Large Scale Central

Advice needed

Modeling
#1

To make the gauge on the water tower I’m modeling, I need to cut a lengthwise slit in a 1/8" brass or aluminum tube 11 inches long. Unfortunately I’m at a loss as to how to do this, particularly since I only have hand tools. Any suggestions?

#2

What about taking a flat strip of brass 11" long and wrap it around a rod to make what you want? if you work it around the rod, you will have a tube with a slit in it. You may have to experiment with the right width of brass stock.

Regards, Greg

#3

Ray,
Aluminium slices down quite nicely using the back edge of a scalpel blade . You need a bit of patience , but if you only have hand tools like most modellers have ,you have to do the odd job the hard way . Put a band aid on your index finger so’s the knife doesn’t dig in to it . If you have no way --like a vise --of holding the tube , use BluTac with the tube on a flat plate . I use an old glass oven door for this , it’s tough stuff .
Mike

#4

I was thinking that trying to cut a tube lengthwise would be difficult, i.e. keeping a straight cut on a round surface. Don’t know how you could do this freehand. I suppose you could drill a hole in a block of wood to match the diameter of the tube, then slice halfway through to put the blade in and then draw the tube through, but the tube would still try to twist and then your cut would not be straight.

Maybe I’m missing the obvious.

Regards, Greg

#5

Just for info , all of the older water and fuel oil storage tanks at the 3 power plants I worked at …
the level indicators were on a flat vertical surface painted and marked for the feet of level , and the indicator was the pointer on a small piece that was like a letter C , which kept itself tracking on the vertical board ,connected to a small steel cable /line , that went to the top of the tank and over a wheel and down into the tank to a float , in the tank , in the liquid . And yes when the line broke …and eventually they do . The tank would be emptyed and a new line threaded and connected .

I am no good at this at all …but here is a crude attempt to draw what I mean for the level indicator on the feet marking piece . [ from above ]

                                         [  ------------- ]
                                         [_____V_____]

Hope this can help in some way .

#6

I’m trying to match a particular prototype, which used a round tube or pipe with a slit up the side. A weighed marker was inside the tube with a pointer sticking out through the slit. I’d like to replicate this as accurately as possible, just 'cause I think it would be cool. If all else fails, I might just paint a black line on the tube and glue a marker to it.

#7

Hey Ray, how come you stopped making adventure games? I played them a while ago and they were great. Are you going to make any new ones later?

Thanks.

#8
Quote:
Hey Ray, how come you stopped making adventure games? I played them a while ago and they were great. Are you going to make any new ones later?
Thanks! Unfortunately the Mac OS has changed too much, and the software I was using to create my games didn't keep up with the changes. I put a lot of time and money into "Morphworld", my CD-ROM adventure game, and it all went down the drain.

I may get back into making adventure games again someday, if the right software comes along.

#9

Ray…might I suggest the use of a styrene tube for this little detail bit? The only other solution I can offer up entail fine use of a razor saw with the offending bit in a vice…Not something I want to tackle…but I do intend to steal your steel tank idea!