Modeling palm thatch?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am building a model of a seaside/ tourist oriented entertainment venue with a Tiki/ polynesian/ island theme. Will have a complicated roof. Has anyone modeled a roof thatched with palm fronds? Or ANY kind of thatched roof for that matter…

I searched Walthers.com and found a Kibri plastic sheet that represents thatch, but it would be hard to cut out in a shapes I want, and to cover the edges, etc. I really want to build roof of some solid material-- wood or styrene, and cover it with a flexible paper or plant or fiber material of some kind. I think…

2

Build your roof out of styrene or whatever. Get some hemp rope (or other natural fiber), and tease out or unwind the fibers. Cut to length. Glue them to the styrene / cardboard / whatever.

3

I agree on twine, etc. for the thatch and suggest small feathers for fronds. I helped a friend modeling So. California make some palm trees many years ago and we used twine and feathers to make the thatch and fronds on the trees.