scratch building coach roofs

[gobbler]

what are your thoughts on how to make roofs for coaches?

 

i'm scratch building some LNER suburban coaches and have come across this stumbling block.

 

thanks for any pointers

 

p.s. i know mjt have extrusions don't know how much.

i think ian kirk/cooper craft can supply roofs as spares at a few quid

 

but i fancy some D.I.Y.

 

cheers

 

Scott

[j-moores]

I find that the best way (for me that is) for making coach roofs, is to cut the roof out of a plastic sheet to size.

 

get a metal tube, block the end off (make it water tight). place the plastic length ways on the tube and secure it with a bandage to the tube. nice and tight evenly along the tube.

 

fill the tube with boiling water. This will heat the plastic up. (but not directly as to melt it)

once it has cooled down, empty the water out and take the bandage off. and hay presto a curved roof. all that is needed to be done then is to add the roof details.

 

This method works very well for me in constructing roofs for N Gauge but i cant see why it would not work for larger scales

[jwealleans]

You can just tape the plastic to a suitable sized container and pour boiling water onto it or immerse it; the only problem I've found is that if you don't attach the plastic to the former all over it can 'crinkle' where it isn't taped. I tend to swathe mine in masking tape, which a soak in the hot water then helps remove again. Run cold water over it afterwards to fix the shape.

[gobbler]

thanks JW,

 

 

please read my LNER suburban thread for how solved this prob

 

scott