Large Scale Central

Tim's 2021 Mik - small background refinery

The MIK - Annual Build Challenge
#1

Way back during my layouts first incarnation I built this industrial façade. It covered most, but not all, of the one wall.

That left me with this corner, a cramped space with ‘reach’ issues. After accumulating a few tank cars, I decided it would be a small refinery, and got put on the ‘someday’ list.

http://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_6912/Tim’s%20Indoor%20Layout/corner%202.jpg

Looks like ‘someday’ has arrived…after most of a decade. Space constraints being what they are, most of the refinery will be a façade with almost no depth. The exception will be the distillation tower (made from spray paint cans) and an adjoining processing section (4x4 covered with some pop can siding I have laying around - once I locate it again.) Have to think about the facade’s for the storage tanks. Probably will make use of some of the leftover Colorado Mountain pieces scattered about the workbench. Anyhow, the ‘plan’ - done on an envelope because that was what I had

http://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_6912/Tim’s%20Indoor%20Layout/plan.jpg

#2

I like it, Tim. Look forward to seeing how you bring it all together.

#3

Nice. If you don’t mind, how did you make the windows in your industrial facade?

#4

John Passaro said:

Nice. If you don’t mind, how did you make the windows in your industrial facade?

The façade, including the windows, was made from Colorado Model Structures pieces.

#5

Anymore, my time for projects such as this is limited - long shifts at work and ‘life events.’ Still, I did get started last weekend…sort of.

I spent much of last weekend just trying to locate my tools - and sufficient unwarped scrap wood to serve as the base. Didn’t have much luck in the later category, went with what was on hand.

Today, I used a lingering Colorado Model Structures piece, some odd bits of wood, and part of a cereal box to make the façade of a small warehouse or shop. In my experience, these tend to be common enough at industrial sites. The original idea was to make the distillation tower out of one or more paint spray paint cans, but I didn’t care for the scrunched look of the top. Hunted around and found a lingering can of ‘Sea Foam,’ useful in prolonging the lives of old, worn automobiles. That’ll work much better. Decided to go with a soup can (todays dinner) to make the tower a bit taller. Maybe I’ll have soup again later on this week, give it a bit more height (I also have a taller 4x4 post for the processing tower). Can’t make it too tall, as the second level is a mere 23 inches above the bench work.

Tomorrow, I’ll look into getting the base decked and maybe start on a ladder for the distillation tower.

Anyhow:

#6

Well, that’s cool looking, Tim. It definitely gives that corner purpose.

#7

todays lesson - tinfoil is sharp.

Some progress: demolished another cereal box for the deck (cardboard has the ‘cement’ color. Used a 2x6, some pop can ‘siding,’ a left over CMS door and assorted scraps to make a second façade, this one adjoining the processing tower. Went to slap a tinfoil roof on it and the warehouse/shop which is where todays lesson comes into play.

Intent from here is to add another soup can to the distillation tower, get that glued together, then wrap it in tinfoil. Have to find or make flat disk to make a suitable balcony between the soup and sea foam cans. Then I wrap the 4x4 in more tinfoil and use leftover ‘parts trees’ from other model kits for the connecting pipes.

But, I need that next soup can before progressing. Question is: chicken noodle or tomato?

#8

Tomato, Tim, because you can serve it cold and call it “gazpacho” or spike it and call it a Blood Mary! With regards to the tinfoil, do you use a standard kitchen grade or one of the heavier craft grades? Does it hold up to wear and tear? It has to be easier to use than cut up cans!

Eric

#9

Eric Mueller said:

Tomato, Tim, because you can serve it cold and call it “gazpacho” or spike it and call it a Blood Mary! With regards to the tinfoil, do you use a standard kitchen grade or one of the heavier craft grades? Does it hold up to wear and tear? It has to be easier to use than cut up cans!

Eric

It’s the heavier grade. Don’t use tinfoil much…been working on this roll for a decade now - and most of it is still left.

As to the soup, I admit to being torn here. Much of my workday is spent outdoors in subfreezing temperatures (and that’s because of a warmer than normal winter), so hot soup beats cold soup.

#10

Went with chicken noodle. Was a bit disturbed to find a feather in the can when I cleaned it. Hmmm…

That said, I didn’t have a great deal of free time last weekend. Made some progress…but unfortunately much of that progress was in the wrong direction. First, I went and bought a can of shiny silver spray paint ($4 and change) my sole purchase for this project thus far. I used it to paint the ‘vent pipe’ and the ‘Sea Foam’ can (upper part of the distillation tower) and was rather pleased with the effect. So far, so good. Then I tried wrapping the soup cans (bottom part of the tower) in tin foil…and was less than thrilled. Way to crinkly and the ridges in the cans showed through. So, pulled the tinfoil off and cut up another cereal box to wrap the cans in cardboard. Currently, the glued together painted mess is drying in the train room.

Also went with the shorter of my two 4x4 posts for the processing section. Reason being the distillation tower is on the short side for a refinery, even a background piece in say…1/32 instead of 1/24 (the low doors on the CMS kits always seemed closer to 1/32 than 1/24 for me anyhow…maybe 1/29? It can’t be any taller (almost hits the bottom of the second level as it is) so decided to create an illusion of tallness.

Side note: my tinfoil is the kitchen, not the craft variety.

Anyhow:

#11

Looks good, Tim! Chicken noodle was apparently the way to go. The feather was for flavor, I am sure!

#12

It’s coming along nicely, Tim, fitting fine in that corner…I’ll be watching to see how you paint it all up.

Feathers is the chicken soup? I didn’t know you allowed chickens up there in Alaska. Bear soup, salmon soup, seal soup, okay, naturally…but not chicken.

#13

Coming along nicely, Tim. Is that a roll of duct tape between the soup cans and the Seafoam can? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#14

Thats gonna look good.

#15

Dan Hilyer said:

Coming along nicely, Tim. Is that a roll of duct tape between the soup cans and the Seafoam can? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Nope, that’s my second attempt at a mid level balcony after the first went sideways. Not thrilled with it, but it should do.

#16

Making headway. Had to re-glue the cardboard to the tin cans, hence the rubber bands. Ran out of the soda can siding on the tower…but the spot I didn’t get to isn’t going to be visible anyhow. Should finish on time.

#17

Tim,

As a fellow traveler on the rear end of the global distribution network, I salute you…in short and a t-shirt…outside…from my lanai…

Glad to see you will bring this one over the line!

Eric

#18

shorts and t-shirt…in January. It barely broke zero (F) here today. It’ll be just as cold tomorrow…and I’ll be out in it…yippee

well, tinkering in the train room keeps me semi-active, anyhow…

I am running out of space for new structures, though. Cliffport is full, got one tricky structure to insert into Bachmann. This project takes up the last space in Middleton, apart from flats and facades. Not there yet…but in a year or three the layout might actually be ‘done’…

#19

Not much to see, but still plugging away at this years project. (gluing stuff together that had been test fitted in prior photo’s.) Probably get it mostly wrapped up tonight.

#20

Tim,

Differing conditions aside, we share similar problems! We are finding that the Triple O is running out of real estate in Haluku’ilio. Guess we’ll have to move back to Pu’u’oma’ao and the engine service facilities in next year’s Mik!

Eric