Big Steel! Update Feb 15/09

[Spitfire]

I was planning on making some of the tanks and stills that go in front of the plant, but after checking out PVC pipe and drill presses (to drill holes in the pipe) at various big box stores I changed my mind. Let's face it, why buy a $150 tool that I will never use again, to save $50 in plastic tubing?

So... I hit the Plastruct website, and went on a little shopping spree there instead, loading up on 1" tube for the stills, 1/8" rod for the larger pipes, and various cool pipe fittings such as stop valves, check valves, elbows and various other parts.

Meanwhile, thanks to reading week at school, I have some time on my hands, so I had to find something else to do while I'm waiting for these parts. The funny thing is, this project is actually something to do while I'm waiting for my blast furnace to arrive!

So, I decided to tackle part of the superstructure: another platform that holds the light oil condensers, and a small still.



These are the scratchbuilt condensers, that go on top of the platform. There is another larger one to be done as well.



Placed on the platform along with another smaller platform for the still.

Here, I'm making a small horizontal tank that is used for heating. I used a hole punch to make the ends, and also to make the supports.



Now they're painted, and some pipes added.



Here's an overall view from the back:



A closeup:



From the side:





And from the front:



I will have to add the small still to the little platform, and of course lots more pipes once I get the larger stills in place. There are two pipes going from underneath the two smaller condensers to the agitator, and getting them to fit under the stairway that runs between them was a little bit tricky.

Once I get my parts from Plastruct I can start constructing the larger stills.

Thanks for looking!

cheers
Val