"Realistic" log loads.....?
- Thread starter Zerogee
- Start date
Developments afoot re this question.... a couple of days ago I paid a visit to a very helpful Coppicer near Saffron Walden - as a result of which, for the exchange of just a few quid, I came home with a nice bundle of (reasonably) straight sticks of Field Maple, which has a wonderful deeply lined bark texture and probably (to my eyes anyway) looks the most like "scale" large logs that I've yet seen! Each stick is about four or five feet in length and between an inch and an inch-and-a-half diameter, and with judicious cutting - discarding any pieces with bends and odd bulges - I should be able to get at least two or three pretty straight and very realistic G scale "tree trunks" from each length.
Once I've had the chance to chop some up and try them on a wagon, I'll take and post some pictures!
Jon.
Once I've had the chance to chop some up and try them on a wagon, I'll take and post some pictures!
Jon.
Personally I think that we should respect our elders................hat, coat, door............... 
As I've said before, Mike: you should be on the stage - preferably the next one out of town.... 
I think you'll like the effect of the Field Maple logs, will have to bring some round to show you soon.
Jon.
I think you'll like the effect of the Field Maple logs, will have to bring some round to show you soon.
Jon.
First of all....trees often do need trimming, so "Properly" trimming the tree will not injure it. Check with your local nursery or tree expert "Arbourist", I think is the proper name for an expert.
To lighten the load, I would suggest, cutting the wood to the length you want, then let it dry properly. Over a quarter of the weight is moisture.
If you want instant dry wood, then trim off dead branches on a tree, and they will be much drier. Cutting dead branches from a tree will not injure the tree....if done properly.
Once you have the dry wood, you can often preserve the bark by dipping the piece of wood into a flat wood finish like varnish, or one of many other coatings. You can find many pictures of log loads on the internet, and learn that logs from Western North America were often much longer than those in the East, thus the log cars like the ones Bachmann produced are more representative of eastern logging practices, than western. Often logs were no more than a foot in diameter, so a bunch of "Twigs" are more realistic than a 10 foot diameter giant on a single log car.
Modelling logs from real wood should not be too much of a challenge to even a "Kitchen table" modeler. Have fun guys and gals...
Fred Mills, in sunny Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
To lighten the load, I would suggest, cutting the wood to the length you want, then let it dry properly. Over a quarter of the weight is moisture.
If you want instant dry wood, then trim off dead branches on a tree, and they will be much drier. Cutting dead branches from a tree will not injure the tree....if done properly.
Once you have the dry wood, you can often preserve the bark by dipping the piece of wood into a flat wood finish like varnish, or one of many other coatings. You can find many pictures of log loads on the internet, and learn that logs from Western North America were often much longer than those in the East, thus the log cars like the ones Bachmann produced are more representative of eastern logging practices, than western. Often logs were no more than a foot in diameter, so a bunch of "Twigs" are more realistic than a 10 foot diameter giant on a single log car.
Modelling logs from real wood should not be too much of a challenge to even a "Kitchen table" modeler. Have fun guys and gals...
Fred Mills, in sunny Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Interesting that this very old thread has seen a sudden revival - and thanks for the new input and ideas!
Jon.
Jon.
I'm lucky downunder we have plants known as cordylines (sometimes sold as "Chinese Happy Plant" the have flax like top grow with straight textured bark "trunks".
When cut and left to dry they weight less than a similar piece of balsa but keep the bark.
I have some ranging in scale feet from 15" down to 3' in diameter which reminds me I should check on the latest batch.
When cut and left to dry they weight less than a similar piece of balsa but keep the bark.
I have some ranging in scale feet from 15" down to 3' in diameter which reminds me I should check on the latest batch.
When I worked as a Highways Inspector the County Council had a team people looking after the County's trees. They were referred to as Arboricultural Engineers, or for those of us who could not get out tongues around that, they were referred to as 'The Tree People', after all they were a different branch from us.
A gratuitous photograph of some trees (Christmas Common, The Chiltern Hills, October 2015)
David
When I suggested cutting off a branch from a living tree, I meant doing it properly; and that will not harm the tree. Just trying to snap, or break off a limb, can do damage. Using a good pruning saw, makes life easier for both the tree and the "Pruner"...!! There are also times of the year that it are not recommended to prune trees. Those times vary for the type of tree.
Dead branches should be carefully cut from the tree in any case, so that should not damage the tree if done properly.
Dead branches should be carefully cut from the tree in any case, so that should not damage the tree if done properly.
Further to my post way back in this threads...is it really that long ago?......,
I have been making some trees from balsa wood dowel rod.
It is easy to get a really good representation of bark using rasps and saw blades on the soft wood.
The same method can obviously be used for modelling logs.
After making circular marks at the ends to simulate the rings and a bit of stain for the bark (use a range of colours to obtain different subtle variations of the same type of tree) they make a very light load.
The benefit of lack in heft for the load is something that I would need due to the vicious inclines on my layout.
I have been making some trees from balsa wood dowel rod.
It is easy to get a really good representation of bark using rasps and saw blades on the soft wood.
The same method can obviously be used for modelling logs.
After making circular marks at the ends to simulate the rings and a bit of stain for the bark (use a range of colours to obtain different subtle variations of the same type of tree) they make a very light load.
The benefit of lack in heft for the load is something that I would need due to the vicious inclines on my layout.
I had some fun with branches I picked up really 'from the ground' in some rural areas around my village. The fun is you can actually see the different type of 'wood' on the loggers. As most of the 'timber' was on the ground for some time already (and it had fallen off the trees anyway) it was pretty dry already. I like the 'roughtness' of the cuts, I used a pair of 'garden scissors' the cut the branches to length, but I did this in the most 'untidy' way possible to mimic 'real' big logs.
I used some wood glue dabs to glue all logs together, so the loggers are easier to put on the rails & take off again. Also, the sideways loggers (in the pictures behind the red 'Deutz'), I really had to glue together as after a couple of rounds the top logs would shift outwards and eventually fell off the lorries.
I like it!
I used some wood glue dabs to glue all logs together, so the loggers are easier to put on the rails & take off again. Also, the sideways loggers (in the pictures behind the red 'Deutz'), I really had to glue together as after a couple of rounds the top logs would shift outwards and eventually fell off the lorries.
I like it!
