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Plastruct Refinery

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  • From: Harrisburg, PA
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Plastruct Refinery
Posted by hbgatsf on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 1:20 PM

I have been putting together the Plastruct HO Refinery Kit #1008 that was purchased about ten years ago.  It has been challenging but I have been able to figure almost everything.  One item has me stumped.  The bill of materials lists 1 ST-6 (16" square) and 1 ST-8 (22" Square) beams and that is what the kit contained.  On the drawings I cannot find a use for the ST-8 and the number of items fabricated using the ST-6 could never be completed using the one piece included.  Is there an error on the drawing or is there an error in the included materials?

Rick

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Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 7:06 AM

I tried a search for the instructions, but didn't find anything.

There are still very much in business, so maybe you could contact them with your questions.

https://plastruct.com/pages/contact

I did get a notice that they were in the process of moving from CA. to IA., so I'm not sure of the response you'll get, but worth a try.

Mike.

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Posted by hbgatsf on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 9:33 AM

I did send them a message but I have not gotten a response.

The material list and what is included in the kit is definately wrong.  I decided to build the structure that holds the small tanks using the size that the drawing indicated (ST-6).  I was extremely careful measuring and cutting and had no wasted material.  Even so there wasn't enough of that size to finish the frame.  It wouldn't have mattered if I had used the other size as they are the same length.  I would have come up an inch short there also.

To keep going I am going to fill in an H beam to make it square and hope there is enough of that material to do all the parts specified for it.

Rick

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Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 9:37 AM

I'm sure you can use your modeler's "license", and make something work, and make it very convincible.  Yes

Mike.

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Posted by BigDaddy on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 9:55 AM

I guess they make the same kit in O-scale.  If you google Plastruct Refinery Directions, you will find near the top, a link to an O scale forum with lots of pictures.  That may give you some hint on how it should look.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by hbgatsf on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 10:20 AM

Yep, I reference those pictures often.

The fact is they just don't put enough material in the HO kit.

Rick

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Posted by dknelson on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 10:24 AM

The bigger news -- to me -- was that Plastruct has new owners and has moved to Des Plaines Illinois.  The new address seems to be an industrial park perhaps.  Seems odd that MR does not regard that sort of thing as industry news.

Dave Nelson

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Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 11:02 AM

I thought the pop up I got while on their home page said Iowa, but I guess I was mistaken.

Mike.

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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 12:27 PM

mbinsewi

I tried a search for the instructions, but didn't find anything.

There are still very much in business, so maybe you could contact them with your questions.

https://plastruct.com/pages/contact

I did get a notice that they were in the process of moving from CA. to IA., so I'm not sure of the response you'll get, but worth a try.

Mike. 

When I clicked on the link early this morning, there was a message indicating that Plastruct was in the midst of a move to Illinois. But, now, that message no longer appears. Weird.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by dknelson on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 9:34 PM

I just went to the website and the message about moving and new ownership popped right up.  

Dave Nelson

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Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 9:45 PM

I turned AdBlock off, and like Rich, I still don't get the pop up message any more.  So, I guess it's IL, and not IA. ?  Whatever, at least they are still around, hopefully?

Mike.

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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 10:48 PM

mbinsewi

I turned AdBlock off, and like Rich, I still don't get the pop up message any more.  So, I guess it's IL, and not IA. ?  Whatever, at least they are still around, hopefully?

Mike. 

I wonder if the website got hacked?

Rich

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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, April 9, 2020 7:12 AM

Pop-up is back:

Dave is right, Des Plaines, IL.  

Mike.

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, April 9, 2020 7:27 AM

The pop-up appears again this morning when I click the Plastruct link.

Unless Plastruct and Evergreen Scale Models have somehow merged, this is a joke/hack.

The DesPlaines Illinois location shown on that pop-up is the address of Evergreen Scale Models, a competitor of Plastruct in the manifacture of styrene products.

Rich

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, April 9, 2020 7:45 AM

It's gone again.

Rich

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Posted by dknelson on Thursday, April 9, 2020 10:44 AM

This is very mysterious!   Evergreen is at that address in a modest sized industrial/warehouse sort of structure that they share with Total Comfort Systems, presumably an HVAC outfit.  (I wandered around using Google Street View).  Then I checked out Plastruct's HQ also using Street View.  It is substantially larger.  The building says Plastruct but also Engineering Model Associates Inc. which I think is also part of Plastruct.

On the one hand if Plastruct sold itself what more logical place than Evergreen (although Plastruct, as you can tell from their website, serves many more markets than the hobbyist modeler)?  But they'd need way more space than they have in Des Plaines even if Total Comfort Systems moved out.  Unless only the hobbyist styrene part of Plastruct is going to be kept going?

'Tis a mysery.  Perhaps the OP can ask about this if he calls Plastruct about the missing parts in his refinery kit.  I use Evergreen and I use Plastruct and I'd hate to lose either one of them even though there is some overlap.

Dave Nelson 

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:21 AM

I think that Mike is hacking the Plastruct website and calling our attention to it. Smile, Wink & Grin

The pop up only appears right after he points it  but, then quickly disappears. Huh?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:48 AM

richhotrain
I think that Mike is hacking the Plastruct website and calling our attention to it. 

