# Mid point in my water tower build



## williep99 (Sep 19, 2008)

Hello, 

Two questions. One, what would be a good semi-prototypical material to use for the 'strapping' that goes around the water storage tank? I've see everything from bailing wire to brass or copper strips. Second, the roof material? Again I've seen a multitude of materials from wood to metal. Either way. I'll have to experiment to get the 'pie' shapes even when i build it. 

Thanks, Bill


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Anything goes, here are two towers, one using bands the other more like wire. It mainly depends on what you like. 

 bands  

 wire


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## CCRM (Sep 23, 2008)

I used zip ties as "bands" for my water tower. its cheap and it looks great


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## williep99 (Sep 19, 2008)

Zip ties? Interesting. They would look good and the ease of installation can't be beat, but will they hold up to UV exposure? Here in Colorado there is little relief from the sun, then there's the hail, the dogs, kids... Oh well.

I also lik the look of wire and using the turnbuckles from ozard minatures. My question would be how to 'end' the wires inside the small turnbuckle.

Thanks, Bill


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Use the black ones. 

I used copper wire on mine.


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## CCRM (Sep 23, 2008)

I don't know how the zip ties would hold up to uv's. I haven't finished construction yet on the layout. But I spray painted and put a clear coat over it. If all else fails, they are easy to replace.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill,

Several years ago I scratch-built a backwoods water tank.











I used brass wire as banding. I probably did an overkill on the way I connected the bands. The bands are held together by taking 2 pieces of short brass tubing and soldering them together at a slight angle to form the connector. I had to make up a little wood jig to hold the tubing together while they were soldered. It was a little tedious since the pieces of tubing were only about 3/8" long. I then threaded each end of the solid brass bands. Next, I slipped each end through the connector and screwed on brass nuts to hold them in place. This technique allowed me to actually tighten the bands just like the real ones. Lastly, I painted the bands and connectors black. Here's a close up. Pardon the quality of the enlargement.











Hopes this gives you some more ideas.

Doc


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Perhaps tedius, but the results are beautiful!


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,


 


 


My water tank is amde on the shell of a 10 liter(2 gallon) paint container in plastic.The  buckles from bits of tube & plastic rod for the center of the tubes; the bands are from plastic (styrene ) sheet.  





Here are a couple of photos of it and it has been outside for a couple of years now I think, the Climax behind it is the Bachmann one with a new cab, and other bits and pieces.


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## williep99 (Sep 19, 2008)

Doc,

I love your detail and I like the look as well as the function of your connection. I think I'll 'borrow' your idea if I may. I would also like how the brass ages over time. Thanks to another MLS'er whose offered up time and ideas.

Bill


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By docwatsonva on 09/28/2008 6:45 AM

(SNIP)


I used brass wire as banding. I probably did an overkill on the way I connected the bands. The bands are held together by taking 2 pieces of short brass tubing and soldering them together at a slight angle to form the connector. I had to make up a little wood jig to hold the tubing together while they were soldered. It was a little tedious since the pieces of tubing were only about 3/8" long. I then threaded each end of the solid brass bands. Next, I slipped each end through the connector and screwed on brass nuts to hold them in place. This technique allowed me to actually tighten the bands just like the real ones. Lastly, I painted the bands and connectors black. Here's a close up. Pardon the quality of the enlargement.











Hopes this gives you some more ideas.

Doc



Nice replication of the real thing!

I have spent the last couple of hours thumbing through my old RR books in a vain attempt to find a set of photos and drawings I know I have of exactly what you have replicated. The tank cable tensioning devices were cast metal with two holes bored through them at pretty much the angle at which you have soldered the two brass tubes together. A cable wound around the water tank was welded or otherwise clamped in-line with a threaded bolt which was passed through the device with a nut on the end used to pull the bolt through the cast device to tighten the cable. If I ever find the images I will scan and post them here, but I am at my wits end trying to remember which book I saw them in.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I used copper wire on mine. Then to hold it together I just twisted both ends together and flatend the wire twist down. After painting the,tower and wire it looks just right.


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2008)

Hi Bill, 

I will add my 2 cents. I have built and sold almost 30 ptotoypical D&RGW water towers. I have all the hardware you need if this is the water tower you are modeling. I even make a resin cedar shingle roof casting for water towers. It comes in 8 sections and 16 ridge caps 2 for each seam. You can see this on my web site mcwwerks.com. Look under the title of resin cast cedar roofing to see a picture.Please feel free to contact me if you want more information. Thanks for your time Joe


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Jim,

Thanks for posting the pixes on the water towers. Until I saw the second one, I had no idea round bands were used on them. That makes it a world easier for me. I suppose they'd use common turnbuckles, unlike the band type?

