"Wales, Rails, Rain & Steel" A micro steelworks layout... in the rain!

[Fat Controller]

Hi Marc,

 

Will be interesting to see how you get round the swivel on the wagons - I have a couple (OCA / OBA) with a similar arrangement, but have like you put them in the 'must sort sometime pile'. Must have a look at them again.

 

Richard

Have you thought about using MJT compensating W-irons ( http://www.dartcastings.co.uk/mjt.php#SuspensionSystems-WagonCompensationUnits ) ref 2297? I've done this with quite a few of the Cambrian air-braked wagons; it certainly improves running, but don't fit Bachmann split axle wheels sets as I did on one....

[marc smith]

Thanks for that link Mr Controller!

I hadn't really given it too much thought yet.

At present, on HL, when you're only shunting one or two wagons a time,

running hasn't been a problem.

 

However, the distortion of the W irons has meant that some

wheelsets really are quite stiff.

So I can invisage a problem when moving 3 or 4 about.

 

It's odd how some of the wagons have developed this.

Other wagons seem fine.....

Maybe it is down to the type of glue used.

I know I used Humbrol Liquid Poly on some,

and I think I used Revell on others

(basically, what ever was to hand....)

 

I'll certainly look into replacing a few, and see how that pans out.

 

Cheers

Marc

[mudmagnet]

Have you thought about using MJT compensating W-irons ( http://www.dartcasti...mpensationUnits ) ref 2297? I've done this with quite a few of the Cambrian air-braked wagons; it certainly improves running, but don't fit Bachmann split axle wheels sets as I did on one....

 

Thanks Brian, that's a good idea. I think that I may have a few W irons in the 'spares' pile.

[marc smith]

Hi folks,

 

No more new piccies yet, but just thought I'd let you know what's occurrin'

with this little project....

 

I was originally going to exhibit this one at Cardiff (a couple of weeks back)

but as soon as I realised it clashed with Taunton, I stopped rushing,

and decided to take my time.

 

Anyhow, I've been putting the steelworks buildings together.

Most of these are in "half-relief", and take up pretty much 100%

of the background. These buildings are currently painted in primer,

awaiting completion, and painting in grey, and "ASW faded blue".

 

The loading shed / bay in the right foreground was made,

but I've made a few minor adjustments to it, and my overall design

of some of the low-relief buildings.

 

I'm now glad I let the layout take a "back seat" for a bit -

I think the buildings will look better for it....

 

Will post some piccies shortly.

 

Marc

P.S. Anyone know where I can get a good supply of right-angle "pipe-bends" for my pipelines (which will be different diameters, and probably running all over the place!

[Barry Ten]

 

P.S. Anyone know where I can get a good supply of right-angle "pipe-bends" for my pipelines (which will be different diameters, and probably running all over the place!

 

Lots of right angle bends of varying diameters in the Knightwing pipe set (including the sprue it all comes on) but you knew that, right?

[br2975]

P.S. Anyone know where I can get a good supply of right-angle "pipe-bends" for my pipelines (which will be different diameters, and probably running all over the place!

 

As 'Jarheads' would be implored by their 'Gunnie' .........." Improvise, adapt, overcome !"

.

What size pipework are you considering Marc ?

.

I've used several concentric and diminsihing diameters to make a bend...... by cutting the outer two at 45' in the mitrebox, then the next one down in diameter I cut at a different angle, and it reinforces the joint (hard without pics). I leave the elbow joint to dry thoroughly, then sand the outside of the elbow joint to a more rounded profile.

.

I also leave a short length of the smaller diameter tube protruding out of each end of the joint,to reinforce the joint with the next pipe.

.

Brian

[marc smith]

Lots of right angle bends of varying diameters in the Knightwing pipe set (including the sprue it all comes on) but you knew that, right?

 

Yes, I've seen the Knightwing pipes.

Think I've got a pack somewhere.....

 

I'm in need of wider diameter pipes (various diameters, if poss).

 

Brain, where did you get your pipework?

Have you used plastic 3/4" plumbing?

