For the sub roof I use a piece of wood from Midwest that is meant for
making wooden aircraft. It is a thin sheet of
Birch but it is thick enough that doesnt warp easily.
I have built some roofs with cardstock and they have warped up on me at the
edges leaving a pagoda look.
For the hand cut shingles I cheat.
I learned this trick some time back and it works very well. Go to your local cigar store and ask them for the
cedar sheet from the boxes. Most cigars
come with this sheet in between layers in the boxes. The shops throw them
away and most will give you several without much fuss...especially if you tell
them what you are using them for. Then using an Xacto,
cut the sheet into strips about six scale inches. Next
lay them next to each other. A little space
is OK if the building is going to be run down. Take
1/16 inch vinyl chart tape (glue wont stick to the vinyl) and lay it across the
strips. Start about the width of the tape off
of the edge. Place the tape across the strips
with about an inch over each side. With each
additional row always leave an open space about the width of the tape. Once you have done this across the sheet then
take a pair of scissors and cut behind each piece of tape.
This should leave a row of shingles that are individual pieces. Each row should be half covered by the chart tape.
To glue the shingles on, first draw a few straight lines across the
roof to keep you rows even. Put the glue
down on the roof. Lay the strip of shingles
with the chart tape toward the bottom. With
the second and all other rows put glue on the roof and a little on the exposed edge of
wood from the previous row of shingles. Once
the glue has dried you can pull up the chart tape by the overhang.
Remember to space the rows so that no seams match from one row to the next.
Look at the shingles on the roof any house. If they are laid correctly the
gap between two shingles should be about in the middle of the shingle on the
rows above and below it.
That's all there is to it.
Back
to Clinics by Duane
|