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 Posted - October 12 2013 : 03:03:39 AM
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 OR, might one think, I am? I thought that as a good host title, so, heres the reason I added that subject title, and
why I even ask....
So, to start, and give you some sort of idea how I began thinking in this text (shall we say) I had gotten a Walthers United Petroleum Refining - Kit. Well come to this kit, its not complete, and was/is partially assembled. HOWEVER the single or 2 Petro tanks that were to be with the kit, are missing....Not wanting to spend any type of cash saved for other projects into
this one (a little limited budget right now) BUT able....I just needed to "make priorities" so to speak, BUT, thats another story for another time. SO, this leaves me with a partially complete kit, and missing some of he larger parts to it....It has the base, all the piping, or well most of it, and has the 2 equal sized cylinders, and then the tall and largest one as
well.....All of the walkways are present or seem to be (I may have to do some extra work here but I can make them. So, for what I got in the kit, which isn't much the person that had it was generous to say the least. Not knowing much of the kit, myself, for what it was offered to me for, I couldn't say no, nor did I know that the massive Petro tanks were missing. Still, didn't care much...BUT looking this thing should have at least 2 if not more....
Now, I know this isn't all that "surprising" with me, those here that know me, knows, I have this amazing knack for getting things for a good price, and this isn't at all about that sort of thing! What it is about is what your about to read! But first a little more on how this got me to the place I am in this posting. You all know or a lot of you do, before my open heart surgery in April, I was a construction worker, sort of. I built and maintained 78 state Liquor Stores in my state of residance. This also kinda makes me a finish contractor as well as a grounds guy as well (In the summer months), I done nothing but landscapping. SO, with that said, you wonder why I speak of this? WELL I have been in contact with all sorts of building materials, pipe, of all metals, sizes, and plastics....Depending on, the local "town" ordances we had to conform too. SO, I wound up over time, making up ideas, on these same materials for my hobby (YES, before you wonder or ask), it made the work day go by faster! SPECIALLY, on 10 and 12 hour long days! PLUS the ride home from that store "build". See, when I was also a maintenance man to these stores, when a single store would start to cause the state excessive money to maintain, they would imediately, find another "close-by" location, and begin putting in place, a new "plot" to relocate that other store. NOT build a completely new location, but renovate the interior to their "likes".This also entailed to have multiple crews on certain days, BUT, put me on the new builds, AND on the tear downs of the old store. As that, in the orignal contract, (some of which were upwards of 70 YEARS!) We had to make that old location, rentable to the landlord, OR restore to its last condition, BEFORE the state leased that property.
Upon doing this sort of work, wether building, or rebuilding, or take down....I've had my hands on A LOT of different materials, some of which, so old, the state would dedicate, "waste" to go into a contractor's dumpster....THIS sort of thing has brought me to dumster dive! You all can not imagine some of the useful building materials I've brought home to use on modeling....old Plexiglass, anything from 1/8", thick to 1/2" thick, by sheet size up to 4 feet wide, by 8 feet long, and even longer! Up to 12 feet! HUGE pieces.....WELL, I take these home! They make GREAT building parts, bases, foundations, you name it...Anyway, stored all over the house in places like the basement, and in my shop, on the smaller pieces.
Hell on a more extreme note, on a store rebuild, there was a store next to our location for another store of a different type I think it was actually a Jo-Ann Fabrick's store, that was being renovated, and the guys tossed a table saw, AND a chop saw, "compound miter" in their dumpster. I went after work to get the materials in our dumpster to take home when I seen those 2 saws, in the other dumpster! Turns out, got them both, it was raining, and when I got home, the table saw, had a once or twice used Frued Diablo 10 inch, 90 tooth finish blade.....The Chop saw, had a Frued Diablo 10 inch 80 tooth finish blade on it... Over $200 worth of blades! The Saws? I use them both, the table saw needed a new power on/off switch, the chop saw needed a new power cord! So, crazy as a outhouse rat? YEAH? Maybe!
