N Scale 3D Printed Radio Tower

[IronPenguin]

This is my latest 3D Printed product. It's based on the common radio towers seen everywhere in the U.S.
It's a scale 135 feet tall, pre-painted in proto red/white pattern and includes a 4 piece base and electrical box kit.
(the base kit is not painted, just the tower.)

Price on my website is $14.95 plus shipping. Economy shipping is $3.50.

https://tennentm.wixsite.com/ironpenguin/n-scale-radio-tower

PLUS: If you order off my website thru April 30, use the following code at checkout for a 10% discount on your order: "IPE-SIB"  (all caps)
That's 10% off the whole order, not just the tower.
The "SIB" stands for.... Self-isolation Blues.  Everyone stay safe.

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[Ike the BN Freak]

As an FYI, the tower should be 7 bands, not 5. I work for a tower company and have a few painted ones, even the short ones, under 60' are 7 bands

[IronPenguin]

You're absolutely right. And you know what? I knew that but somehow did 5.

Damn, it's hell to get old...

Back to the paint booth.

Mike

[u18b]

I didn't know the number of bands mattered.

I just learned something.

[eja]

Your link takes us to a page that say:

IronPenguin Electronics - Realistic Animation, Lighting Effects and Details For Your Layout

Makes me wonder if your tower has  flashing light on top of it ?

[IronPenguin]

Yes, I have two lighting kits for a radio tower using Nano LEDs.
The first is a single red beacon on top that "flares" on and off and has a second solid on for the middle of the tower.
The second is a more modern 3 white strobe using white Nano LEDs.

I've had the lighting kits for several years, getting into 3D printing allows me to make the tower, too.

I'll probably come up with a "package" of tower and lights when I get a chance.

[eja]

Yes, I have two lighting kits for a radio tower using Nano LEDs.
The first is a single red beacon on top that "flares" on and off and has a second solid on for the middle of the tower.
The second is a more modern 3 white strobe using white Nano LEDs.

I've had the lighting kits for several years, getting into 3D printing allows me to make the tower, too.

I'll probably come up with a "package" of tower and lights when I get a chance.

Cuilll ... now what about the number of bands ?

Gonna repaint ..?

[Ike the BN Freak]

I didn't know the number of bands mattered.

I just learned something.

Also depends on the tower height, up to 700' its 7 bands, then for each 200' above that, you add 2 more bands.

In case you really wanna get in depth into the tower paint/lighting requirements,
https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/advisory_circular/ac_70_7460-1l_.pdf

[John]

Ike beat me too it ..

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_70_7460-1L_-_Obstuction_Marking_and_Lighting_-_Change_2.pdf

[central.vermont]

So after reading all the info it looks to me that each band of color should be 19.2857 feet for each.

Jon

[thomasjmdavis]

Great product.  And thank you for making it tall enough to be plausible and not "selectively compressing" it down to 50' or some such.

Does anyone have the  painting/lighting rules circa 1955? 

Forgive me for being technical, but once having worked for a TV company that had one on premises (microwave, not broadcast, and only 90' as I recall, as we had a military air base nearby), my recollection is that there is a distinction between a "tower"- which is an entirely self supporting structure- when viewed from the side, a tower is generally triangular - that is, larger at the base than at the top, and a "mast" which has cable "guy wires" that keep it from swaying.  And what we have here is a mast vs. a tower. 

[jereising]

I always used 20 feet as a base for banding - but looking at videos and still shot in the last few years when researching PTC in my prototype area (the Tehachapis) I note most towers (and they can be self supporting like Iron Penguin's) are simply galvanized or painted silver, and are not lit.  And locally (Tennessee) cell towers on top of hills are not striped but ARE lit, usually with strobes. 

I'm sure a lot depends on where in the country you are - I consider prototype research a must.  But rule 1...

[IronPenguin]

Cuilll ... now what about the number of bands ?

Gonna repaint ..?

Yep, started yesterday, finishing up today, then I  have to reshoot the pics.

[Ike the BN Freak]

I always used 20 feet as a base for banding - but looking at videos and still shot in the last few years when researching PTC in my prototype area (the Tehachapis) I note most towers (and they can be self supporting like Iron Penguin's) are simply galvanized or painted silver, and are not lit.  And locally (Tennessee) cell towers on top of hills are not striped but ARE lit, usually with strobes. 

I'm sure a lot depends on where in the country you are - I consider prototype research a must.  But rule 1...

His tower is a guy tower, self supports are 3 or 4 legged.

As for the lights, I know my company policy lately is if a painted tower needs repainted, we look at refiling the lighting to be white day, red night. As a new LED lighting system is cheaper than repainting the tower.  Also cell towers, if they are lit, are typically over 200' tall or close to an airport, or on the landing/takeoff path of the runways. I have a bunch of cell towers that surround McCarren, the Las Vegas airport, and only the ones off the runways ends are lit, and one behind the Harley Davidson dealer, as helicopters fly near it from tours.

[peteski]

So after reading all the info it looks to me that each band of color should be 19.2857 feet for each.

Jon

And remember that it is extremely important to get that last 0.2857' masked accurately (down to the last 0.0007')! 

I wonder if this oddity stems from metric to imperial conversion?