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Best method to make a small Tarpaulin - any ideas please?


Gimme Shelter

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Hello

This is my first trip into the armour and military part of the site but I guessed that you guys would probably be the best for a quick bit of advice and help I am after.

I need some help modelling a self made tarpaulin.

I am building Emhar's Gokstad Viking longboat as a diorama and want to represent the little north-men's swag and stashes under a rope secured tarpaulin at the base of the mast.

Please can you offer any ideas as to what is the best material I can use as a mouldable cover which can be manipulated over the store boxes I want covering. I was going to use a plaster of Paris soaked fine cloth but thought you may have a better idea.

Here is a shot of the intended location

e248e284-5f32-4c0a-9027-dd8c5bcc5db0_zps

many thanks Military men

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dried out baby wipe or tumbledryer sheet that is then pva'd and painted. In model railway in another method for sheeted wagons was masking tape

dried out baby wipe or tumbledryer sheet that is then pva'd and painted. In model railways another method for sheeted wagons was to use masking tape.

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I've had decent results by using the packing tissue that comes in various parcels (or you could ask nicely for a sheet from a shop that sell crockery). Paint it with PVA and it stays a bit flexible so you can pack it into place then paint.

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Completely off topic here but noticed the Chieftain in Dan's photo and I'm in the middle of building that exact model (certainly looks like the Tamiya Mk5ish) - Aerials, is the heat and stretch a piece of sprue the best plan? Originally got her googling for tarp ideas as need to fill the rest of the turret stowage.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello

This is my first trip into the armour and military part of the site but I guessed that you guys would probably be the best for a quick bit of advice and help I am after.

I need some help modelling a self made tarpaulin.

I am building Emhar's Gokstad Viking longboat as a diorama and want to represent the little north-men's swag and stashes under a rope secured tarpaulin at the base of the mast.

Please can you offer any ideas as to what is the best material I can use as a mouldable cover which can be manipulated over the store boxes I want covering. I was going to use a plaster of Paris soaked fine cloth but thought you may have a better idea.

Here is a shot of the intended location

e248e284-5f32-4c0a-9027-dd8c5bcc5db0_zps

many thanks Military men

I think Viking longboats pre dated tarpaulin by about 1000 years!

i would have thought any shelter on a Viking longboat would be made up of animal skins or the like sewn together?

Tarpaulins date from the 19th century when a type of close weave fabric called "Paulin" was waterproofed with a coating of tar, hence the name.

Selwyn

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Completely off topic here but noticed the Chieftain in Dan's photo and I'm in the middle of building that exact model (certainly looks like the Tamiya Mk5ish) - Aerials, is the heat and stretch a piece of sprue the best plan? Originally got her googling for tarp ideas as need to fill the rest of the turret stowage.

Guitar string No 10 or 11 does the job nicely.

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Googling viking sails brings up links stating they made of wool or linen.

Wool and water just makes me think of turn of the 20th cent swimmers that went baggy.

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Completely off topic here but noticed the Chieftain in Dan's photo and I'm in the middle of building that exact model (certainly looks like the Tamiya Mk5ish) - Aerials, is the heat and stretch a piece of sprue the best plan? Originally got her googling for tarp ideas as need to fill the rest of the turret stowage.

Guitar string No 10 or 11 does the job nicely.

I used the Accurate Armour carbon rod for the whip antennas :-)

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I think Viking longboats pre dated tarpaulin by about 1000 years!

i would have thought any shelter on a Viking longboat would be made up of animal skins or the like sewn together?

Tarpaulins date from the 19th century when a type of close weave fabric called "Paulin" was waterproofed with a coating of tar, hence the name.

Selwyn

Linen or fabric from nettle fibres. Wool was strictly for clothing.

Cotton was brought from the middle east approx late 11th century / early 12th century.

Silk was more common in the west than cotton for a long time. Silk available from approx early Roman period [50BC - 50AD-ish]

Further west, eg Iceland / Greenland seal skin was popular and common.

Lightweight water proof use - linen soaked in beeswax

Heavy water proof use - linen coated in natural bitumen or pine pitch.

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Might be a bit late to this, but I use kitchen foil / tin foil / aluminium foil. Cuts easily, moulds to any shape, super glue it in place & paint it, varnish it & weather it. When it's dry, trim any edges with a sharp blade.

For aerials I use fine brass rod & paint it. I drill out the aerial mount, a drop of super glue and we're away.

Hope it helps.

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