Wire and Variations - in "N" gauge.

Here's my first try at an "N" scale wire tree based more or less on Mike's method: have to say I'm not very impressed with it and the thought of splodging on various goo to the trunk and branches doesn't appeal to me much as being a bit slow and time consuming - particularly as I would have a lot to make!   I'll try it though but in the meantime thought I would experiment with another method.   Some of you may have seen the Spiraea cuttings I did recently - see two below which I'd left for 2 years - and my idea was to add foliage to these "ready made Winter trees" but mention was made of them breaking up (dead wood) over time.    I then had another thought: what about using a fresh cutting just as the blossom is going over, so I just snipped one off and as you can see it looks pretty good as is but of course the blossom will all fall off shortly!!!    So first experiment is I've sprayed it liberally with hair lacquer (smells like trees in blossom already!:roll:) and then I'll do another one with some spray on glue (if I can find such a thing!) or perhaps even a PVA/water mix —– does anyone know if the latter would spray without gunging up the sprayer?     I do realise that if this works the trees will still require more foliage and colouring etc but as a base form it should be good.


Anyway, I'll report back later, hopefully with something positive.

Ken.

Ken,
     Why don't you try beefing up the trunks of your trees with some thick grey/brown acrylic paint?
That would protect/strengthen the framework….esp if you give 'em several coats!!
     Also try the same trick with your wire framework tree.You just might be suprised how good it looks,and you've already put in the time and work of all that stripping and twisting?
(Shame to waste it now….)
:hmm

Cheers,John.B.:thumbs
 

Don't give up on the wire method yet Ken.:roll:

To me, you just need to tease out the thin strands at the top of the main trunk and it will look fine.

Regarding spraying diluted PVA - I haven't had much success doing it myself but maybe I didn't "mix" it properly.  It won't actually gunge up your sprayer unless you let it dry in there - it just doesn't like fine jets (at least not French jets !!!!)  Plenty of other people seem to tate "spray with diluted PVA" so it must work……………………:roll:

Having said all that, I do rather like the spirea. Les also used plants for his trees on Kernow Junction to superb effect - triffids I think they were called…….

Nothing wrong with that wire tree, Ken.  As Peter said it just needs a bit of branch repositioning.  I'm watching carefully as I may have a go at an N tree myself.

[user=34]Ken[/user] wrote:

I'll do another one with some spray on glue (if I can find such a thing!) or perhaps even a PVA/water mix —– does anyone know if the latter would spray without gunging up the sprayer?    

 

Ken, I spray PVA/water mix using old kitchen/bathroom spray cleaner bottles. I find that provided they are sprayed through with plenty of water afterwards, they don't clog up. But in any case there is usually a reasonable supply of the bottles every so often - depending on how much cleaning we have done!

Can't see much wrong with either of the trees Ken, remember that no two trees are the same, another base for trees could the empty/finished storks from grapes !

Dipping is probably easier than spraying, Ken.

I think your wire frame looks fine, Ken. Well worth finishing :thumbs

Mike