If you have sanded down the corners on your 90 degree angles,

that's very neat work"

 

I'm sure I saw some bends available somewhere.

I got a couple in a plastruct kit I built sometime back...

 

Marc

[Arthur]

Plastruct do an enormous range of tubing, elbows, T's, flanges reducers etc. but, though some of the range is readily available in the U.K., most appears not to be (well, not that I can find it).  I've ordered direct from Plastruct in California without any problems; here's their website

 

http://www.plastruct.com/

 

However, it can work out VERY expensive, though each part isn't too much, once you've had six of these, half a dozen of those and three of them, it mounts up!!

 

Arthur

[mudmagnet]

Hi Marc,

 

Have you looked at the tube sections avaliable from Evergreen, not sure what the largest diameter is though.

 

Richard

[Minster]

Hi,

 

Not sure how small a bend you are looking for - an elbow - or a bend - but you can buy the mini benders for bending various size brass tube or small dia rod.

 

This does not answer your problem for flanges for the joints unless it is more for gas pipe line which would have mostly welded joints anyway.

 

John.

[Piemanlarger]

Only just spotted thios one but shall watch with interest as my 2012 layout is likley to be small steel works of some sort?

 

 

Keep the good work coming.

 

simon

[br2975]

Mark

.

I have used several sizes of tube, but generally around 9mm dia (can't recall the exact dia, but will confirm later).

.

Last night I made a couple of 150'(degree) joints, simply by marking out 75' on the cutting board and cutting the end of two tubes accordingly and welding the cleaned up tubes together, then reinforced with smaller tube inserted into the elbow joint, but at a slightly more obtuse angle in order to reinforce the joint.

.

As for 'tee' joints - I use a swiss file to cut a niche into the end of a tube, thenwrap sandpaper around another tube of similar diameter. I thensand the niche until it becomes a curve and a snug fit around the other tube - when satisfied, I weld them together.

.

'Manways' can be made the same way, but with a smaller diameter tube for manway, and a slightly larger diameter disc then for the access cover.

 

For flanges, use the next size tube up from your pipeline tube (they are telescopic) and cut off slivers of the larger tube, slide them onto your pipeline and weld up at regular intervals - he presto, flanges.

.

It would appear easier if I had some pics to hand.

 

Brian

[marc smith]

Thanks all,

Brian, I must visit a plumbing supplies shop,

to see what diameters they have....

 

I suspect they may be a bit on the large side,

so I'll be trawling about for plastruct tubing.

Thanks for the hints & tips - I'll be trying your methods out.

 

I know I saw some flanges / joints for pipework at a show...

...alas, I couldn't tell you who made them.

It may well have been plastruct, but as another poster said,

they don't seem to have the whole range in UK shops.

 

Cheers all

Marc

[br2975]

I must visit a plumbing supplies shop,

to see what diameters they have....

I suspect they may be a bit on the large side,

 

Generally yes, starting around 13mm diameter (scale 3’6â€) and getting larger, up to about 35mm diameter (scale 8’9â€) alright for things like downcomers on a furnace building roof.

 

Thanks for the hints & tips - I'll be trying your methods out.

 

If you’re not in a rush, I’ll bring some components along to the next get together, and give a little “demo†– I don’t know what Gordon, the landlord, would make of it though !!

 

I know I saw some flanges / joints for pipework at a show...

...alas, I couldn't tell you who made them.

It may well have been plastruct, but as another poster said,

they don't seem to have the whole range in UK shops.

 

Slater’s made pipe flanges, in a small bag of many different sizes, whether they are still available I don’t know. They only have relief on one side though. They are compatible with some of the Plastruct pipes and rod, but the Slater’s flanges go up to quite a large diameter.

I found mine by bending over in front of some traders stands at the more ‘remote’ shows, and rummaging in those boxes they place in awkward positions, containing cast offs and poorly built kits ! Age has caught up, and I find it difficult to access such containers now !!!!!!

