Bedding rolls, tarpaulins etc

[Mad Fox]

the net type dishcloths are good too, water down paint and soak it for 24hrs, or dye it, hey presto cammo net.
another way to make canvas rolls is to use the puree tube method mentioned above but glue on tissue paper with PVA, once dried, fold and roll then paint them for your desired look.
buckles for strapings can be made from wire, just loop it around a scale sized square bit of wood or whatever comes to hand, as long as it is square, (rectangular will be fine too), slip the wood or whatever is used out and then cut down one side to free the buckles glue to straps and fit around the rolls/stowage, hey presto

[Miggers]

I used baby wipes(new clean ones BTW )to make the tents,bedrolls and tarpaulins for my Abrams,they're a bit stronger than tissues.

Wash them first to get out whatever it is they're impregnated with and let them dry.
Fold/roll them to your desired shape.
Soak them in Johnson's Kleer/Future floor polish and let that dry.
Paint/airbrush in the colour you want.
Wash and dry brush to bring out the detail in the folds.

I used computer printer paper to make the straps and then drilled holes in the back
to take hanging brackes bent from staples and superglued into the holes so that I
could simply hook them over the bustle rack rails.




Mark

[fv432]

nice job on the abrams mark and why isnt it in the showoff section?

[Miggers]

Well I suppose I could put it in there,but I don't have it anymore.
One of wifey's conditions to allow me to buy the Tiger was to sell the Abe.
It now resides with it's new owner in Northern Ireland.

Mark

[Mackem]

Great tip Mark, I will definitely be giving it a try.

Cheers
John

[mikef350]

great tip mate i will be doing that also,where can i get some of them ruck sacks from?

[seafire]

Great tips on this page! i already tried the cheapo IKEA net one. It looks exactly like Israeli camo net in 1/16 scale.
Here's my contribution - It was common practice with tank crews in Vietnam (I know the US didnt use the M41 there but hey, this hobby is all ablout imagination isn't it?) to carry a roll of chain link wire fencing on the rear deck, to place around the vehicle, when in a night laager, as a defence against RPGs. (As seen in 'Full metal Jacket'). Apparently it would short out the electric fuse in the tip of the RPG and either detonate it away from the tank or it would drop to the ground as a dud. A piece of the plastic netting that fruit punnets are wrapped in at the supermarket is perfect. Just cut it square, spray it with metal primer then brush paint with Humbrol metalcote. Buff it with a rag, roll it up and it looks great in 1/16 scale! some balsa wood 'fence posts' sharpened with a knife complete the job.
Keep 'em coming!
Seafire.

[seafire]

Here's another one.
White shirring elastic (dirt cheap from any haberdashery department) dipped in wood stain makes great rope for securing all the junk hanging on the the outside of the tank. Best bit is, because it's elastic the knots are self-tightening and don't come undone!
Seafire.

[Miggers]

great tip mate i will be doing that also,where can i get some of them ruck sacks from?

TBH Mike,I'm not sure where you'd get some from.
The ones you see on my old Abe came from a guy in the 'States I used to have a lot to
do with named Roly Miller from the old Marui Tanks Group on Yahoo Groups.
Sadly,certain family issues got in the way and Roly gave up RC tanking altogether.

I know that he made masters for the rucksacks,alice packs(dufflebags),ammo cans,jerrycans,
roadwheels,commander figure and the bustle rack APU from a material called "Sculpey".
AFAIK,it's a modelling clay that can be worked cold and then heated up in the oven
to "cure" and harden off.

Roly then created RTV moulds from them and cast up the stuff in resin.
He was kind enough to send me a complete set for finishing and test fitting to my tank.

I don't reckon he made many more than five or six sets at all,so the ones I had were pretty unique and they're most certainly the only set in the UK.

Mark

[oldfeller]

Hi All

Don't have to use the oven, you can get air cure modlers clay,
easy to work with, just shape and let set.

I've "also" used the wifes tights for blankets dyed to colour, If
you want to make box's use lollypop sticks, on when you have a cupper
out, use the wooden sticks for stiring, cut to size bit of sandpaper to
roughen for wear, make and and paint.

Gerwyn