CPR Water Tower (Enclosed)

[sailormatlac]

Astounding results! This is much better than I ever thought. The cardboard give a natural wood texture under the paint.

Next time I throw away a cereal box, I'll cry over the award-winning model I could have made out of it! The world is cruel!

Matt

[Steamtrains]

The water spout assembly is awesome..!! How did you give the spout its conical shape..?? Did the process involve any cussin'..??

[tetters]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

I'm super excited about how this is turning out...





The careful observer will notice that the chain is off one of the pulleys in the first pic. The Mantra while threading all of this together was "patience, patience, patience". I was trying to figure out how to attach the chains to all of this. I already used some eyelets with an idea in mind, however the chain even at 40 links per inch (or something like) that was still too big to thread through them. I also did not want to try and spread the eyelet and then try and crimp the chain in it. Then I got the idea to use .008 bronze and was able to thread it through the link and eyelets. Then I tied it together and used a small amount of solder to lock it all in place. All I need to do is use some paint to touch it up and we're set.

Now I can finally turn my attention to the roof and all of its little details.

[tetters]

I managed to get a lot accomplished on the roof work yesterday as I was at home with my kiddies. I used 600 grit sandpaper for the shingles. I measured "6 inch" intervals on the back of the sandpaper length and width wise and drew lines until I had a size able grid of roughly 6 inch squares. Then length wise every 12 inches I cut strips of sandpaper. The fun part was notching the individual shingles every six inches... oh my aching head!




I'm going to try and finish up the shingles tonight. Almost done. Whew....

[MasonJar]

The water spout assembly is awesome..!! How did you give the spout its conical shape..?? Did the process involve any cussin'..??

Great job! Any "process" shots?

Also - cussin' is the number one tool you should have in your kit. Any modeller knows that!


Andrew

[Sumpter250]

The whole waterspout assembly is impressive ! I like the counterweights on guide rods, makes a lot of sense, and they move!! :o hock: hock: :o

[tetters]

Thanks guys...

Great job! Any "process" shots?

Unfortunately, no... But there was plenty of cussin' I can guarantee it!

I get so involved in the process that ultimately forget to take any pictures until I'm almost finished what I'm doing. The spout was made using the method suggested in the RMC April 2011 issue. The process was pretty straight forward. Take three sizes of brass tubing, (I'll double check the three sizes but they fit together really well) telescope them so you get about 9 1/2 scale feet total length all together and then solder them into one piece. Place them in a drill chuck and file down the three tubes into a nice taper... I'll admit, this takes awhile. Once done, notch the end with two triangle shapes. (Do not cut all the way through!!!) Once cut bend the tube end to form the spout and solder the cuts together. If I had not been so over zealous with my solder, I could have poured water through the spout before assembling everything together, but plugged the hole. Some filing and sanding to shape is required to clean things up a bit. The attachment points for the chain are made out of some .010 brass shim stock and cut and filed to shape and some bent brass rings.

The pulleys were made in much the same manner, using two small brass tube sizes telescoped and soldered together. For the pulleys, I left a bit of the smaller size sticking out so that solder would not accidentally filled in the hole. Again I used more shim stock to make the body for the pulleys, drilled holes for the pulleys and soldered a piece of .015 music wire into the axle area. The pulleys don't move but they look good. The pulleys ended up being about a scale 6 inches wide which was pretty damn hard to hold on to no matter what I used. My finger nails ended up working the best. I dropped them on more then one occasion and thought for sure I was going to have to remake them. Then I smartened up and placed a foil roasting pan underneath my hands. Not only does it catch the part, it makes a nice tin sound when the little part hits it.

The counter weights I was fortunate enough to have some brass tubing that had a small diameter hole that nicely accommodated some .015 music wire. To attach them to the chain, I notched the tubing and soldered a a brass eyelet into the notch. Like I said I used some fine bronze wire to tie the chains to the eyelets and secure them with s small amount of solder.

Edit: The brass tube sizes are; 3/16, 5/32, & 1/8 for the spout and 3/32 & 1/16 for the pulleys. Double checked the size of the brass shim stock and it is .010. Post edited to correct that size.

[BR60103]

Tetters: could you keep the holes open by putting an even smaller size of aluminum tube in them? I hear that doesn't take solder very well.

[tetters]

Tetters: could you keep the holes open by putting an even smaller size of aluminum tube in them? I hear that doesn't take solder very well.

Yes, I found that out the hard way while doing this.

[tetters]

Shingles are done man!





I need to find a smaller bead for the top of the post. Then I can finish off that detail. The last thing as always is the glass for the windows. If you recall, I mocked up a foundation out of strip wood, but found it unnecessary. I still plan on doing one, but I'll make it so that the model sits on top of it giving it a bit more height. Not much, maybe a couple more feet.

[Ralph]

Fan...freakin...tastic!!!!!

[faraway]

Wonderful! I would be happy if I had your patience.

[modelsof1900]

Tetters,

nice, very nice modeled! Let see us the finished installation to the layout, please.

[tetters]

Thank you for the kind words guys. I'm almost done. Once I finish the mast, I'll add a foundation, add some acetate to the windows, and dust it all up with some weathering powders.

Bernhard, I can most certainly take a photo of it on the layout, however its mostly the plywood prairie right now, so the effect would be kind lost on everyone.

[ngaugingnut]

Amazing work, especially the spout and roof.

But am I missing something? Why does the tower have windows and a smokejack? Does it have a water tank inside the building? Sorry, maybe a naive question, but then I don't know much about enclosed water towers - just familiar with the standard ones of a tank on top of a frame. Thanks.