# Farm Silo Dome Problem



## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

I'm trying to build a Stave Farm Silo from a 4" PCV pipe. This makes it perfect scale size in G-Scale; however I'm having trouble finding a good dome for the top. I was thinking a white plastic ball cut in half or something.....but I can't fine anything in the right size to perfectly fit over the top of the 4" pipe.

Any ideas/suggestions?


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Might be easier to find the dome first, as close to 4" as you can find, then find pipe to match..Home Depot and the like have a wide selection of pipe materials, but not much in the way of domes..

Scot


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Doctor Z,
Have a look at the Plastruct catalogue online - Pipes and Fittings
They do domes, hemispherical, elliptical and dished, in 1/4" increments right up to 6".
Regards,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Take a look at a prototype silo and determine how it was made and then replicate that in miniature. A domed roof is probably sheet metal panels bent, so not a true hemispherical shape, but rather an assembly of pie-shaped wedges bent in one dimension only (a shape much easier to form.)

Note, they are not true "pie" shapes, as that would form a cone. The long legs are curved.

Cut paper wedges and tape together until you have the shape. Then copy in metal and solder together.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

You can buy a foam ball at an Arts store (e.g., Michaels) and work that to size/shape you need, then coat it to seal the foam.

Take your PVC with you and find what works best/easiest.


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## Bill Holmes (Aug 1, 2014)

I took some pvc decking , cut it about 5" square and glued 4 pieces together with super glue, then mounted it on my wood lathe and carved out a dome with a lip to fit down inside the pipe.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Cool approach for a half dome ball Bill!!

Dirk


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## Dale W (Jan 5, 2008)

Purchase a plastic funnel with a diameter slightly larger than the pipe diameter . Cut off the pointed end where it begins to flare out. Cover with triangle sections cut from a pop can. This will give you a realistic roof for stave silos constructed prior to about 1950. Newer stave silos had a bulbulus roof which could be represented by an plastic or rubber ball cut in half.

Dale


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Or..you could just buy the whole silo for $20! 

http://www.matsenminiaturefarms.com/e-commerce-solutions-catalog6.4.html

Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Just be aware..your desired 4" diameter silo is really a bit small for "G scale"..
and the one in the link above is only 13" high..also a bit short..
(Its intended to be a 1/64 scale model of a rather large silo)
but I guess it depends on what barn you are going to place it next to..
recent discussion about silos:

http://forums.mylargescale.com/14-buildings/36978-farm-silo.html

(this thread should probably be merged with the other one..no need to have two separate threads on the same topic)

Scot


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## Gp382DH7315 (Dec 19, 2013)

*Silo CAP*

How about a 4" fence white vinyl cap from Home Depot or Lowes?
Has a nice mold seem to be used as a guide when cutting in half.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

check toilet floats, some have neat patterns for structural strength...

John


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

I agree with John- The old ball style toilet float cut in half works. I made one like that a few years back. I don't have a picture handy, right now.


-Kevin.


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## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

Scottychaos said:


> Or..you could just buy the whole silo for $20!
> 
> http://www.matsenminiaturefarms.com/e-commerce-solutions-catalog6.4.html
> 
> Scot


Those are O scale silos, and I'm modeling in G-scale. I'd love to find the silo in 1/29th, but no one makes one.


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## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

Scottychaos said:


> Just be aware..your desired 4" diameter silo is really a bit small for "G scale"..
> and the one in the link above is only 13" high..also a bit short..
> (Its intended to be a 1/64 scale model of a rather large silo)
> but I guess it depends on what barn you are going to place it next to..
> ...


Well a 4" silo = 10' inside diameter in G-scale. According to the schematics I found for Stave Silos most were 10' inside diameter, and between 40' and 60' tall. That means I need a 4" x 20" silo, which would be 10' x 50' scale size, for my Piko Barn Kit, which is 16" tall.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

DoctorZ said:


> Those are O scale silos, and I'm modeling in G-scale. I'd love to find the silo in 1/29th, but no one makes one.


I know..(actually, they said they are s-scale)..but as I think you already figured out, the exact scale is irrelevant!  (or can be irrelevant, in a case like this, if you want it to be..)

An S-scale model of large silo can become a G-scale model of a smaller silo..
the model size doesn't change, only the prototype size changes.
you might just have to change some details, pipes and such, to make them more scale-specific.

Scot


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## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

There is this Pola Silo. I think they are out of production, but appear to still be occasionally available. I also think that these are probably about 1:22 scale, and depending on its location on the layout, may be too large.


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## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

Scottychaos said:


> I know..(actually, they said they are s-scale)..but as I think you already figured out, the exact scale is irrelevant!  (or can be irrelevant, in a case like this, if you want it to be..)
> 
> An S-scale model of large silo can become a G-scale model of a smaller silo..
> the model size doesn't change, only the prototype size changes.
> ...


If it was for a factory or elevator scene I would agree with you, but it's to be mated with the Piko Barn, so it must be prototypical to the barn's size. I just can't understand why Piko would make an American Barn without a Silo? Probably because Piko specializes in European designs.


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## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

I would recommend a trip to the local hardware store and look at a 4" PVC pipe cap. That should work and be very strong.


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## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

Like this

http://www.homedepot.com/s/4%2522%2520pvc%2520pipe%2520cap?NCNI-5


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Totalwrecker said:


> check toilet floats, some have neat patterns for structural strength...
> 
> John


http://www.homedepot.com/s/toilet%20floats?NCNI-5



Black rubber


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## GaryR (Feb 6, 2010)

Maybe end cap and couplings. The seams even look like weld joints.
Sorta like this 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4841191013/
GaryR


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