SUPPLIES:

Twigs
Fine steel wool
Minwax wood hardener
Five minute epoxy putty
Contact cement
Fender washers or other base material
Dark brown or Dark Green Spray Paint
Acrylic wood filler
Various shades of ground foam
Spray matte sealer

A little while back I decided to start making my own trees. I did this because the manufactured ones are generally too expensive. I also decided to make my own because I am first, and foremost a modeler. Reason aside, who needs a reason anyway, I recalled a method for making trees that I had learned from my father. My father was a model railroader many years ago. He, like other railroaders, was always on the look out for new techniques. Where my father got this technique from, I do not know. I do know that it is cheap and realistic.

The first step is to get in touch with nature. I do not mean that you must put on a loin cloth and beat on a drum. You will need some twigs from a tree or shrub. Really any twig will do. I have also had success with milkweed roots. Once you have found suitable twigs you must select the right length. For me the length of the tree is dictated purely by the scale I am modeling. For example, a good basic height for 25mm is between three and five inches.

The second step in the creation of a scale tree is to attach it to whatever base material you are using. I prefer fender washers. These washers provide great stability. I use five minute epoxy putty to fix the trunk to the base. If the trunk leans a little, this is not a problem. Trees lean in real life as well.

After the epoxy putty has dried, it is time to harden the trunk. Hardening the trunk is essential. Bear in mind that your twigs (trunks) are going to deteriorate with time unless they are preserved. To preserve my trees I use Minwax wood hardener. This product is inexpensive and available at most hardware outlets. Though I suppose you could use varnish if you prefer. To continue, take the tree trunk (affixed to the base) and dip it in the hardener. Allow the excess hardener to drain off the trunk. Place the completed trees aside and allow them to dry. I allow about twenty-four hours for the hardener to set. Once the hardener has set, the real fun begins. I attached tufts of fine steel wool to the trunk at this time. I have found that good old stinky contact cement works the best for this. You are encouraged to find improvements of your own. Anyhow, after the cement is applied to the trunk, place small irregularly shaped balls of steel wool on the trunk. Be as messy as you like. Essentially you will have S.O.S. on a stick.

After the contact cement has dried (twenty-four hours) you can paint the tree. I use dark brown spray paint on the steel wool portion of the tree. Dark green would work equally well. Use a lot of paint. While the spray paint is still wet, roll the tree in various shades of ground foam. You can sprinkle lighter shades of foam on upper or exposed surface to give greater depth. Set the trees aside to dry. Again, twenty-four hours.

Now it's time to add acrylic wood filler or another material to the base. When set you can finish the base as desired. After you have allowed time for the base material to dry you will need to seal the entire model. I usually start with a liberal dose of clear satin spray. As with the dark brown spray, you will want to saturate the model. When this sealer is dry you can use dullcote or another matte sealer to tone down the sheen.

I have found this to be an enjoyable method for making trees. It is not the fastest method. I have found that I can turn out quite good trees in a short time. Usually I can turn out a small forest in under a week.