I tried your technique using your video and it works great! I'm very satisfied. I bought too light floral wire and it didn't work very well, but the 20 guage worked like a champ. A point about height - In your forest I suppose the trees grow very high, but in my neighborhood the trees are shorter. I'm going for maybe the height of a house + 1/2 , maybe 3 or 4 inches in the tree height (N scale). I'm not growing a forest, just a suburban neighborhood mostly. Great video.
Artificial Xmas Trees use the bottle brush twisted wire technique for its branches and here's a nice tip in making a version of them. Take a medium to heavy monofilament and wrap it around a wedge shaped piece of foam core board/cardboard and then glue a spine out of the same line under each side to get 2-1 out of the pattern. Most plastic fishing/trimmer line likes to keep a curve which can be used to your advantage and even metal wire can be wrapped for a static grass application if desired. The stem/backbone is the key and cutting a wave/zig zag pattern helps before twisting plus gaps between branches can be made at this time as well. The advantage of wire is it will keep its position after being manipulated and filling in the trunk by adding glue/saw dust etc to hide the twist is easier on a bottle brush tree before painting/foam is applied.
Coffee stirrers are great for tree trunks when using this approach to making trees. They are easy to clue on, the wire with Alene's Tacky Glue, and paint easily.
I now make these same trees using sisal with much better results. Check out the update video here: ua-cam.com/video/_p8XHY5xZ8s/v-deo.htmlsi=eziKD3uFbe-7nLzT
I cut the twine into uniform lengths and then drop the pieces into a shallow dish of water to soak for a few hours. The twine fibers will naturally straighten themselves without any untangling by me. Drain the water and allow them to dry. The fibers will be absolutely straight. There are none to throw away and no combing required..
I make them the same way, Ron. My uncle saw a different video, and he showed me how. I found using the floral wire is better as well, with jute twine, Elmer's adhesive and ground cover. I start slow with the drill and speed it up till the loop snaps off - - fibers spread around trunk in a more uniform pattern. Did you try making blue spruce trees and lodge pole pines yet? Your presentation is much better than the other video. I will be sharing the link to your video and channel. Thanks for sharing. 👍 👍 👍
Great video Ron. Love the variety comments, as in real life, - no 2 trees look alike (unless you're on a Christmas Tree Farm (had one for over 20 years). I'm definitely going to try your methods. Thanks a lot.
Ron, great video. Love the comparison shot at the end. I think this was the first video of making these type of trees specifically for n scale that I have seen. Well done. I do have to agree with "the southern207 hobbies" comment, the overhead angle gave me vertigo. I felt like I was falling out of my chair. Looking forward to you planting that forest.
Excellent! I'm thinking of using your previous pine tree video technique to replace the trees in my logging camp (the exact "mediocre" trees you pointed out there :) ) I also have bottle brush pine trees around my coal mine, but they pretty much all look the same. This video rounds out my ideas and I am hoping to use both techniques on the BSR. Thanks Ron!
Hello, I came here to learn pine trees, and great info but I have a question about N scale. This is my first diorama ever. What is the wheel base to make a dirt road?
Very informative and well presented. I too am making some pine trees. Instead of ground foam, I'm considering using static grass to give the appearance of needles. Do you have any thoughts about that?...Harold
Static grass works great on larger scales. I made an O scale tree on a video a while back and used static grass. It is too long for N scale though. Even the 2mm gras is 3-4 feet long in N.
Thanks for your response. I see your point about N scale. I'm working in HO scale where the static grass length should be ok. Now, I just have to get the tree itself to look reasonable...Harold
Ron you are killing me....This was going to be my 1st video for Wild Hare Hobbies. We are thinking the same stuff at the same time . . . Y? Florist wire from michaels
Can't wait to try this method. I, too need a large number of trees. Thanks for sharing this technique.
Ron's Trains .
Looks real good.😊
I tried your technique using your video and it works great! I'm very satisfied. I bought too light floral wire and it didn't work very well, but the 20 guage worked like a champ. A point about height - In your forest I suppose the trees grow very high, but in my neighborhood the trees are shorter. I'm going for maybe the height of a house + 1/2 , maybe 3 or 4 inches in the tree height (N scale). I'm not growing a forest, just a suburban neighborhood mostly.
Great video.
That whole bit with the drill at 16:00 was pretty cool!
That's the fun part--the part you live for. Lol.
Artificial Xmas Trees use the bottle brush twisted wire technique for its branches and here's a nice tip in making a version of them. Take a medium to heavy monofilament and wrap it around a wedge shaped piece of foam core board/cardboard and then glue a spine out of the same line under each side to get 2-1 out of the pattern. Most plastic fishing/trimmer line likes to keep a curve which can be used to your advantage and even metal wire can be wrapped for a static grass application if desired. The stem/backbone is the key and cutting a wave/zig zag pattern helps before twisting plus gaps between branches can be made at this time as well. The advantage of wire is it will keep its position after being manipulated and filling in the trunk by adding glue/saw dust etc to hide the twist is easier on a bottle brush tree before painting/foam is applied.
I really like how they turned out. Thanks for sharing the tips.
Coffee stirrers are great for tree trunks when using this approach to making trees. They are easy to clue on, the wire with Alene's Tacky Glue, and paint easily.
