One LARGE Project - Steel Mini Mill

[tomustang]

It all started when I saw some DPM packets real cheap, I figured I'd buy them... well the pile got bigger and bigger. I figured I could start up on an idea I had for making a modernized steel making company. The modern aspect of steel making is made of Mini Mills, which heavily use scrap steel and the Electric Arc Furnace system for melting, ladle furnace for control, the continuous caster for semi finished shaping, reheating, and finally the rolling mill. Which the major chunk of the older style of steel making has been greatly reduced so has the production process.

I wanted to build a Mini Mill as part of the "master plan" for my layout (in the distant future) and since I model more of a modern age I could take advantage of this industry.

So far I planned out the center structure, a 44"X12"X10" building, this building would be re-used from a previous steel mill that stood in the same place, hence the brick building. It will house the continuous caster, which it'll butt up against another building holding the EAF and ladle furnace. The other end of the building will be the rolling mill and finished product staging/warehouse.

This project will take a while since I plan to work on it from time to time.

Some progress pics so far of the center building (continuous caster section)



Semi complete building



Frames for the roof



Putting the windows in the sashes



The whole building at an angle



Size difference

[ocalicreek]

WOW! hock: That last picture really drives it home!

Galen

[nachoman]

HUGE! I like it! I am slowly planning similar (but smaller) in the back of my mind for a copper smelter complex.

[e-paw]

That rings a bell.    

[radivil]

That's some impressive bracing. I'd attempted to brace the inside of a large DPM modular wall with .25"x.25" strip styrene with little luck. Still produced a noticeable curve. What exactly did you use?

[doctorwayne]

I've found .060" sheet styrene very useful and buy it in 4'x8' sheets. Not only is it an economical way to build unseen walls for buildings that will be placed near or against the backdrop, but it's also useful for roofs, floors, and concrete foundations. I also use it for bracing larger structures: simply cut it into wide strips and cement it at right angles to the wall or roof you wish to brace. It's not only much cheaper than using strip styrene, but also allows you to use continuous strips for even the largest structures. You can see some examples HERE.

Wayne

[tomustang]

That's some impressive bracing. I'd attempted to brace the inside of a large DPM modular wall with .25"x.25" strip styrene with little luck. Still produced a noticeable curve. What exactly did you use?

I had many strips of basswood I used this time around, while using superglue to hold in place.
The strips were between 1/16X1/4" to 1/16"x3/8" strips. I braced at the top and center of the double sashes and then again where the single sash meets the doubles. Once the wall sections were finished I made the end frames so the four corners would be square, I didnt worry about the bowing at this point. I didn't brace the bottom since I'm not set on putting a full floor in. For that I glued in five 1/4" thick by 2" width plys, but If I do put a full floor in it'll show a much flatter surface.

[Trucklover]

I LOVE large industrial structures, and this is a LARGE structure!

Its looking good Tom

[tomustang]

I've changed my mind about the roof and made one at 10 degrees



Now I just have to think about putting a head house up top or not

[jim currie]

TM looks mighty fine and i do like the second roof better.
jim

[nachoman]

"head house" -- Hmm. I am going to have to google that.

[doctorwayne]

Yeah, head house usually applies to the structure housing the lifting equipment for an elevator, often used in conjunction with a mine.
I wonder if maybe Tom was thinking of a clerestory, such as on the structures below?







Many steel mill structures used clerestories, often without windows, but open year-round, to allow smoke and fumes to escape. Almost all of the processes involved in steelmaking generate a lot of heat and a lot of smoke and fumes, too. A good compromise for a brick structure such as Tom's would be to add a continuous clerestory with louvered sides. These could be constructed of strip styrene or, for a simpler job, commercial clapboard siding, in a large width, as offered by Evergreen. A little shaded weathering will make them appear partially open.

Wayne

[tomustang]

I wonder if maybe Tom was thinking of a clerestory, such as on the structures below?

Yep, couldn't think of the actual name for it

[Catt]

Hey Tom,my vote goes to the second roof too. Clerestory or not. :mrgreen:

Wish WS would get off their backside and expand the DPM N scale modular line .I would probly go totally bankrupt buying the window modules you used.

[foulrift]

Nice building Tom.Huge is an under statement. One question-are you planning on painting the building? If you are I would have not installed the doors,windows and glazing.
Just a thought.
Bob