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This blog presents my thoughts, information and activities in my model railroading world.

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Autoclave shop

I am part way through construction of the extraction plant autoclave shop.  The autoclave heats the bark shavings in water under pressure to create liquid extract for tanneries.  I have a number of pictures of vintage autoclaves but no pictures of how they are connected so I will use my imagination to create the machinery involved.  Thus far I have constructed most of the building not including the roof.


The building consists of an internal wood frame covered with corrugated metal sheets.  I inserted three large industrial windows to hopefully allow the machinery inside to be seen after the roof is installed.


Below is a view of the internal wood frame.


The floor is card stock.

I have partially created the autoclaves and am designing how everything is connected.  Hopefully I am close to what actually existed.


Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Extraction power house complete

I have completed the tannin extraction plant power house.  After installation it will have wires from the pole on the roof to the structures that require power.


From this view you can see the electric generator inside.  The skylight on the roof provides some light inside.  There is also a figure standing inside the door.  There are electrical caution signs on the doors on each side of the building.


In this view you can see the power pole on the roof and the ladder on the side for access to the roof.

I will now start on the next building for this plant.  Installation on the layout will be done when all of the structures are complete.



Sunday, April 12, 2020

Extraction power house progress

The interior of the power house is mostly complete with the exception of some minor details that could be seen from the exterior after the roof is installed.  The interior details now consist of the boiler and the generator with connected piping and a small wood coal bin in front of the boiler barely visible in these photos.


There is a large door on each side and a coal bin on the near side which connects to the bin inside.


Above is a view of the boiler and connected piping with a tiny piece of the coal bin at the upper left.


And above you can see the generator inside.  At the base of the walls you can see the sides of the hydrocal floor which will be hidden after installation on the layout.

The inside has some weathering and there will be weathering added to the outside. Next I will add the roof.



Monday, April 6, 2020

Tannin extraction plant power house start

I have built the interior machinery for the power house and started the structure.  The machinery consists of the steam boiler and the electric generator all scratch built.  The generator was built following a diagram I found on the internet, and it is steam powered by the boiler.


The generator was built using miscellaneous detail parts and plastic, metal and wood scraps.


The boiler was built from various scraps and detail parts, mostly embossed brick paper and card stock following a design by SS Ltd, though mine is smaller.

The structure is partially complete with hydrocal brick walls by CC Crow and a hydrocal stone floor.  


There is no roof yet  and I have not yet added the doors on both sides, both fully open to try and show the machinery inside.  This power house will have wires to the plant buildings requiring power.