That is a great tip. Thanks for sharing it.
I’m definitely going to try this, thank you!
I now make these same trees using sisal with much better results. Check out the update video here: ua-cam.com/video/_p8XHY5xZ8s/v-deo.htmlsi=eziKD3uFbe-7nLzT
@@RonsTrainsNThings Thanks!
@@RonsTrainsNThings Thanks, I just watched it. It’s on the list.
Good show, they look fantastic, looking foward to seeing the forest in the next video....thanks for sharing....Jack😀
Thanks.
Thanks Ron. I've made them before for my HO layout but you gave some good extra pointers like using the tacky glue and spray glue. Cheers.
Glad you found something useful. Thanks for watching.
Thanks Ron.
Right on Ron, Right on. Great how to video 👍. Thank you for sharing this!
I’ve never seen that technique. Very cool. Thanks.
Thanks for watching.
I cut the twine into uniform lengths and then drop the pieces into a shallow dish of water to soak for a few hours. The twine fibers will naturally straighten themselves without any untangling by me. Drain the water and allow them to dry. The fibers will be absolutely straight. There are none to throw away and no combing required..
That's a great tip. Thanks Jerry.
It's one experiment which seems to work.
Amazing work Ron. Thank you for sharing this. Your work will be used across the pond on my layout for definite
Awesome. Thanks for your comment.
I make them the same way, Ron. My uncle saw a different video, and he showed me how. I found using the floral wire is better as well, with jute twine, Elmer's adhesive and ground cover. I start slow with the drill and speed it up till the loop snaps off - - fibers spread around trunk in a more uniform pattern. Did you try making blue spruce trees and lodge pole pines yet? Your presentation is much better than the other video. I will be sharing the link to your video and channel.
Thanks for sharing. 👍 👍 👍
Great looking trees, Ron. I will give it a try. Inexpensive...music to my ears. 😁. Thanks for sharing.
- Drew
Thank you.
Nice job and look great Ron.
Thanks , Mike
Thanks, Mike.
thank you ,Ron,nice job
Спасибо Вам.
Интересно.
Those trees look great Ron. I'm looking forward to trying your technique.
Great video Ron. Love the variety comments, as in real life, - no 2 trees look alike (unless you're on a Christmas Tree Farm (had one for over 20 years). I'm definitely going to try your methods. Thanks a lot.
Ron, great video. Love the comparison shot at the end. I think this was the first video of making these type of trees specifically for n scale that I have seen. Well done. I do have to agree with "the southern207 hobbies" comment, the overhead angle gave me vertigo. I felt like I was falling out of my chair. Looking forward to you planting that forest.
Sorry, that angle was an experiment that I won't repeat.
Excellent! I'm thinking of using your previous pine tree video technique to replace the trees in my logging camp (the exact "mediocre" trees you pointed out there :) ) I also have bottle brush pine trees around my coal mine, but they pretty much all look the same. This video rounds out my ideas and I am hoping to use both techniques on the BSR. Thanks Ron!
I look forward to seeing how that goes.
I'm going to try it thank you
Let me know how it goes.
Great video ! Thanks for the great idea.
Thanks.
Hello, I came here to learn pine trees, and great info but I have a question about N scale. This is my first diorama ever. What is the wheel base to make a dirt road?
Brilliant
Thanks.
Absolutely amazing, did you use a super fine foam from woodland scenics?
Just regular WS fine.
Question - For the HO scale - what is a good highth for an average pine tree?
Very informative and well presented. I too am making some pine trees. Instead of ground foam, I'm considering using static grass to give the appearance of needles. Do you have any thoughts about that?...Harold
Static grass works great on larger scales. I made an O scale tree on a video a while back and used static grass. It is too long for N scale though. Even the 2mm gras is 3-4 feet long in N.
Thanks for your response. I see your point about N scale. I'm working in HO scale where the static grass length should be ok. Now, I just have to get the tree itself to look reasonable...Harold
Ron you are killing me....This was going to be my 1st video for Wild Hare Hobbies. We are thinking the same stuff at the same time . . . Y? Florist wire from michaels
Well, great minds think alike.
Look almost as good as mine Ron lol, gave me a few ideas when making my next batch, another great video Ron👍...Reid
Thanks Reid.
2 thumbs up !!
Can this be done in HO scale?
Have you tried paintbrush brissells?
No, but sounds expensive if you need 1,000 trees.
If it’s a 1000 trees I guess it would be lol
They are so real my allergies are flaring up!!!
LOL. Thanks.
Great video Ron! I have some ugly trees in my yard,,, awaiting the chainsaw. But they do look natural, sort of
Lol.
There’s got to be quicker way, 28 minutes & 44 seconds for one pine tree?
That is demonstrating. Actually building them in bulk is obviously much faster.
Hi, great tutorial. Just a sidebar, your angle of your overhead shot gave me vertigo.
Yes, that was addressed by several viewers. That was an experiment that I will not repeat.
one down only 99 to go ....
More like 999 for me.
the angle makes this hard to watch
Sorry, that was an experiment I won't repeat.
Thanks goodness....I was going to make the same complaint. Was getting vertigo, lol
Overhead shots are a good thing. I think it was angle which was the problem.
Jerry Smith yes, it was kind of a reverse angle...didn't work.