Got started on my Plastruct propane tanks kit. Directions said to score annular grooves on the tank bodies with a utility knife, using masking tape as a guide. Sounded like an invitation for sloppy work. Instead, I used a tubing cutter. This is fairly small tubing cutter. They come in all sizes. I have a larger one, but it is not accurate enough for this task. Listen up - word of caution: Tubing cutters are not all created equal. A cheap tool can give you a spiral cut because the cutter wheel doesn't hold alignment well. A quality tool won't give a spiral cut. My larger cutter is cheap and worn. The little cutter is much higher quality and runs true. To cut the longitudinal grooves, I held the tank body in a block I use to hold round stock stable on the drill press. In this picture, I'm actually using a clamping groove on the side of the block. The block allowed me to support the straightedge parallel to the tank centerline. The red index marks on the barrel end helped me align all the longitudinal grooves to simulate staggered weld lines on the tank. More after the jump...
The grooves turned out pretty good. They show nicely in this picture without being obtrusive. The Plastruct kit is a good starting point for simple kitbashing. I didn't use everything in the kit because, beyond the basic tanks and foundation cradles, many of the proposed components are unrealistic and/or way out of scale. The valve and tee fittings in the kit are too large even for O scale (yes, the 1:48 stuff). The piping material in the kit is PVC coated steel wire. In N scale, its diameter is about 8 inches. The bare steel wire is about 4 inches diameter in N scale. Having worked around large LP tanks like these in 1:1 world, I've typically seen 2 inch to 3 inch diameter lines connected to these tanks. So, the 8 inch piping proposed in the instructions was not the effect I'm seeking. A little photo searching on Google gave me some good examples for tank piping and vents. So, I cut and bent the bare wire to reasonably resemble basic piping. I chose not to attempt modeling valves on the piping. Some details aren't worth the trouble. I primed the whole thing with Testors gray spray can primer. After a day to cure, I'll probably airbrush it with Polly Scale white. The site will get crushed limestone over the existing styrene base. To the right of the tanks in the edge of the trees, I'll scratchbuild a small metal office building. So far, I've got maybe 4 hours in this little project. Holler if you have suggestions.
Hello pachyderm217 That is a neat cool: idea using a tube cutter to put a grove in the tanks. I'll file that away for later use. Thanks Ron
I'm a little late... Hey guys, I've been waiting for this to start, and now I'm not prepared! I have alot I want to get done and I'll try to complete most of it during this party. A little background. I started this layout almost 2 years ago when I bought my first house. March 1st will be the 2 year anniversary, and I want the layout's main trackage, wiring and dispatch panel done by then so I can start operating sessions. It would be pushing it to get all this done in 8 weeks, but I will try. For this party, I want to: finish painting the backdrops and round out the peninsula ends finish the subroadbed on the upper level complete what's left of the main line and drive in a "golden spike" finish the upper level staging yard finish the Bishop yard tracks temporarily put down some industry sidings for switching get all the wiring done, including the occupancy detectors start on the dispatch panel For reference, here is my layout plans: OVS Layout Design Goal for this next week: I will try to finish painting the backdrops. Still have to sink some screws and fill all the holes, cracks and joints with wood filler. I also have bought some PVC pipe for the ends of the 2 peninsulas that will need to be cut in half, stretched out, secured and painted. Here is the backdrops that need to be finished: -Mike
Here we go! A quick introduction: my name is Denny, I live in Italy and I started planning my Southern Pacific Coast Line layout in N scale in June 2006, and started construction in January 2007. I have now completed all the trackwork, so I can begin some scenery. For the Layout Party I picked up this project: adding some hills to hide the U turn curve and the trackage to staging. Here's the U turn Here the track to staging is barely visible (going down close to the backdrop); main line and Callender, CA siding in the foreground And this is a view of the whole area I should add a refinery and coke hovens to the spurs, but I feel this project is good for another Layout Party
Nice work on the tanks Todd, they look real nice. I have the base work for my modules, along with a pi of about where most of the swithes will be. I have the rest of the track ordered and it'll be here early january, so I'll have some time to work on the Interste fuel and oil kit and decide what other industry(ies) to put on the other side. the two empie modules, ready for some brown paint and track and here is where most of the switches will go
I made a little progress... nothing worth posting photos of. I spent about an hour yesterday, calling several places trying to find either pink or blue insulation board. No luck so far, but a couple places still within reasonable driving distance are left to be called tomorrow. I'm trying to get the lumber and foam all in one spot, and since I'll either have to borrow or rent a truck, I'm looking for enough for this project and for another project that will be worked on later. I did get about 1/2 the turnouts I'm going to need. I'm going with Atlas code 55. I picked up enough #7's and enough #5's to make photocopies of this week to draw things out full size. I wish there was more to post, but next weekend, after Christmas, there should be time to get the benchwork materials (supposing I can find them in stock and don't have to special-order the foam).
