When I started to build the actual open hearths I thought, this should be pretty easy - some flat styrene, some channels,...etc. The reality is there are a lot of parts to each oven, some pretty small. I'm still on the first oven but you can see some of what is involved. Since the last installment I've added some of the brickwork where visible. Also, I made doors for the hearth using I think .125 styrene. The prototype doors looked to be pretty heavy - steel with some sort of refractory on the back. I've seen two types of systems to open the doors - a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the steel framework directly about the door and a pulley and counterweight system, like I am modeling. To build this I'm using A-Line chain - originally I used some Details Associates lifting eyebolts on top of the doors but attaching the chain was a hassle so I just drilled big enough holes in the top edge of the door and ACC d in a piece of chain. I then used super thin wire to attach a length of chain to the door chain. The counterweights appeared to have been under the floor - I guess so not to catch on anything so I just cut the chain flush with the floor. The pulley are made from styrene disks punched with a leather punch - the outer disks are the biggest punch and made in 020 styrene, while the core is 030 plastic and the smallest punch.
The other photo is of the open hearth building. In getting it ready for cladding and interiors, I painted the interior flat black as I am only modeling half. It looked too black for the inside of a mill so I dusted the wall with some flat gull grey - giving the interior effect of a smoky interior. I ran pieces of 18 gauge solid copper along the roof and soldered 14v bulbs every six inches or so to represent ceiling lights.
1 comment:
Im in the process of building an open hearth as well, roughly the same dimensions, however I will be building both sides...albeit if it takes 10 years. I plan to build the first two with rapid scrap loading though. In any case your work is as much of an inspiration as Dean Freytag's efforts.
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