This Stuff?

Do you mean this stuff?

Peppergrass

If so, I imagine Ontario would give you all you wanted to take away.

Seems like it's a weed that grows all over the world in up to 230 varieties.  Can I ask what are you using it for?  Got any pictures? [smile]

I remember pepper grass. It

I remember pepper grass. It was, back in the 60's pre foam foliage and grass material that came in boxes about 4 inches square and 6 inches tall. You could buy it in a variety of greens and yellows but I haven't seen it sold anywhere since 1970. My mother owned a Craft store back in the mid 60's and it was sold at her store for about 50-70 cents per box full with about 24 ounces of the grass. She always gave me what I needed and I would help sweep up and restock all the shelves after school to pay for a lot of the stuff I used like glues and plaster that she also sold. I wonder what happened to that stuff too.

Dan

Kevin- I'm not sure if that's

Kevin-

I'm not sure if that's the correct plant or not.  It's a plant/weed that should be available in the dried floral section at craft stores--but nobody around here knows what I'm talking about.  Dave Frary mentions Pepper Grass trees in his scenery book, and there's also a chapter (#13) in the "New Scenery Tips & Techniques" book.  Robert Hamm describes how he uses it to make really nice looking Aspen's:

http://www.trains.com/mrr/objects/pdf/mr_sc_5-05_toweringtimber_01.pdf

It's got a great "leaf" look and appers to have buds or pods that are smaller than what's on caspia branches. 

After seeing the PDF. Thats

After seeing the PDF. Thats not the same stuff I used 40 years ago, I have seen the stuff in the PDF they are calling pepper grass at Michaels right next to the Caspia I bought last fall and it's about $4.00 for a bundle but I'm going to have to see exactally what it's called at Michales.

Dan

Those look great!

Yes, it sure does!  Like Dan, I think I saw some of this stuff at Micheals the last time I was there.  I don't know what they call it either.  Next time I'm in there I'll look more closely.

You'll find it as sesame

You'll find it as sesame bloom, pepper grass or candy tuft, the batch I have at home says candy tuft on the sticker and I got it at Michael's, but I have noticed their dried flower dept is getting pretty feeble. If I find it online I'll drop a note here.

I found Michaels pepper grass

I just ran in the store real quick as I was actually headed to the lumber yard to pick up some 2X4X8 foot long to build a new wall in my train room, anyway I ran in to Michaels and asked the first guy I saw if they carried Dried Pepper Grass he looked up and said yes but Michaels calls it Stardust Gypsum.

He then asked me if I was a model railroader looking to make Aspen trees and with a little surprise I said yes and I wanted to check the price. I followed him to the dried flowers and he handed me a bunch in a plastic open ended bag. I looked at the price which is $4.99 a bunch and then noticed it came in two colors Natural and Bleached White both were the same size and price. so I stuck the bundle back on the shelf and said see you in a few days to the employee and thanks.

I then got out to the truck and wrote the name down STARDUST GYPSUM $4.99 a bunch.Other wise I would have forgotten both the name and price, Lumber yards do that to me for some reason LOL.

The natural was the exact same color as in the PDF and in 2 other books I have seen Articles on how to make aspens so I guess Natural which isn't much darker then the Bleached white is what I'll buy seeing that I'm building A Colorado Railroad I will need about 20 bundles as I'm going to need quite a few Aspens.

Dan

Great ideas here

I may have to try this - the Aspen is not a southern tree, but this could produce some interesting variations of oak . . .

Anyone know if this would work for a conifer - I need to make a few bald cypress at some point . . . .

Not Cypress or Oak with this

Not Cypress or Oak with this Pepper Grass plant as the branches are very small and just in no way look like Oak or Cypress.

I have both types of trees in the area in fact I have many large trees in my back 20 acres and the forest beyond there are Oak, Ash, Poplar, cherry, Maple, and down along the Creek there are Cypress, Hickory, Dogwood, lodge pole Pine, Fir, Ponderosa Pine, Bull pine and a lot of other trees.

The only thing that pepper grass would be good for is the Colorado and western Aspen and you could use it for the eastern Dogwood because they have skinny light colored trunks and branches with roundish leaves. Actually Caspia Basil would work better for the Cypress since they are ever greens also if you have mustard plants in your area you could make some nice Sycamore as they are large sparse hardwoods you just cut the leaves and flowers off the mustard plants stick the base of the plant in Styrofoam and allow it to dry out for a few weeks and then spray it with brown and green and brush it with lite yellow highlights.

Dan

Aspen construction article help..

Anyone remember where that aspen constuction article is?? I know I have it, but for the life of me I can't find it.. What book was it published in??

Thanks

I have Two Books with instructions

In Model Railroader June1992 page 98 & 99 is an article called Mass-Produced Aspens. Then a second article Called Autumn Aspens also in Model railroader from October 1999 pages 94 & 95 which is a close copy of the article BillMichaels posted the url for above. Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette has posted a number of articles on Colorado Foliage and trees over the years also.

Dan

Duhh brain melt

Thanks, I'm usually more careful of reading the thread before I ask idiot questions..  My users here would laugh right now if they saw this, I guess everyone has a brain meltdown once in a while..  I'm usually the one who gets to say RTFM (Read The Fine Manual.. It says so right in the internet dictionary)

Sheepishly slinking away

 Thanks

Sully

peppergrass

I have also been trying to find peppergrass and so far have found a couple of wholesale suppliers and a couple of retail suppliers.  Here is what I have found:

Scotty Mason sells it from his website but it is by the case. 

http://www.scottymason.com/newsletter/news5.htm 

This place also sells it - but again by the CASE

http://www.wreathpalace.com/otherproducts.html

Then there is this one place which I found which seems to sell it retail but its much more expensive this way.

http://www.steps-to-memories.com/Preserved_Painted_NATURAL_SESAME_BLOOM_4oz_Bunch_p/11bj10-90910.htm

Now, I want to try making some trees but I really don't want a whole case of it.  I would get a case if someone is willing to share it with me.

Please also note that there are different kinds of peppergrass and they do not all look the same.  The stardust gpy which one person mentioned is NOT peppergrass - it is gypsophila - a totally different plant.

Angela

 I just found this supplier too, peppergrass is also called Sesame Bloom.

http://www.rightchoiceusafarms.com/Fillers.htm

Does anyone have either of the two magazines mentioned above and if so would they mind copying or scanning and sending me a copy of the article about making the aspens etc?

Thank you

Angela

Peppergrass

I remember when the Lou Sassi article and the Great Model Railroads video came out and he talked about it!  I looked all over for it including Michaels and other stores carrying dried flowers and nobody knew what it was!  

GREG

Making Aspen Trees

Greetings Dan;

I have been using a tree making jig by the McKinzie Brothers :

http://mckenziebrotherstimberco.com/

Their jig makes it easy to build Aspen trees,

http://mckenziebrotherstimberco.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=9

So far I have built 90+ trees with my jig.

Cheers

Bill B.