The layout always needs more trees. I brought a bag of trees home some time ago and finally got around to planting them. My layout is foam board, the trees came with doody little molded plastic bases.
I discarded the molded plastic bases, and drilled the trunks to accept 1 inch finishing brads.
I held the trunks in a C clamp, and held the C clamp in my drill press vice.
Here is a small existing grove of trees on the layout.
Same grove with more trees.
Thanks Dave, I am contemplating another foam based exhibition layout so this is quite timely!
In a similar vein, for a previous exhibition layout with a removable back drop I had steel pins attached to the backdrop board, sitting in plastic cotton reel spools glued into the foam base. The backdrop “hid” a staging yard but made removal very easy for transporting between shows.
With one club show layout, it was a bit disarming for other exhibitors seeing a layout half picked up (4x5 ft) with one arm and I feel that the lightweight way is the way to go for many!
Cheers from Australia
Trevor
Looks good Dave. Since my foam base is 2" thick, I left the trunks longer, and used a sharpened wood dowel (pencil works as well), poked a hole, used tacky glue, and planted.
Mike.
Ach… Just poke a hole with a Bodkin and stick the tree in it.
ROAR
That looks like a good process the plant the trees securely.
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I have about 100 HEKI small pine trees to plant on my layout segment. I will something like this.
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-Kevin
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I have found that the easiest solution is to use a small section of aluminum tubing that fits over the nub on the bottom of the tree. Sometimes I have to file the diameter of nub down to fit snuggly in the tubing.
On my layout I have foam board on top of plywood. If the foam is thin than I drill down into the plywood about an 1/8 inch and make the tubing long enough to stick through the foam and into the plywood. If the foam is thicker then a one inch piece of aluminum in the foam is usually plenty long enough.
You also can use an unfolded paperclip to create the hole for trees. Plenty of options available!
Your trees look quite close to the track. Am I missing something? I keep all trees and phone poles 2-3" away from the track.