Model Roofing

[gm171 kk]

I am currently building a 1/50 scale house and am trying to source materials for roofing. Does anyone know of any product I can get that is just sheets of tiles or slates, preferably plastic like the evergreen stuff, that can be just cut and glued onto the top of a building as I don't have time to assemble a roof slate by slate? This is not railway related but seeing as this is the only modelling forum I am a member of I thought I'd put the question to you guys.

[David Holman]

Am fairly sure somebody does laser cut sheets for roofing, though not sure what sort.

Howard Scanics, Freestone Models, does a 7mm scale embossed sheet for roof tiles. This is a thick cartridge paper and still needs cutting into strips. Might be worth checking out the Wills sheets too. Though 4mm scale, I use their corrugated ones in 7mm and they look fine.

I just bite the bullet and measure/draw out a grid on copier paper ( for slates) and card for tiles. Could do it quicker on a computer methinks. Then cut into strips and then use scissors or craft knife to cut the strips half way to give the gap between each tile or slate. Use random lengths of strip (anything from 3 to 15 slates) and build up the roof from the bottom edge upwards.

Another tip is to stick the strips with double sided tape. Works surprisingly well.

Would never suggest doing a roof one slate at a time, but using strips gets it done fairly quickly.

A good tip in any scale is to use micro strip for guttering. Make it thick enough and deep enough to glue to the wall, but round the front edge first. Nobody notices the gutter is not hollow. Check out Arigna Town pics to see what I mean. Downpipes are plastic rod, with masking tape to suggest the joints.

[Mayner]

Am fairly sure somebody does laser cut sheets for roofing, though not sure what sort.

Howard Scanics, Freestone Models, does a 7mm scale embossed sheet for roof tiles. This is a thick cartridge paper and still needs cutting into strips. Might be worth checking out the Wills sheets too. Though 4mm scale, I use their corrugated ones in 7mm and they look fine.

I just bite the bullet and measure/draw out a grid on copier paper ( for slates) and card for tiles. Could do it quicker on a computer methinks. Then cut into strips and then use scissors or craft knife to cut the strips half way to give the gap between each tile or slate. Use random lengths of strip (anything from 3 to 15 slates) and build up the roof from the bottom edge upwards.

Another tip is to stick the strips with double sided tape. Works surprisingly well.

Would never suggest doing a roof one slate at a time, but using strips gets it done fairly quickly.

A good tip in any scale is to use micro strip for guttering. Make it thick enough and deep enough to glue to the wall, but round the front edge first. Nobody notices the gutter is not hollow. Check out Arigna Town pics to see what I mean. Downpipes are plastic rod, with masking tape to suggest the joints.

 

Prototype for everything department Shinge Roofing http://www.shingleroofing.co.nz/ The shingles are like a full size version of what David has described stuck in overlapping strips to plywood rather than a plasticard sub-base