Had the airbrush fired up for painting my propane tanks white and did a little weathering while I was at it. This is a small sample of the pieces that got the treatment tonight. Half of these trucks are weathered and half are not. Just figured I'd show the contrast. I use a Testors Aztek dual-action airbrush to spray a diluted mixture of Polly Scale Grimy Black and Mud. I really like the Classic Metal Works vehicles, but they don't look right to me until they have at least a little weathering.
I've worked on about 2 feet out of 12. The camera seems very unforgiving today...I'll take a black Sharpie to those pale trunks and paint the bare masonite blue to hide the brown.; The next couple of feet will have pictues of buildings among the trees, but not too much sticking above the treeline.
This is the overall plan for the two moduls. This drawing also shows a single 12" module in the middle which I will build later and will exten the passing siding. The buildings on the right are the Interstate fuel and oil. with room for three maybe four tankers there. the spur below that will hold a coupld of cattle cars and I may use that and make a ramp/pens there. and on the left side the building is a model power lumber yard kit that I already have, that spur would hold three 60' flat cars.
Latecomer.... Hi All, I guess that I am late for the party, but I was traveling until Saturday. My plan is to get some work done on the Industry buildings in Tacoma Tidewater Flats. Currently there are only placeholder spots with bright colored sand. This is how it looks today: I want to include a model of the Union Pacific Freighthouse, a (condensed) version of the West Coast Grocery Warehouse, a Foss Tug Car Ferry, a model of the Martinac Shipyard and a number of wood processing plants (Doors, Plywood) in the background areas. I will post pictures of the prototypes and my models as the work progresses. I will probably start with the ferry (I always wanted to build a car ferry :tb-smile Cheers Dirk
Finished painting the propane tanks and got the limestone surface down. This scene needs some details: protective posts around the pipes, power poles, maybe some fencing. Any other suggestions? I'll get back to those details later after working on some other project goals.
Wayne, I like that you have allowed for expansion between the 2 industries and that you have facing and trailing point sidings, which will make operations fun with the run around. Ivan
Now I've got the fence, still without the barbed wire. Next step will be the "underground" for the moving gate. :angel: Wolfgang
Hey all, I'm going to join in on this one too. For the back-story, the planning process of my layout is pretty much covered in this thread. Its going to be a small display layout measuring 30x42 inches. Curves are mostly 11inches with 12 where ever I can fit them. Using Kato Unitrak and DCC. And the plan... My goals: To finish it. As its a fairly small layout, and next semester starts late January, I feel like I'll be able to get everything done on it. I already have the unitrak and enough foam. I have a good amount of foilage and turf, and I make all my trees custom with strand wire. All I'm waiting on are the woodland scenics risers and inclines which should be here any day now. I guess I could start building trees as it takes me roughly an hour + per tree. I'll see if I can dig up some pictures to show. If not I'll take some new ones and post them. Cant wait to dive in. So far it all looks like its coming along smooth! :thumbs_up: -Mark
Well I have made some progress, but I found some old MDC 50' tank cars and found some wire and started to detail the cars instead of building the spur tracks for the potato industry. Camera is on the fritz so no pics:tb-frown::tb-wacky::tb-mad:!
Nice scene Todd, masterful modelling my friend. Some detail suggestions: A small pump shed and a no smoking sign:tb-wink:
