"Jungle/ Tropical Terrain & Trees?" Topic

So I'm aware of the grass mats, astroturf, and the grass squares from Michael's. What's everyone doing for the taller tree pieces?

Palms sure, what else?

Are aquarium accessories still the gold standard?

Not entirely tropical/jungle as they're more generic, but I've been working on a set of partial trees intended to work for the gigantic trees seen in various places, though more Redwood style.

The basic shift is that I'm ignoring the top of the trees, and using toilet paper rolls with the ends closed and the lower end weighted while using TP paper mache to sculpt them out for the roots and bark. A few are things I'm doing with larger rolls of various types to add some size variety, but since the canopy is pretty high up there, just doing the lower parts of the tree works rather well for playability while not really taking anything from the setup, especially with the tops even and just black that lets people understand that it continues above that.

It also lets you focus more on the floor level where things really matter.

Serviceable trees can be sourced from China via Amazon. They are pretty cheap and arrive quickly too. Some of the greens are vivid, the say the least, and they come without bases. However, I melt the ends of the trunk over a candle (try not to breathe in while doing this!) and then glue them to an MDF base. I will probably give the foliage either an addition of flock or a quick spray once I've made up my mind.

Recreational Conflict was my original source, but I've also gotten a pile from the Chinese model railroad supply companies on eBay – We Honest (their real name and true!) and Everest (I think that was it).

You can also use PVC (water) pipe wrapped in glue-soaked toilet tissue like my friend Bill did for the trees we used in a convention game: link The bases are Masonite (hardboard) and the roots are made from foamcore (IIRC).

Jim

Here's mine
[URL=http://s1314.photobucket.com/user/Rdfraf/media/Mobile%20Uploads/862F587B-15DC-4B46-BF0E-55D043CB3610_zpsvixpnyyj.jpg.html]

Some great bamboo here

auction

My bamboo from Hong Kong arrived today as did some palm trees.

But I think Rdfraf has well illustrated what I'm looking to do. (I recognize the bamboo!) What are those two deciduous looking trees in the back?

The deciduous trees in the background are some twisted wire trees I got from China. The foam flocking has been repainted to hide their original garish green color.

As for the bamboo I have two different types. The first are the ones I have found on eBay. They are inexpensive and made in a solid olive color. You can see them in the background. The second ones I got in China and are nicer but more expensive. The are molded in variegated green with the green becoming lighter towards the top. Your can see them in the photo, they are closer to the camera than the olive colored ones. I have not seen these on eBay yet

Michael's also sells fern and kauri trees.

Rick

Flashman, since you are state side check out craft store floral departments as well as the aquarium shops (a lot in Rdfraf's photo I'd say). Just don't use the actual flower stuff, too brittle. But lots of the plastic plants work well – and can be modified with the floral spray paints or other aerosol paints and a coat of dullcote.

The Chinese companies are increasingly making trees that are all plastic instead of using foam for leaves. Somehow they manage to mold the foliage in such a way that it looks like tiny leaves. The beauty of this is they do not shed foam all over the table which I have found a pain to clean up as due to static electricity it clings like mad. Colors range from olive to very bright light greens. I see some with flowers now. I have N Scale "Banyan" trees 3.25 inches tall but in that scale the root buttresses are barely notices. I have bought from a number of companies and all of them are fast to turn around an order and shipping is almost always free. You can order anything from 10 trees for $2 USD to 50 for $10 USD. The "leaf" effect is quite good but they do not advertise whether the foliage is molded plastic so pay close attention to photos of the trees they provide if you scroll down on the E-bay page. Foam trees well have shed bits all over while the plastic might have a few. When you pull them out of the bag they are stuck together and pulling them apart causes lots of tiny leaves to fall but afterwards they do not shed while handling them. The bamboo is hard to beat. I got 100 for $10 USD. Strip the leaves off and you have segmented bamboo poles. The tree limbs can also be bent into different positions. Beware twisted wire trunks as the wire they use has to be some of the hardest steel ever. Cutters crush it rather than cut it and you end up having to partially unwind the trunk to cut off each wire. A pain! I ran into this with some Acacias from JT Scenics that cost $4 USD EACH! I was cutting them because the trunks tapered to a point and would have been difficult to base that way. By the way, the plastic "Banyan" trees plastic trunk flares to about .25 inches wide at the base. Snip off the plastic "spike" and you have a nice flat surface to glue to a base. Two companies I recall well are "We Honest mentioned above and "Alpine". I have bought from others but you need to watch out for those that gouge on shipping or are selling ridiculously cheap. The good ones provide lots of pictures of the product and nearly always ship free via China Post. They notify when they accept your order and when they ship which sometimes is same day. I have ordered and had the trees in my hot little hands in 5 days. They always come in a padded bag my Postal Person crams in my mail box compressing the already compressed mass even further. Do not despair when you pull a solid lump of 50 trees out of the bag and start tearing them apart because they come through in good shape. You end up with quite a bit of "leaf litter" which is usable elsewhere.

Here is my take from my blog. Click the first picture and it opens up the phot gallery.