Large Scale Central

Todd H. Mik2024

I live on Cape Cod, MA. and we get a temp swing of 0-100 F. This is my experience with the hardibacker board. I use the thin one 1/4" It is water resistant NOT water proof. I used some scraps on the ground one time and within 2 years it became brittle and crumbled. I use it for roofs and after painting it with oil based black or brown paint it generally lasts 7-10 years with routine touch ups on the paint. I can get a 3x5 sheet for about $15. The downside is it is very dusty to cut but it can be scored and snapped. I wouldnā€™t use it for anything but basic straight line roof pieces.

Thanks for the tips on painting guys but I was talking about painting the entire building not just the 2 siloā€™s. Iā€™m still leaning towards painting one silo to resemble a local light house. The other would probably just be grey.
I woke up thinking a light blue might work but I donā€™t think I have that shade in my collection. Getting it right is very important.

Hard to believe that we only have a few weeks left and so much still left to do.
Good news is I found the paint in the collection. We used it for our upstairs bathroom. I think it looks good on this building.
In this update the crew got busy painting. Next up are the silos. The hand railing for the deck above the silos is built and on. Yesterday I ordered an Ocean Spray decal and I hope it will arrive in time. I donā€™t know why I dragged my feet on doing that?
Slowly but surely the build is coming along.

I like that color, gives it that galvanized metal feel.

Todd, I donā€™t know if you know this, but that elevator looks huge. Looks like your paint crew is gettinā€™ after it :grin:

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It is pretty big Dan with a 20x27 footprint and it is 28" tall. These things were big in real life so here we are. :grin:

The build is coming along. I decided to put on a corrugated steel roof and I bought a roll of 36 gauge aluminum that arrived yesterday. I hope to get all the pieces cut, crimped and glued today. A photo to be posted later.
Iā€™m starting to feel the pressure for the fast approaching deadline. :grimacing:

The roof pieces have been cut and the aluminum crimped. Last night they all sat allowing the glue to dry. I used almost all of my clamps! Today they were painted grey primer with a dusting of oxide red primer. Next up is a flat clear coat and then they can be attached.

The windows are ready to be put in. It is total decision time for the storage tanks.

Todd
Not Aluminium cans, but sheet metal?

Itā€™s 36 gauge aluminum. I couldnā€™t bear the tedious chore of cutting out all those cans so I found this roll on Amazon. Doing it like this means fewer seams. I did cut my thumb on the metal so I guess the Mik got his sacrifice of blood. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Sweet,

I am not the only lamb at the slaughter.

Iā€™m curious Todd, are you having to anneal the aluminum first before crimping? I have always been told this is something I should do to make life easier but I donā€™t find it difficult to crimp the cans, at least, without doing it so never have. Is it soft enough as is off the roll?

I never understood the need to anneal. The average can is 37 gauge and this is a whisker thicker at 36 gauge and it is no trouble to crimp it.

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Todd,

Shouldnā€™t you be allowed hold on to your sacrifice for a time of need?

It sounds like the gods were quite happy with Devonā€™s sacrifice this year and rewarded him well. This year, the gods gave Devon the Power of Finishing, and the rest of us a MasterClass in hemoglobin physiology. I mean what more could we ask for?

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@Devon_Sinsley There is no need to anneal the common cans of today but it could allow deeper crimping with less effort. Years ago when those articles were written the Aluminum used was a bit thicker and different alloy.

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Makes sense Dan. I run can aluminum through once then back it through again and that seems great. I am happy with it. Glad people are having the same results.

Itā€™s coming down to the wire! The decal arrived today so that is awesome but Iā€™m still trying to figure out how to work the vinyl cutter so I can make 4 silhouette windows for the lighthouse silos.
I misplaced a door but luckily I had 3d printed another for a future project so today I primed, painted and cut a piece of plexi for it. It will go on tomorrow.
I am so pleased with how this cranberrry tower came out.

We use E6000 to attach anything to anything with the obvious exception of foam!

Eric

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Todd,
For your metal sheetingā€¦
Do you do a single pass through the crimper, or multiple passes?

A single pass is usually good.