Tired of storing that old fake Christmas tree? Make hundreds of N scale trees.

[Mark W]

With Christmas decor on the 50-75% off range anywhere you can find some still in stock, those fake Christmas trees sure do make quick, cheap, and decently detailed filler trees!

Here is 75 'raw' Christmas tree-trees.  Just half of the trees that came from a 4' tree I picked up for 8 bucks. 



And here's a comparison of how the trees look when 'raw', detailed, and next to the scotch bright type. 


It takes about 2 minutes per tree from start to finish.  Billed at 10 bucks an hour, that's about 35 cents per tree.

My process:
1. Cut the branch from the fake Christmas tree.
2. Straighten the new mini-tree.
3. Use a grinding wheel to clear the fray from the twisted wire for the trunk. (I found this to be the fastest and cleanest technique)
4. Spray with Super77 about 40-50 degrees off of straight down, all around the tree.
5. Sprinkle static flock first. (this gives the fray extra 'body')
6. Sprinkle various shades of ground foam.
7. Plant.

[up1950s]

Terrific , looks very good , but should the branches be down or up . I am a earthling and this I need to look up .........crap .

[Mark W]

The taper of the fray makes it easier to point the branches up.  But I think they look better drooping down. 

 

[Kisatchie]

Hmm... I have an
aluminum tree...

[John]

I don't know - I think its a good start for an armature, but you need to put some woodland scenics on them ..

[Mike C]

Hmm... I have an
aluminum tree...

What, you've never seen the aluminum forest in BFE ?  .....Mike

[TiVoPrince]

Might  
be a great way to get southern pines with those long spindely trunks once you get a little bondo applied to those wound up wires...

[tom mann]

Compared to the one on the right, they don't look so hot

[CodyO]

I`d say great filler trees that I could very much use in the future thats for the idea!!!

[LV LOU]

Hey Cody,check your messages on the top of the page..We're neighbors,LOL!!

[davefoxx]

Compared to the one on the right, they don't look so hot

No offense intended, but I have to agree with .

[LV LOU]

No offense intended, but I have to agree with .

I agree,but a little ground foam as John suggested would go a long way,at least toward making some nice bakground trees..

[delamaize]

With some ground foam and some selective shaping and thinning, they would make good filler and background trees. One thing that sticks out to me though is the upward angle of the branches. Dumb question, but how would they look turned upside down and trimmed to shape, then ground foam and such?

[nkalanaga]

For a major reforestation project these would be fine.  As others have said, they don't compare with the commercial trees, but put the expensive ones in front and hide these behind them, with just their tops showing, and they'd fill a lot of space quickly.  Once one gets rich, they can always be replaced.

[pennsyfan1361]

I have seen that done in HO scale before on the New England, Berkshire and Western located at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. I turned the photo of the trees upside down and think the tree would look better with the branches drooping down trim them and add some ground foam. Similar to bottlebrush trees good idea for mass planting.  Rich