Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

Hello All,

I am SLOWLY working on a R.C anti tank gun implacement. I would like to put some proper scale looking trees, brush etc in it. Since my anti tank gun is 1/18, closest to 1/16 I could find. What scale trees, brush etc. should I use? I know that the train guys have alot of trees, brush etc but which of their scales would best match my needs. Also what about animals and buildings, what`s the proper scale so the gun looks like its not out of scale.

Thanks in advance for the information and suggestions.

George

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

These guys make nice trees.<div>
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</div><div>http://www.jttmicroscale.com/viewcategory.asp?DirID=152</div>

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

The small 18" table top pine trees sold in craft stores at Christmas are great! There are other sizes too. I usually pick several up after the holidays at reduced cost, not sure that helps you now though.

Stuff for G scale trains and dollhouse accessories may provide some alternatives. You can also make house & stuff from anything like cardboard to wood, what ever medium you are comfortable with.

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

G scale is 1/24 scale, though. Isn't that a bit small for a 1/16 stetup?

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

Yes G scale is a bit small for 1/16 but I've seen some battlefield setups with tracks and engines and they look good. It does fit better with the 1/24 scale stuff but with some imagination it can work with 1/16.

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

I went through a phase when Iwent in search of a true large scale perfect tree for a dollhouse Ibuilt for a neighbor. I found the best I could do was to go hiking. Im in the north East US and there are a ton of woods around here. Some low lying bushes had fairly good structure. Just had to keep hiking and keep my eyes open. After Ifound some branches that looked like they would fill the bill, Iwould clearcoat them. Went to the dollar store and bought some spices (parsley works) , sprayed hairspray on the branches and spiced up the tree. Another clearcoat and done. For a dying tree, I would collect fall leaves from the ground and put them in a blender with water, chop em up, pour the mixture into a bucket covered with an old tee shirt (so the water would drain)., Take the chopped leaves, put em on a baking sheet and dry in the oven on low heat...be careful please! (and dont let the wife see you using the blender and baking sheet for the endevour). Same as above, hairspray and sprinkle. By the way, the chopped fall leaves make freat free ground cover. Here is a pic of a tree in progress

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

George:

For bushes, or dense foliage on trees, use twigs and whats called 'lichen'. Its a dense shrubby thing, but not moss. If ya buy it dried (or find it and pick it), you can prevent it crumbling by preserving it with a 50% solution of glycerin and water, and if ya want it colored, add a bit of food coloring or fabric dye to the solution. You can either let it soak for a few days, or 'cook' it over low heat for a few hours, and then suspend it over the 'pot' to drain (dollar store collander or strainer) and put the solution away for next spring to re-dose it.

I found and 'cooked' so much back in my BattleTech days, I made my $ back on buying the glycerin, and had enough to 35% populate a 6' x 8' battlefield-table.

Tarps, duffels, sandbags, etc: flour sack tea-towels (Canadian Tire, 4 for about $6) which can be painted with dollar store latex fabric paint.

Fencing and small structures: coffee stir-stix (the long thin ones like Second Cup sells (again, Dollar Store) and glue away. Also cheap BBQ skewers too.

And if you really want your wood to be strong... use thinned slow-set epoxy (MEK or Klenk's Epoxy Thinner, but add sparingly) and it'll be thin, and soak right in.

I miss anything?

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

Not sure about scale, but this place has some nice stuff.
http://www.sceneryexpress.com/

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

I have used them for my 88mm gun emplacement diarama. They do have some nice stuff but again this stuff is not cheap.
I really can't figure out why it costs 24.00$ for a single 20 inch tree. really seems way over priced i think.
Tankhobby has the best idea about using the
christmas table top trees when they are around. you just need to pick up a bunch of them when the season comes around. they are very inexspensive after the holidays.

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

Model Railroad magazine has a bunch of aticles on making trees. Of course most of the articles are for HO scale, but all you have to do is scale up. There was one really good article about using sticks from the yard or from a flower shop. Using spray glue or even cheap hair spray. Spray the twig and then put it in a plastic bag with the color of ground foam you want and viola, instant trees. Just an idea. If I hadn't put all my railroading mags up, I would try and find the article. Well maybe later. hope this helps or at least gives an idea.

Jim

RE: Scale Sceenery Info Help
 

Um...

Don't some of the guys use old (aka recycled) pkug-in limbs from Xmas trees as conifer-type trees? One 'surplus'd tree would yield many trees of various sizes, and they are wire-trunked so posable, and could be glued into smaller bases cut with a hole saw.

A way to make the deciduous trees is the 'hairspray & dried-leaf-fragments/expired spice/whatever onna twig' method, but if ya want a fuller tree, try the lichen bits poked onto the twigs. If you only have the main trunk, get some wire, wrap it around the 'trunk' to make branches to impale the lichen on. If you canna find lichen, I've seen that they make an expanded-foam bush-substance that looks a lot like lichen.

The pine/spruce/whatever-type trees are easiest from the Xmas-salvage, but if you want leafy-fluffy trees, you're probably gonna have to work at it. Then again, if you SO is into flower arranging, mebbe she can help ya out (or the local womens club?)

WhiteWolf (a tad frantic as his portable HDD warranty expired ~yesterday~ by manufacture, not on the 24th by purchase!)