1930-40 City Water tower part #3

[chocho willy]

   Well finally was able to get the city water tower completed, it certainly has been a drawn out long process and the major problem being my instance of using the solar powered pathway light for power and if you remember previous posts it was the problem of the red blinking LED that I had selected which wouldn't work with the circuitry of the pathway light. With the great help from Josehf Murchison of Instructables I was able to complete the job. Can't say enough about Josehf as he was patient and dependable beyond words. He already had a circuit designed and on his web site which I purchased the needed components from various vendors and assembled everything on a breadboard. At that time I found that sometimes my brain didn't function properly and components weren't hooked together properly but with Josehf's eagle eye was able to get it working. then found without getting into to much boring detail had to modify the existing circuit as the existing circuit components in order to function use too much voltage to operate and that in turn reduced the voltage to the LED causing it not to function, so the circuit was changed to 3 AA batteries still powered by the 2 pathway solar panels and works great.

   I proceeded to solder the components together and preparing to seal  them with silicone in prier to installing in the tank of the water tower, ops broke a leg off a transistor causing me to replace the component, luckily I had purchased 2. With that done sealed them and set aside to dry. That's when I found I had broken the transistor again and had to wait for another shipment but I found them in the USA and it only took like 4 days to receive. Got everything soldered and sealed, then placed in the sun to charge and waited for night!!! Yea it worked. Next I drilled the holes for the solar panels which are in the catwalk of the tower, the top blinking LED and a hole in the bottom for the supply water tube to fit in. The top is a press fit and allows easy access to the electrical parts if ever needed. Placed town lettering on the side which I'm not sure I'm happy with but I will see if it grows on me. The town name is from a small township just north of Ormond Beach Florida, in which I spent my many of my fond years. Now a recap of parts and pieces so you don't have to go back and read the old posts.

The base is a yard ornament from a garage sale, the tank are tubing, top and bottom from plastruct plastics and is 3 1/4" diameter, tank lines were done with small evergreen strip, top Led is 3mm red flashing LED and the solar panels came from Wal-Mart $.98 pathway lights. The cat walk is from 1/4" PVC sheet pvc board from home depot and was able to cut out a circle of 6' with a 3'1/4" hole in it for my catwalk. Placed scrubby lace type material on it and secured with glue, this gives it the look of skid resistant surface something like expanded steel, drilled and taped 4/40 holes around the perimeter for my stanchion that I made out of hollow brass tubing that I threaded on one end to the 4/40 thread and the other got 1/16" cotter pins soldered in to the tubing. After installing the pins, all 17 of them, I ran a 1/16" piece of brass rod threw the eyes of the cotter pins and soldered it in place. Spent quite a while designing and building the ladder for the tower using 1/16" brass rod all soldered together 1 step at a time. Little difficult as I was taking a med for a lung infection and it makes me shake more that normal, but after I got the rhythm right it wasn't too bad. Bounce 3 times, solder bounce 4 times solder, etc. The base was painted with cold galvanize spray paint and the tank and ladder were painted with Krylon brushed nickel. Being that is solar powered it turns it's self on in the evening and off during the day and with playing around with different resistors was able to have it work with some surrounding lights on. Fun  build and different, I have only seen 1 other this style water tank in G scale and It was all medal.   

[PVT Kanaka]

Bill,

 

Another sterling example of trash-to-treasure!  I am not sure I would've had the patience for the light, let alone the eye to see a water tower in a lawn ornament!  

 

Your power of persistence gave my LGB 2075 resurrection project another shot in the arm, thoug!

 

Aloha,

Eric

[chocho willy]

Back in early 2018 I built a 1930-40 era city water tower which was not available on the large scale market and In my usual style I used what I could find for construction. I had a lawn ornament that was 3' high and with a little bending was able to make it fit my needs, most of my construction time was taken trying to find a way to put a red blinking light on the top that would be solar powered. Not sure how long that took but you can read the earlier story if you wish. Being as the tower was made of a metal wire I sand blasted it and painted it with POR paint and then sprayed Rustoleum spray galvanize  over the whole thing and placed it outside. The blinker worked better than I hoped and would flash from dusk till dawn. Then a sickness sort of put me out for about a year in 2019 but the CWT kept flashing. I discovered about 2 months ago that the blinking light only lasted a very short time and was in need of repair. The tower looked pretty much like it did when I put it out but had turned a rusty brown color and upon picking it up I found that it had changed more than in color but also in loss of material and after taking it apart have found that I believe it is beyond repair. The tank is still good and the walk around is usable also the ladder, but the tower structure is shot. Think I shall have to tune up my soldering skills and make another tower of probably brass or copper, so stay tuned for an update, Bill PS that is after I finish the mini heisler!!!!