While doing this, I also grabbed new "cut-offs" of PVC "Schedule 40" pipe, of different diameters, from 2 inch up to 8 inch!!!! Lengths from just shy of 3 feet, down to about/around one foot, anything shorter is almost not worth it UNLESS, there are muliple pieces of the same size, then I'd have to think about taking it. Now granted, I only take, what I can
reach, I don't "root" in the materials dumpsters..... they can get pretty hairy at times with nails and such to poke, scratch, stab, you name it, hurt you so..... But a more recent find was a almost 4 foot section of brass 1 3/8th pipe! I seen the top or end of it and went and dug just a bit to get it. not sure what that was, but it wasn't going to the junk heap with me seeing it without trying.....This, will end up a boiler! Found that, BEFORE my surgery!
So, recently, a few of you know, I'm doing some serious (and I do mean SERIOUS) cleaning/organizing in my shop, while doing some theraputic work of my own as well to take a break once in awhile. So, I got to looking at the recent materials I had out in plain sight....1/8th plexiglass, 1/4th plexiglass, decent size pieces, nothing huge but usable sections of the sheet. Not far away, in my organizing stage, a few "cut-offs" of PVC was there.....6 inch diameter, and a "coupling" to a 4 inch dia. pipe, and a single section of 3 inch dia. pipe. AND, then it dawned on me....
Why, couldn't I take the sections of pipe, and the sections of plexi, and make flat topped "tanks" to go with my United Petroleum Refining Kit? Sure, they don't match the ones shown with the United Petroleum Refining kit, BUT they ARE tanks and will need a bit of "scale detail", ladders, railings, cages (maybe) etc. plumbing (no pun intended) but you see where I'm going here... So, in thinking of this, I took the sections I had out, and went to find my (yes, here I go again) my PVC pipe primer and glue, and had (HAD, mind you) to go to the local hardware store to buy a new bottle/can of PVC glue, as the one I had was dried up and unusable. (I've had it for a LONG time!) So.... I got a new can, I've got the purple primer but will need to get more as its almost empty. While there, I also went and done something, I normally won't. I bought a 4 inch dia. PVC pipe connector. The sleave type. I wanted to see how close the others would come to what I was planning.
But, more information. I looked at the array of items in this area, in a whole new light. I seen a pipe fitting, in PVC that was 4 inch one end, and 2 inch the other, a reducer.....PERFECTLY, tapered, to make a Pulp Tank for the Paper Mill set up! With a little work, could save someone a few dollars to make this detail for their paper mill set up! Granted, I'm making the tanks, OK? BUT, if you don't want to PVC pipe glue, a sheet of plexi, or other plastic sheet to the end of a section of pipe, you could always use the pipe caps too! BUT, they have a "tank" roll end, that has a bit more roundness, then I was willing to have for this project! I mean really, if you wanted or don't have a way to cut a section of pipe, straight and true, just buy the needed diameter pipe coupling, thats a but connector, and glue your choice of sheet plastic to it to make a top for the vertical tank. This insures a continous height of tank, and no cutting of the pipe length would be needed, and these are a bit more in diameter then the pipe itself.
Then, awhile back, I was "lining" a section of thin-wall PVC to become a Steam Era water tank! the lining, is real wood, but I stopped, as I need to find a banding of some sort with a turn buckle. Before, I resume this project.
I don't have recent pictures of any of this. BUT, when I get a chance, I plan to add some pictures of what I'm working on along withthe others I was working on and then some I'm in search of parts for are sitting till I come across these needed parts like my School thats build from 3 Life-Like Belvedere Hotel.....I'm looking for some details to continue that project, BUT, instead of sit and wait, I started other smaller projects!
SO, to add to this posting, what aresome of YOUR idea's and thoughts on building, achieving different aspects of the hobby without the use of buying a true scale model, BUT, making it from regular ole household materials? I look forwards in ALL of your thoughts as this may spark someone else to try something new!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 13 2013 : 8:43:56 PM
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| That's quite a story John. I hear what you're saying, though. Seems like since I started modeling about a year ago, I look at every scrap and consider what use it might be in HO scale. I ended up using a Morton salt container for a water tower (never finished it yet).
