Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Builder's Railroad Project: in the Beginning...

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Refinery Flare Lighting

    Well, all the great Bar Mitzvah celebrations of this long weekend are now over. I had lots of people visit the trains and they weren't behaving. The people were fine. It was the trains that were being bad. His parents rented the entire Louisville Palace theater for the celebration. It was a terrific venue and folks had a lot of fun.

    Click image for larger version

Name:	Jack's Marquis.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	616.3 KB
ID:	1471368

    Got back to working on the flare today. Based on a suggestion I received my styrene railings from Plastruct and installed them. I also received two more pumps that will feel the cooling tower, and some Plastruct brick sheeting that will be used to make the Nighthawks Cafe. Picked up more corrugated "metal" siding and some Grandt Line windows at my LHS.

    I first attempted to pre-bend the railings by wrapping them around some PVC pipe held with rubber bands and then heating it... gently... to kind of set the bend. I then wrestled it around the platforms and glued it with solvent reinforced occasionally with CA.

    To add the loose end, I added some backing to add more surface. In looking at these now, I again realize that I should have sized the platform sectors based on the rail spacing of the Plastruct rails.

    Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Platform rails.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	729.3 KB
ID:	1471369

    With the rails in place, I got back to making the flashing lights. I wanted to tie all four lights in series, but the current limiter is 1 ohm and I didn't have a resistor of that size. The smallest value I had was 100 ohms. So I did the next best thing and make two series sets each with a 330 ohm resistor.

    Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare LED series Joint.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	470.5 KB
ID:	1471370

    I had to then get both conductors of each series set down a pipe to the bottom. I realized immediately that the hole down the 1/8" Plastruct pipe was too small so I decided to try it with a 1/8" piece of K-S tubing. This is the same I used to make the the light poles.

    I figured out where the pipe would end up top and then where the platform would meet it. Then I drilled a couple of increasingly sized pilot holes and finally opened up and tapered the opening with a diamond burr so it would accept wires going all the way down the tube. I was able to get both the positive and negative leads down the pipe. This composite shows both ends.

    Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Lead Ends.JPG
Views:	1
Size:	713.2 KB
ID:	1471371

    I got all four lights CA'd into the platform edge and finished soldering them together and with their downward running leads. The + lead was soldered while off the platform since it required shrinking the tubing on it. I soldered the LEDs together in the platform and of course touched the iron to the plastic and melted a divot. I've secured a piece of tubing in the gap which I will trim and shape tomorrow when it's fully cured.

    I made a very short movie to show the lights flashing. Yes! They actually work.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orN2...m-upload_owner

    Tomorrow I'll try and put the finishing touches on the flare. I have a couple of lights to modify for the HP Spheres. I made tall poles thinking I was going to use them next to the cooling tower. Then, at some point, I thought they were going next to the spheres and made lights to sit on top of the cooling tower. Now I find that the first poles are actually too short to properly light the spheres, and will have to do something about it. I have enough 1/8" tubing to make some short ones that will go on top of the sphere platform. I've also finally figured out how to run the wires discretely down on the tanks without having to drill those spheres.

    Comment


    • Refinery Lighting and Flare Finishing (Part A)

      Got lots of pictures so bear with me so this will be a 3-part post. I first fixed those extra long and wrong light poles by cutting them shorter and modifying their bases for connection directly to the HP Spheres. I used a small K-S brass tubing cutter to shorten the tubes with the wiring still inside trying to preserve the positive lead so I didn't have to rebuild the entire light. I spliced thinner gauge wire to those red leads since I didn't want such fat wiring under the tank platform.

      Click image for larger version

Name:	Shortening Light Poles.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	727.1 KB
ID:	1471373

      I tested them after reassembly, but one didn't work. I don't know if it was a short in the tubing (maybe I caught the red wire with the tubing cutter) or something was going on at the LED end. I just desoldered the LED and started over. Notice that I placed the mounting blocks onto the poles BEFORE soldering the negative lead allowing me to drill it will an 1/8" drill and getting a nice tight fit. I used a slightly larger bit when drilling the platform to pass the bottom since it's wider with the negative lead being soldered to the tube's exterior. The base pad was glued to the platform with solvent cement.

