When I first started out with this hobby I spent many hours reading and enjoying articles about the hobby. One article I read was how to make a tree by twisting wires. I have tried to find the site but can’t find it anywhere. The article explained that by twisting wires in a certain way will for a frame, to that frame you add a skin (say plaster) then add the leaves.

I forgot about the article until I was in morisons and noticed some green plastic coated wire. I grabbed a packet at 79p and started thinking. If I could use the coated wire instead of adding the body therefore cutting down on cost and time per tree. I sat last night whilst watching the TV and had a go. Within 15 minutes I had my first tree frame waiting to be painted. I gave it a lick of paint today and added some foliage. In my opinion for me first scratch built tree it isn’t to bad. You could take a lot more time doing these and come up with something impressive. The tree stands on its roots which can be cut and altered when attached to the layout.. final foliage and branch positioning can be done when on the layout.

A quick how to

The first pic shows the tree in its finished state



The wire I used, this has a very thin wire with a plastic cover. I think this adds to the effect of the trunk when twisted so you don’t need plaster.



This pic shows the lengths of wire cut to 10 inches, you need about 8 strands but experiment with it.



Next bend the wires into a U shape and twist the wire about 2cm from the bottom of the U.




Take 2 wires from below the twist (which will be a loop) and twist about half way. Repeat this until you have four loops like this.



Don’t worry confusing at the moment but it will all make sense soon.
Next take 2 wires from above the twist bend these over to make a large loop



Then do as you did before but leave a larger loop



Then separate the 2 wires and twist again



Then repeat this procedure again on the other side



Then carry on until you have done all the stems



It doesn’t look much yet…….

Next take some scissors and snip each loop,  



Pull out the strands and shape until you have this



Then add some bark colour



Add some lichen and scatter





3 stages



And the finished tree





I think each tree works out about 4p. This is very very simple.
Hope this helps someone.

Very nice, Matt  :)  You'll have a forest in no time!

 Mike

Great tree Matt

Really good tutorial you have done with it as well


cheers Brian.W

Excellent for a first go, Matt.
There seems to be plenty of potential for all sorts of different version there.
Short trees, tall trees, bushy trees, weeping trees etc. etc.

Get some practise in and I'll have two Oaks, three Weeping Willows and a Horsechestnut please :!:  :!:  :!:

Brilliant, quite brilliant :!:

will certainly give that a go,i need some trees,thanks.
 :lol:  :lol:  8)

Another good idea  :!:  :)

Good stuff Matt and a superb description of how you did it.

Did you make reference to any guides re tree sizes?  I have tried to find a source for this and can only get descriptions about maximum heights and not trunk girth etc. Living in Spain I can't just go out and measure a horse chesnut or a sycamore so any help on sizes would be good.
 :D
Les

Les, have a look in the index under:-
Trees - British - Their shapes

More info than you could shake a stick at there :!:

Nice one Jeff. :wink:

This looks a great idea! No cut fingers trying to use thicker wire. The initial pictures look like the beginnings of a canalside or wetlands willow - something I'll need several of in due course. Thanks for the tip!

Jeff wrote:

Les, have a look in the index under:-
Trees - British - Their shapes

More info than you could shake a stick at there

Thank you Jeff but as you would expect I have used the forum index but, I'm afraid, to no avail.    

The link is there but when I tried to search for "sycamore" it took me to a fairly useless page. I noticed at the bottom yet another link to somewhere else which, as you put it, contained more information than you could shake a stick at, however there was no size information - especially girth which is of course crucial when modelling the trunk.

Not to be beaten I then tried Silver Birch. I followed the same path and got no measurements again.

Sorry to say I gave up at this stage. :roll:  :roll:  :roll:

Les

Gwent Rail said

Get some practise in and I'll have
two Oaks, three Weeping Willows and a Horsechestnut please :!:  :!:  :!:

"And a partridge in a pear tree" :D  :D  :D

Could not resist, a very good job Matt.
Phill