Les W.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)




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## CCRM (Sep 23, 2008)

Wow, love the weathering!


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By 1:20.3 builder on 10/01/2008 2:02 PM
Hi Bill, 

I will add my 2 cents. I have built and sold almost 30 ptotoypical D&RGW water towers. I have all the hardware you need if this is the water tower you are modeling. I even make a resin cedar shingle roof casting for water towers. It comes in 8 sections and 16 ridge caps 2 for each seam. You can see this on my web site mcwwerks.com. Look under the title of resin cast cedar roofing to see a picture.Please feel free to contact me if you want more information. Thanks for your time Joe
Joe you do some really nice work. I really like the water towers you made. A little too pricey for my wallet though. Great work.


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## cephius (Jan 10, 2008)

Mr McCullough,
Is this the detailed drawing you were searching for?









Here is the complete page:









Dave


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave:
Nope, those are cinch blocks that are attached to a flat band around the tank. The drawing I am thinking of matches pretty close to what Doc made. It is a single long casting with two holes drilled lengthwise through it next to each other and at a slight angle to account for the curvature of the tank. A single cable wraps around the tank (in place of the flat band) and the ends of the cable are threaded (like the bar in your drawing). Tightening nuts on the threaded ends pulls the cable through the holes in the casting, tightening the cable on the tank.

But thanks for reminding me about looking for the drawing... I found it!!!!

This drawing shows using 3 devices per cable around a tank.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Semper,

Thanks for posting the pic. I hadn't found one of the cable tighteners yet. What dia and material do you use for 'banding' on your towers? I've got a plan that shows nylon fish line, but I think some soft metal that could be threaded would look good.

Les


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Les on 10/10/2008 2:09 PM
Semper,

Thanks for posting the pic. I hadn't found one of the cable tighteners yet. What dia and material do you use for 'banding' on your towers? I've got a plan that shows nylon fish line, but I think some soft metal that could be threaded would look good.

Les



Notice how close the real casting are to what Doc made by soldering two tubes together. I have to admit that I, personally, don't have a water tower on my pike. I do have lots of (mental) plans and ideas and some photos and I have collected way too much "STUFF" that "hey, that looks like I could use that to make a ____".

I think that nylon fishing line might be too thin to use as the banding. Might cut into the wood too much. I don't know the diameter of cable was used on a real tank, if I ever find out I would just divide by my scale (1:32) and find the closest sized copper wire. If I never found out I would probably use 14 or 18 gauge and hope for the best..

Further thought just now makes be wonder if maybe it should be steel wire or even aircraft cable... copper and nylon stretches too easily and that would not be good because over time it would not stay tight.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

I have to admit that I, personally, don't have a water tower on my pike. I do have lots of (mental) plans and ideas and some photos and I have collected way too much "STUFF" that "hey, that looks like I could use that to make a ____".


Semper,

Until you keep the blower tube from a leaf blower 'because it might make a pretty good water tower', you won't be in my league!







I have literally boxes of 'stuff' for when I can start my RR.

Which, totally off topic--I remembered the large carton of G scale plastic wheels I bought last year--why is there such distain for plastic wheels? I'll be running inside and can't see why it'd matter--provided one checked them for 'trueness' both in circularity, gauge, and that they are at true right angles to the axle. If plastic drivers slip too easily, could they not be knurled?

One of these days I'll get caught up. I keep telling myself that. I have to.









Les


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Les on 10/10/2008 3:34 PM


I have to admit that I, personally, don't have a water tower on my pike. I do have lots of (mental) plans and ideas and some photos and I have collected way too much "STUFF" that "hey, that looks like I could use that to make a ____".


Semper,

Until you keep the blower tube from a leaf blower 'because it might make a pretty good water tower', you won't be in my league!







I have literally boxes of 'stuff' for when I can start my RR.

Which, totally off topic--I remembered the large carton of G scale plastic wheels I bought last year--why is there such distain for plastic wheels? I'll be running inside and can't see why it'd matter--provided one checked them for 'trueness' both in circularity, gauge, and that they are at true right angles to the axle. If plastic drivers slip too easily, could they not be knurled?

One of these days I'll get caught up. I keep telling myself that. I have to.









Les





The "blower tube" sounds like something left over from a previously useful item you bought for its real purpose... I'm talking about stuff I bought simply because some part of it looked like something I could use and throw away the rest of it... I have even purchased stuff just to get the packaging in came in!

By the way, get everything done that you want done BEFORE you retire... otherwise it'll never get done!


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