      I wired the two poles together as a series circuit with a 330 ohm current limiter soldered to the negative lead at its bottom. I fastened all the wiring underneath the platform with RC servo tape which holds like crazy. When all this is painted the wiring will not be as obvious.

      Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery HP Spheres Light wireing.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	450.1 KB
ID:	1471374

      I tested the whole deal and, Voila, it worked. Another lighting system done.

      Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery HP Sphere Light test.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	427.0 KB
ID:	1471375

      Now back to the flare. First I needed to figure out where the steam and gas pipes should go and then install the pipe clamps. I would have loved to have soldered the clamps to the pipes since they're both brass, but didn't. I was afraid, rightfully so, that the heat would destroy the wiring that's already inside. So I used CA.

      To lay out the clamps so they followed a straight line up the flare stack, I again used the surface plate, surface gauge and the flare supported by a couple of V-blocks. I scribed the horizontal center line and then spaced off four equally spaced points for the clamps. They're installed in 1/16" holes and held with CA.

      Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Pipe Supports install.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	479.7 KB
ID:	1471376

      I laid the pipes in with the upper platform hanging on and then positioned and CA'd the upper platform onto the stack. Since this is CPVC water pipe, solvent cement would not work. I pulled the wires more taut so they would be less obtrusive.

      Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Upper Wiring.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	402.0 KB
ID:	1471377

      Comment


      • Refinery Lighting and Flare Finishing (Part B)

        At the bottom end, I added some Plastruct piping and brought the wires out just above. To get the piping to fit I shaped the ends to fit in the pipe and cut a slot to let the wiring out. I then held it all together with CA. The wires have shrink tubing on them. The pipes will be painted yellow and orange, and the wiring will be colored the same as the stack so they'll...hopefully... disappear into the background.

        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Wire outlet.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	918.1 KB
ID:	1471378

        Now onto the upper end. I needed to connect Plastruct to brass. For one pipe I shaped some styrene to do the job, but then realized that I had a much more elegant and stronger solution. K-S tubing all telescopes into the next larger size. The 1/8" tubing has a 3/32" i.d., and the 3/32" tube has a 1/16" i.d. Guess what the i.d. of the Plastruct 1/8" tubing is? 1/16"! So I just put a piece of 1/16" brass rod into the Plastruct and a piece of the 3/32" into the larger pipe and the joint is perfectly and securely made. I have a lot of the 3/32 for the chain link fence project that's coming up soon.

        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Steam Extension.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	1.03 MB
ID:	1471379

        I needed to make some kind of ring for the steam jets. I really don't think it's prototypical, but it's symbolic. I decided to use solder wire and form the circle around a piece of pipe. I did a similar thing when forming the corona rings on the substation main transformer. I first drilled a hole in a piece of ABS pipe and then hand rolled the solder around the pipe.

        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Steam Pipe Ring.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	1.05 MB
ID:	1471380

        After using the razor saw to separate a ring, I filed some small flats on the ring to permit seating for a drill, center punched 8 reasonably spaced holes and drilled them with 1/16" drill. I used 1/16" brass wire to form the steam jets. Again, I'm not sure they aim downward now that I think about it, but they look busy and cool.

        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Steam Assem.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	760.9 KB
ID:	1471381

        Another 1/16" hole on the bottom and a piece of brass holds the ring to the feeder pipe.

        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Steam Install 1.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	1.02 MB
ID:	1471382

        Comment


        • refinery Lighting and Flare Finishing (Part C)

          For the gas pipe, I had to run around the steam pipe and did so using some Plastruct 45 degree elbows. Using the brass/brass connection in this case worked well.

          Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Gas Line Install.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	1.01 MB
ID:	1471383

          I'm sure guys with real experience are going to tell me that my arrangement is a) unsafe and b) impossible.

