There have been a few changes to the Bessemer Plant layout and modeling approaches since the last post. The first is that I have abandoned my attempt to model a bessemer vessel. I had considered purchasing one of Chuck Pravik's converter kits a little while back, however, when the first photos were published of this kit I was less than impressed considering the price tag. At the last Steel Mill Modeler's Meet I was actually able to see one of these converters up close and my opinion changed - the detailing is excellent - the price was also a bit cheaper for the show, so I bought two. One suggestion to Chuck would be to take a better photo, or pay someone to - the original photo of the converter last winter or fall was totally washed out by the flash (use lighting and a tripod instead) and gave me the wrong opinion of what is an outstanding model. I have also changed the layout of the building a bit - I will post a graphic once I put one together - but basically, the hot iron will enter the building at one end in ladle cars. The car will be lifted in an elevator to about 35 scale feet high to the "pouring floor". Here, the ladle will be tilted and poured into an Ensley type hot metal mixer. From the mixer the iron will be poured into another ladle car on the charging floor - about 15' high - this car will be moved by a small electric or boilerless- locomotive to either one of the Bessemers and poured into the vessel. Finally, on the ground level, the Bessemers will discharge their steel into teeming ladles and then onto ingots. This, believe it or not, is all prototypical - the car elevator, the locomotive moved charging ladle,...etc. It is based on the plant at the USS Ensley works. There are a few photos - Chuck Pravik's bessemer converter dry fitted and checking elevations - and then a few of my elevator mechanism under construction - oh yeah - the elevator will hopefully really work - a 5rpm gear motor just arrived in the mail to drive the whole mess.
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