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Posted - October 13 2013 : 9:17:42 PM
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Barry,
You see what I'm getting at then? I have looked at EVERYTHING in a modeling, "light" now..... no matter how big or small, I NEVER thought of it but plexiglass, machines NICELY! turned, milled, hell, you can router it.....Same for Lexan! (I have Lexan that's 1/2 inch thick!) That stuff, is known to stop a 357 Magnum bullet at close range! They use it in banks for the tellers protection! It too, machines nice!
As for the Morton Salt container, you'll have to get pictures....I am working on getting some to add to this for all to see what I have come up with.....
I'll mention here, my Wife, Jessie was mad at me 2 days ago.... I took my chop saw outside and was cutting the pipe, PVC, slowly mind you, and kind of "Milling" the edge of the pipe on uneven edges outside, and it made a hellofa mess, and then me being me, never thought twice, walked inside. tracked that plastic "shavings" right in the house I had to go back and clean up my mess!
Anyway Barry, what did you do to the outside of the salt container? I'm headed to get some pictures to add here! I can't hold off any longer!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 13 2013 : 9:41:25 PM
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wife mad at you that funny
But she was right & it'd help that you have a Shop-Vac next time & a brush 
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Posted - October 13 2013 : 10:29:04 PM
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So, because I couldn't hold out no longer...... Here are the starts of this whole topic, and the reason I had to make it, and to also see who has other ideas and how their worked and thoughts turned out, wether good or bad, (I'm not here and hopefully no one else is either to critisize the person posting), but, thoughts on doing it differently, OR how well it turned out to be some....
So then, we got one of two HUGE PVC pipe....
I took a shot with a normal tape, (IF you can call a Wally-World "Tape" normal..... .they have the fractions, I HATE these but I like the lever lock tapes from Stanley.....But anyway...you can see that this section of pipe is 6 5/8th inch wide in diameter. In HO scale, thats absolutely HUGE! I have not taken a scale foot measurement but....it looks GREAT for "sizing". The section was just a "ring" of pipe, nothing glued to it as this point! (Remember, this pipe, will have "clear" tops! SO, look close, and take into consideration, these sections are glued, to scrap plexiglass, the large sections of pipe, have 1/8 inch thick plexiglass glued to it as the tank "roof".
Then you have how it was done:
See, this is a scap section, I'm not sure what all the lines were for, but didn't care, it was a rather large section of plexiglass, that was usefull in this project, and to this point I've spent, $4.44 to buy a new container of PVC medium strength glue! The pipe, and the plexi was "free" as scraps from my place of work!
An inside shot:
This shows that ALL the gluing was done, from the inside. So you ask, how well does this hold? I add the purple PVC primer, smear it just a bit till it sort of runs to the outside edge of the PVC pipe, then stick it back down onto the plexi, and then add the PVC glue to the inside as well, leave it set for about 15 to 30 seconds (long enough to close the glue up) and then remove the pipe from the plexi, once again, and smear it as well, just a bit.
In about 20 minutes, the plexi can not be removed, and I've cleaned the pipe with the "cap" and it holds water! I would NOT try this for a pipe cap, to stop water flow!
Now, after a day of sitting as that was A LOT of glue added I wanted to make sure that the plexi was fastened, hard to the pipe section, to make surewhen I began to machine the edge, it would not come loose and have to either start over again, OR ruin the whole thing at that point. SO, here is what the machined edge looks like of the "tanks" Setting as if they were the Walthers # 933-3168, Wide Oil Storage Tank w/Berm - Kit, HO scale, $44.98. Granrted, this is justthe beginning of the build so there is A LOT more details I have to add, washout plugs, check plugs, and even a small dome in the center of the top, and then all the piping that it requires.....BUT, I believe most of what I'm attempting to do, will work for the Refinery, I plan to build!
So, here you see, the machine work:
This was done to start with, with a 1/4 inch thick section of Lexan, then it was cut with a band saw, as close as I could to the pipe. Once that was trimmed down it was off to the outside, to have the routering done to the pipe. Just to "round" the top edge of the tank. I'll be adding walkways, railings, ladders, and cages. With all the washouts, and such needed to finish off the tank. They al will be "connected" by means of the walkways, as one or 2 tanks will be for Gasoline, another for Kerosene, and then one for Diesel, and so on and so forth.....I have to make that up when the time comes....Right now, its merely to make the tanks and see what I'll use as a dedication to each petro product.
