Scale Galvanized Community Watertank

[hmas]

I shall be awaiting the finished product too

[fishBait]

Originally Posted by Art Deco

Wow, that looks like a painstaking technique, that's a lot of panels to photograph and process. But the result should be some super-realistic textures. I'm eager to see how this promising project turns out!

Boy, did you hit the nail on the head. Stop and think a minute. You see less than one half of the tank from one spot.Then the bottom panels are cut off due to fencing and to hide the plant. If you go in, then you are so close that you see only a few panels at a time, and they are distorted. I drove to five different tank areas and still did not get enough panels for the big tank (428000 gallons!).

So you will see some repeats in the tank, but not very many. Also, the repeats were disguised using different techniques and really do not show up. On the top, I didnot climb a tank to try and be realistic there. I cheerfully used only a few modified panels. Check out the detail, yes those are all bolts.

When you build the tank, make sure you place it facing east or west, I built the side wall with the sun glare on one side and going to shade on the back face.

Main parts are designed, start a test build next session.

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Also saw a neat looking unique open top tank. It is a 150000 gallon tank with 26 panels around it. Three panels high. Very neat and well maintained! it is for irrigation water for the neighborhood and the golf course; hence the open top.

I really liked the look, so gonna include it in the watertank set. And yes, the color is real. I only removed the name to protect the innocent.

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[fishBait]

Time to take a look at some papermodeling. Prototype parts pages for N Scale and Z scale are completed. The test build will feature N Scale.

Photo 1 => Prototype part pages for the 428000 gallon tank and the 150000 gallon open top tank.

Photo 2 => Side wall parts removed from parts page.

Photo 3 => Side wall strips joined and checked for alignment.

Photo 4 => Side wall completed and internal former inserted. Base glued to sidewall and internal former.

Stay tuned, more coming.

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[Art Deco]

Great to see this project progressing!

[sgoti]

Originally Posted by fishBait

Time to take a look at some papermodeling. Prototype parts pages for N Scale and Z scale are completed. The test build will feature N Scale.

This sounds like a very interesting build! Can't wait to see how it turns out.

I haven't seen anyone else mention this yet, but Z scale is 1:220, not 1:300.

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Originally Posted by sgoti

This sounds like a very interesting build! Can't wait to see how it turns out.

I haven't seen anyone else mention this yet, but Z scale is 1:220, not 1:300.

I agree. I used the 1:220, and had 1:220 in my notes when I wrote the opening thread. I don't know where the 1:300 came from - fat fingers or flat typo. Thanks for keeping me honest. Should have the HO scale done and ready soon.

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We left off with photo 4 on the last build post. Picking up from there .....

Photo 5 => Insert the remaining internal former from the top and glue. Assemble the top of the tank by sliding the top area of the joint over the tab and glue.

Photo 6 => Glue the top to the top of the side wall.

We now have basic shape of a large 428000 gallon watertank. Next, we will add the top vents.

More later,

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[fishBait]

Proceeding to the top vents!

Photo 7 Remove the vent pipe parts and assemble forming the pipe from the vent side and gluing the internal formers in. Remember that the pipe will be installed on top of the tank and will have to set on the peak. Either recess the lower internal former, or cut a hole in the center of the former. Now assemble the vent cap (see graphics for the parts). Form a circle of the vent top side and glue the end. Insert the internal former at the very top of the vent cap. Now glue the top of the vent cap to the internal former and sidewall.

Photo 8 Glue the vent pipe to the tank roof, cener over the peak. Once dry, glue the vent cap to the vent pipe. Set back and admire your tank.

Photo 9 Another look at the completed tank.

More later,
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[fishBait]

After completeing the HO, N, and Z scale tanks, I would like to put two questions out to you guys!

Question 1) I intended to add detail (piping) to the tanks, but now think that would be a wasted effort. Of the 5 big tanks and 1 smaller tank, all had different piping setups. It appears that the piping would depend on the placing and use of the completed tank. To me, I now believe that I should supply the basic tank and you pipe your own tank to fit your use. What do you think?

Question 2) It is now clear that the HO tank is about the biggest possible with this design. Any bigger tank will require extensive internal structure for support. For instance, The 1/46 scale tank would be 13.74 inches in diameter and the sidewall would be 43.16 inches long and 5.24 inches high requiring at least six pages. Every major part would require multipe pages. All of this card without internal structure sags and pulls apart. I propose to limit the release to HO, N, Z, 1/72 and 1/44. What do you think?

Thanks in advance,

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