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How I make 1/25 corrugated steel roof/siding panels


JowesCrow

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Hi friends! Here's how I make scale galvanized sheet metal roofing panels. This works great at the 1/25 scales I use (G scale on trains). Each one with a unique style, color, and pattern yet uniform at the same time.1.thumb.jpg.2ac17a21ca17905d2ea2b150e1e4e208.jpg

 

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Materials I used are all from Amazon. An artist's oil paint tube crimper, 36 gauge aluminum foil, and the ferric chloride. Gloves, eye protection and ventilation; I cannot stress this enough. This is nasty stuff that gives of toxic fumes. Work outside!

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Carefully cut your strips to your desired width. Be careful here as well. These edges are sharp!

 

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Align your strip into the crimper. It's 3" wide, but I found that it's really hard to keep the aluminum foil straight. I used 2" for my panels and they fed in quite nicely.

 

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Turn the metal through the crimper. The strips can wander off course as you go, but corrections can be made as you go. Keep as straight as you can. This wore my wrist out. Take breaks!

 

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Nice.

 

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Cut your desired panel size.

 

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If you have multiple sizes to do, bag them in groups. This will save you some headaches and time re-sorting them after you're done. Make some extras, too. There's a learning curve so you'll want a few more.

 

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Ready? Time to acid. Top down: first container is just plain water, next two are baking soda/water (to stop the reaction), bottom one will be the acid.

 

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Pour very carefully. Wear gloves and eye protection. Do this outside.

 

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Dip the panel. Depending on the outside temp, the acid can attack quicker when warm. It's cold today so I've got some initial work time to test before it starts to get warm; the acid will put off it's own heat from the reaction. The pan above it is neutralizing a test piece.

 

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Acid 10 seconds, stop the reaction a couple times, put in the last water/soda pan.

 

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Wash thoroughly. They'll appear black, but really come to life as they dry.

 

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My test pieces.

 

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Here we are.

 

Hope this helps someone. Feel free to ask any questions. If you try this, be safe. 🙂

Thanks for looking.

J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

Very realistic.  Have you tried plastic card through the crimper as an experiment as well?

A bit dubious about using toxic chemicals so was wondering if plastic card was a viable alternative using 'normal' painting and weathering accessories?

 

 

Edited by noelsmith
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