Making a tarp


N

nsconductor

Member
I'm making a large H&W flat car load. Wanting it to be tarped. Problem is.....what can I use to make a realistic looking tarp?
 
I've made Tarps out of Tin Foil. Use the non shiney side of the foil & spray it w/your favorite color. Blue, green, olive drab or black in flats. Be sure you don't pull it tooo tight because it tares real easy. You can form it around almost any shape.
I've also made a tarp out of thin silk fabric. You can prewet it w/thinned Elmers. Let it almost dry & lay it over the load.:D
 
Like Scordicus said, tissue paper (the kind you get a shirt wrapped up in when it comes in a box). Here's an example of some that I wrinkled up then painted up with Floquils Depot Buff.

100_1977.jpg


I've also used it to simulate paper applied over windows when a unit was in the paint shop.

100_3551.jpg
 
Some good ideas guys. I'll give them a try. I have a couple high capacity flats, wanting to build a decent load for them. I work for NS and we haul some very large generators of some sort made by Siemens. Usually run them on high cap flats at 25mph. Nothing like that in HO. Been looking for something like a large peice of equipment that didnt cost $25+. Was in Lowes hardware yesterday.....starting looking at plastic and metal fittings in the plumbing section. Bought a 1" coupling of some sort. Got 2 plugs to caps the ends....looks like it should make an interesting load. Wanting to tarp, or at least partially tarp it to hide the large lettering like "PVC, 1", CHINA, etc". Has a lot of interesting ridges, corners, and designs on it.
 
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Larry said:
I've made Tarps out of Tin Foil. Use the non shiney side of the foil & spray it w/your favorite color. Blue, green, olive drab or black in flats. Be sure you don't pull it tooo tight because it tares real easy. You can form it around almost any shape.
I've also made a tarp out of thin silk fabric. You can prewet it w/thinned Elmers. Let it almost dry & lay it over the load.:D
Click to expand...

I've experimented with foil also to make tarps.

I think I'll try your method with the thin silk.

Cheers.
 
I once made a nice tarp out of a Kleenex with a 50/50 mixture of white glue and water brushed on, then painted. The weight of the water/glue mixture makes it sag realistically. And it holds its shape once the glue dries.

Steve S
 
Steve S said:
I once made a nice tarp out of a Kleenex with a 50/50 mixture of white glue and water brushed on, then painted. The weight of the water/glue mixture makes it sag realistically. And it holds its shape once the glue dries.

Steve S
Click to expand...

Got any photos of it?
 
NSConductor, Just make a tarp using all of the idea's & let us know which 1 works the best.
 
If you mix a little crafters paint with the 50/50 glue & water you dont need to paint after it dries. It also colors through the tissue.
 
I also have seen the Kleenex used, draped, sprayed with white glue/water and painted. It looks excellent. Colored chalk was dusted on to give it that old dirty look.

I would think you could use it to make a tent as well if desired.

Myself I have never tried it.
 
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