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HO scale logs, homemade or otherwise

Started by jbrock27, September 20, 2016, 03:07:31 PM

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jbrock27

Anyone have any success in making their own?  Otherwise, good sources of where to buy them pre-made?
I understand that based on region, the availability of material available in nature to make them may vary.  I have come across hminky's way of making them from large and small wood dowels.

Thank you for any help. 

Keep Calm and Carry On

Len

I just use small branches that come off area trees that have relatively smooth bark.

Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.

Desertdweller

Willow twigs have smooth, tight-grained bark, and are pretty straight.

Les

jbrock27

Thank you Les.

Which kind of trees, for example, Len?
Keep Calm and Carry On

J3a-614

#4
Kadee, the coupler people, also make a line of vintage log cars, including disconnect trucks, and logs to go with them.  The logs are hollow and made of plastic, and you add the ends (which are also included).  These represent logs of fairly large size, as would be seen in the west; three of them fill a car.

The way to get them to look good is with paint.  I was pleased with the results that came from using brown craft paint on the bark with a wash of black or darker brown to simulate the shadows in the cracks in the bark.  Some light applications of a dark paint to the ends to simulate the darker heart of the tree helped, too.

This is a commercial image from Kadee that shows some of these logs painted up.  Not to brag, but I think mine came out just a tad better!

http://www.trainsetsonly.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/Master/M380/lg380-110_750x300.jpg

How they come (in this case, with a log car kit):

http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/2/5/kadee-cars-102-ho-42-skeleton-log-car-w-logs-kit-29d5ead54d85871bcf4af9de5a3d7a76.jpg

On a log car, in this case a pair of disconnect trucks; this will give you an idea of the size of these logs.

http://www.pawstrains.com/images/101.jpg

It might be argued that the selection of logs is limited (only three of them, actually!), but if you turn some around and some over, and vary the painting, you can disguise a lot of that.

Another source that I've used has been Christmas trees, the cut kind.  Rather than throw the whole thing away, I trimmed the branches and got some good looking logs that way.  These are smaller than the very large logs represented by the Kadee product, and you don't get too many off a tree, but you can get a decent number, even if you're picky enough to get only the straight pieces (a lot of those branches have curves).  And of course they are real wood and they smell like a pine tree!  I do recommend getting a proper set of pruning shears for this job; those branches aren't that easy to cut with scissors or a hobby saw!

jbrock27

#5
Thank you J3a.  One question about the Xmas tree; sap/pitch any issue?
Keep Calm and Carry On

Len

Quote from: jbrock27 on September 20, 2016, 07:21:37 PM
Thank you Les.

Which kind of trees, for example, Len?

To tell the truth, I'm not sure. I'm not really a tree person, I just find branches that look right when I go for walks around the neighborhood.

Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.

jbrock27

#7
Quote from: Len on September 21, 2016, 06:41:25 AM
To tell the truth, I'm not sure. I'm not really a tree person, I just find branches that look right when I go for walks around the neighborhood.

Len

You mean you would like us to believe you can't tell the difference between say a pine or fir tree and an oak tree ??? That's not something one needs to be a "tree person", whatever that is, to be capable a doing. ::) 
Keep Calm and Carry On

J3a-614

#8
Quote from: jbrock27 on September 20, 2016, 09:46:22 PM
Thank you J3a.  One question about the Xmas tree; sap/pitch any issue?

I never had any problems with sap to speak of, though sometimes the shears get sticky as you trim the branches.  

Sticky sap turned out to be more of a problem for one of my cats when he decided he wanted to rub a very large and living pine across the street!

I'll mention I let them sit on my porch for much of the winter after I cut them, so they do dry out pretty good by the time I bring them inside.  (Actually, I've been known to leave the tree up too long anyway, and it has a head start on drying out.  Problem with that is your wife complains about the needles that fall off when you take the tree out!)  

I would imagine some time at low heat in an oven might speed things up, but that might bring up other issues.  

Do it for a couple of years, and you'll have plenty of logs in HO.

Some of these small branches have very small branches on them.  You can cut those off, and the resulting stub represents where a branch would have been cut off on a trunk.  Kadee's plastic logs have that detail as well.

I haven't had the contacts, but if you have friends in garden railroading, they can make use of the trunk for log loads in G scale.  Again, a couple of years, and at least one friend will have plenty of logs, especially if you get a fairly large tree.  It's been my experience you'll have more sap issues with those larger pieces than the small branches, but of course, I can't guarantee anything.

Now, some really smaller stuff can be good for pulpwood. . .going to have to start picking that up, too.

WoundedBear

I used the Rivarossi log cars on my layout. Each car came with 9 logs that seem to be made from the same twisty/bendy type plastic that Woodland Scenic tree armatures are made from. I painted and weathered them for use around the mill, but I will use natural materials for scenic logs in the hills and forests.



Sid

Len

Quote from: jbrock27 on September 21, 2016, 06:57:33 AM
You mean you would like us to believe you can't tell the difference between say a pine or fir tree and an oak tree ??? That's not something one needs to be a "tree person", whatever that is, to be capable a doing. ::) 

Yes, I can tell standing oak from a maple, and a pine from a not pine. But tell which of a dozen other types of trees around here a branch on the ground came from? Not me.

Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.

Ken G Price

Quote from: jbrock27 on September 21, 2016, 06:57:33 AM

You mean you would like us to believe you can't tell the difference between say a pine or fir tree and an oak tree ??? That's not something one needs to be a "tree person", whatever that is, to be capable a doing. ::) 

We have 3 kinds of oaks, 2 types of pines where I live and none really have a real world log look to their small branches.
Though we do have Redbuds which give great looking logs that look like the plastic ones WounderBear shows.

I suggest that you just wonder the streets or yards of friends and see what looks good. :-\
Ken G Price N-Scale out west. 1995-1996 or so! UP, SP, MoPac.
Pictures Of My Layout, http://s567.photobucket.com/albums/ss115/kengprice/

RAM

I pull or dig up all kinds of tree out of the garden.  I think most of them would work for logs.  Another one is crape myrtle. 

Ken Clark



   I use older  Lilac branch's, , nice bark texture, cut off's used for stump's


  Ken C
  GWN

jbrock27

#14
Gentlemen, thank you all for your responses. I would have acknowledged your input earlier, however, for some reason I do not quite understand, I have not been able to receive Notifications for the last month or so...  

With regard to what can be found in nature, I appreciate the responses that include naming specific species as either looking or not looking like miniature logs.  The reason is I just don't have the time to wander around without any direction on what would work, in the hope that I come across something that does.  Where to buy manufactured ones, would also be tremendously helpful.

J3a , you are right on target; I am looking for the purpose of filing a Pulpwood car.
Keep Calm and Carry On