1/48 Portable Boiler

[marc_reusser]

Between the hectic holidays, and having to put my always present furry friend and "model shop companion" to sleep , I haven't felt like, or been inspired to do any real modeling.....so I pulled out an old project which I had started some years ago, and decided to just mess around with it.

These are some catalog examples of similar prototypes....the range and diversity of these portable boilers was quite extensive...plus, over time they were often heavily worked on by their owners or local blacksmiths & foundries...so it allows for a good bit of improvisation/interpretation.....perfect for just fussing at the bench.








The project started using a fairly poor quality Tom Yorke plaster boiler casting that was given to me by a friend. When I last stopped working on it I had only gotten the boiler and the water tank completed...so everything else is pretty much from the last 2 days....which now puts me at about 50% complete.

The water tank is a cut down and modified Grandt line Oil Drum, the white metal parts are from my scrap/parts bin, and are most likely from Western Scale Models,  the front whees are Photo etched copper parts from what I believe was a Verlinden Airfield Cart kit; Pipe fittings are from Grand & PSC...The rest of the parts & small detailing are made from styrene.








...as you can see, it is not really an forground or up-close quality model....but once properly painted & weathered it should be just fine as diorama clutter, or stuck in a shed/barn.


Marc

[shropshire lad]

Precisely why isn't a foreground or up-close quality model ? It looks like it could be to me . However , I've got just the place for it . In a derelict cart shed in a farmyard in Wales.

  Nick

[marc_reusser]

Nick,

I feel that the quality and sharpness of the detail on the boiler casting are the primary reason it wouldn't work as a foreground model....but my lackluster modeling quality effort on this in some areas also contributes.  There is also the issue of some details that I have had to/will have to leave off, or simply imply because of lack of knowledge on these things, or simply not willing to have to deal with them any more than necessary.  this actually did simply start out as a piece of "clutter" for inside a shed on a dio.

An area of the boiler casting will be able to be hidden by an eventual improvised shroud/heat shield made of corrugated iron, and I can probably use some "smoke and mirrors" to distract, by adding a draped tarp and water hose somewhere. The weathering, rust, dust, leaves and general grime will also help hide some of the so-so work.

I think it would look great in a shed in Wales....too bad I don't know anyone in Wales....and the fellow I know that lives nearby seems to have decided to model in  a larger scale .

Marc

[shropshire lad]

Funny you should say that , Marc , because I have been thinking about doing a version of this barn for the next Finescale Railroader fandango and would be doing it in 1/48th scale as it would be a monster in 1/24th. However , that is not a cunning ploy to extract your "engine" from you when it is finished ( if it is finished. That is not a dig , but I suspect you might get bored with it fairly quickly) . In reality , any such peice of machinery residing in a building that delapidated would have  been rescued for preservation years earlier .
  However , it would look good under a tarp and tin , covered in grime, with the roof collapsing in on it and a few birds nests in it .
  There's a challenge for you . If you finish the boiler , I'll construct the building to put it in .

  Nick

[Chuck Doan]

Sorry to hear of your companion. And glad to see you back at this one. The weathering should be fun.

[TRAINS1941]

Marc

Sorry about your good buddy.
I think your boiler will just look fine after its painted then weathered, then of course if you give it to Nick he can finish the barn and you both will have a wonderful model to look at.

Jerry

[lenelg]

Marc,

Your prototype pictures all show portable power plants, with a small steam engine mounted on top of the boiler to power early farm equipment etc. Are you planning to add this ?

/Lennart Elg

[marc_reusser]

Thanks guys.

Nick:  .....hmmm......I was actually thinking of using it for Russ's mag challenge myself....I already have a partially built shed for it. ......shipping it there, don't quite trust the post to get it there & back in one piece......but if you want it for say at CSS, that would be more doable. 

Lennart: Yes, I plan on having the piston, steam piping etc. This has slowed me down a bit again, as I was planning on using some white metal castings for the cylinder, valve chest, piston, shafts, etc from the parts bin.....but even after extensive clean-up and filling, they just don't sem meet my quality expectations/needs, so it looks like I will have to be scratch-building them. 


Marc

[lab-dad]

"so it looks like I will have to be scratch-building them.  Undecided"

I'll be looking forward to seeing that!
I hope a couple of pics wont slow you down.
-Marty

[shropshire lad]

Marc ,

  No problem , I was only being half serious with my challenge  . Anyway ,it'll look better in your shed .

  With the other tasks I've set myself , finishing a building for Russ's competition might be a challenge to far .

   CSS is not on the cards this year . Pound-dollar exchange rate not favourable for me at the moment .


  Nick