Scratchbuilt birch trees
Scratchbuilt birch trees
Hi!
I have not posted for a while on the forums, but I'm back now
I thought, I'd share my scratchbuilt birch trees and the build process. Any helpful comments are welcome.
I have not posted for a while on the forums, but I'm back now
I thought, I'd share my scratchbuilt birch trees and the build process. Any helpful comments are welcome.
Last edited by daviis on Tue Mar 14, 2023 6:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
Start with a few twigs:
and a bag of seafoam:
and a bag of seafoam:
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
Then spray painted them white and added the black bark pattern with a black pen.
Then I drilled small holes in the trunk and glued the seafoam on it:
Then I drilled small holes in the trunk and glued the seafoam on it:
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
The whole tree was spray painted brown:
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
And finally spray glued and noch leaves sprinkled on it:
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
Very good, I enjoy seeing how others tackle various subjects within the hobby.
Once upon a time I built a model railway in the loft. Now I dabble on much smaller baseboards.
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
Beautiful work. Enjoyed the video too.
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Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
and make things of great beauty!daviis wrote:Start with a few twigs:
I used to say that the toughest job in the world was (stage) set construction, making trees out of wood, but I have revised my thoughts.
One question: You sprayed the trunks white (and I thought they looked just great as winter-time trees at that point), but then painted everything brown. Did you mask the trunks, or did you decide "the heck with it; all brown"?
Thanks for making me feel inferior
Cheers, Chris
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
Very good work.
I've never heard of seafoam trees before, so I checked and see I can get on ebay via Spain. Postage to Aus would kill that, methinks. But I have found inspiration on local beaches with various seaweeds and grasses. Most of these are too fragile when dried out, but using a latex spray paint helps.
I've never heard of seafoam trees before, so I checked and see I can get on ebay via Spain. Postage to Aus would kill that, methinks. But I have found inspiration on local beaches with various seaweeds and grasses. Most of these are too fragile when dried out, but using a latex spray paint helps.
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
You can grow them easily from seeds, that's what I will do this season.
If I manage to do it, I will definitely send you some
If I manage to do it, I will definitely send you some
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
ChrisGreaves wrote:and make things of great beauty!daviis wrote:Start with a few twigs:
I used to say that the toughest job in the world was (stage) set construction, making trees out of wood, but I have revised my thoughts.
One question: You sprayed the trunks white (and I thought they looked just great as winter-time trees at that point), but then painted everything brown. Did you mask the trunks, or did you decide "the heck with it; all brown"?
Thanks for making me feel inferior
Cheers, Chris
I was just very careful and sprayed from the inside towards the outside.
In a few places I just repainted the trunk manually white again.
I find it easier to re-paint it white later, but next time i will paint the seafoam brown first
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
My next two trees (still in construction) are also made from a large trunk (from a bush) and drilling holes, adding smallerChrisGreaves wrote:and make things of great beauty!daviis wrote:Start with a few twigs:
I used to say that the toughest job in the world was (stage) set construction, making trees out of wood, but I have revised my thoughts.
bush branches and then the seafoam.
If you want, I can show you some photos of the finished trees, maybe after the weekend
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Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
Rather not (HUGE grin).daviis wrote:If you want, I can show you some photos of the finished trees, maybe after the weekend
I imagine that the next trees and images will be even more impressive, and I'm still recovering at my depressive two years assembling a PUG 0-4-0!
As a teenager I made trees from twigs of a fig-tree in our yard in Perth. From (fading) memory they were quite good. At any rate, not bad for a teenager.
You are using a micro-drill, a hobby drill for drilling are you?
Cheers, Chris
Re: Scratchbuilt birch trees
I use a hand mini-drill or a precision knife if i misplace the drill