          Here's the entire tower with everything except the ladders in place.

          Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Status.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	510.0 KB
ID:	1471384

          Next up: put on the ladders, and start preparing the Masonite base for the wiring holes and stiffening it so I can start the interconnecting piping. Then it's time to paint ALL OF THIS. Oh... and I have to build the Ops building now that I have all the materials for it.

          Comment


          • Refinery: Flare Complete (and others)

            Finished the flare today except for piping to it and paint. Also finished the distilling column. In both cases I decided to glue on the ladders. I was going to leave them off until painting was complete since I want them yellow, but had second thoughts due to the difficulty of gluing to a painted structure. I'll mask around them or hand paint them when that time comes.

            I added correct limiting resources to all the lighting systems and series wired some so only two wires would need to be tied in underneath the platform. This included the cooling tower, the distillation tower and the flare. I really didn't no what I was going to do in making a flare tower other than knowing what piece of water pipe I was going to use to build it. I didn't make any drawings of it (Horrors!) which was very uncharacteristic of me. I just built it as I went along finding different sizes of tube to make the various pieces. I did study images in Google and went to various web sites of constructors to see how they worked and then just built it.

            I took some liquid electrical tape on the exposed wiring of the LED array and smeared some to the LED backs to block the light from that direction. This will also be painted so the only light will emerge from the lenses.

            Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Built.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	513.8 KB
ID:	1471388

            I built the final pump that will move cooling water back and forth. I'm using the bigger piping for this, but the pumps are really sized for the smaller. I had to again use a step-up series to go from the 1/8 to the 1/4" pipe.

            Click image for larger version

Name:	CT Pump.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	614.8 KB
ID:	1471389

            With this pump, all of the unit ops are now built and are ready for paint. What's left is the ops bldg, all the interconnecting piping, the fence and ground cover. Before painting, I'm going to prepare the base for all the wiring holes, then transfer these positions to the solid sub-base. What is the best way to paint all the piping? Any suggestions? I'm thinking about air brushing them when they're glued to their stands, masking the bases.

            Comment


            • Refinery: Base Preparation

              Thought I was going to paint today, but getting a later start and the changing weather precluded it. Meanwhile, I had much to do in prepping the base plate which took the entire work session. I still have much more to do on that. I started seriously working on how I'm going to lay in all that connecting piping. The first one I started to work on was the pipes to an from the heater. The piping is insulated (supposedly) and therefore I went with the larger diameter. The pipe needs to rise up to the pipe rack so I did some fitting to do that.

              Click image for larger version

Name:	Heater Piping.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	576.2 KB
ID:	1471393

              I then needed to lay out the equipment locations on the Masonite and mark where all the holes for the wiring are going. I cut out the overlaid plans to expose bare surface and then used a Sharpie to outline locations. It took a while to do this and I needed to spend some thinking time to ensure that everything fit and still left enough room for the ops building. Speaking of which, I created a scaled line drawing in Illustrator and printed them out in preparation for building it which will commence shortly.

              I had to do the spacing for the pipe racks of which I have five while eight are shown on the plans. I discussed this earlier that I was shorted enough material to build them all. I'm also getting worried that I'm going to come out short on the pipe elbows of both sizes.

              Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Locating Stuff.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	563.9 KB
ID:	1471394

              Looks like a mess, but it's really not. I then took the drawn Masonite to the layout to check it out and found that the smaller panel that is under the loading rack was too wide. I had measured it to reach the ties, but I'm actually having it reach the edge of the Vinylbed roadbed so I need to trim about 1/2" off it tomorrow. I also noticed that I ended the downward running pipes on the distillation column too low. I ended them 10 scale feet about ground level and they should have ended 17 scale feet (same as the pipe rack height). While I could cut them shorter, I'm a bit reluctant to do this since it would wreak havoc on those fragile pipe supports that I've already repaired once. If I don't cut them, I'm going to have to consume a bunch of elbows to bend the pipe up to reach the rack. Either solution is not optimal in my estimation. In the below the black dots are the holes for lighting wires.

              Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Plot Plan.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	645.1 KB
ID:	1471395

              I also got a piece of ply ready to cut for the base of that last pump I built yesterday.

              So here's all the pieces waiting patiently for paint which I hope to do tomorrow or at least get it started. If not, it will be next week. I have to remember to mask all those LEDs...

              Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Ready for Paint.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	684.5 KB
ID:	1471396

              Comment


              • Refinery: Let the Painting Begin

                After picking up some Tichy windows for the Nighthawks Cafe Project and some microscope liquid masking I got to work first by using the liquid mask on all the LEDs and then taking batches outside to spray them with Tamiya gray primer. I thought I had 3 cans of it, but the first can was effectively empty and I only had two and ran out with some big parts not done. Annoying since I was at the LHS earlier and could have easily picked up more.

                Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Priming Begin.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	514.9 KB
ID:	1471398

                As you can see, the flare, big tank and heater are not painted. I did get all the rest done including all the little bits. I have not painted any of the connecting piping. On Monday I'll get more primer and finish this first coat and start spraying the rattle can Tamiya bare metal paint on the pieces that will be metallic: distillation tower, cooling tower, flare, decking on loading dock and spheres. I have three cans of bare metal and hope that should be enough. Once all the rattle can painting is done, I can bring it inside to do any water-based painting.

                Comment


                • Refinery: Painting Continues

                  Happy Eclipse Monday. My daughter and grandsons were thinking about driving the 2 hours to Southern Kentucky to see the Totality, but saner heads prevailed and we watched the 96% eclipse right here at home. We only had one pair of Eclipse glasses, but I made four "Cereal/Shoe Box Sun Viewers" that worked well showing the specific moon shape passing across the sun. It certainly was less dramatic than what was seen in Hopkinsville.
                  Before the Eclipse I went and bought more Tamiya Primer and then after the Eclipse got some work done by finishing all the priming and even got some Tamiya Bare Metal onto the Distilling Column, the Flare and the Cooling Tower.

                  I still have more metallic finish to apply on the loading rack and the platforms on the Spherical Tanks. For the spheres, I'm going to paint the white tanks first, then mask them and paint the metallic. It seems to be an easier masking task to got that way than the opposite. However, I may be wrong. I see what it feels like.

                  I like how the metal looks...

                  Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Paint Progress 2.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	525.2 KB
ID:	1471452

                  My color scheme will be as follows. Ladders and rails - visibility yellow, Large Tank - Blue, Methanizer - Red, Reflux Drum - Red, Small Vessels - White, square legs - concrete color, footings - concrete color, Heater - Flat Black, Steel Work - Green, Product Piping - yellow, relief valve lines - white, natural gas - orange, Steam - Light Blue, Water - Silver, Overhead from Distillation - Silver. That should do me for a while. Should take a couple of weeks to get it all done. Meanwhile, I'm going to start working on the ops building and chain link fencing.

                  Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Paint Progress.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	616.0 KB
ID:	1471453

                  Comment


                  • Refinery: Painting Rails and Ladders

                    Almost had a major catastrophe. As yesterday's pictures showed, I had the Flare sitting on its base... just sitting, not fastened in any way. I was picking up the distilling tower to paint its railings and something knocked the Flare over. Not just over, but onto the concrete and it took the heater with it. The Flare sustained mild damage with the vertical piping popping out of its pipe supports (CA'd) and the pilot light upper pieces separating. Easy fixes for both. But the heater broke apart at the seam at the base of the transition piece. It also broke the ladder in two at the same point.

                    It was "almost as catastrophe" since I was able to refit the joint, apply CA and get it back together without any noticeable damage. Whew!