I have to say the rounded top corner, machined well, a close up:
A helicopter view:
Once all this was done to the tanks, they were machine sanded on the plexi to take paint, with 400 Grit wet & dry sand paper....Once that was done, I then touched it to a bit of Scotchbrite, to take it a bit further for smoothness. NOW, primering and such will come next, BUT, I want to think of what I'm going to do as far as "section" lines for the building of a real tank.
More to come!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 13 2013 : 10:34:35 PM
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Ben yes! See, I was out side, AWAY from the door so..... I never thought it track in as much as it did.... She'll get over it.... I cleaned up the mess so....
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 13 2013 : 10:36:06 PM
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Then, I mentioned the water tank. I took a section of thin wall PVC 4 inch, and lined the outside of it with wood.....NOTICE the wood type as well:
A interesting picture:
This was to go to a customer that had gotten in touch with me to build him a wooden water tank, and had failed to get me the final pay to finish the job, and never heard back from him. SO, because he has seemed to not be into the whole thing to date, I held the start of the project, and will continue for another couple months to see if he does finally come back to have the continued project done, IF not, I may keep it OR sell it once done, as it will have all the wooden supports under it and a round slate tpe roof on the tank with the spout and all the chains and weights! Ohh, I didn't mention, its O scale, but a this point could be a down scaled model withthe change of the details!
The wood seen here was supplied by the customer, its what he wanted so, I made it work. Interestingly enough was trying to figure out a way to glue it strong enough to be worked and cut. SO, as you see the very end of the pipe the wood has been trimmed off, that's how I got the right type glue to hold the wood to the PVC pipe! Sure enough the wood isn't going anywhere! Its all contact cemented to the pipe! What a smell that left! every window and door open in my shop with all the fans going, it was bad, I took and got everything going and then the door into the rest of my home, pulled it shut tight and left it "air out" a bit, a good half a day when I did that!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
Edited by - EM-1 on October 13 2013 10:39:33 PM
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 4:03:04 PM
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quote:What are some of YOUR idea's and thoughts on building, achieving different aspects of the hobby without the use of buying a true scale model, BUT, making it from regular ole household materials? I look forwards in ALL of your thoughts as this may spark someone else to try something new!
Originally posted by EM-1Â -Â October 12 2013Â :Â 03:03:39 AM
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First, I'd like to say I like your tanks and how you got the stuff to make them.
For some time now, the proliferation and price of purpose-built parts and supplies has been raising a rebellious streak in me. Then, I read Model Railroader's series on the Milwaukee Road Beer Line. (Attach the Acme Sectional Sidewalk kit with Woodland Scenics Sectional Sidewalk glue.) I wonder what brand of air they were breathing. I liked resourceful authors like the late, great E.L. Moore who built things using their imagination and then bragged about how little it cost.
In my spirit of rebellion, I built a building out of garbage, glue and paint. I wanted a retail coal facility in a place on the layout where it would have to hunker low to avoid passing elbows, so I went with a coal shed like one I saw by the grain elevator in Steward, IL. It was served by gondolas full of coal that were unloaded by hand shoveling through hatches in the wall toward the rail.
Here's the building:
The base is plastic cut from a DVD case. I glued cardboard from notepad backing to that with contact cement. The building is assembled from the same cardboard using file folder cardboard folded into angle stock on the inside corners to attach walls, floor and roof together. The wood siding is file folder cardboard scribed with a ruler and dull knife to look like boards. The corrugated roofing is heavy bond paper embossed on the simulated corrugated roofing of a plastic building. You lay the paper over the corrugated surface and run a dry ballpoint pen down the grooves.
As a note to people who want to emboss their own roofing and don't have a building like I have, you can get a sheet of styrene simulated corrugated roofing and use that as a die for embossing the paper. E.L. Moore used to use the wooden equivalent, back in the day.
The file folder was a worn out and dog-eared dumpster diving prize and the bond paper came in some junk mail.
Surfaces simulating concrete were bare cardboard since notepad backing is the color of old concrete and scales down into the right texture in HO. Wood siding was painted a barn red shade and the roofing was aluminum paint. All this was weathered with thin black washes to simulate coal grime.
