Awnings for Structures

Strange... We were discussing awnings the other day here at the shop and the concensus was that we had never seen any really convincing awnings on models. All we had ever seen lacked the "drape" of the prototype.

Although we haven't tried it, someone suggested that cutting the awning from a silk scarf might provide the proper look and feel. Not an easy project.

Now all you have to make is the crank mechanism so that you can raise the awnings at night and lower it in the morning.

John Glaab

My first thought was foil. Or maybe shrink wrap? Hit it with just enough heat to make it contract but not crush the framework. Probably pretty touchy work.

Jay Modeling the North Shore & North Western C&NW/CNS&M in 1940-1955 Due to spam, all e-mails except those from selected addresses will be refused. Thanks for your understanding.

MrZaremba wrote: I've put some DPM and Smalltown USA kits on my HO layout, but after driving through and observing the buildings in some small Minnesota towns, I realized that the buildings lack awnings. I was just going to cut some out of colored paper and attach them with white glue, but thought I'd check with the group to see if anybody had any other creative solutions.

------------------------------------------------------- I used construction paper for my N scale awnings. You can wet the paper to get the sags if you want. Awnings make a world of difference in the appearance!

Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:

History of N Scale: Links to over 500 helpful sites:

How about that self-adhesive heat-shrink film used for R/C aircraft?

--Dan

I have not tried this, but since there are a lot of may work ideas being passed around here is another. Tissue paper cut to fit the area, then cover it with a mixture of water and white glue, allow to dry then paint and install. You may also be able to install the the tissue paper to the structure and then glue in place and paint. This has been used to make realistic looking canvas window shades and grill covers. R. Hargrave Avondale AZ

I have always had good results just drawing them on a computer and printing them out. I typically use CorelDRAW for this and making signs. I print them on regular paper and cut them out with an x-acto knife. I then coat the awning with diluted black/brown leather dye/alcohol to tone down the colors a bit. I create a "droop" by shaping the wet awning. When dry I put some masking tape on the underside of the awning to hold the shape. A frame is made with piano wire and glued to the awning. I leave a small 1/8" flap on the back of the awning which is folded down and glued to the front of the building. It is hidden under the awning.

The nice thing about this method is you can make anything you want, as most awnings have stuff painted on them. Look close at the picture in the link and you will see what I mean, I have lots of fun with this one, although very few people catch it!

Nice Tim, I saved the link for inspiration and the fact that KISS works! Best,

-- Steve Lynch

You could sand the back side (like making signs to be "painted" on brick building walls) to make them thinner and more flexible.

Mr Z,

A great modeling material is the U.S. dollar bill. It is not paper. It is a tough linen. It can be dyed, painted, glued, bent, folded, wrapped, etc. It makes fantastic canvas for cargos, awnings, sun shades, etc. And it is cheap!! You can fix its shape permanently with some model airplane "dope".

Ptooey

MrZaremba wrote:

Nice awnings!

Of course, defacing currency is also illegal. The paper used for U.S. currency is 25% linen and 75% cotton. It's rather heavy for awnings. A vast range of papers can be found at a good art supply store, including many cotton rag papers that would work better than a dollar bill. Like another respondent, I print and fold awnings, supported by wire. I do curl the paper a bit to get some sag, but haven't done the trick of wetting the paper. New awnings don't really stretch much, probably because of the material used for them, which seems to be some kind of high-strength synthetic, probably nylon.

Mark Alan Miller

Tim:

Nice awnings!

A couple of comments about the prototype.

Awnings, as I remember them, weren't more than 10' -12' wide. Long store front names were made on several awnings. This is not to say there weren't longer ones, but I never saw any.

The reason, I believe, for the shorter awnings was that they got very heavy, especially when wet, and the crank mechanism, and they person using it simple couldn't handle the great weight of a large wet awning. I still remember the local grocer cranking his down in the morning and up at night.

As a young kid we would get some new kid to stand out in front, "to make sure everything was OK", and we would make sure he was standing in just the right place. We would then crank the awning down as fast as we could. There was usually some moisture collected in the awning overnight and we'd give the new kid a bath!

Needless to say, I had been the new kid, once.

Very nice indeed!

Hi

Thanks to all for the great replies. I'm going to go with using the printer to make the awnings.

Mr Z

Is that a flasher at the right-hand corner of the building?

Jay Modeling the North Shore & North Western C&NW/CNS&M in 1940-1955 Due to spam, all e-mails except those from selected addresses will be refused. Thanks for your understanding.

It is now!

Tim

You mean all those pennies I put on the tracks as a kid was breaking the law???

I was at our local zoo last weekend and I saw one of those machines where you put 50¢ and a penny in it and the penny gets stretched out and stamped as a souvenir. If that's illegal, shouldn't those machines be in the back corner of my local watering hole next to the illegal gambling machines instead?

Seriously, I think defacing currency is illegal only if there is fraud involved - an intent to gain a monetary benefit -- such as changing a $1 bill to a $20 bill. That's counterfeiting, and VERY illegal.

Refer to Title 18, Section 331 of the U.S. Code:

I don't think using a dollar bill to model awnings and sun shades is illegal. Especially since you've paid $1 for it.

Actually the humor is what is written on the front of the awning. Not likely something that would be there in 1936!

Tim

That flasher has long hair and looks female. I have never heard of a female 'flasher'. Sreaker, yes, but not a flasher.