Modeling Storage Tanks

[packers#1]

I'm currently scratchbuilding a model based veryyyyyyyyy loosely on a plastic pellet receiving industry in Mexico, MO
(long story). I've decided how to build my building shell (a very basic corrugated siding building), but am stuck as to what to use for the tanks. I really like the variety of tanks at the prototype location here ... my issue is what to use for them. Several ideas have popped into my head, including using a few of these Walthers tanks. However, if there's another product that would work better, or better yet some readily available thing that I could modify to work (no local Michael's or other craft store, just Hobby Lobby).
EDIT: I forgot to include a drawing of my area. The 1 and a half inch side can be bumped up to two inches max. I'm really waiting to get the basic idea for these tanks before I commit to it.

[nkalanaga]

Assuming they're modern welded tanks, I'd start in the plastic pipe section of a good building supply or plumbing store.  One can often find plastic unions, basically a short piece of pipe that slips over the ends of two long pieces, in a variety of diameters.  Most of the smaller ones are two to three inches long, and have straight sides, so they make excellent pre-cut tanks, as long as one isn't trying to model an exact diameter and height.  The ends can be made by the usual methods, or, if you get lucky, you might find a pipe fitting that would work.  For very short tanks, copper or plastic slip-on caps can be used as-is, and they usually have flat or round ends suitable for the tank ends without further work.

[Philip H]

I've shot a bunch of plastic pipes from a chandelier that Lee salvaged from the ReStore.  They are about 4 or (5 inches long a d right at an inchh in diameter. They could easily be modified to resembles the walther's tanks with a bit o styrene and some patience.

[packers#1]

Assuming they're modern welded tanks, I'd start in the plastic pipe section of a good building supply or plumbing store.  One can often find plastic unions, basically a short piece of pipe that slips over the ends of two long pieces, in a variety of diameters.  Most of the smaller ones are two to three inches long, and have straight sides, so they make excellent pre-cut tanks, as long as one isn't trying to model an exact diameter and height.  The ends can be made by the usual methods, or, if you get lucky, you might find a pipe fitting that would work.  For very short tanks, copper or plastic slip-on caps can be used as-is, and they usually have flat or round ends suitable for the tank ends without further work.

Thanks, sounds like it's time to hit the yellow pages.
This question is going to sound a bit dumb, but what are the usual methods you're talking about? I don't know many techniques at all for working with styrene, other than trig and how to score and snap

I've shot a bunch of plastic pipes from a chandelier that Lee salvaged from the ReStore.  They are about 4 or (5 inches long a d right at an inchh in diameter. They could easily be modified to resembles the walther's tanks with a bit o styrene and some patience.

So adding some styrene at the base? I could probably do that

[Philip H]

yep - sheet styrene caps, and probably a rolled styrene cone at the bottom out of some 0.005 or 0.010 in stock.

[chuck geiger]

Let there be Plastruct handrails, ladders, walkways and BOOM

[Philip H]

Actually Sawyer, Chuck brings up a great point - Plastruct has a great many "fiddly" bits that can help you in their refinery and piping detail sets.

[bc6]

There are some excellent examples of scratch built storage tanks on TRW as well as Google. The pics below are mine, its made up of different sized end caps, sprues and stuff. It still needs some work to it but I think people get the idea of what Im trying to model.

[packers#1]

Let there be Plastruct handrails, ladders, walkways and BOOM

Sweet, hopefully Blue Ridge will have that (headed to Greenville weekend after next to visit Clemson and help mulch my gma's yard, and there's a great hobby shop there). it can be kinda overwhelming shopping on modeltrainstuff.com for that kind of thing. I do have an excellent collection of sprues for the piping.
bc6, sweet, I remember that thread.
I'll probably be going by True Value tomorrow, since it's downtown and I need to hang around near my school because I have to go back later for a meeting afterwards, hopefully I'll find some plumbing stuff there.

[nkalanaga]

For me, the "usual methods" include:
sheet styrene for flat ends
Plastruct domed ends
rolled plastic sheet conical ends
rolled paper conical ends
thick sheet styrene for flat ends with curved edges
pipe caps
balsa sheet filled with superglue, dunked in water, and sanded to shape

The latter works best on brass tubing, and takes a lot of glue.  I used to make tank car sized tanks by pressing  the tubing into the end of block of balsa, along the grain, to form a plug, then pushing the plug out far enough for the dome.  Saturate the balsa with glue (which is a lot of glue!), dunk it in water, and stand back.  The reaction could make the brass hot enough to be uncomfortable to hold, but it also made the end as hard as or harder than styrene.

[NARmike]

The techniques mentioned will work great for the welded steel bin seen in the bird's eye view but to model the other 5 corrugated "grain" type hopper bins that are there I would suggest starting with either the Rix products 40' grain bin kit or the IMEX cast grain bins.

Prototype:



Rix Products:



IMEX: (sorry, the picture is of the HO model... but is available in N also)



The Rix Kit has much better detail than the IMEX product but you would need to scratchbuild the "hopper bottom" and legs where the IMEX casting already has it but would need to be extended to make it as tall as some of the prototype bins seen at the plant.

Hope that helps!

Mike

[billvassar45]

pvc pipe also works very good as well and comes in a varity of sizes

[packers#1]

For me, the "usual methods" include:
sheet styrene for flat ends
Plastruct domed ends
rolled plastic sheet conical ends
rolled paper conical ends
thick sheet styrene for flat ends with curved edges
pipe caps
balsa sheet filled with superglue, dunked in water, and sanded to shape

The latter works best on brass tubing, and takes a lot of glue.  I used to make tank car sized tanks by pressing  the tubing into the end of block of balsa, along the grain, to form a plug, then pushing the plug out far enough for the dome.  Saturate the balsa with glue (which is a lot of glue!), dunk it in water, and stand back.  The reaction could make the brass hot enough to be uncomfortable to hold, but it also made the end as hard as or harder than styrene.

Thank you for the list!

The techniques mentioned will work great for the welded steel bin seen in the bird's eye view but to model the other 5 corrugated "grain" type hopper bins that are there I would suggest starting with either the Rix products 40' grain bin kit or the IMEX cast grain bins.

Prototype:


Rix Products:

IMEX: (sorry, the picture is of the HO model... but is available in N also)


The Rix Kit has much better detail than the IMEX product but you would need to scratchbuild the "hopper bottom" and legs where the IMEX casting already has it but would need to be extended to make it as tall as some of the prototype bins seen at the plant.

Hope that helps!

Mike

Mike, I already have one of the 40's grain bins from Rix, and am willing to chop that into something new; the Imex looks like a decent enough product.

pvc pipe also works very good as well and comes in a varity of sizes

I didn't go by True Value today, might make a stop tomorrow.

Right now I'm thinking of two of the vertical banded tanks, along with one of the smaller grain type bins. It would fit well with how I want the scene to work together.

[packers#1]

Finally have the building shell finished, so here's a shot with the Rix Grain Bin. It looks oversized to me.

And without


And a close up of where the tanks will be going

[nkalanaga]

Rix sell the tops separately.  You might be able to get away with using one of them for the bottom as well.