# Cheap trees???



## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

Are we forced to pay $25.00 EACH and up for decent trees just because we model indoors?????








Does anyone have any better ideas/solutions? There's gotta be a cheaper way!


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

In this buisiness, if you don't want to buy it, you make it!


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## Guest (Jul 10, 2008)

wait till chrismas-time. 
buy the cheapest little xmas-trees, you can get, and convert/refine them a little.


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

I remember Michaels having good deals on trees. 

One of these days, I'll actually try making some trees Torby!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Michaels and Big Lots both sell "usable" xmas trees at Christmas. They'll put them out sometime in September/October for $3-$7 but if you wait to buy them the week after Christmas they'll be half price. 

Deciduous trees? Pretty much gotta either go collect some branched sticks, get some filter floss and flocking and make your own....or learn how to do Bonsai.


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## dawinter (Jan 2, 2008)

Ok. Some quick and ugly photography.... 

These are Curly Bock plants growing wild on the side of the road. They have been sprayed with a cheap rattle can of green or brown and sprinkled with Woodland Scenics. Cost - nearly nothing. 










All of these are 'bottle brush' trees that I had made for me at 40 to 60 cents each and I covered them with spray glue and Woodland again. Cost - as above. 










These are Christmas trees that I got from a Wal-Mart type store. I paid $3.00 each and they will form a wall of cover in 'the park'. 










These come out a Christmas as well. All are part of the 1/32 scale villages that are sold pretty much everywhere. I needed some small trees with snow anyway. They were $3.99 for two or three depending on size. 










This is Sage and I get it from the hillsides around here. It's free but best used when you want a tree that's got few leaves. Excellent for my railway in September. 










These are picked up at 1/2 price at train show in Edmonton. Pola I think but verrry expensive when paying full price. Ugly as well. Better to build your own. 










I hope this offered a suggestion or two. 

Dave


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

Thanx Dave! That's downright inspirational!" border=0> 

That tree from sage you made is something I could do a forest with! If there's anything Arizona has too much of - it's sagebrush!


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Now you know why I model the desert /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2008)

i made a try with something new (for me) 

using matressfoam, ripping out small pieces with the fingers to get more or less the desired form. 
only spraycanning is not enough (see the one on the left) 
spraycanning and applying greencoloured sawdust on the wet paint is not good enough either (the one on the right) 
but, i think, what i did to the one in the middle might have potential, if executed better. 
on the formed mattressfoam i applied little dots of the kind of foam, carpenters use these days to fix doors and windows in the wall-openings. 
giving it a more sophisticated form and applying more than just one coat of sawdust, that might be good enough for background trees.


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 07/11/2008 10:01 AM
Now you know why I model the desert /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif" border=0>




LOL Vic!!!!! 

I thought about that..... 
But I live in the desert! I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but to do that properly, I would spend $1,000,000 in trees! 

My goal, Some ficticious place in the middle to go with my ficticious railroad, and enough fake greenery to make it pleasant enough to me, and to the people in my neighborhood, looking for an escape.


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

Kormsen, I like what you did with your trees, but I would really like a better picture of that bridgework you did. 
That's my next project.


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2008)

that "bridge" was nothing. i just cut some sticks in the garden, scraped them with a kitchenknife, to simulate roughly hewn logs and glued them. 
never made a good pic of that.


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## dawinter (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By pacbelt on 07/11/2008 11:31 AM
Posted By vsmith on 07/11/2008 10:01 AM 
Now you know why I model the desert /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif" border=0>" border=0>




LOL Vic!!!!!" border=0>" border=0> 

I thought about that..... 
But I live in the desert! I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but to do that properly, I would spend $1,000,000 in trees! 

My goal, Some ficticious place in the middle to go with my ficticious railroad, and enough fake greenery to make it pleasant enough to me, and to the people in my neighborhood, looking for an escape.





Remember, as a general rule most of us model things within 200 feet of the track so acres of trees aren't really necessary. All you really need is a few really good ones here and there to suggest a forest. 

Dave


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

That's exactly what I'm hoping for Dave. I've got pretty good at selective compression in the smaller scales over the decades, but G scale - well, that's hyper compression! 
I hear what you're saying. I have to find a happy medium between lush greenery and adequate and affordable!


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## dawinter (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm going to put in a bare faced plug for a friend who does amazing trees in any scale.. They are the type of trees that a person would use in the foreground to offer that 'wow' factor. Somewhat costly in large form but well worth the investment. 

Think of it this way. Four or five great trees for the price of an engine but people will see the trees even if that engine is hidden in the shop. 

See http://www.easternmountainmodels.com/ 

Dave


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

Those are beautiful! I would consider a couple for the foreground.


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## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

Check out How to make trees  by Richard Schmitt as they were made for the SUNDANCE CENTRAL modular railroad....


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## Richard Schmitt (Jan 2, 2008)

Here are some other trees we also make for the Sundance Central Modular Railroad. 
Richard


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## dawinter (Jan 2, 2008)

Those are beautiful! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/shocked.gif 

Dave


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

Those trees are amazing!!!!! 

These are the kind of really creative ideas I was looking for!


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

This is German Statice dried plant attached with florist tape to a wire tree frame purchased at a craft store around halloween.


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

Hey, now that looks good!


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## Guest (Jul 13, 2008)

Just Plain Folk has plastic trees that look pretty good, $9 for the small ones, $15 for the larger ones. The small ones are fine. 

http://www.girr.org/girr/mtn/080620_girr_mtn_div_trees_5132.jpg 

- gws


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## pacbelt (Jul 8, 2008)

First off George, I have been an admirer of your layout and site for many years! 

Second - those trees look good! 

Third - HELP! I've been trying to Google Just Plain Folk, and have ended up with 15,000,000 sites than aren't even close!


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## Guest (Jul 14, 2008)

he doesn't have a good web presence 

http://www.just-plain-folk.com/ 

you have to phone him to place an order. He has several types but no on line photos.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

I have had the best luck with artificial pine/spruces from Hobby Lobby. They are only available during the pre-Christmas season. The best come in two sizes: 12" and 15". Cost is $5.99 and $9.99, less on sale prices. 








Although the trees have some gold glitter on them, much of it can be rubbed off or weathered [outside or with green paint]. 
Hobby Lobby also will have [on clearance] trees similiar to the ones shown in Dawinter's third picture for as little as $.1.25. 
Just Plain Folks has some wonderful artificial trees and shrubs [although more expensive than the above]. 
JimC.


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