There is coal in the bins that I sifted out of coal dust from the bottom of a coal pile and that's glued in with a mix of carpenter's glue, water, and a little dish soap to help the mix soak in.
The coal conveyor/elevator is from an old die cast metal kit. I forgot the brand, but the thing has been on the market probably since the 1950's. If I hand not already had one, I would have made one from pop can aluminum, wood, paper and some wheels from the junk box.
I got the building I wanted and acted out my orneriness about checkbook modeling.
Carpe Manana!
Edited by - scsshaggy on October 14 2013 4:09:08 PM
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 5:05:47 PM
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hey scsshaggy! There's one of those coal unloading places just up the street from me!
It resembles your model! Want pics?
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 7:15:22 PM
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Don,
GREAT work on the model of the coal shed....NICE execution of materials too! I'm pleased to see, I'm not alone with cost of things and then the use of the imagination to make things *happen* Just as you did. Your coal conveyor, is a "had" item. In other words, you used what you had, and I too do the same! The hardest part, is "blending" each thing so a distinct change is more difficult to see and not blaringly obvious.
Then you have that added interest, what can you take *X* and make it into something, like the old Bachmann hoppers, and turn them into Coalporters....With the tubs under them, well I had to come up with the "tubs". Electrical "Ground wire" coatings that are "U" shaped.....stapled to telephone poles a local friend of mine got me as they changed the electrical code for such now.....It has to be in outdoors conduit. SO, this "U" channel became scrap!!!!! So naturally, me being me, I have my friend save all this for me, and hestill does! As he lives local just drops it off as he passes by on his way home from work! My wife was concerned awhile back on the "mess" but she sees it cleans up just as fast as I cut it all down to 4 foot lengths, to store.....Then the "shorts" are taken to the shop to be stored for use, I use up the shorts faster then i get them! Now, I speak of the Bachmann "Quad" hoppers being made into Coalporters.....BUT I've also made Gondolads as well with 2 tubs under it:
This was also a Bachmann Gondola. I made it into something to go with my MOW train.....
I have some other pictures to get uploaded of the cars I'm speaking of....They are something. I couldn't use them as quad's due to the railroads I am modeling. Which will come, I just have to figure out which SD card they're on as there is a few of them floating around my household....
Ben, SURE! I don't know about Don, BUT, I'm up for pictures....I wouldn't mind, modeling one of these, myself!!!!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 8:03:57 PM
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| goody & you can give me one hehe
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 8:35:52 PM
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maybe......depends on how big and whats all involved in building one never mind 2 of them1 BUT, I'll have to think of that once I see the real thing!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 9:33:09 PM
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quote:hey scsshaggy! There's one of those coal unloading places just up the street from me!
It resembles your model! Want pics?
Originally posted by microbusss - October 14 2013 : 5:05:47 PM
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Sounds interesting. Could you post them?
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 9:37:50 PM
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Shaggy, you are just one heck of a model builder. That coal shed is great. John, here's a photo of the pieces of the water tower that I need to continue working on; followed by pictures of a plastic Revell water tower that I am rebuilding. I guess I enjoy painting more than I enjoy cutting (and fighting with) the little pieces of wood. The wood on the side of the Morton salt container (smaller size container; I'm thinking a scale 20 feet or something; I'd have to dig up the plans) is scale lumber maybe 8" width? The roof is made of folded card stock and colored with colored pencil, though I did buy some scale wood shingles to cover it with. I'm working on the plastic one, because it seems a quick study and will be the first "building" on my layout!
The thread that is lying on top of the water tank actually has a little turnbuckle on it. My plan is to tediously thread those little scale turnbuckles on and have those threads be the cables that hold the wood tank together. "We'll see", hey?
The darker color panel is, I think, the color that the wood support base for the tank is going to be. I just keep seeing dark, treated wood, as what was being used?
Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 9:55:45 PM
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EM-1,
Great idea with the scrape PVC pipe tanks. Those walthers bulk storage tanks sure are expensive. I've seen them in hobby shops for +30 dollars. Pretty darn expensive for what is basically a plastic tube. I was lucky to get a couple for 12 bucks each but otherwise I would have turned to another alternative. I don't recall the walthers refinery kit coming with tanks, but the united petroleum kit may be different than the north island one. As for the water tank, popsicle sticks are a tried and true staple of budget model railroading . It seems like there are endless possibilities for modeling when you think about everyday trash as an HO scale kitbashing part.
ChessieRR
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 10:12:45 PM
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quote:| Bachmann hoppers, and turn them into Coalporters....With the tubs under them... Originally posted by EM-1Â -Â October 14 2013Â :Â 7:15:22 PM
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I always like to see when the full-size railroads do that kind of thing. There were piggyback cars converted from boxcar frames and wood chip gondolas that were just box cars without the roof. They're economizing by starting with something they already have just as you do with your tub-bottom Coalporters.
While it's not exactly modeling of a specific prototype, I consider that kind of scrounging to be prototypical in the sense that you're doing what the real thing would do under your circumstances.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - October 14 2013 : 10:29:49 PM
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quote: The roof is made of folded card stock and colored with colored pencil, though I did buy some scale wood shingles to cover it with. ... The thread that is lying on top of the water tank actually has a little turnbuckle on it. My plan is to tediously thread those little scale turnbuckles on and have those threads be the cables that hold the wood tank together. "We'll see", hey?
Originally posted by Barry - October 14 2013 : 9:37:50 PM
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I like that shingle roof.
I've seen articles about threading the tank bands where the depth gauge on the side of the tank hid the place where the threads started and ended. To connect the ends without it being an obvious knot or something would be hard to do, otherwise. The gauge is that calibrated strip down the side. It looks like your Revell kit has one. Maybe that's what you already planned, but in case you still had to work that part out, I figured it costs nothing to toss out the idea. (As the saying goes, "good advice costs nothing and it's worth the price.")
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - October 15 2013 : 1:48:19 PM
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Guys, First off, Thanks for the input!
Barry,
That tank lined with wood should look GREAT when your done! I got a long ways to go on mine. The roof I plan to make one triangle at a time! Then, to what seems to be, "Tar Paper" it.... Not sure but, we'll see how that goes when I get that far!
The turnbuckles, what you using for the bands? I think, I'm going ot try an old fassioned trick. picture hanging wire.. itd braided, and I have some thats BRASS! SO, those old brass turnbuckles I have from a "Old Time" box car kit, should work well! Again, we'll see!
As far as your plastic water tank.....I agree DARK stained wood would be the look, as back then EVERY railroad strip, board, trim, ALL wood, was dark..... it was Creosote treated! THEN painted a lot of the times the thin Creo. was used for fine trim type stuff, and then the heavy thick, tar type stuff was used for the tie and other bridge beams etc....SO, you would be right as that tank would have had a unpainted but Creo. treated support under it....ONLY the tank sides would have been painted.
NOW those rivet counters, THIS is NOT always the case.....IF there was NO "Thin Creosote" around the thinner trim board of the railroad structure didn't get the Creo. treatment!!!!! THEN were only painted. and one has to remember back then, this paint, that was being used, probably, (more then likely), WAS FULL ENAMEL paint..... possibly even with lead in it! (The Lead, is a thought of "Maybe" I can't say forsure) BUT as you can see, IF the wood was 100% coated with the enamel paint, that sealed it like a rubber glove, only a nick in the paint, or a split in the wood to "open" the inside from this seal would allow the elements, in!!!! Just some general info. on building and understanding why Railroad buildings/structures of any sort last so long!
