Large Scale Central

Working Water Tank Build

Modeling
#161

Worked on the water spout. I found some gray PVC 1 1/4 OD x 1" ID pipe, with a flared end that should work just right. At this scale it works out to be 10" across, about the right size of the prototype. Tried to heat and bend the snout end, and failed miserably! Thought to cut out some wedges and bend on itself… Yuckkk cutting the wedges the right shape and location proved to be my undoing… decided to cut wedges and cement the wedges back together to form the spout. Set a cut angle of about 7 deg. on the band saw, and cut the first piece.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-109.jpg)

Then rolled the pipe 180 deg. and cut again to make the wedge. Repeat until you have more then you need.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-112.jpg)

I flat sanded the cuts to clean up the edges for a close fit.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-113.jpg)

Used PVC cement and glued the wedges together, at the narrowest section, being careful to align the outside edges.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-114.jpg)

All the wedges come together rather well and I have my spout tip !

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-115.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-116.jpg)

I like the look, its shape resembles what a sheet metal spout would look like built in sections. Now to find the finished length of the spout, how to mount it, and the cables, and the counter weights. Oh ya, I got to plumb a valve for the downspout too. Had a little time to start banding the tank, Not as easy as it would seem!

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-106.jpg)

I think that it will really set off the tank.

#162

Dave
Like how you did the spout and the bands look super.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with for the hinge and water valve for the spout
Rodney

#163

What an awesome project! It has been a lot of fun watching it progress, thanks for sharing!!

#164

Hey! No fair building like the prototype! Dang, that sure looks good.

#165

What they said…:wink:

#166

Very nicely done. Your friend is a lucky man. A very enjoyable thread to follow.

Tom

#167

On those bands, sometimes they slip. I wonder if you’ve heard of the technique of scoring or maybe at this scale a better word would be cutting, a slit, or a narrow shallow V-shaped groove for each band, all the way 'round the tank, then you tighten the band 'til it is gripped a little bit by that slit or groove. The groove will be hidden by the band, and is only deep enough to give a grip and prevent the band from slipping down if things should ever loosen up. Just a thought.

The groove also helps to hold the band in position as you tighten it up…

Love the shingling, pulleys, and spout. You’re doing great, Dave!

#168

@ John I thought of it, but to late it should have been done before I painted it. I’ll have to live with what I have, On second thought, if I tighten the bands enough they will make there own groove. They do grab and cut a bit into the peaks of the staves.

#169

Excellent!

#170

Made enough time to finnish the bands…

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-124.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-123.jpg)

And here … Ladies and Gentlemen, Is what the tank looks like…

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-121.jpg)

I put the new gray spout in the mock-up position (not cut to length and without the tip) to help visualize the final product. Another higher angle view.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-119.jpg)

And a couple of detail shots.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-122.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-125.jpg)

I’m really pleased with the “look” of the tank, I’ve always liked the look of the turnbuckles spiraling up the side of a tank. The major construction is pretty much done. Now I need to get it plumbed.

#171

That is one fantastic looking structure. Like the idea for the pulleys - really help set it off.

#172

Beautiful work Dave :smiley:

#173

Outstanding work Dave.:slight_smile:

#174
Dave Taylor said:
...... I've always liked the look of the turnbuckles spiraling up the side of a tank.
Me too! :)

That’s stunning, Dave!

#175

Design Modification # 37B… Oh OHH! Started to plumb the bucket for the wet side of the tank. Cut a hole in the bottom for the fill end of the Toilet tank filler. Installed and tested the filler. No Leaks, a good thing… But, I extended to the highest setting, and it would only fill about 13" of water in the bucket! It takes about 7 1/2 gal from empty and about 3 1/2 to 4 gal on refills and sometimes even more. With the bucket being skinny and tall I wouldn’t be able to get that amount from the bucket with that fill technic. Oh good, Now I have a hole in the bottom of my tank… In the dry Southwest we use Swamp coolers for cooling (also known as evaporative coolers). They have a float valve for water level control, Simple, effective, no maintenance, But they fill with a 1/4 " line, Not high volume, but I can place it high in the tank. I had guessed that the tank was about 8-9 gal size… Not… to the top is 14, and about 11 to the full line. Bigger capacity and should handle multiple engines at his steam ups. Installed the float valve… No brainer…

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-126.jpg)

To fill the hole in the bottom of the tank where the fill valve was to go, I moved the discharge pipe into the enlarged hole. I’m using standard 1" PVC pipe for the plumbing.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-135.jpg)

I modified a fitting to pass thru the bucket, and had to cut a Jam Nut from an another fitting so i could get a good seal with using soft rubber for the washers inside and out.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-134.jpg)

Moving the discharge pipe to the center of the tank meant that the original design of the plumbing was now 5" to short. After a couple of e-mail discussions on the flapper valve for discharge control, it has been decided that with only 24" of head pressure maximum we may not get a good seal on the valve, there for having a leakage problem, and constant moisture around the tank, Most highly undesired for long term survivability. We will use a common ball valve in the plumbing between the tank and nozzle. Found the area for the discharge pipe, and cut out the joists for clearance.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-131.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-130.jpg)

Here is what I ended up with.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-129.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-127.jpg)

And a bottom view.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-128.jpg)

I’ll put together a lever that reaches out to the side of the tank for manual valve control. I need help now. How is the spout hung on a water tank so that it pivots down and over the discharge spout? I’ve studied the blue prints of a standard C&NW tank, and they don’t show anything of the base mounting, or the pivot… I have a couple of ideas for a bracket, or pin hinge, but I don’t really know. Time for some collective wisdom, I’m so close to wrapping this thing up, and getting back to laying more track on my own pike.

#176

Dave you said you are using 1" PVC pipe and fittiongs for the discharge. If your intended spout is 1" also affix a smaller diameter piece of clear flexible tubing fit loosely inside of the spout, which will allow the clear tube to travel inside the spout when it is raised or lowered for use. The prototype to my understanding just used the spouts weight to form the seal with a gasket between the two, and a straight hinge on the high area of the two pieces.

Although a stand pipe in the attached you can see where the spout and pipe meet to form a seal.
http://prr.railfan.net/standards/standards.cgi?plan=70310-A&type=STRU

Hope this helps.

And great job on the build

#177

Dave is right on the spout. It was the weight of the spout that created a seal. It leaked but I never saw a water tank that didnt leak.

#178

Silent admiration from the sidelines here…

#179

…A Rube Goldberg moment…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/choochoo_chaboogie/_forumfiles/Rubegoldbergtank.jpg)

#180

Final engineering hurdle solved… I hope! Sat on the pondering swing staring at the tank and trying to figure out how to get the spout to pivot from vertical to the down position over the discharge pipe. Played with the pipe and tried to visualize what had to happen to make it work. Here is where the spout would be in the up position, relative to the discharge pipe.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-138.jpg)

And in the down or filling position.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-139.jpg)

This is what I come up with.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-137.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/WT-136.jpg)

NOTE: The higher up the pivot point is above the center line of the spout pipe, the larger the arc would be to pivot over the discharge pipe. Anyone notice any flaws in this design PLEASE speak up. OR a better idea on getting it done.