Cement Works - 17 - WiP - Bulk Store Clinker & Coal

This post kiln structure (20) on the site map

https://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/cement-works-10-site-map-explained.5333/

stores the clinker prior to post-mix (23) and the coal delivered directly from the colliery (21) to be crushed (18) and be the fuel for the kiln flame.

Nearly complete this update shows the sub-assemblies that make up building (20) and details constructional aspects. The prototype functionality of this building will be covered when it is completed.

Here I summarise construction and painting techniques used across the cement works as this building was quite a mix of features.

The base of the building is a shortened bulk limestone warehouse from the Walthers Valley Cement kit with a quarter of the remaining roof removed to provide a flat base for the coal receiving hopper (ex-Ratio loco coal loader). As for the limestone warehouse (10) the height has been increased significantly using Evergreen corrugated 4526 sheet, a good match to the pitch of Walthers kits.









A coal conveyor from the Walthers Flood Loader kit brings the coal to the hopper and is supported by a girder frame work scratchbuilt from Plastruct girders and a Knightwing truss girder.

For inspection purposes a personnel gantry (Wills chequer plate, Plastruct handrails) spans the hopper parallel to the conveyor and is accessed via a caged ladder (Walthers).

Construction of the girder work was a challenge, I adopted an approach akin to assembling a real framework. I have joined the girders together with brackets made of small section angle or 'L' profile . Strips of this angle were sprayed on the inner surface only, leaving the outer surface clean for gluing, I do not believe in gluing through paint, it makes for weak joints. the pre-painted strips were cut to width with a sharp blade.

The main girders were also sprayed in a batch with Expo light grey primer prior to cutting, touching up of all cut ends was done after assembly by spraying again.

Assembly was performed on odd piece of glass on a Scale Model Scenery jig (SX002 Card Kit Assembly Jig 90 Degrees) and aided by a set square.
Clamping of the tiny angle brackets for gluing is made a lot easier with Expo straight X-Lock tweezers.



The modified conveyor and ex-Ratio hopper ready for fitting.



The roof is an Evergreen 4526 sheet scored to represent rows of corrugated sheets and is supported by a framework built from Plastruct sections. This was assembled completely before painting. The caged ladder was sprayed on the outer surfaces and glued together ready for attaching to the personnel gantry.



Painting, this has evolved during the development of the cement works and has been applied mainly with aerosol (rattle can) acrylic paints, mainly Expo primers but in addition a few artists colours from a company called Amsterdam.

Expo primers light grey, dark grey, and black have good opacity, the white however is fairly translucent and actually highlights plastic filler which is a nuisance. A somewhat denser white primer is available from 'Army Painter' but it still tends to amplify the filler whiteness.

Concrete walls are painted in multiple coats, Expo base primer in white, then Amsterdam Titanium Buff Deep for it's opacity and finished off with the Army Painter white primer to tone down the colour richness towards white.

Concrete can take on many tones depending on the minerals making up the mix, a less yellow tone is achieved with the Amsterdam Warm Grey, however mixing the two colours between adjacent buildings supposedly constructed at the same time especially if sourced from same geographic area looks wrong!

Doors and window frames are brushed in a company blue (Humbrol 25), most other areas are painted with Expo primers, I tried using some Amsterdam transparent black for coal weathering but the pigment was too chunky, then I over did it and wiped most of if off the rear and sidewall with a tissue. The end result looking like rain streaked coal dust which was a bonus. I find that weathering is a tricky business, but sometimes mistakes work out better than was originally intended. A further dusting of Expo black primer improved the flat roof section and girder framework.

The framework was then attached to the roof with the hopper and ladder. The Amsterdam paint cans need to be used much further away than the Expo primers as they deliver paint to the subject at a much higher rate, overdoing it is very easy and then it runs suddenly, a few thin coats are much preferred.

The corrugated side panels and roofs are painted as previous buildings with Expo light grey primer followed by a dusting of silver, Amsterdam or Humbrol, the finer pigment of the Humbrol is easier to apply, I go for a used appearance, but not worn out or derelict.

A final dusting of white over the cement dusty parts of the building will be done with Army Painter white primer once all construction is completed.

Jim

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