Looking for Refinery-Sized Oil Tanks

[Kentuckian]

How about spray bomb caps? Especially the larger ones, like on the Great Stuff cans.

[Philip H]

How about spray bomb caps? Especially the larger ones, like on the Great Stuff cans.

They would work for tanks for a small bulk distributor.  But Mike's right - big refinery tanks are generally 100-250 ft diameter and thus not easily duplicated with common stand ins.

[C855B]

A Walther's HO "wide" tank arrived yesterday... perfectly proportioned for the spot on the layout getting the refinery. I'll clip the handrails as suggested to get a sense of the overall look, and likely get a couple more. Minor is the "what am I going to do with these???" containment berm pieces. Aside from the proportions, I don't need them - the refinery has a perimeter berm - and better-looking berms could be cut out of pink foam anyway if I was looking to do that. Half the kit is the berm. :shoulder-shrug:

I'm also thinking that two of the "tall" tanks cut down as @Philip H suggested could be used in the back as forced perspective. Robyn also had a super idea which works in this location - painting tanks on the backdrop, also in forced perspective, to fill-out the "farm". Added bonus is I was scratching my head on how to fill the adjacent corner, which was previously the end of the transition to the upper level - plenty of space for a tank farm, with the railroad running through through the middle of it all.

Adding Erik's bits in strategic locations would flesh it out even better. This promises to be a great scene. Thank you, everyone!

[carlso]

Mike,

Here are a couple of images of my DIY refinery tanks as well as a pipeline tank.

First one are two floating roof crude oil tanks. These are 3" PVC cap turned open side up. I made the roofs out of sheet styrene and used Plastruct ladders and walkways. I know, the walls are a little thick but we has to work with what we've got, right. I don't ever remember seeing any commercial made floating roof tanks..................................................



The second one is also a 3" PVC cap turned with open end down. This is representing a pipeline gathering station with several small tank batteries collecting oil and sending to the large tank. Pipeline would pump this tank when it reaches high level. the smaller tanks in the battery are 3/4" slip connectors...............................................



I enjoyed "finding" less expensive alternatives to Walther's stuff. Whatever yo do have fun,
Carl

[Mark W]

Yeah, for the price of one Walthers tank, you could easily scratch-build the whole farm using the Silhouette/Craft Cutter!  Heck, after about 6 tanks at the Walthers price, you could buy your Craft Cutter!

Realizing now that I didn't take any progress pictures, but these silos are from a PVC coupling, wrapped in corugated styrene, and a cone top, cut to exact shape on the Silhouette.   


https://i.imgur.com/QRGSm5l.jpg

[Steveruger45]

Mike,

Here are a couple of images of my DIY refinery tanks as well as a pipeline tank.

First one are two floating roof crude oil tanks. These are 3" PVC cap turned open side up. I made the roofs out of sheet styrene and used Plastruct ladders and walkways. I know, the walls are a little thick but we has to work with what we've got, right. I don't ever remember seeing any commercial made floating roof tanks..................................................



The second one is also a 3" PVC cap turned with open end down. This is representing a pipeline gathering station with several small tank batteries collecting oil and sending to the large tank. Pipeline would pump this tank when it reaches high level. the smaller tanks in the battery are 3/4" slip connectors...............................................



I enjoyed "finding" less expensive alternatives to Walther's stuff. Whatever yo do have fun,
Carl

Hey Carl,  I like those tanks you built and intend to copy you on them.
Just hoping that ITC in Houston hasn’t cornered the market on tanks here locally, they sure need a few new ones. 😁

[CRL]

Considering many of the floating-top tank farm tanks typically range from 130’ to 220’ in diameter, which is just over 8-1/3” to 14” diameter in n-scale, using pipe caps to simulate tanks would be better suited to the smaller non-floating top tanks.

Your 3” cap scales to about 47’ which would typically be a solid top tank, but you’ve done a pretty good job of selling the look of your selective compression. I’d add some more dirt around the base of the tanks so it hides the curve of the bottom and gives it a “set in” rather than “set on” look.