 

Brian R

[Minster]

Generally yes, starting around 13mm diameter (scale 3’6â€) and getting larger, up to about 35mm diameter (scale 8’9â€) alright for things like downcomers on a furnace building roof.

 

 

 

If you’re not in a rush, I’ll bring some components along to the next get together, and give a little “demo†– I don’t know what Gordon, the landlord, would make of it though !!

 

 

 

Slater’s made pipe flanges, in a small bag of many different sizes, whether they are still available I don’t know. They only have relief on one side though. They are compatible with some of the Plastruct pipes and rod, but the Slater’s flanges go up to quite a large diameter.

I found mine by bending over in front of some traders stands at the more ‘remote’ shows, and rummaging in those boxes they place in awkward positions, containing cast offs and poorly built kits ! Age has caught up, and I find it difficult to access such containers now !!!!!!

 

Brian R

 

Hi,

 

Yes, you have jogged the memory a bit now Brian, Bristol Show, about 2 years ago a trader in number one hall had a diorama set up with pipe work fittings and I asked him about it.

He said it was just something he knocked up for the show to demonstrate the fittings used in the flesh, sure it was the guy that had some of your American kits for buildings on it so that is where they may have come from.

 

John

[br2975]

Marc,

.

Try this link, it MAY assist, you'll most likely need to scroll backward as it's a blog.

.

http://mussersteelmill.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

.

And some US based articles that are 'steel mill modelling' based, albeit some may not be very relevant to a mini-mill in Cardiff's flatlands.

.

7/1989 - Railroad Model Craftsman - Hal Kattau - 'Painting and weathering hot metal cars'

1/1992 - Railroad Model Craftsman - Dean Freytag - 'Ingot molds and buggies'

11/1994 - Railroad Model Craftsman - Dean Freytag - 'Modeling a bottle car'

8/1996 - Model Railroader - 'HO Pollock hot metal car' - Review of the Walthers bottle car kit

3/1997 - Railmodel Journal - ?? - 'Calypso Yard' PBNE model

1/1999 - Model Railroader - Darius Chagnon - 'Heavy Industry in a small space'

10/2000 - Railmodel Journal - Bernard Kempinski - 'Bethlehem Steel in HO or N scale'

12/2002 - Model Railroading - Lee Vande Visse - 'Weathering steel mill cars'

4/2009 – Model Railroader - 'Building Freytag's foundry - part 1'

5/2009 – Model Railroader- 'Building Freytag's foundry - part 2'

5/2009 – Model Railroader - 'Roll your own steel coils', and 'more weathering hot metal cars' in the same issue

2008 – Model Railroad Planning - Magarac Iron & Steel 8’x4’ layout by John Glaab, page 16

 

 

Brian

[marc smith]

 

...If you’re not in a rush, I’ll bring some components along to the next get together, and give a little “demo†– I don’t know what Gordon, the landlord, would make of it though !!....

 

Brian R

 

Yes please Brian, feel welcome to bring your demo along,

but please don't spill any glue on my nuts!

(dry roasted, of course!)

 

Marc

[Arthur]

To add to Brians pretty exhaustive list of magazine articles are three relevant books.  All cover U.S. prototypes and their modelling, though, as the laws of metallurgy are common on both sides of the pond, so is the equipment (railways aside).

 

Firstly, Dean Freytag's,  'The History, Making and Modeling of Steel', originally published by Walthers as part of their steel mill series, it was long out of print and was going for silly money. The NMRA managed to get Walters to re-print it, currently on special offer at Walthers;

 

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/98-20

 

A large hardback, it is mainly devoted to the prototype with a bit at the back about using Walthers kits.

 

 

 

 

Secondly, Dean Freytag's, 'The Cyclopedia of Industrial Modeling'

 

Pure plastic modelling, not entirely devoted to steel but relevant to any industrial modelling.

 

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/pls/pls115.htm

 

 

 

 

and finally, Bernard Kempinski's,  'The Model Railroader’s Guide to Steel Mills'

 

http://www.kalmbachstore.com/12435.html

 

in Kalmbachs typical softback style, similar to Deans first book but with a little more modelling though not what you could call a step by step approach.

