making habitat

[Hugh-P]

Thanks for posting your method Ian, not long winded, very good information.

[Wildbirdcarver]

Good stuff Ian. I appreciate your detail. Don't have a method for fir or other short leaf trees. Larry Barth is going to have an article on creating a juniper branch in next issue of Wildfowl Carving Mag. Also Tom Park will have a demo on a branch and leaves in the same issue (follow up on his excellent Oriole) Jump in gang the water's fine. DM

[Wildbirdcarver]

Be sure to check out the thread "Making spruce-pine branches" started by Tom Park. Very good demo DM

[MHarnett]

I know of a blog that may be of intrest to this topic. If you go the the Peabody Museum, special exhibitions, Diorama takes shape and click on Michael's Blog you will be able to read Michael Anderson's the senior preparator's live blog on construction a Diaorama built around one of Perry Wilsons backgrounds. Some of the stuff like construction the foreground with shadows in mind may not be of intrest nor the use of taxidermy specimians, but he does talk about making plants and flowers for a museum display.

These plants are going in a sealed display case that will not be moved. some of the plants will not be appropriate for a carving display and others may be too delicate but the topic is intrestions and he does discuss some techniques that can be used.

The museum method of making a plant that can be used is as follows. They make the central stem out of wire and attach the various leaves and side stems to the main stalk by wraping the leaf wire around the central wire stem. exposed sems both central and leaf etc, are slipped into plastic electrial shrink tubing. The tubing is trimmed to fit adjoining peices such as the the leaf stem attaching to the main stalk. The shrink tubing is heated over a low flame and a plant is made.

When we made plants we melted bees wax in a double boiler and mixed in a little green oil paint. The result was green wax. you then heat a metal modling tool, press it against the green wax and apply the melted wax to the shrink tubing joints to create a seamless stem.

I forget the weed he made but he used this method to create the foreground flower.

[Wildbirdcarver]

For those of you that want to make leaves for your habitat, I've found a paper punch the punches out a red oak leaf. It not only will make a paper leaf, but thin brass or copper sheets will work also. Got the punch at Michaels but I think Hobby Lobby has them also. Give it a try. DM

[MTnative]

I have recently been researching methods to model water effects (still and flowing) and have found a great resource from a Master Railroad Modeller from Australia by the name of Laurie Green. He has wonderful instructions and photos on his website. Just click on "Articles". HOME PAGE

Also, I need an "aged/weathered wood" effect for a fence post and found this site by Mike Chambers (Tutorials and How-to's) to be particularly good. He lists multiple stains recipes as well as tools for distressing woods. Granted it's for model railroading but the principles should be the same.

Can't wait to try these techniques in my next carving.
Jane

[Rob Wilson]

"The Breakthrough Habitat and Exhibit Manual" is an excellent reference book; by the editors of Breakthrough Magazine ; written by Bob Williamson, Jim Hall and Dan Blair. Search on the Internet for the Magazine. Good luck

[brdkrvr70]

Hi,
I ran into the habitat problem when I wanted to put a Magnolia Warbler on a pine branch. I made the branch out of brass tubing. It comes in enough sizes so you can decrease branch sizes by sliding smaller tubes inside of larger ones. My problem was I curved all of the branches before I tried to solder on all of the leaves. You guessed it. Solder one on and two fall off. The solution was to straighten out the branches and staple them to a flat piece of wood. Then, when I laid the leaves out I was able to solder them all on. I cleaned the flux from the branch and bent it back to the original shape. I put primer on the metal and painted the branch and leaves.
I also made the feet of the bird out of brass and soldered them to the branch prior to painting. If you go to the gallery you can see the bird I'm talking about. If you like I can take another picture to show the whole piece. Lou

[Wildbirdcarver]

hello Lou, Thanks for posting your technique. I haven't had the courage to try a pine branch yet and would like to see your warbler on the branch. I'm a little computer challenged...would you post how to get to the photos in your gallery? I can get to the gallery and your name comes up, but no photos. Thanks again. Dick

[brdkrvr70]

Hi Dick,

To get to my picture click on "Carver Galleries" on the left side of this page. When the new page comes up click on the word "search" which is next to the word "home" in the dark bars which run across the middle of the page. When the new page comes up scroll down a little and there will be a place to type in my name. "brdkrvr70" Then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "submit"...I think that's the terminology. It will take you to my carvings.