                    It was storming outside so no further rattle-can painting, but I had plenty to do inside. I started painting railings and ladders with the cooling tower. Painting yellow by hand is one of the worst covering colors in the model paint palate. I did the top rail by hand and started painting the caged ladder. It was a pain in the butt, so I made some paper masks to fit under the ladder to protect the corrugated skin and air brushed the yellow. Much, much better. I even was able to go back and lightly spray the railings to even out the coat. I also mixed up a custom batch of "concrete" color and painted the foundation. I don't know whether or not I will do any weathering on the CT. The picture I have shows a bright shiny new one, and I'd like it to look like that. But I'm sure it gets pretty crumby in service with air and water in close proximity.

                    Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Railings Paint 2.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	584.8 KB
ID:	1471457

                    Next up was the distilling tower. That was a different story. I really couldn't wrap my head around how to mask it to spray all those details so I hand-painted all the rails and ladders. It was a chore and I'm not totally satisfied. But that's that. I did get some yellow on the metallic, but I'll go back and back paint it with paint decanted from the spray can. The images make the paint look better than it does in the flesh. I want to paint the valve handles red to highlight them.

                    Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery railings paint 1.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	578.3 KB
ID:	1471458

                    I painted the heater Tamiya Nato Black from the air brush. It was an easy paint job. I'll mask it and do the ladder with the air brush. Nato Black has a bit of white it in giving it a more natural weathered look.

                    Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Paint Heater.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	454.5 KB
ID:	1471459

                    But the Flare looked like it could be a masking candidate. I was NOT going to hand paint all that caged ladder. So I spent the rest of the afternoon wrapping and taping all the expose silver so I could air brush both the ladders and the rails at one go. It takes a lot longer to mask than to paint.

                    Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Railings Flare Mask.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	654.4 KB
ID:	1471460

                    Weather tomorrow should be very nice and I'll be able to do more outdoor spraying. I have to do the loading rack and the white work. All the rest of the colors will be water-based paints so I can do them indoor with the airbrush.

                    Comment


                    • Refinery: Painting Stuff

                      Yesterday's foul weather left this after the front went through. The iPhone 7's camera captures these kinds of colors and lighting much better than my iPhone 5 did. It doesn't over blow the reds. I locked the exposure in the clouds themselves and even with this you were able to make out features of the houses. First the eclipse and then this. Nature can be a blast when it wants to.

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	August Sunset 1.JPG
Views:	1
Size:	1.02 MB
ID:	1471465

                      Today's weather was perfect for outdoor spraying so I finished the rest of the rattle can work with the last of the metallic finishes and then the white. I'm not a fan of spray can painting and usually will have runs where I don't want them. Can't control the flow like I can with an airbrush. If you catch the run quickly, you can smear it with a gloved finger and then re-spray gingerly and hope it levels out. It came out reasonably well.

                      I decided to paint the exposed steel Japanese Defense dark green. It's a pretty good color that's close to the green of Sinclair Oil which is the company that I'm having own this facility. It goes with my Sinclair gas station and I have some decals left from that project that will go onto the big tank.

                      Steel painting started with the load rack. I didn't mask this since the supports are going to be hand painted concrete and the angles that I was able to hold the air brush, I kept most of the overspray off the metallic-painted decking and any that got on the supports would be painted over. The tricky areas were around the drop-down loading platform and steel support structure for the loading tubes.

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Painting the steel 1.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	680.8 KB
ID:	1471466

                      Any incidental overspray will be touched up by hand brushing. I'm painting the loading tubes themselves that same lighter green as my prototype photos. The nozzle on the end is coated with liquid mask and will be natural aluminum when the mask is removed. In the above picture you can see the other small tanks that were sprayed white.

                      The deck and all the exposed steel WILL need to be masked to prepare for painting the yellow railings. I'll do that tomorrow.

                      For the tank platform, again I didn't mask for the steel work since I'm going to touch up by hand AND will have to mask for the railings. Behind it is the masked flare tower waiting for its railings to be painted too.