 

 

 

 

Arthur

 

 

[br2975]

Firstly, Dean Freytag's, 'The History, Making and Modeling of Steel', originally published by Walthers as part of their steel mill series, it was long out of print and was going for silly money.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/98-20

 

Missed it first time around, and wasn’t prepared to jeoparddise my mortgage and pension to buy a copy from Amazon/E-bay !

 

Secondly, Dean Freytag's, 'The Cyclopedia of Industrial Modeling'

 

Pure plastic modelling, not entirely devoted to steel but relevant to any industrial modelling.

 

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/pls/pls115.htm

 

Rescued the sole copy from IA in Cardiff a few years back, not a bad book, by the doyen of steel mill modelling. I did find it a bit hard to follow Dean’s text, as he writes in American, and I speak English.

 

 

and finally, Bernard Kempinski's, 'The Model Railroader’s Guide to Steel Mills'

 

http://www.kalmbachstore.com/12435.html

 

in Kalmbachs typical softback style, similar to Deans first book but with a little more modelling though not what you could call a step by step approach.

 

Found this in a Manhattan model railroad store just after it came out. For those with little knowledge of steel production it explains the processes i.e. merchant iron production, Basic Oxygen process, Electric Arc etc in laymen’s terms.

 

Brian R

 

BTW Mark

.

Some details about the 'scrawker'

.

www.squirestools.com/

 

PLASTIC CUTTER WITH REPLACEABLE BLADE a plastic cutter

designed for cutting and scribing laminated plastics and

acrylics. The special design of the blade prevents a raised burr

being left after cutting or scribing. When not in use the blade can

be removed and stored in a compartment in the handle. Supplied

with 1 hooked blade and 1 straight blade. Spare hooked blades

are available in packs of 5 blades.

CODE TYPE PRICE

140-897 Plastic Cutter with Replaceable Blade.................. £5.99

140-899 Plastic Cutter Spare Blades 5 Pack...................... £1.99

 

OLFA PLASTIC CUTTERS

OLFA PLASTIC CUTTER P-450 specially designed for cutting and

scribing laminated plastics and acrylics. The special design of the

blade prevents a raised burr being left after cutting or scribing.

Supplied with 3 blades.

CODE TYPE PRICE

CKP450 Olfa Plastic Cutter P-450...................................... £6.99

CKB450 P-450 Blades 5 Pack............................................ £3.99

[marc smith]

Here are a few pics of the buildings which will be on this layout.

Most of them are low-relief, appart from the loading shed, which will be on the front,

right side of the layout (disguising the entrance to the scene),

and the large corrugated, covered building, which will sit at the rear left side.

 

Painting (weathering / fading) is obviously not finished,

and there is much detail / pipework etc to be added.

The base colour I used for the buildings was a Halfords "Lada Blue".

 

I'm possibly going to use a mirror on both sides of this layout - we'll see how it looks...

 

Cheers all

[Guest Dave.C]

Interesting structures Marc

 

Cheers for the Lada Blue tip

[marc smith]

Interesting structures Marc

 

Cheers for the Lada Blue tip

 

Hi Dave,

The Lada blue is still a little dark,

so it needs a further bit of lightening.

I've wafted over, with a pale blue enamel,

with my airbrush since these pics were taken.

I'll post some more when weathering is further down the line.

 

Marc

[Minster]

HI,

 

Looking very impressive, It will be quite a structure when its all assembled.

The weathered corrugated sheets look very good.

 

John

[Mike G]

Don't know if your interested, but you can make your own for less than a tenner...

 

http://www.newportmrs.com/staticgrassmaker.htm

 

 

 

 

All down to Jeff Chick, who's a bit of an electric whizz.

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

[Mike G]

Don't know if your interested, but you can make your own for less than a tenner...

 

http://www.newportmrs.com/staticgrassmaker.htm

 

 

 

 

All down to Jeff Chick, who's a bit of an electric whizz.

 

 

 

 

Mike