Lumsdonia

[Michaelaface]

those prints look absolutely fantastic!

[TimberSurf]

I've only just spotted the exhaust pipes. They are excellent. You could set up a little cottage industry in your spare time .

It seems that I have! Partnered with a 3D figures web retailer!

[TimberSurf]

Little has happened on Lumsdonia, since I started doing 3D designs, the process has taken over all my modelling. The upside however, is that I have created hundreds of items that will adorn the layout, once I come to build it! And best of all, I can be proud that I have scratch built them (or equivalent in modern times) myself! In the mean time, I need to make some diorama's to actually see what my creations look like when painted and in context. This has given me the chance to keep my hand in with real scale modelling, which has been a refreshing change.
Here is the first of quite a few more to come, a High voltage substation with 1950's road works.

[TimberSurf]

I had a go at designing and 3D printing Tree Armatures, 13CM tall they work well. I am not sure they are commercially viable, as they take 15 hours to print, but for me to print, they will make a great forest!

[Dad-1]

Nice,

My favourite is the 'clump foliage' version.
One thing I just don't have the patience for, bought kits and never finished
one yet - More money than sense, I buy Woodland Scenics best.

Geoff T.

[TimberSurf]

I have tried many times to make trees with the bundle of wires technique, but they always look naff! I have a box full of failed attempts. Designing in 3D seemed an obvious cheat method, but I have similar problems getting the number of branches, spread, splits and density right. Plus it takes forever to design deciduous in CAD. The one thing I have cracked is making the foliage from died, liquidised sponge, the "clump foliage" is stuff I have made.
Evergreen, being a much simpler form and even density is still a lot of work, but at least produces a passable armature.
There is a great way to make evergreen trees using a pair of wires with brush bristles between them twisted with a cordless drill, I have not tried it yet, but it sounds quite a faff compared to printing them.
I have designed six separate armatures so far, so that should give enough variance to allow two types of forest. The problem with off the shelf tree's is the eye watering cost, not so bad for a few one off's dotted around the layout, but if you want a row down the side of a field or an actual forest, then the cost soon gets into the hundreds of pounds!