Finally, a Tool for Making N Scale Corrugated Metal

[RonsTrainsNThings]

For a long time I have seen HO tools for making corrugated metal siding from aluminum foil. Well I finally found one for N scale. Here is a video in which I show you how it works and were you can get one for yourself.

[Philip H]

I watched Luke's HO video on his version of this tool - it is really well done.  Now that I've seen it in N scale I'll have to add it to the must get list. we have a lot of corrugated siding down south too - it just doesn't last as long.

[wazzou]

I really like Builder's in Scale corrugated metal.  A lot less effort, available in different lengths and not all that expensive.
You still need to cut it 30" width but I made a jig to handle that pretty easily.

A couple of examples.

[RonsTrainsNThings]

I really like Builder's in Scale corrugated metal.  A lot less effort, available in different lengths and not all that expensive.
You still need to cut it 30" width but I made a jig to handle that pretty easily.

A couple of examples.

I lie their stuff too, but I really like to make things myself if I can.

[Mark W]

Some may remember the story of my Grain Elevator scratch build:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=33958.msg393578#msg393578

Completely overlooked the corrugated siding, built out of smooth styrene.  The very quick, simple, and effective method was to just score the siding with a group of xacto blades.

[Bendtracker1]

And it looks like scoring...

[mighalpern]

I have used the n scale styrene as a template,
 lay a piece of foil on it and then using an old toothbrush stroke it down the length to make great looking corrugated siding but in huge sheets!!
  then using a very fine sharp knife or scissors cut to size
I think it works quicker.

[nkalanaga]

Evergreen 0.020 inch scribed styrene makes good corrugated aluminum.  It would be hard to weather as rusted and worn galvanized steel, but aluminum is common in the Northwest, and just gets duller with age.

[RonsTrainsNThings]

Evergreen 0.020 inch scribed styrene makes good corrugated aluminum.  It would be hard to weather as rusted and worn galvanized steel, but aluminum is common in the Northwest, and just gets duller with age.

Yes, that is the issue with aluminum, weathering it to look like old galvanized steel.

[sirenwerks]

So how does the aluminum foil stressed sheets hold up under normal wear and tear? I can just imagine that the slip of a pair of tweezers or the just too tight grip of fat little fingers during construction or a bump of a dull object after the model's complete will create significant damage to the all those carefully formed and laid scale panels, even if using the extra heavy duty stuff.


Why can't a manufacturer just create 3d sheet out of styrene hat can withstand some out of scale abuse?

[peteski]

So how does the aluminum foil stressed sheets hold up under normal wear and tear? I can just imagine that the slip of a pair of tweezers or the just too tight grip of fat little fingers during construction or a bump of a dull object after the model's complete will create significant damage to the all those carefully formed and laid scale panels, even if using the extra heavy duty stuff.


Why can't a manufacturer just create 3d sheet out of styrene hat can withstand some out of scale abuse?

Like vacu-forming a 0.010" or 0'015" styrene sheet over a corrugated buck?  I don't know why there isn't such product available. They vacu-form brick and stone sheets - why not corrugated material?

[Santa Fe Guy]

 For those who may be interested I have used various sheets from this manufacturer.
It is easy to use and comes in a range of patterns as can be seen in the below flyer.

https://www.slatersplastikard.com/assets/pdfs/EmbossedFlyer.pdf

Rod.

[Dave V]

Years ago I read an article in MR about taking a balsa stick and drawing it along aluminum foil over plastic corrugated siding.  25 years ago I tried it in HO using the roof from a Tyco warehouse kit and made a convincing corrugated roof for the house at the end of RGS bridge 45A at Ophir.

I plan to use the same technique for the corrugated siding and roof on Ophir's Alta mine tramhouse.

[sirenwerks]

For those who may be interested I have used various sheets from this manufacturer.
It is easy to use and comes in a range of patterns as can be seen in the below flyer.

https://www.slatersplastikard.com/assets/pdfs/EmbossedFlyer.pdf

Rod.

Rod, if you have any of the corrugated material I'd be interested in learning/seeing more. It says 4 mm corrugation, which if my calculations are right means 25" in N scale, which seems pretty out of scale. If it's corrugated on both sides and has some transparency to let light through some, it might be worth playing to create semi-transparent window panels in warehouse walls.

[C855B]

... score the siding with a group of xacto blades.



...

Thank you for the idea! Sometimes the obvious solutions aren't. I have a need to simulate Alco radiator shutters, it wasn't going well and was a project impediment. With spacers between the blades I do believe this solves it.