ChessieRR,
WELL you got a deal on your tanks! Last I seen them, 2 tanks in one kit were selling for $49.95!!!!!! NO WAY! And yes the kit of refinery I have did include 2 smaller tanks, in the kit, they show on the box, and in the instructions. BUT your refinery, no.... that was I believe the only differance of these kits. I got all sorts of "scrap" plastics, that are scale stuff, and then the non-scale stuff as seen here.....The Lexan, or plexiglass (2 different types of sheet plastic) I use in an array of applications....ALOT of times, I have 3/16th thich Lexan that I use as a "base"...... IF one area is going to have multiple little structures, with a larger one, I'll mount all this as I can to the needed size of the sheet, needed, even if I have to cut it and then screw and drill the track to the sheet. NOT glue (in-case of replacement, down the road)....IT will however be fully scenicd....BUT more case then not, I'm working on an early Diesel fueling facility. It includes 3 tracks, one in (supply) 2 out, (for fueling), one building towards the fueling tracks, to pump to the "towers" I have, and one building to pump in the supply to refill the tank. The supply tank, is a 62 foot long old Athearn tank car, all busted up, and was built to fit this. It sets on 2 "H" class Lionel HO trestle bents (legs) YES, they aren't numbered their lettered! I myself, thought that was interesting! And with the tank, I made new walkways, and made them bigger.....AND will add full handrail aroundthem as they would have been as well with ladders and cage as well!
Interestingbuild, I have to get pictures of this. As it has yet to be photographed for on here so.....BUT, its comming!
Don,
As you seen I had no pictures to list. different now out of 4 SD cards, the first one I picked had them, on it! thats a nice feeling!!!!!!
These above, are the Bachmann 40 foot, Quad Hoppers, I rebuilt.... Notice, they ARE CSX lettered, BUT have SBD reporting marks!!!!!!!
THEN a monster:
This one? Is a 50 foot IHC model!!!! NOW, this one has some interesting history and scale to it. it set BESIDE, in line with,m OR any thing you can with a Wathers "CoalPorter", looks no different besides a bit thicker shall we say, "detail" like the stirrups, and the grabirons, otherwise looks the same if in motion!!!!!!! The tubs are just a tinge more narrow, BUT that can only be seen on the underside of the car, nearest the frame up the center!
See:
Now for the banding of the tanks, I'd use the ladder, OR the "fill gauge" to "hide" the band ends. Put the turnbuckles some place else along a single band, and be sure the turnbuckles are staggered from the ladder, etc.....I wouldn't even try to band the ends....... Not something in HO scale, the diameter would have to be a tight fit "wrap" in order to do it right, and thats ALOT of work!
Drill a hole just behind the fill gauge, bend a 90 degree "hook" to one end of the band, insert it, add some CA, and then wrap around and do the same on the other end, BUT, minus the 90 degreee on the length about 2 thicknesses of your mark on the wire.... this will make it tight and it should "pull" just a bit but will hold, and then tooth pick a drop of CA into the hold for that 90 degree bend.....Let me know if this makes sense?!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 15 2013 : 4:22:51 PM
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John,
My home town is on a line that moves lots of coal. It's the old CNW from Chicago to Grand Island (now UP). With the U.P.'s lock on Powder River coal, you can bet I see lots of cars that look like what you're modeling and your models look pretty natural to me. I'd say those are some convincing models.
Don
Carpe Manana!
Edited by - scsshaggy on October 15 2013 4:25:09 PM
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Posted - October 15 2013 : 9:37:11 PM
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quote:John,
My home town is on a line that moves lots of coal. It's the old CNW from Chicago to Grand Island (now UP). With the U.P.'s lock on Powder River coal, you can bet I see lots of cars that look like what you're modeling and your models look pretty natural to me. I'd say those are some convincing models.
Don
Originally posted by scsshaggy - October 15 2013 : 4:22:51 PM
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Hey I near a UP line that goes to & from Powder River & line is 3-4 miles south of me while BNSF's Valley Sub that goes to PR is 1 to 1.5 blocks south of me
Which is where the coal builduing is
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Posted - October 16 2013 : 2:34:49 PM
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quote:John,
My home town is on a line that moves lots of coal. It's the old CNW from Chicago to Grand Island (now UP). With the U.P.'s lock on Powder River coal, you can bet I see lots of cars that look like what you're modeling and your models look pretty natural to me. I'd say those are some convincing models.
Don
Originally posted by scsshaggy - October 15 2013 : 4:22:51 PM
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Don,
You got a good eye! Good detail, yes! BUT, that "coal" isn't coal you'll EVER find in a hobby shop! Its "Decorative Sand" From Michael's Craft stores OR Jo-Ann Fabric's Craft Stores. Also "Decorative Sand"......In black no paint required! Cost? VERY little! You take scrap plastic, add it to the top of the fill sheet (angled plastic ends of the car) then be sure the sheet you just added is sealed on all edges of the car as the sand will be glued in place, just like that of adding ballast to your layout, the wet water, and such, JUST allow it to ALMOST dry, not all the way add just a few drops of wet water again to insure that the last glue added is getting to the nearest the surface "coal" to hold it in place, BUT not look like a "glazing"on the coal, BUT in somearea's that will look like "wet" coal from a storm! Interesting detail there....
