I have read several ways to make model leaves from the real thing. Both involve a blender and of course, real leaves. The first way, was a video with Lou Sassi. He put leaves in a blender with water. Then, poured the combination threw an old shirt. The wet leaves were then placed on a cookie sheet and put in an oven for about 20 minutes (with the oven). Boy, my wife did not like that!![:(!] The second technique was just to grind up dry leaves in a blender and (as with the first technique) sift it through a wire strainer (sive). Lou’s worked a little better in that there was more small leaves. But I have only tried each technique once. Any other ideas or comment about the about methods.[8-|]
After brewing up a pot of iced tea, I dry out the tea bags then dump them in a bucket. The boiling water takes care of any creepy crawlies (I hope!). So far reasonably good results. Makes better ground cover than foliage for trees, but the price is right… refreshing too!
Lee
I have tried the dry leaf approach with a rolling pin. I now use Knoch leaves. They are so much easier to use. I still get my trees from nature, but my leaves from the LHS
Craig, it’s just really hard to understand why some women don’t like us to put things from the yard in their ovens. [:(]
Anyway, I’ll keep an eye on this thread to see what the replies are like since I have an old blender and am always in need of some different ground cover.
Jarrell
You got my curiosity, any pics? On the other hand, would used, dried coffee grounds work? And no, I don’t need a pic of you boiling water…[:D]
Lee, I have to ask, what kind of tea do you purchase that you would have to worry about this? [:-^]
Jarrell, if you think they don’t like things in their ovens, try washing car parts in the dishwasher! WOW! You’da thought I killed her mother.
I use Lee’s tea leaf idea to represent dead leaves on the ground under the trees on my N scale home layout (Thank’s Lee great idea).The tea leaves are just the right colour and surprizingly the right size to look good as ground cover in N scale (should look good for HO too)
Next challenge is to try them on my Z layout.
Is the video online? Also, how much water do you put in ?
sfb
coffeegrounds i would think would make for nice freshly tilled soil. if it doesn’t look right you can always add the grounds to the compost. tea leaves make good general ground IF you don’t wet it too much. the mini-grinders can be found in thrift stores, no need to incurr the wrath of the wife.
I’ve used coffee bean grinders very successfully…and since I’m the only one who drinks coffee here there are no complaints. [swg] Although one time I did put a recently painted die cast locomotive in the oven on low heat to cure the paint…that got some complaints, but the locomotive came out great and is still running.
Wayne
Jarrell,
I tried the dry leaves/blender thing this afternoon. It did not go well. The plastic part on the blender mechanism melted. The motor is fine, but the part that holds the leaves does not have that piece of plastic on the bottom to move the leaves around.[:'(] Good thing that I did not do something bad to the oven, or I would be toast>[oops]
The video was in two different locations. One was on Allen Keller’s Great Model Railroads featuring Lou Sassi. It was volume number 23. The other location is the Dream Plan Build video series volume # 7.[2c]
Hmmmm… I guess that’s why you have to have water in the blender? I hadn’t thought of that.
Jarrell
It seems to me that I have seen that for best results you want to start with dry fall leaves. I have my own yard sale special blender, though I haven’t used it yet. The water method seems the most common and drying does not have to be done in the oven, though it speeds it and can kill any critters that made it through the process. A little Lysol is recommended to help keep things from growing later. I have only seen them used for ground cover, not leaves. I suppose you could try coloring (probably paint) them, but not sure how it would work.
I used to use coffee grounds on my O scale layout, but if you have a coffee grinder, can probably make them fine enough for HO alright. I would recommend the Lysol treatment too, as I remember some moldy spots developed when I hadn’t.
Good luck,
Richard