Slag Pot

I still don't feel 100%, so my modelling has been sparse this week. Mostly I've been playing with those ladles and slag car on the bench.


First, I primed the ladle stand I built last week, and I think the concept holds together pretty well. The thinner gussets sure are an improvement.

I found a picture of a wheeled stand that would move a slag thimble under the overflow spout of a ladle, such as the one above. This is my take on that. First I made two rings of .040 plastic. Note the lower one is smaller than the upper. I then pre-curved a strip of .010 x.250 plastic and glued it to the inside of the upper ring. To beef it up, I wrapped the outside of that strip with two .010 x.125 strips, then trimmed the .250 strip flush with the two .125 strips. Finally, I glued the bottom ring to the assembly. Next came the base. I took two I-beams (.250" I think), came up with a suitable wheelbase, and drilled four small holes equidistant from the ends. Reaming the holes with the Micro-Mark 'Truck Tuner' allows the wheelsets to turn freely. Wheel journal castings cover where the axles protrude through the I-beams.  I cut two more I-beams just long enough to allow minimal play in the wheelsets. Then I glued everything together, nice and square. After that, 4 H-beams join the ring to the base.

Here is the stand holding the slag pot, and with triangular gussets added. NOTE TO SELF: Next time, glue the gussets to the H-beam FIRST. They will be easier to attach precisely, and they will square up the assembly automatically. I had to do a fair amount of filing on the triangles to get a good fit. All I have to ddo now is make a pair of trunions for the pot, so it can be lifted from the stand to the slag car.

I think I'll put the ladles away for a while. I've been promising myself to get back and finish the coke ovens that have been half-finished for a while now, so my next posts should be about that.  Don