Sunday 22 September 2013

Palm trees and hedges progressing

 I've worked out how I'm going to mount my palm trees on their bases.  My solution?  Paper clips.

Paperclip wire stands ready for trees.

I've created several curvy shapes with spikes onto which I'll glue the tree trunks.  I've made the bases curvy so that the tree can't swivel in place and fall over.

Very fiddly drilling of the tree trunks.

 After a failed experiment in heating the paper clip and melting it into the tree trunk (tree trunks too narrow and it slips out of the side) I've drilled holes in them instead.

Ready to attach.

 The paper clip extends about 6-7mm (¼ inch) up inside the trunk.  A drop of superglue fixes them in place.

Single and double tree bases.


 After doing the first 4 sets of trees I got tired of all the drilling (very awkward with their thin, bendy trunks) and decided to try a different approach.

CMG Protolene Khanates for scale.

Leaving the connecting section between the trees, I've made some stands which will clip between the two trees.

Tree base mark II.

A quick squeeze with some pliers fixes them in place and then they're ready for gluing to their base.

Far easier!

I've flocked the hedges too.  I might try some that are just drybrushed as suggested by Millsy but the scourers I have look a little too neat without the shredded foam flock.  Now I just need to decide how to do their bases.

Peter Pig US Marine for scale.

CMG Protolene for scale.

CMG Protolene for scale.

Peter Pig US Marine for scale.

4 comments:

  1. What a good solution and idea for the twin palm base mounting connections.

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  2. Really nice. How did you stick the flock on the hedges? PVA?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I squirted a wiggly line of PVA then squeezed and massaged it into the scourer before rolling it in the flock. It's stuck better than I thought it might.

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    2. Cheers, I'll try that myself.

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