I was on Model Railroaders Forum a few years ago and in the magazine Brooks Stover had an article on using Puff Ball Trees on his S Scale layout. I was amazed at how several Forumites criticized using Puff Ball Trees! They felt that there are now far better ways to to populate a layout with trees! I thought they where to critical and being reticula's and feel they are great for producing an area where many trees Bushes are needed!
I DID NOT KNOW THAT!! Seriously, thanks for the welcome break from electronic circuits! I have heard the term "puff ball trees" but never took the time to see how they are done. I may even try this on a small section of my equally small layout! Great job as usual. Enjoy England!
I saw a lot of internet criticism of puffball trees and them being a bit unrealistic. I believed it - until I drove through Kentucky. Puff ball trees are a very good match for certain areas of this country and my lesson learned was to look around at the stuff you want to model and use what works best / looks best for you.
Always sound advice. I do enjoy your videos like in my series. I’m just focusing on what I’m doing because I know that people like yourself and Charlie at Chadwick and Luke towan fellow Australian here and showing these in extreme detail how to videos where as mine just going about my current build and I reference people like yourself for when they want the step-by-step instructions and the thing regarding the color of the Canoe is the most important thing I’m currently building a coastal section making my own Sand dunes and a A very detailed boat ramp is quite fascinating stuff and I’m not gonna bore everyone with the details when I can simply just take sections of what you do and others do, and just say to everyone referred to these talented young people who know what they’re up to fantastic viewing, as always keep up the excellent work Josef
Great video- never seen this technique before, but I think it makes better ground cover, bushes etc. than trees! I booked my Warley tickets, hotel & flight to UK this week- hope to catch up with you in the halls at NEC!
They look really good, thank you for another great video. I hope to get a chance to say hello at Warley. You've been a big help as I've got back into the hobby and worked my way around DCC.
I've always been a bit skeptical of using black fluff for these puffball trees - but now that I can see the process, I can see how using green fluff would make the centers too light. I guess that I was just too accustomed to the old Life-Like pre-made trees lol
Yes, we tried that and it really wasn’t all that effective. Worked best when done with a rattle can after applying it to the layout. And the MicroMark stuff is a pretty good deal, quite a lot in a bag. And if you can find the black stuff at an after Halloween sale that stuff is a bargain. It is often used for beards and hair etc.
Always enjoy your videos, always helpful,any tips on removing road numbers from my diesel locomotive without damaging the rest of the paint on the locomotive? Thanks again for the informative videos
I have seen Cody at MR use a pencil eraser and also just letting some isopropyl alcohol sit on them a few minutes, but to be honest I have never had either work that well for me. Some folks also use a fine grit automotive paint restorer to literally sand them off but I have never tried that, need to get some.
Larry, I enjoyed your video on puff balls. I have posted 2 previous comments and both have been deleted. In those comments, I included a link to where I buy black poly-fiber at a reasonable price. I purposely did not include the link in this comment as a test to see if there is a CZcams algorithm that is deleting comments with links. Otherwise, I don't understand why my comments are being deleted.
The link was what tripped you up. CZcams places a hold on comments that have website urls in them to prevent spam as well as porn links. As you can see this comment got through OK.
If you post the link again I will keep an eye out in the hold box and approve it. Unfortunately that box tends to fill up faster than I can keep up with and although they are supposed to remain there for 60 days they must delete some of those before I get around to checking the hold box.
I have been looking on your site for a folloup to another of your videos dealing with scenery and how to put the turf down ontop of the table. I am specifically looking for your directions and manner in which you attach trees to the table. You reference it will be coming in another video but I have been looking for along time now with no results. Where can I find this?
Since I use extruded foam insulation board on top of plywood I simply poke a hole with a sharp tool and insert the tree trunk into the hole. If I want it permanent I add a touch of glue to the bottom of the trunk before inserting it.
Isn't that black stuff just black polyfill? You can get that stuff everywhere, for a heck of a lot cheaper than micromark! A 12oz bag at MM is north of $20. Same stuff at Jo-Ann is $8 for THIRTY TWO ounces! WAY cheaper than micromark. Also, you can use the white polyfill you just need an extra processing step: Roll it in acrylic craft paint, let it dry, then roll it in pva, and flock it.
I must admit it has been a few years since I visited Jo-Ann so missed that source, I’ll drop in next time I am near there, thanks. As for the white stuff as long spas you can get the black or green version I avoid the extra steps. I have reached a point where my time in my few remaining years is more valuable than the added cost.
Hi Larry,I have a dcc layout and and running it will a nce power cab and wish to add a DCC CONCEPT A ALFA METER to a nce auto sw from the nce power cab broad,can you help me please thank you Brian
Hi Larry the 3 videos I looked at didn't help me much so rang dcc concepts and I was putting the auto sw in the wrong place so all is good now thanks again Brian
Love the suggestion of starting a puffball sweatshop, errrr I mean assembly line, with kids.
Larry was looking for a method of making shrubs and buses Thanks for sharing.
I was on Model Railroaders Forum a few years ago and in the magazine Brooks Stover had an article on using Puff Ball Trees on his S Scale layout. I was amazed at how several Forumites criticized using Puff Ball Trees! They felt that there are now far better ways to to populate a layout with trees! I thought they where to critical and being reticula's and feel they are great for producing an area where many trees Bushes are needed!
