# source for water tower castings?



## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

Does anyone know of a source for castings of turnbuckles for water towers? At one time I knew hartford carried them but I don't see them now. Thanks for any help.
Terry


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Hartford still has them. Here is the link to the page: 
http://shop.hartfordproducts.com/product.sc?productId=46&categoryId=33


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

http://shop.hartfordproducts.com/product.sc?productId=46&categoryId=33


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow. those are expensive. I was gonna do my tower in just flat bands. With the diameter of the tank I would need 4 strap fixtures per band and I'll have approx. 10 bands. Thats $100 just for the strap fixtures. Thats actually triple what the entire water tower will cost me to build. Bummer. Back to the scratch buildin' table I guess. 
Thanks for the link though! 

Terry


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## RGSNH (Jan 13, 2008)

hello,

how are you with resin casting? i made styrene patterns for the four differnt sizes 3",4" 5" & 6" bands typically to D&RGW and RGS water towers. Harfords are only one size if i remember correctly. i could offfer up my old molds for shipping cost and you could cast some. they are flat back molds. i was able to drill out the holes, and then threaded some strene rod 00-90 and used hex nuts. cannot post pictures at the moment by can show you the results by e-mail later today.

AL P.


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

I have never tried casting but was thinking about it. My other idea was to make them out of small brass tubing with threaded rods. That way I could solder everthing together as my bands are brass as well. As i'm not making a specific prototype my bands will all be 3". 

Terry


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I saw somewhere once where someone made them by soldering two short lengths of 1/16" diameter brass tubing togehter just sligtly offset from flat, then ran wire threaded at both ends through the tubing and tightend the nuts down. I think he used 00-90 nuts, though I don't know what size wire he would have used for that. I do know if you want to use 0-80 nuts, then you can use rebar tie wire, as that's the right size to thread to 0-80. (I use it for freight car truss rods). It won't fit through 1/16" tubing, you'll have to go up to 3/32". 

(Or save yourself a ton of trouble and build an enclosed tank!) 

Later, 

K


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

That's what I was thinking of doing. I may not even thread the wire just slide nuts on and solder them. My next tank may be enclosed but for now I really want the look of the round banded tank. 

My other idea was to switch over to rods and use the ozark turnbuckles, or design a slightly different turnbuckle to use with rods. I once saw one that was nothing more than 2 6" pipes welded together on edge. The rod went through one pipe and a large washer was put over the threads. The other rod went throuh the opposite way and tightened. 

The problem with this is.... 
#1 I have the material to make the bands 
#2 the bands are far easier to attach to the water tank than rods are especially when they aren't actually being tightened down. 
(maybe i should have just built an enclosed one)


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

I think this what Kevin was referring to? Hope this helps. If you need additional information let me know. I'll try to remember the details.











Doc


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

Oh, ok. That's sorta what I had in mind as well. Thanks for the picture! 

Terry


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