I think we’ll call the water tower complete for now. I wound up printing the ladder so I could get round rungs without losing my mind drilling holes. The wooden supports for the ladder are quite delicate, and the ladder just lies in there loose so I can remove the roof and mess with the mechanism. If I were building another water tower, I would put more thought into how the roof gets held in place while staying removable.
Speaking of mechanism, the ball float broke a leg just as I was about to install it. The leg had become joined to the cocktail stick I was using to handle it while painting, and it didn’t survive the removal. Fortunately, I was able to solder a new pair of legs in place without losing too much momentum.
The tower will be on display at the NMRA regional meet in May. So, I slapped some foam core together to make a temporary base for it; this is a long way from the elaborate bases that folks make for miniatures and armour. I’ll save that effort for when I install it on the layout.
Overall, I’m pleased with the result. It’s a unique model that with just enough charm.
Pembroke:87 