# Water tower question



## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello,

Can anyone recommend materials and technique for modelling the compression straps or braces used on water towers to keep the cylindrical tank together? I've scratchbuilt a 1:20 tower, and am now getting to the final details. My tower will be outside, so the more weather resistant, the better.


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## dltrains (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris, 
They had this discussion in the archieves on flat wire,some flattened brass tubing. I recall Walthers use to sell flat wire coils of the right sizes check their catalog. Micro Mark may have the turn bucklesas may ModelExpo in ship fittings. 
Dave


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

Go to  www.mssls.info   to see photos of the water tower used for the Huckleberry Railroad.


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

You may also be interested in Hartford Products D&RGW water tank bands 
see HP-80 on 
http://hartfordpr.com/hp_parts_page_3.htm


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## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

This water tower is built using wood glued over a large PVC pipe, it has been outside for 7 or 8 years, one of the hard things about the bands is to get them straight and tight, to accomplish this I drilled 2 holes very close together ran each end of the wire into each hole, twisted the ends together and covered where the wires go into the tank on the outside with a fake turnbuckle...


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Dean, 
  Very nice job!! It's held up well!


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

You didn't say if your trying for a scale model or just a "looks like'.   For full time outdoor use a "looks like" holds up to the elements far better.
here is one I built just to cover the sprinkler valve/timer.  Its just an 8 inch round tin sleeve with Redwood glued to it.  The bands are soft "black iron" tie wire.
They were mounted as Dean discribed above.  I lapped them about 1/2 inch and tightened them by twisting them inside.  
I let the lap represent the connector (turnbuckle).

To get the bands even I scribed a line around the tank and scored it with a razor saw and the wire was easy to cinch down into the groove and it stays put.

What ever method you use don't forget to stagger your fastners around the tank, don't line them up.

Good luck on your project. Let us see the finished product.
Later
Rick


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## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions - I'm going for atmoshpere, not details, so will try the wire twisting approach. Will post photos when I'm finished. 

Rick and Dean - really like your pictured models - how did you get such nice roofs? I struggled with this part of the project, even with a theoretically simple hexagonal roof. Chris


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2008)

if you want to have flat band, look at your next corned beef tin. 
on some, the stripe one rolls off, is precut over its whole length. move the halves against each other with pliers, and you get fine stripes of steelband. 

korm 
.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I used solid copper picture hanging wire. 










Details at http://gold.mylargescale.com/torby/watertower/


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Since you're not going for detail as much, I used rebar wire, cleaned and painted. You get a roll of it for a few bucks with the concrete supplies at the home box store. I ran the ends through a short piece of flattened and painted aluminum tube. I pulled it somewhat tight with 2 pairs of needlenose pliers and gave it a bit of a twist. Then just snip off the extra. Looks great with the ten foot rule.










-Brian


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## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

I have some info on how I made the roof on my "water tower page"


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