Back to the sand, its for filling glass in different levels and added colors for I'm not sure what its called as far as "that" craft, and for use in candle making....BUT 32 ounces, is $2.99!!!! Thats A LOT also a complete full Woodland Scenics container!!!! NOW take the cost of the same stuff.....by Woodland Scenics...Coal in a SHAKER, $13.99? Compared to $2.99 at Micheals for almost the same thing and the Sand at Michaels, looks more like coal to me! WITHOUT using REAL coal!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 7:57:35 PM
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| Hey Don, The turnbuckles I think are Grandtline? I was going to use thread, but now that you mention it, a thin wire would be much easier to thread (probably took me five minutes to thread the first one!). I did the roof a triangle at a time; after a few tries, that wasn't too bad. I like the idea of a tar paper roof.
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 10:51:55 PM
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quote:BUT, that "coal" isn't coal you'll EVER find in a hobby shop! Its "Decorative Sand" From Michael's Craft stores OR Jo-Ann Fabric's Craft Stores. Also "Decorative Sand
Coal in a SHAKER, $13.99? Compared to $2.99 at Micheals for almost the same thing and the Sand at Michaels, looks more like coal to me! WITHOUT using REAL coal!
Originally posted by EM-1Â -Â October 16 2013Â :Â 2:34:49 PM
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I was thinking more of the cars looking right, but the black sand at a fraction of the cost is great, too. I have a cheaper source (in money, but not time). I have access to a coal pile and sift the fines from the bottom through a wire screen sieve to get out what's too big, then run it through a sieve made of plastic mosquito screen saving what the screen catches and letting the too-fine dust fall through. I just carry loads of loose coal in the cars and the fine dust would get messy as it takes to the air. I sifted out a large jar of the stuff and it should last me a while. I also kept some dust to glue down around places on the layout where coal would be spilled.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 26 2013 : 6:04:51 PM
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quote:hey scsshaggy! There's one of those coal unloading places just up the street from me!
It resembles your model! Want pics?
Originally posted by microbusss - October 14 2013 : 5:05:47 PM
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Nice work, Shaggy! I'm getting some ideas for finishing the concrete block factory in Mooar Yard on SHABBONA RR
String Bob
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Posted - December 27 2013 : 01:02:29 AM
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oh darn I forgot to post the pics of the coal shed 
I'll do it tomorrow using this same comment box
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Posted - December 27 2013 : 09:26:43 AM
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| sweet projects guys,enough inspiration for anyone who says it cannot be done or are scared to have a go ken
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Posted - December 27 2013 : 12:33:14 PM
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Here they are!
How's that?
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Posted - December 27 2013 : 3:04:50 PM
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| now thats what i love to see,good old fashioned recycling,well before the pc brigade,ken
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Posted - December 27 2013 : 8:44:23 PM
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Ben, thanks for posting that. It's a nice building for modeling being both simple and interesting.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 27 2013 : 8:48:39 PM
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quote: I'm getting some ideas for finishing the concrete block factory in Mooar Yard on SHABBONA RR
Originally posted by String boBÂ -Â December 26 2013Â :Â 6:04:51 PM
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When you do finish it, don't forget to post it.
BTW Shabbona is Potawatomi for powerful shoulders. Not a bad thing to have when you're handling concrete blocks.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 28 2013 : 12:10:13 AM
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quote:Ben, thanks for posting that. It's a nice building for modeling being both simple and interesting.
Originally posted by scsshaggy - December 27 2013 : 8:44:23 PM
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yw Now I'm sure there was a track next to the building YEARS ago & this is at a natural gas company
Where I've found LOTS of cool stuff in their dumpsters including signs hehe
I loves signs!
Edited by - microbusss on December 28 2013 12:11:24 AM
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