Greetings to all my fellow modelers! I’ve been struggling to come up with a realistic looking log load for my cars. I’ve tried natural twigs with mixed results:
Then I saw these on eBay as part of an auction:
Does anyone know what those are? They aren’t straight like dowels, but they don’t have branches or bends like a cleaned twig. They are different sizes like real logs.
Any guesses are welcome. Other thoughts on loads would be appreciated. I’m also trying to figure out some pulpwood loads without buying and cutting up commercial castings.
Ironic! I was thinking dog treats, too! I know Cody Dog’s treats get hard after a while. Maybe I could dull coat them or something. I need to cover the smell so he won’t chase my trains! [:D]
I have gone to the pasture, and found small saplings of the approximate diameter I’m looking for, and “clip” with the snippers! Viola! A log load!
Look for the straight little trees. Somewhere, ( maybe not in YOUR back yard ) there is wild growth that supplies a wealth of HO scale materials! All just for the clipping!
You mentioned making pulpwood loads… A while back I tried making a pulpwood load by collecting small twigs and cutting them into appropriate lengths with my Dremel tool. It was a pain in the butt, and I only got about half a load finished before I got bored and gave up (for now), but it did look very good. Maybe someday I’ll go back and fini***he job [:)]
The twigs in the photo look a lot like cut and dried berry vines just like those in my back yard…
I personally use small diameter wooden dowls that I cut on my band saw to uniform length, then stain the outsides with a dark oak leaving the ends natural. After they dry, I glue them together with Elmer’s wood glue in a stack configuration, then glue them to the flat car and tie black sewing thread across them in several places to resemble tie downs.
There are guys on eBay that make different types of scale logs and pre-made loads. I got some that were supposedly redwood, but they were awefully small for redwood and the color was horrible.
As mentioned before, I think you need a different variety of twig. But depending on your species of tree, what you are modeling might not make a nice tidy load. It depends on your location, and the type of lumbering done in that area. If you are modeling the west, the scale logs you are looking at are way too small in diamenter.
[#ditto] Yea I do the same thing. Woody vines look great when they dry out and I also use some thing called a Crate Merddle(spelling??).They get these flower pods on the end that dry out and look just like dead conifers.I use those for my Aggro tree trunks.
I think you were right on the money with the logs you made. Here’s why. 30 years ago or more, you would have been inaccurate. I remember as a child, seeing log cars on trains, and log trucks driving down the road. You used to be able to count the logs on the trucks and train cras, remember? I sure do. Since from the looks of your cars you’re modeling a fairly modern logging road, I’d go with what you made. They look a lot better than the slim jims.
Hey, spacemouse. The kind of trees I’m modeling are those that have roots on one end and leaves on the other! [}:)] Actually, I never considered that question. Very thought provoking.
trainlover1, that’s a good idea, too. They’d be a little uniform in appearance, but then so are telephone poles and pine trees.
loathar, I have a crate merdle in the front yard. I never thought to try that.
To the rest of you, thanks! Feel free to add more thoughts! [D)]
I found that cinnamon sticks I found in Ben Franklin make very realistic logs when you fill the open ends with some wood filler. Their surface looks very much like real “bark” and you can cut them to size easily with a small saw. They are also all different diameters and are not totally straight, like real trees. I have also seen the same thing at a dollar store. A plus is that they also smell good.
There was an article in MR awhile back on this very subject. If I remember correctly, Christmas tree branches were cut to size and then glued into the cars. Wait until a few days after Christmas…and you’ll have all the “pulpwood” you’ll ever need
Any small bush(fairly straight) make great logs small tree branches work too, a small branch is the exact scale of a large tree in size and texture,also no 2 trees are the same size(like dowling) for authenticity check how a tree is sawn, there is groove about midway across where the saw cut and the tree breaks. I made a huge pile of logs for cars and storage yard. Take some of these small logs and saw them into short peices glue them and you have a pulpwood load.
I just went out behind the store here, and grabbed some sticks off the ground, and out of a bush. I cut them eith a pair of linemans pliers into approximately 35 foot scale lengths. ( About 4.75 in ) It took about 5 minutes.
Try this next Christmas, when you Christmas tree has dies and is laying outside awaiting disposal, break off a bunch of small twigs. The take a NWSL chopper, set the length, and build yourself a pulpwood load! Assemble them in a car with white glue.
I’ve done several over the years,and they look great!!
I live in a fairly wooded area here in Colorado so when ever I need logs, I just stroll around picking up twigs from about 1/2 to 1" diameter.
As was said before, nothing looks as real as real wood.