I DID NOT KNOW THAT!! Seriously, thanks for the welcome break from electronic circuits! I have heard the term "puff ball trees" but never took the time to see how they are done. I may even try this on a small section of my equally small layout! Great job as usual. Enjoy England!
Great tips on puff ball trees. Love this video, thanks for showing
I saw a lot of internet criticism of puffball trees and them being a bit unrealistic. I believed it - until I drove through Kentucky. Puff ball trees are a very good match for certain areas of this country and my lesson learned was to look around at the stuff you want to model and use what works best / looks best for you.
Thank you for this I think I’m going to add some to my layout
Always sound advice. I do enjoy your videos like in my series. I’m just focusing on what I’m doing because I know that people like yourself and Charlie at Chadwick and Luke towan fellow Australian here and showing these in extreme detail how to videos where as mine just going about my current build and I reference people like yourself for when they want the step-by-step instructions and the thing regarding the color of the Canoe is the most important thing I’m currently building a coastal section making my own Sand dunes and a A very detailed boat ramp is quite fascinating stuff and I’m not gonna bore everyone with the details when I can simply just take sections of what you do and others do, and just say to everyone referred to these talented young people who know what they’re up to fantastic viewing, as always keep up the excellent work
Josef
Great video- never seen this technique before, but I think it makes better ground cover, bushes etc. than trees! I booked my Warley tickets, hotel & flight to UK this week- hope to catch up with you in the halls at NEC!
They look really good, thank you for another great video. I hope to get a chance to say hello at Warley. You've been a big help as I've got back into the hobby and worked my way around DCC.
Great!
Thanks for the tip.
What a neat method, thanks for sharing Larry keep safe.
Some great info there,must give it a go.👍
I've always been a bit skeptical of using black fluff for these puffball trees - but now that I can see the process, I can see how using green fluff would make the centers too light. I guess that I was just too accustomed to the old Life-Like pre-made trees lol
Amazing idea 👍
It’s very easy to paint (rattle can or airbrush) the white fluff material.
Yes, we tried that and it really wasn’t all that effective. Worked best when done with a rattle can after applying it to the layout. And the MicroMark stuff is a pretty good deal, quite a lot in a bag. And if you can find the black stuff at an after Halloween sale that stuff is a bargain. It is often used for beards and hair etc.
Always enjoy your videos, always helpful,any tips on removing road numbers from my diesel locomotive without damaging the rest of the paint on the locomotive? Thanks again for the informative videos
I have seen Cody at MR use a pencil eraser and also just letting some isopropyl alcohol sit on them a few minutes, but to be honest I have never had either work that well for me. Some folks also use a fine grit automotive paint restorer to literally sand them off but I have never tried that, need to get some.
Larry, I enjoyed your video on puff balls. I have posted 2 previous comments and both have been deleted. In those comments, I included a link to where I buy black poly-fiber at a reasonable price. I purposely did not include the link in this comment as a test to see if there is a CZcams algorithm that is deleting comments with links. Otherwise, I don't understand why my comments are being deleted.
The link was what tripped you up. CZcams places a hold on comments that have website urls in them to prevent spam as well as porn links. As you can see this comment got through OK.
If you post the link again I will keep an eye out in the hold box and approve it. Unfortunately that box tends to fill up faster than I can keep up with and although they are supposed to remain there for 60 days they must delete some of those before I get around to checking the hold box.
You make it look so easy. Would this technique also work with cotton balls such as found in medicine bottles instead of the microfibre?
You’d want to dye them first but since they are cotton that should be no problem just make sure the dye is colorfast.
I have been looking on your site for a folloup to another of your videos dealing with scenery and how to put the turf down ontop of the table. I am specifically looking for your directions and manner in which you attach trees to the table. You reference it will be coming in another video but I have been looking for along time now with no results. Where can I find this?
Since I use extruded foam insulation board on top of plywood I simply poke a hole with a sharp tool and insert the tree trunk into the hole. If I want it permanent I add a touch of glue to the bottom of the trunk before inserting it.
Would you know how to attch trees to just plywood top?
Drill a hole and glue them in it.
@@TheDCCGuy thx
Isn't that black stuff just black polyfill? You can get that stuff everywhere, for a heck of a lot cheaper than micromark! A 12oz bag at MM is north of $20. Same stuff at Jo-Ann is $8 for THIRTY TWO ounces! WAY cheaper than micromark. Also, you can use the white polyfill you just need an extra processing step: Roll it in acrylic craft paint, let it dry, then roll it in pva, and flock it.
I must admit it has been a few years since I visited Jo-Ann so missed that source, I’ll drop in next time I am near there, thanks. As for the white stuff as long spas you can get the black or green version I avoid the extra steps. I have reached a point where my time in my few remaining years is more valuable than the added cost.
does that campfire have an LED in it?
Yes, and there is a video on that project.
@@TheDCCGuy of course there is! I never thought to look. 🙃
Hi Larry,I have a dcc layout and and running it will a nce power cab and wish to add a DCC CONCEPT A ALFA METER to a nce auto sw from the nce power cab broad,can you help me please thank you Brian
Watch videos 104, 107, 108. Just put the Auto SW between the PowerCab output and the Alpha Meter, and split off your programming track feed.
Hi Larry the 3 videos I looked at didn't help me much so rang dcc concepts and I was putting the auto sw in the wrong place so all is good now thanks again Brian
Puff balls...just.........no! Just say No!