# Oil Refinery



## tccarson

N Scale Oil Refinery done in balsa, plastic railings and stairs, misc. dowels, ans a couple tuna cans. That's a penny in the foreground.


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## DonR

Beautiful.

The greatest admiration for those of you
doing scratch built structure in N scale.

It is fun to repurpose things around the house
or workshop to create something like this.

You've done a great job of it.

Don


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## tccarson

*N scale*

The first time I modeled in N scale I wasn't sure if I could d it or not, but I slowed down, took extra care, and surprised myself.


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## SBRacing

*Ole Flame*

Wow don't have the patients for N scale buildings. Nicely done.

A while back in MR there was an article where a guy had a Coleman propane tank under his table and ran a metal pipe in the one tower and then lit the end to replicate burning the raw fuel.

Just an extra idea


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## Fire21

I work in N scale, but don't have the skills or patience to scratch build things. We'll see about the future!

Great work you did on that refinery!!


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## tccarson

I like the flames idea but I'd be a little scared of it getting away. I think you can get smoke generators. I've got a few locos that have working smokestacks that burn a light oil. I might try something like that.

Modeling in N scale seems to get easier with each model. It was a challenge for me to slow down and take extra care. I've developed a few new skills and tricks for working with such small features. If I had more time I'd do some more video tutorials.


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## Patrick1544

Great scratch build. I like the idea of the excess gas flame, too.


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## Cycleops

SBRacing said:


> Wow don't have the patients for N scale buildings.


You only need those for a hospital!

Very nice scratch build tc. I'm always on the lookout for bits of scrap plastic to use in projects like this.


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## Big Ed

Nicely done.:smilie_daumenpos:


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## traction fan

*Refinery Model*

TC Carson;

Excellent job on the refinery. Clever use of common materials, and a great looking model!

To those who thought it requires special skills or patience to scratch build in N scale, as opposed to some other scale, not really.

Here's an example

Traction Fan


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## tccarson

*N Scale*

Nice example, Traction Fan. I used to be in awe of those who modeled in N Scale. I surprised myself with my first project. I have a desktop magnifying glass/lamp and a few pairs of tweezers for the small details. The hardest part for me was slowing down, and knowing when to take a break and come back fresh. As far as building from scratch goes, I don't really think that it is much more difficult than building from a kit. Both methods require patience and preparation, and there is quite a selection of scale pieces out there such as window, door, trim etc. 

Back to scrounging around the house for parts... it would be interesting to have a challenge to see how many ideas could be generated for things around the house that could be used for models. When I was a kid I read a book in school called "The Borrowers". They were Lilliputian sized little people who lived in people's houses and only came out when the owners were asleep or not at home. They "borrowed" miscellaneous things from around the house to use for themselves, ie: a sardine can for a bed, a wooden thimble for a table etc. Maybe this is where I got my inspiration from!

TC


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## traction fan

*Scratchbuilding*

TC; 

Thanks for the kind words. As you have already proven, scratchbuilding is possible in any scale.
The pieces, and of course the completed model, are smaller in N than larger scales(Duh!) but that doesn't mean it can't be done. Each individual has to judge his own eyesight and manual dexterity, but unless he/she has truly serious problems, scratchbuilding is perfectly possible,
(and a heck of a lot of fun!) , in any scale. You certainly showed that with your excellent refinery model. I think most of the reluctance is simply because the guy has never tried it.
As for patience being required, sure it is. However the same patience would be required in another scale. You're dead right about taking your time, and plenty of breaks. As you can probably guess, my model of Black River train order station wasn't knocked together on a weekend!(it took years to build everything from the casting of epoxy lenses for the operating semaphore on up.) I very much doubt your refinery was a weekend project either!

Regards;
Traction Fan
PS If you want to see a couple more of my layout structures, check "new(and better) structure photos" here on the structures forum.


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## SBRacing

Cycleops said:


> You only need those for a hospital!


Well played Sir. I happen to work at a Hospital :laugh:


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