Water tank scratch build

[Vince-RA]

Hey y'all, been a while. I got my preorder of a BLI 2-8-0 recently and it got me thinking I wanted to get back to building after a long time away from it. Unfortunately Labelle is closed for another month and I really need to get some corner straps to finish up my boxcar builds. I looked for other sources of corner straps and ran across Conowingo Models, but their corner straps were on backorder. While browsing the site I noticed this beauty - https://conowingomodels.com/shop/ols/products/24-foot-wooden-tank-car-in-ho-scale-preorder - also on backorder, drat. Anyway, I thought to myself "I could build something like that" and off we go!

First cut a scrap of 7/8" dowel left over from some tank car builds and glued on some scrap scribe siding leftover from the boxcars.

Next, VERY lightly scored the scribe lines on a 1/32" thick sheet so it would bend around the dowel.

I didn't like how the two pieces of sheet looked side by side, so I cut that attempt in half - maybe i'll use them as pickle barrels some day. I started over with full size sheets.

These turned out better. More to come soon...

 

[Vince-RA]

Thinking ahead to some sort of top/dome for the tank...the 3D printed one on the Conowingo site is spectacular, but they don't sell them separately, and I don't have a 3D printer. So, thinking I could hack one together with a bit of smaller dowel and some detailing. I first tried sanding a "saddle" in the dowel to make it fit over the scribe siding, but it was quickly obvious that was a loser - very slow and too imprecise. Then I tried drilling a hole - I kind of figured it would end badly, and I was not disappointed.

Maybe not a TOTAL loss?

But, it doesn't look good with all the torn up scribe siding around the hole, so figured I would start over, this time drilling the hole before wrapping:

Much cleaner around the edges, and what roughness there is I should be able to hide under the scribe siding. I think this will end up looking much better.

It occurs to me that I should have put some weight into the tank! Fortunately it's not too late as I haven't done the wrapping just yet.

And now that I think a bit further, the tank dome from Conowingo looks like it could be from Tichy - https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/ho_freight-car-kits/p/4020-tank-car/Default.aspx Unfortunately the smaller tank dome looks like it comes with a bunch of other stuff I probably don't need, but may order one anyway to see how it fits in. I think the 60" standalone dome will be way too big.

 

[AuburnCentral]

Maybe lightly sand around the first one then put a bead of sealer around it to look like welding

 

[Vince-RA]

Maybe lightly sand around the first one then put a bead of sealer around it to look like welding

That's a great idea, thanks.

I did order some Tichy details, the (scale) 54" ought to be almost exactly the same size as the 5/8" dowel I am using right now. Maybe the 60" won't look too weird, will just have to see. If they fit well I'm sure they'll look miles better than anything I can build myself.

 

[Jaz avalley]

That's a great idea, thanks.

I did order some Tichy details, the (scale) 54" ought to be almost exactly the same size as the 5/8" dowel I am using right now. Maybe the 60" won't look too weird, will just have to see. If they fit well I'm sure they'll look miles better than anything I can build myself.

Actually I think it has great potential
Have you a reference photo of what your aiming at?

 

[Vince-RA]

Actually I think it has great potential
Have you a reference photo of what your aiming at?

No actual prototypes, just the car linked in the original post - although I'm planning to make a tank+frame that can be sat on a flat car or somewhere else, rather than an integral part of the car.

I've seen a few old-timey stationary water tanks like this model from which to draw inspiration as well - https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/D241

I've also seen some models of squared off tanks like this one - https://ngslgazette.com/scratchbuilt-on30-water-car/ - but something about that aesthetic just doesn't do it for me

 

[Jaz avalley]

No actual prototypes, just the car linked in the original post - although I'm planning to make a tank+frame that can be sat on a flat car or somewhere else, rather than an integral part of the car.

I've seen a few old-timey stationary water tanks like this model from which to draw inspiration as well - https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/D241

I've also seen some models of squared off tanks like this one - https://ngslgazette.com/scratchbuilt-on30-water-car/ - but something about that aesthetic just doesn't do it for me

Ooh no and you have the cylindrical part under control. I think you have the hard part and the rest is just cutting the ‘wood’ angles correctly.You maybe did not even need the drilling and extra part if you wanted to go more woodlandscenics

 

[Vince-RA]

Made some progress today, adding the scribe siding over the pre-drilled hole:

Mocked up a tank dome with some 0.005" styrene sheet embossed with rivets:

I found some old Red Ball brake wheels that I always thought were too big for brake wheels and plopped one on top mounted on a little bit of scrap styrene rod. The tank bands are also cut from scraps of 0.005" styrene sheet. My Tichy order came in this morning, so I also added some of their hoop connectors to the bands. Upon further review, the tank dome used in the Conowingo model is not the same as the Tichy domes, but they look pretty good. I'll post some pics of them later.

Need to fix up the paint where I chipped it during installation and add some more weathering around the bands and dome, but very pleased with how it's coming together so far. You can see the start of the frame in the background here, I've got a bit more to do there before installing the tank.

 

[boatwrench]

Nice innovative build. Looking good

 

[Vince-RA]

Did some work on the frame and truss rods:

The rods are 0.015" phosphor bronze wire, and the turnbuckles are from Tichy.

Threading the turnbuckles was painful - use a good metal snipper to get clean ends, and magnification. Ended up looking pretty good:

Back to the tank, I think I overdid it on the weathering - but should be able to lightly sand some of that off and tone it down:

Test fit of the 54" scale Tichy dome looks great - I have another "clean" tank that I'll probably use this with:

The 60" looks too big for this tank, I'll set it aside for a future project.

 

[Vince-RA]

Added a ladder and some NBW details to the frame, touched up a little paint, and set the tank in the frame to see how it looks. Still need to add a some rust and perhaps a bit more weathering before I glue it all together.

 

[Selector]

impressive! Looks amazing.

 

[Jaz avalley]

I was looking for a reference on a uk water tower when this popped up. Thought you might like a gander, I have never really noticed this type before but it was obvious after seeing you thread

 

[Vince-RA]

I was looking for a reference on a uk water tower when this popped up. Thought you might like a gander, I have never really noticed this type before but it was obvious after seeing you thread

Love that, especially the rusty look. Might be fun to try making one with styrene after I'm finished with this one.