Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: TheWeasel on 22 August 2011, 12:06:57 AM
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This may need to be moved to Workbench, so my apologies if misposted.
I'm working on builidng a 25mm scale ship for LoTHS etc (pics soon), and was wondering - what do you use for sail cloth?
I'm waffling on using somthing akin to my wife's parchment paper, or looking for some lightweight cotton.
Any suggestions or recommendations?
Thanks for the input
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I used Calico for mine seen here:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=5900.0
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm243/fsultana/P7060029.jpg)
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.005 thickness evergreen polystyrene.
Durable, holds its shape and looks good.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_M3WExbxY0w/TlCYCd5O8cI/AAAAAAAAAoc/qMD1TvEMHTs/s1600/bangkok7.jpg)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q94W0rkOX9E/TiY_7aM8tGI/AAAAAAAAAmM/CMPiU-Jbhu0/s1600/brignewton1.jpg)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P70sRZOC3fU/TaRzlJw1hII/AAAAAAAAAXk/_dIMPbEIJv0/s1600/2_pirate_sloop.jpg)
Sails Quick run-down:
The sails are made of .005 thickness evergreen polystyrene. The same stuff that model railroaders and scratch builders use. I size them to fit the masts and use various sizes of thin strips of the same material for seams. Sand the sails with fine grain sand paper to get texture. To get the curve of the sails I glue thin flat brass strips to the backs of the sails on each side. To lash the sails to the yard arms I use a tiny whole punch I found in the "Scrap Booking" section of a local craft store and wax string from the jewelry section. After assembling but before attaching them to the yard arm paint the sails.
Painting the sails is a matter of spray painting it an off-white then washing it with antiquing medium and cheap craft paint. The medium allows you to re-wet the wash the sail to get the stained cloth effect you want.
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I used 'cartridge' paper - available from art shops
It's thicker than regular printing paper, but not as thick as card. You can curve it and it will keep its shape. You can thread it to rig it, and its quite resistant to tearing if you use a little caution.
Of course you can paint it too
http://scottswargaming.blogspot.com/2011/06/becky-boo.html
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I am a fan of paper sales. Believe it or not, regular printer paper is my material of choice...well, regular printer paper and a generous amount of acrylic varnish.
Start out with your white paper. Use a diluted tan ink to stain the paper. Figure out the proper stitch pattern and the like for the sail in question. Create an image file and print it out...both sides. Using a form block (just a bit of scrap lumber that I have sanded into the shape of a sail under wind) lay the paper over the block and gently wet it. You don't want to soak it...otherwise the color will run from the stitching. Get it wet enough so that it falls with it's own weight over the form. Leave it sit for a few hours to dry. After it has dried, take a spray bottle loaded with diluted acrylic varnish and give it a few good hits. Let those dry, and then remove it from the block. Spray the other side and let it dry again.
The completed sails can then be stitched, punched or otherwise hung on your masts.
As opposed to making your own form block, you can actually use the seat from an old wooden chair. Most of them should have a butt recess carved into them, and it is about the right size and shape for doing this sort of work.
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I use hankerchief cotton - nothing fancy, cheapest (thinnest) white hankie I could find.
(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g22/imagebucket_2006/wargaming/boat_sloop_painted_01.jpg)
From here: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=13425.90
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Please add pictures