my brother who has all his N gauge stuff, I think sister-in -law stops him from taking it up though.

My dads interest and mine were always poles apart though in period and detail, whereas he was happy to plonk a few plastic houses and trees around his chosen plan and shunt stuff, I was not.

I always thought that he had secretly always wanted to be an express train driver on the GWR. 

Gosh!! I'm amazed by the reaction so far I feel a bit embarrassed by it all

Chris - Glad you feel it's real as I sit here looking at it and picking holes in it thinking about what I could have done better, maybe I'd better just be content.

Mikkel - I usually think that about your work so to hear that from your good self is an honour indeed, thank you, oh and for the status update which directed members here.

Robin - thanks, though I have not commented on your thread so far it has always been one that I follow as it is very good.

Work on the tree has come to a bit of a stop currently as my caring role is in great demand for a few days, so there will be a delay before the finished article is revealed.

As I have a number of different trees to make including a lovely old dead one that I photographed last year I may start a separate thread for them.

Thanks for looking in and for all the positive comments & likes etc.

Jim

Thanks for the invite. Unfortunately I'll not be around .... going over to sunny (!!) Cumbria (to my dads) tomorrow and won't be back until Tuesday.

 

I need an excuse to head in the direction of Whitby (the nearest I get these days is Grosmont). So if you have an exhibition on over the summer I'll pop down, meet you and have a look at your splendid layout(s)!!

 

Jeff

I believe Pauls group hold their exhibition in Goathland, at least that's where I first caught up with him last year, of course he didn't have his layout with him then but as far as I can remember he is at York this year. So I'll be catching up with him and GM then.

Thank you all for your positive comments once again.

Jaz, the texturing is the important bit for me as the foliage will be a bit on the sparse side and there has been a bit more work on that since.

Andy, the leaves are being fixed on so I hope they inspire you and with your artistic streak a tree like this will be easy.

Chris, the intention as mentioned above is to have very few leaves, enough to add a bit of colour and thicken the branch ends but not conceal the main frame of it.

Mikkel, believability is the key word here the more things I can get that appear as real miniatures the more believable the whole model will be and if I can get this right as well as a few other bits I will be very happy.

The progress so far has been slow as it has been spray, blow and dry a few times to get the texture right, the last of these was this morning and the tree was left to dry in the breeze – well anchored down – and sunshine so the final colours could be added later.

I then took a bit of time out with Grand-daughter reading books and building Lego houses – still plastic bricks you note – and then it was back for the final paint before I lost the daylight, this was again sprayed to protect the texture. I managed to get a few shots before I lost the light and then continued with the foliage. The foliage is finely shredded Woodland Scenics  (yellow), dried crushed leaves (brown) , these are fixed by applying small amounts of PVA to the branches and dropping the mix of the above through and over the branches, any gaps are filled with the WS bits using tweezers. More on this in a few days once I have worked my way down the tree.

So a few pics of todays  work. 

The tree completed with a little foliage on the canopy.

Foliage close-up

Trunk texture close-up ( I’m quite pleased with the little holes and texture from blowing plaster on)

And finally in silhouette against the fading light

Having read and followed this topic since it started as I always wanted a cutter, I finally ordered one on Friday and it arrived today. 

It now looks as if this evening is going to be spent learning how it all works. So thank you to all those who have contributed to this excellent thread and who have hopefully made it easier for me to understand it all.

Just a quick update on the progress of the tree.

I have started to add the covering to form the bark. This was made from plaster, PVA and water and was applied to the trunks and main branches with a brush, I continued with this until I felt I had built up enough thickness and shape. Once this had dried it was time to apply it to the smaller branches, this was too difficult to apply by brush as the thinnest branches would clog as would the small joints that formed them.

The way I treat these is to make a mix of diluted PVA with a bit of black paint added, taking the tree outside this is then sprayed on through an old spray bottle until the branches have had a good soaking with a fine mist, the tree is then tapped to shake of any droplets that may cause a lump to form on the ends or joints. Now the plaster can be applied by blowing fine dust over the frame-work, I place some in the palm of my hand and give it a rub to remove lumps and simply stand back and blow so that the fine dust settles on the branches, dust is applied all round as well as up and down.

A bit messy but I think it seems to work OK, a puffer bottle may also be useful but not having one I can’t say.

A few photos to show the current state of the model which has been left to dry overnight.

More updates as and when they occur.

Hi Chris

I couldn't make up my mind whether to give a friendly/supportive for the power cable or a like for wanting to start a workbench thread, so you can have both verbally instead.

I lost the power supply to this one - frayed cable -  and had to buy a new one and then the wireless card failed and had to get the dongle, I need a new laptop really.

Please do get yourself out to buy that card as I'm looking forward to your build thread.

All the best 

Jim

I added a like in the end.

Time for a coffee and THE OTHER HALF of the bun before I have another look in the Layouts section.

 

And

Andy

What I want to know is, are you eating less buns or just spreading them out through the day.

Plans being reviewed hey! I must admit I'm doing the same but not for the stations as they are fixed but how they will fit in the shed, I need to know so that I can plan the final fixing positions.

Hi Jaz

I'm not into this era of diesels but I can appreciate good painting when I see it. A job very well done.

Great stuff.

Thanks Jeff,

I must admit I was a bit worried about the light at first as it was throwing it down outside at that time and this is the first time I have used the lighting in the shed for photography.

As for covering the tree with foliage there won't be much, I'm modelling Autumn so a lot of the leaves will be on the ground, I may have to make some more as my local sources always seem to have sold out when I get there. The reason for using the fine wire is so that I get that detail on the tree frame itself and now I need to ensure I get that covering just right, the look of the bark will be all important to the overall look. 

Love the comment Stefan, thank you.

Jaz, thank you. The tree is supposed to be an Elm, a bit like this one only without the top bit, the trunk will thicken when covered and there will be others alongside.

A few photos of the added branches today which I think has given me my final form, the tree by the way has shrunk by 12ft with all the twisting.