Tarps made easy!!!!

[KT EASTMAN]

For those of you who are looking to make a Tarp heres how!!!

All you need to do is locate a moist towellete like the ones you get from KFC. Open it up, form it to whatever shape you wish and allow it to dry.

It will usually only take about 15mins. to dry. Once dry, all you have to do is paint it with your favorite "Tarp" colors(Silver,Blue,Tan,etc.)

This stuff has a real good texture and looks good when finished!!! You can also use those moist eyeglass cleaners as well with similar results!!! I like this much better than the old tissue/glue method. Its much cleaner and faster!!! Give it a try!!! Enjoy!!! KT

[BIGTRUCK]

Thats a great tip KT , are the folds hard to get rid of , and 'welcome'.

[KT EASTMAN]

The "folds" are very easy to get rid of. Just rub it lightly and they go away!! I usually don't even bother if I am forming it to something. I have yet to have a problem with the folds. KT 8)

[KT EASTMAN]

Heres my most recent build using a tarp. It molded up so well I actually took the boat engine out to use on another project!!! KT

[dcsunderland]

Thats a really cool diorama. One thing I've noticed is when you use the eyeglass wipes is that they have to be fresh. I tried to use some I got 3 months ago and when I opened the packages they were all dreid out.

[KT EASTMAN]

Thanks for the compliment Dave!!! It was actually quite a fun build once I got passed the drilling(over 250 "trim" holes). Though I have not tried it I do believe that a little rubbing alcohol will "revive" a dried out towel. KT

Edited February 10, 2008 by KT EASTMAN

[dcsunderland]

KT you are probably right some alcohol probably would work. I hadn't thought of that.

[KT EASTMAN]

So there I was making coffee this morning and guess what.. ..I was looking at the coffee filter and it hit me!!! I wet the filter and molded it on an engine and sure enough after it dried it did keep its shape and was ready to paint your favorite tarp color. Most tarps today are either blue or silver but there are canvas tarps that are tan,brown, or even green. If you are concerned about bleed through just shoot a little clear on the molded tarp before applying the final color!!! KT

[VW Dave]

I used a dollar store baby wipe cloth for this one, and shot it with Krylon 'Make It Suede' paint to represent an old canvas tarp.

(note to self: need to take better pictures of this one)

[Modelcarjedi]

i tried to make a blue tarp out of a grocery bag, I cut it to size and sprayed dull coat on it then i black washed it

keith

[SpreadAxle]

I love it. I could us these for loads on my flatbed trailers. I have been looking for the answer to this very question. thank you.

[KT EASTMAN]

I love it. I could us these for loads on my flatbed trailers. I have been looking for the answer to this very question. thank you.

That's what this forum is for Ray!!! Glad it helped! Let us know how it goes! KT

[KT EASTMAN]

Had a few guys asking again how I made the tarp on the Bonneville Diorama. So I thought I would bring this thread TTT for those who Have not seen it. KT

[ajulia]

Thank you so much KT!! under constuction site diorama here we go! BIGG-UPS to KT

peace

ajulia

[irender]

It's amazing that when you're hooked on building models, everyday objects are seen as what they would represent in different scales. I looked forever and tried almost everything I could imagine to find a material that matched a parachute tether cover for my Pro-street project. I went into the closet in the house we we're living in at the time that had a pull string for the light. BINGO!! That was it! It was immediately replaced with a newer and better pullstring.

Oh yeah, the tarp idea is EXCELLENT. Good Eyes.

[jbwelda]

yeah thanks for bringing this up again, ive got something right now to do it on. colonel here i come!

[Olle F]

The old Elmer's glue trick works great too. Just find some paper that will work (napkins, paper towels, whatever), cut to size and soak it in a mix of water and Elmer's. Wrap it over the item you want to cover, fix some realistic wrinkles and let it dry. If you use the right mix of water and glue it will be stiff enough to handle, you can even "snap it off" if it's partially wrapped around something so most often you can remove it and paint it separately, and then glue it back to the model. You can simulate just about any fabric with this method.

The pictures show some examples of what I did on a "junker" I built many years ago. I used the same method to make the rope around the bumper bracket out of cotton string. Just soaked it, shaped it, let it dry and painted it.