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Painting the Steel 2.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	502.9 KB
ID:	1471467

                      Next up was the spheres. First I had to mask the entire sphere so I could paint the exposed steel. This took a lot longer to mask then paint. After shooting the green, I then started masking for the railings. This was painstaking and slow, but will be worth it. I spent almost an hour masking this tank and didn't finish. I'll finish up tomorrow and shoot all the remaining railings.

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Masking Fun.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	651.2 KB
ID:	1471468

                      I could have left all the steel gray like galvanized, but I wanted to add some contrast to up the interest and make things pop looking at it from a distance. After struggling hand painting the railings, air brush, even with the time consuming masking, is the only way to get a smooth and precise finish. It's really fun to be painting this stuff... the end is near.

                      Comment


                      • Refinery: Masking and Painting Railings

                        Spent more hours masking the rest of the apparatus and then additional hours spraying yellow... lots of yellow. Hopefully, inhaling Tamiya paint thinned with 91% rubbing alcohol isn't too toxic because I was in a lot of it.

                        The units masked were: finishing the spheres, the heater, the load rack, the loose stairways and the ops platform. I also free-sprayed the stair wrapping the big tank.

                        Platform masking was a chore due to some of the x-bracing. As you'll see I probably got side tracked since I didn't mask the whole deck... whoops. I first airbrushed flat aluminum on the decking before masking began.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Masking Platform.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	559.4 KB
ID:	1471479

                        Masking the heater was relatively easy.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Masking Heater.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	591.4 KB
ID:	1471480

                        The load rack offered its own challenges due to the length and amount of tape it required. I couldn't mask it all due to clearance problems so I will go back and re-touch by brush.

                        I also masked the stairways, on which, much to my surprise, I actually attached one of the railings upside down. I am not going to rip it off. It will have to work. I will fit this stair so the "funny" rail is facing the wall. With all the masking out of the way, it was time to spray. I had three partially full bottles of Tamiya flat yellow, all which were very thick. But thick Tamiya paint is instantly restorable with 91% alcohol. I used almost all I had. Yellow is notoriously difficult to cover, and when it's not well covered it looks kind of green. It took three coats to get it solid.

                        So here's all the masked parts ready to paint. The large tank will be finished as follows: Mask the railing, paint the tank overall blue, and then mask the tank and respray the aluminum stairs. I say respray since I already sprayed it with the metallic spray can paint, but then immediately destroyed it by doing the yellow rail. I really couldn't figure a good way to mask the curved stair, so it will be the last to paint after the blue is done. Masking the tank next to the stair should be easier.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Masking Everything.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	782.3 KB
ID:	1471481

                        The flare looked real nice. Where I had some yellow leakage (not an overactive bladder problem) I was able remove it with a little alcohol. The metallic paint underneath is lacquer-based so it doesn't come off with this solvent. I still have to remember to remove the liquid mask from the warning lights at the top platform.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Flare Painted.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	1.02 MB
ID:	1471482

                        Here's the completed platform. Notice that the decking now has a big swatch of yellow where I forgot to finish masking the deck. I will go back and respray the flat aluminum after re-masking some of the structure. Could have been eliminated if I was paying more attention. I was getting tired of masking and getting anxious to get to painting. As I've said many times in this saga, I am not a patient man, but I am persistent. There's a little green touch up that I'll need to do, but this is easy stuff.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Platform Rails Painted.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	537.2 KB
ID:	1471483

                        I got everything painted, but only pulled tape on the above units. I'll strip the rest of the tape tomorrow. I still stand by the decision to mask and air brush. The results are worth it. Used up a ton of Tamiya masking tape and will have to replenish.

                        Comment


                        • Refinery: Masking and Painting Cont. (Part A)

                          Murphy is alive and well in my shop. I was working like crazy to do all the touch up painting and added detail painting, plus pulling all that masking tape off everything. There was a lot of tape on the HP Spheres. I was almost done stripping it all off and noticed this.

