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Shingles. Actually shakes. In search of a better way.

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  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, November 24, 2022 5:03 PM

Cedar shakes are made from cedar shingles, usually split, either by hand or machine. then cut-in-two to make shakes.

I used Campbells cedar (rolled paper) shakes for quite a few of my model railroads' trackside buildings, but because the sub-roof material was sheet styrene, used gelled contact cement to put the roofing materials together.  Here are a few photos...

 

...this one is still looking for a better location...

Wayne

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, November 24, 2022 4:33 PM

PC101

The roofing on your building looks more like wood Shakes (rough top surface), the (paperbag) roofing looks more like wood Shingles (smooth top surface).

Agreed.

Wood shingles are sawed on both sides and are thinner at the end when compared to a wood shake. Wood shakes are sawed on one side and hand split on the other side, making them thicker than wood shingles.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 1,162 posts
Posted by PC101 on Thursday, November 24, 2022 4:13 PM

crossthedog

I'm building a craftsman kit and I've come to the roof. Eyeing the roll of shingles supplied in the box -- I guess they're really supposed to be wood shakes -- I wondered if there isn't a way to make shakes that look slightly more real. Those supplied are nice, and easy to apply -- just moisten and stick on! -- and I don't mean to throw shade on the genius that enabled Durange Press and Campbell and any number of other manufacturers to approximate shake roofing for their kits, but real shakes would be just a bit thicker wouldn't they? And even though real shakes are irregular I think they're not so wavy. It's always bothered me a little. 

I experimented by cutting some strips from a grocery bag and slicing the edges to make individual shakes. Here for comparison is a photo of the experiment alongside the roof of a general store I scratchbuilt when I was a kid, apparently using a spare roll of Campbell's shakes.

I'm not sure my new idea represents any improvement at all, especially since the old roof was so nicely weathered (how did I do that?) and has gathered the dust and damage of four and a half decades.

I'm not yet decided, but I'm leaning toward the easy roll. This kit is already taxing my eyesight, neck muscles and the free time I have available for the hobby. I give myself high marks for innovation and sheer pluck, but I may not use the paper bag. I might try again sometime with a card stock a bit thicker than the bag. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, if you celebrate the day.

-Matt

 

The roofing on your building looks more like wood Shakes (rough top surface) but I do not like the bowed up in the center look, the (paperbag) roofing looks more like wood Shingles (smooth top surface).

Medium wood Shakes could be normally for your building anywhere from 1/2'' to 5/8'' in thickness. Thicker wood Shakes 3/4'', 7/8'' or 1'' would cost more so when building or reroofing would the owner/builder need/want the added expence.

This question seems to remind me of the HO scale ballast question. If you can see the individual stones/ballast clearly from three feet away, it's too large.   

 

  • Member since
    February 2021
  • 1,110 posts
Shingles. Actually shakes. In search of a better way.
Posted by crossthedog on Thursday, November 24, 2022 12:40 PM

I'm building a craftsman kit and I've come to the roof. Eyeing the roll of shingles supplied in the box -- I guess they're really supposed to be wood shakes -- I wondered if there isn't a way to make shakes that look slightly more real. Those supplied are nice, and easy to apply -- just moisten and stick on! -- and I don't mean to throw shade on the genius that enabled Durange Press and Campbell and any number of other manufacturers to approximate shake roofing for their kits, but real shakes would be just a bit thicker wouldn't they? And even though real shakes are irregular I think they're not so wavy. It's always bothered me a little. 

I experimented by cutting some strips from a grocery bag and slicing the edges to make individual shakes. Here for comparison is a photo of the experiment alongside the roof of a general store I scratchbuilt when I was a kid, apparently using a spare roll of Campbell's shakes.

I'm not sure my new idea represents any improvement at all, especially since the old roof was so nicely weathered (how did I do that?) and has gathered the dust and damage of four and a half decades.

I'm not yet decided, but I'm leaning toward the easy roll. This kit is already taxing my eyesight, neck muscles and the free time I have available for the hobby. I give myself high marks for innovation and sheer pluck, but I may not use the paper bag. I might try again sometime with a card stock a bit thicker than the bag. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, if you celebrate the day.

-Matt

Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.

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