Making My own Shingles

[Mike the Trainman]

I have been making my own shingles for a couple years now. It started when I was looking at a build on the old RR-L Forum. The builder was using this ruler to layout lines. I thought it would work to layout lines for shingles. I got a hold of the builder and ask who makes the ruler. The company is called Incra Rules. I order one. It is marked in 16th 32nd and 64th. I use heavy duty 3x5 index cards for the shingles. I tape it to the edge of the glass top on the workbench. Using the 32nd marking on far left side of the ruler I put the point of pencil in every 4th hole on the rule drawing a line across the card.

[Mike the Trainman]

After covering the card I cut it into strips using every other line.

[Mike the Trainman]

Next I take the strips and cut the tab from the line in the middle to the edge.

[Mike the Trainman]

After I cut the tabs I glue the shingle strip to the roof using a thin bead of white glue. After covering the roof and it dries I use the point of my knife to lift some of the tabs. To finish I smooth them back down before painting. The last photo is the finished roof after painting and weathering.

[Pennman]

Mike,

I have the incra ruler as well.
When you cut the tabs from the middle line, do you cut them all the same length, or are they varied in length?
Ans probably not all the same width either, right?

Rich

[Mike the Trainman]

I cut them random widths. I cut them anywhere from very small to longer. I try to make the longest no more than 12 scale inches. I also don't measure anything. After awhile the cutting of the tab becomes natural. I'm trying to make them look like wooden shingles.

[Dave Buchholz]

I'd seen that ruler on the Internet before.
I had thought of grabbing one


So what is the review of the product from both of you?

https://incra.com/measuring_marking-marking_rules.html

When I did a search. I typed Inca instead of Incra.
Learned a lot about all the rulers from the entire Inca Civilization. Apparently they didn't do any model railroading.
Doh!

Fifth Dave to the right

[Pennman]

I'd seen that ruler on the Internet before.
I had thought of grabbing one


Do what is the review of the product from both of you?

https://incra.com/measuring_marking-marking_rules.html

Dave,

I have a couple of minutes only, but I bought the 12" ruler in case I had a roof longer than 6".
You can draw perfect parallel lines across a roof so that individual shingle rows are marked for perfect
alignment. I once thought I could handle that task by eyeballing it, but sometimes either I don't see well or my straight edge slips. That won't happen with this ruler.
These rulers have many other uses of which I really don't know yet. I would have to research it.

Rich

[Mike the Trainman]

Dave I got mine to use to make shingles. For that it works very well. I could probably use it for other things just haven't done so yet. It is well made and easy to read the marking although I have to use my glasses now as with all my modeling.  

[Dave Buchholz]

Dave, I have to use my glasses now as with all my modeling.  

Getting old sucks.
But luckily. I'm an optician professionally. Bifocals and reading glasses have allowed me to be a hot rodder, slot car racer and model railroader for 50+ years.

😅

[Mike the Trainman]

Yes that's true. The worth was waiting for my cataracts to get bad enough to be fixed.  

Mike

[IWannaRetire]

Mike, thanks for posting this!

Scratch building is why I am here on this forum, wish there was more!