I'm bored, OK?  Mischief  Sorrrrrry!  geez.  Pirate

Mike.

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:56 AM

mbinsewi
 
richhotrain
I think that Mike is hacking the Plastruct website and calling our attention to it.  

I'm bored, OK?  Mischief  Sorrrrrry!  geez.  Pirate

Mike. 

That's OK, Mike. You just need to learn how to keep that fake pop-up active so it won't disappear so fast. 

Maybe you can figure out a way to have that pop-up appear at the bottom of each forum page like my Asics shoe ads, Audi collectioms, and Bose noise cancelling headphones. I need a little more variety.

Rich

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Posted by HO-Velo on Thursday, April 9, 2020 1:22 PM

dknelson
Unless only the hobbyist styrene part of Plastruct is going to be kept going?

Can't help but wonder if oil and chemical plant construction has less need of scale models with today's computer generated 3-D views?

Regards, Peter

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Posted by richhotrain on Friday, April 10, 2020 7:28 AM

aaah, yes, the pop-up is back again this morning. Good job, Mike. Whistling

Rich

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Posted by hbgatsf on Saturday, April 11, 2020 9:48 AM

I have not heard back from them yet.  When (if) I do I will try to get more info.

Notice that the pop-up also says new owners.

 

Rick

Rick

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Posted by maxman on Saturday, April 11, 2020 4:52 PM

richhotrain
Unless Plastruct and Evergreen Scale Models have somehow merged, this is a joke/hack.

A.  No, not a joke.  Plastruct and Evergreen are now owned by the same parent.  I spoke to a lady at Plastruct after the move and if I understand correctly they intend to operate the two facilities seperately.  One of her children will run one operation, and another child will run the other.

B.  I did ask her if they would consider making  small plastic meatloaves in their line of Plastruct detail parts but she told me no because they would look too much like cow patties.

Note.  Only A is true.

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Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, April 11, 2020 5:38 PM

maxman
 
richhotrain
Unless Plastruct and Evergreen Scale Models have somehow merged, this is a joke/hack. 

A.  No, not a joke.  Plastruct and Evergreen are now owned by the same parent.  I spoke to a lady at Plastruct after the move and if I understand correctly they intend to operate the two facilities seperately.  One of her children will run one operation, and another child will run the other.

Assuming that you are not joking, a rare event in and of itself, this issue raises a lot of questions.

1. Why has this not been announced?

2. Is this a merger of equals?

3. If not, who acquired whom?

4. Seems like an odd merger since they both manufacture similar items.

Dunno, I remain skeptical.

Rich

 

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Posted by maxman on Saturday, April 11, 2020 5:51 PM

richhotrain
Assuming that you are not joking, a rare event in and of itself, this issue raises a lot of questions. 1. Why has this not been announced? 2. Is this a merger of equals? 3. If not, who acquired whom? 4. Seems like an odd merger since they both manufacture similar items. Dunno, I remain skeptical. Rich

Oh ye of doubting minds.  I said A. was the correct answer.

I also said that I spoke to the lady who is the principal of both companies.

I don't believe that it was a merger but that Plastruct was purchased by Evergreen.

As to your other questions it didn't occur to me to ask.  But I think I did see a notice of this in one of the very recent issues of MR or MRC.  I'll have to look after I get back from my pizza run.  And I'm pretty sure that they don't have meatloaf pizza.

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, April 11, 2020 6:28 PM

maxman
I did ask her if they would consider making  small plastic meatloaves in their line of Plastruct detail parts but she told me no because they would look too much like cow patties.

Preiser already has such a product available. (Woodland Scenics actually does make cow patties, in two colors).

 Diner_patrons2 by Edmund, on Flickr

That's the meatloaf (I think) at the place setting across from the lady. 

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, April 12, 2020 3:36 PM

maxman
 
richhotrain
Assuming that you are not joking, a rare event in and of itself, this issue raises a lot of questions. 1. Why has this not been announced? 2. Is this a merger of equals? 3. If not, who acquired whom? 4. Seems like an odd merger since they both manufacture similar items. Dunno, I remain skeptical. Rich 

Oh ye of doubting minds.  I said A. was the correct answer.

I also said that I spoke to the lady who is the principal of both companies.

I don't believe that it was a merger but that Plastruct was purchased by Evergreen.

As to your other questions it didn't occur to me to ask.  But I think I did see a notice of this in one of the very recent issues of MR or MRC.  I'll have to look after I get back from my pizza run.  And I'm pretty sure that they don't have meatloaf pizza. 

Call me St. Thomas. I am not buying it.

Rich

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Posted by maxman on Sunday, April 12, 2020 5:04 PM

are you saying that I'm a prevaricater?Sad

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, April 12, 2020 5:24 PM

maxman

are you saying that I'm a prevaricater?Sad 

No, not at all, Pinocchio.

Geppetto

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Posted by maxman on Sunday, April 12, 2020 6:43 PM

richhotrain

 maxman

are you saying that I'm a prevaricater?Sad 

No, not at all, Pinocchio.

 Geppetto

Are you sure?  I feel my strings being pulled

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