Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[chas]

 I'm entering the last month or so of my build of an Edwardian river launch, you know the sort of thing, all polished wood and varnish, this one is an early electrically powered one. This is my first attempt at this kind of build so lots of mistakes but the learning is half the fun isn't it?
 What's got me stumped is the cloth canopy that covers the middle of the boat. I'm making 4 brass uprights which will support a wooden frame to hold the cloth canopy. How the heck do I make the canopy? It should have scalloped edges and be cream coloured. I asked my wife if she fancied making it and she gave me a beer and said the model would look better without a top. I think that meant no!
  Someone out there must have done this, how did you do it. Help please
 Chas

[Peterm]

Chas, my son and I built a similar boat, for the canopy we bought some plastic and scalloped edging from a dolls house shop.   Pete M

[cdsc123]

Hi Chas
Yes thin plasticard is a good way to go if you can handle a little extra weight up so high,  the scallops should be easy enough to cut. In addition, to simulate the framework under the fabric, carefully bend the plastic over a straight edge then straighten it out again, doing all outlines of the transverse members and then the fore-and-aft central bearer. I am unfamiliar with the structure used on the launch you are building but the same principles may apply. If weight is an issue you could use umbrella fabric, holes for lacing are easily made with a soldering iron, and a hem can be carefully made just by folding the fabric over a light smear of super glue. The plastic will look far more realistic however.

[Rex Hunt]

Cover with thin cotton,
Varnish and let dry,
Cut edges with 'pinking shears'
refit and glue in position after painting if necessary after the varnish.

Rex

[chas]

thanks guys, that's a help. I tend towards using cotton as it's nearer the material of an original but maybe I'll experiment with both. Now why didn't I think of using varnish on the cloth especialy after al the time I've spent on the wood. I'm not sure what pinking shears are but I bet my local model shop doen't have them, I'll have to ask my wife. I get a day off this weekend so will have time to experiment and I'm post a picture or too when I've done.
 Chas

[Rex Hunt]

Was in my local John Lewis store today with swmbo.

In the Crafts section near to the sewing bit! Were sets of 3 'Fiskars' scissors for cutting 'fancy patterns into card and suchlike.

Cost for the set?

Less than 4 quid!   

(Fiskars are quite a good quality manufacturer too!)

As for the cotton......don't let the missus catch you snaffling one of her best hankies!
(May not be as cheap as it first appears!)   

Good luck

Rex

[nightowl2912]

Hi, outher than cotton what about using art canvas

Andy

[towboatjoe]

I used naugahyde material from a fabric shop for my canopy on my 1:32 scale sternwheeler