                          Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Railing BooBoo 1.JPG
Views:	1
Size:	1,019.0 KB
ID:	1471484

                          Where the heck did the railing go??? The blue tape holds too well. Tamiya tape is much more precise for model work. So I had to dig in the trash can full of piles of newspaper and masking tape and find the railing. I guess I was a little too aggressive in pulling the tape. I had to unfold the pieces from that part of the job and found this.

                          Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Ralling BooBoo 2.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	486.3 KB
ID:	1471485

                          The right hand stanchion was broken in two places and the middle piece was still stuck to the tape surrounding that railing. I first had to glue those pieces back together, then gingerly get the rest back together. I used solvent to set the two pieces together then used medium CA to hold it all together. IT CAN'T BE BUMPED! It will disassemble. This piece was taken before repainting the yellow break zone. Whew!

                          Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Railing BooBoo 3.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	991.5 KB
ID:	1471486

                          Here's how the spheres look now that they officially finished including the concrete footings. I painted the footings on all the pieces today.

                          Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Spheres Done.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	569.6 KB
ID:	1471487

                          I spent a lot of the overpainting and touching up the equipment platform and the results were worth it. I had to repaint the green, the concrete pedestals, and the decking. The railings only required a little bit of work.

                          Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Platform done.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	522.4 KB
ID:	1471488

                          Comment


                          • Refinery: Masking and Painting Cont. (Part B)

                            The load rack is essentially complete except for the loading pipes. I also have to still add the lower pipe supports for the chemical feed pipes... can't forget this. The masking tape pulled some of the metallic paint off the decking. I decanted some of the spray lacquer into a cup and brush painted to touch it up. It was touch and go getting the colors into all those nooks and crannies around the drop-down platforms. It works from a distance.

                            Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Load Rack almost done.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	626.1 KB
ID:	1471489

                            The heater came out well and only needed the concrete pad painted. I have a couple of Nato black spots that need touch up and I have to detail paint all of the valves and handles on all the equipment including this one.

                            Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Heater Railings.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	587.2 KB
ID:	1471490

                            I was running out of time... I really wanted to get the big tank and methanizer airbrushed. I masked the railing on the big tank and did get it all sprayed blue. This was a very nominal undertaking and offered no surprises.

                            Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Big tank blue.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	594.2 KB
ID:	1471491

                            But then Murphy revealed its ugly side. Never ever do techie stuff late on a Friday afternoon. I wanted this tank red. I pulled out the bottle of Tamiya red, opened it, and it was completely empty and dry, so I turned to second best, Vallejo red. Vallejo paints are funny. Not funny "ha ha", they're funny peculiar. I thinned it with Testor's acrylic thinner and started shooting it. It immediately started plugging the Badger 150 airbrush. I shot cleaner through it, and tried again, did a bit more and plugged again.

                            Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Aborted Painting.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	587.7 KB
ID:	1471492

                            So this was the result. 1/4 of the tank barely covered. I spent the remaining 20 minute taking the entire gun apart and soaking the pieces in acetone, which is the only solvent that instantly dissolved Vallejo clumps. On Monday I'll go to Scale Reproductions, Inc., my LHS, and get some more Tamiya paints. Tamiya paints never clog. If you thin Vallejo acrylics with alcohol it immediately clumps. Tamiya thins beautifully with 91% isopropyl alcohol which I buy in quart bottles for very little cash. When I was done, the gun was spraying cleanly. Vallejo has paints pre-mixed for airbrush. If you're going to spray their paints, I'd recommend getting that variety.

                            And one more thing... I did remove the liquid mask from the flare warning flashers. I still have to get it off of ALL the rest of the LEDs. I tested the lights again and they look great since all the painting behind the LEDs blocks any stray light. All the light you see is from the LEDs themselves.

                            Comment


                            • B2010,

                              Things are looking really nice - good job!! I've also been doing some painting and applying decals on NEW JERSEY. I also use the Tamiya tape and also the wide masking tape (1 1/2") which is extremely sticky. If I had a photo to post of the helo deck with the landing pattern I would post it but, alas - it was slightly out of focus, I was running out of battery so I don't have any at present. But, I oversprayed with flat clear enamel and got rid of most of the decal edges and what remains will just have to be there. It's very slight.

