CAR roofs, how to make them

[torikoos]

Hi everyone. Does anyone have good ideas / techniques/ references etc or know how to make (passenger) car roofs? I am not too bothered about the more classic shape found on pullmann etc, but particularly the rounded corners on Budd stainless cars , Budd RDC's etc . I am okay in building bulkheads / car sides etc, but getting a roof straight and with 4 matching symmetrical corners is a bit of a 'challenge' at the moment.

Any tips/tricks/references welcome.

Koos

[jim currie]

make a template out of brass .
jim

[torikoos]

make a template out of brass .
jim

Could you elaborate on that? Do you mean a template and then use resin to cast it or do you have another approach?

Cheers

Koos

[Sumpter250]

A template is a guide to the shape of an object in a single plane. As in the curve of the roof, in line with the car, the curve of the roof side to side, the curve of the roof 45 degrees to the center line, at the corner. If the contours of the roof match the templates, they should all be close enough alike as to be virtually identical. The above would require three separate templates ( three different shapes ).
Templates are also used in ship models to check the shape of the hull at various points from stem to stern. This requires up to as many as twenty separate templates, to insure accuracy of the hull lines.
I have also used templates for the mass reproduction of certain parts, like door panels, seats, and other specifically shaped/sized items.

[nachoman]

What are you making these roofs out of? Are you intending to carve out of wood or plastic? And how many do you intend on making?

[Russ Bellinis]

Is there a reason that you don't want to use an existing roof from an existing model?

[torikoos]

Is there a reason that you don't want to use an existing roof from an existing model?

Apart from the challenge, and learning something new, I also want to work towards my NMRA Master builder motive power certificate. That's the main reason why I want to make as many parts from 'scratch' as possible, to earn extra points. I prefer styrene as my main building material, but of course will use brass, balsa wood, or anything else suitable where needed to make a successful model.

[Russ Bellinis]

You can use styrene to build the roof. First you would make a frame work of ribs like for a boat hull. You would use some .040 or .060 thick pieces for the ribs. I think you would need three long pieces going full length. One in the center like a ships keel and one to either side dividing the roof in thirds long ways. Then you would need to make cross pieces every 1/2 inch or so full length of the roof. You can then build up the roof with thin styrene strips. The thin strips are very bendable, but when you shape one and glue it to the framework, then glue another one on to make a lamination three or four laminations will be very strong. By the way Con Cor makes some inexpensive 85 foot passenger cars. The roof on the coach is correct for the sleepers while the roof on the sleepers is correct for the Budd coach. You could use the sleeper roof as a pattern to get your curves right. I think it is the 10-4 sleeper that has the correct roof for the coach.

[Sumpter250]

If you use Balsa, for the rounded parts of the roof..........once they're formed, apply generous amounts of ACC. This will "harden" the balsa and prevent damage to an otherwise soft material. Also helps to get a smooth finish.    
The "roofs" of the Quarter galleries ( RH side of photo, top and bottom ), were done with balsa blocks, sanded to shape after installing them in place, Port & Starboard. The adding of the ACC ( AlphaCyanoAcrylate / Super Glue ) made a smoother finish possible, and toughened the balsa so there would be no "dents accidentally created", afterwords.

[torikoos]

Cheers guys! Some great suggestions there. I'll look into it all.

Koos

[P5se Camelback]

ToriKoos ...

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