                              Taping fragile items can (and as you now know!) and is a problem when doing multiple colors and spray. Wouldn't it be great if one of the manufacturers could come up with a saran wrap roll that has a "sticky note" back that would adhere, but not like these tapes?

                              Well, not to steal your show by any means, but here is one shot of the after 40mm tubs with the equipment as installed in 1968:
                              Click image for larger version

Name:	BB-62 Fantail_1 - Copy.JPG
Views:	2
Size:	110.4 KB
ID:	1471493
                              I've done quite a bit of work since, but this gives you an idea of the helo deck prior to further details. Painting is always an ongoing task and hi-res photos always show all the mistakes!

                              Your project is really moving along and very nice!!

                              Comment


                              • Refinery: Detail Painting

                                Nope. You didn't steal the show. I love the work you're doing on that NJ. That's the 1/200 model, right? Would love to build the 1/200 Missouri as my swan song, but with what I wanted to add it would cost a small fortune and I have too many things to do on the layout to get that sidetracked.

                                Happy Monday, and I'm very glad I'm not living in South Texas. Our thoughts go out to that entire region. It is a catastrophe of biblical proportions....literally.

                                I found out today at the LHS that Vallejo paints only really work well with their acrylic thinner. That being said, I used the same red to brush paint the valve handles and it worked very well... covering better than the Tamiya red.

                                So I did get the Methanizer and the reflux drum painted red, and spent the rest of the time touching up, detailing and just getting my head around the erection of all this stuff onto the base board. Number 2 grandson was here on Sunday and tonight working on a Sculpey model of the Old Man and the Sea. He's doing a nice job, is a very neat worker and follows instructions very well.... like his older brother. So I got to work on my stuff on a Sunday and tonight besides working this afternoon.

                                For all you airbrush averse folks, Tamiya paints airbrush flawlessly and don't give me any trouble. Nothing gives you the control that a double action airbrush gives you.

                                Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Methanizer Painted.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	500.3 KB
ID:	1471500

                                I'm still trying to figure out what colors to make what piping. I've settled on a few and painted the piping at the various pumps these colors.

                                Reflux and water lines - Silver
                                Liquid Product Lines - Blue
                                Natural Gas line on Flare - Orange
                                Gaseous product lines - White
                                Lines to a from heater - Silver
                                Miscellaneous lines to condensers and other drums - Yellow
                                Flare lines from relief valves - Yellow
                                All valve handles - Red
                                Miscellaneous Methanizer Lines - Red
                                I don't know if this list is prototypical or not, but it will be colorful and make it more interesting from the viewing distance.

                                I did get the chromate green on the load rack loading pipes which (except for those lower pipe racks that I'm procrastinating about... which I really don't know why).

                                Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Reflux Drum Detailing.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	464.7 KB
ID:	1471501

                                I brush painted all the pipes on the pumps which meant three coats of yellow and two of white. All the other piping is going to get airbrushed. I'm going to lay all the pipes on some waxed paper, paint one side and when dry turn them over and paint the other. Hopefully this will give me a smoother finish than brush painting them.

                                Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Pumps Detailing.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	671.6 KB
ID:	1471502

                                And I finished the big tank by hand painting the steps and picking out some details to make it pop a bit.

                                Click image for larger version

Name:	Refinery Big Tank Detailing.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	434.8 KB
ID:	1471503

                                The masking sequence I used on this tank was the best one. It was easy to brush paint the steps once the tank and the rails were painted. They would have been very hard to mask if painted sooner.

                                I going to assemble the cooling tower and apply the decals, then I'm going to start on the ops building next, and drill all the holes in the base board. With the holes drilled I could set all the units in place and get a picture. Last thing I'll do is the chain link fence since I need the ops building in place to see how the gating will go.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X