Scratch Built Fire Hose Drying Tower


Here is the Ladder cut to length, the Safety Cage Formed and ready to go onto the ladder along side the tower:

OFIxGwJ.jpg


Soldering the Ladder to the Cage (or visa versa) is always the FUN part :) And yep - I know I can use CA Glue, but where's the fun in that - besides, that doesn't let me show off a little - yeah right :p :)
 
And here it is - all soldered together and ready for someone to install it :)

Lk8pXL6.jpg


woUghSO.jpg


And the teeny weeny solder joints a bit small than the size of a Pin Head:

zMyPGNd.jpg


Now to cut the "Air Flow Openings" in the sides of the tower before putting in the ladder and hoses.
 
Thank you but it turned to poo unfortunately. I cut the second opening too big and not aligned with the first. This was suppose to be nothing more than a "practice run" for the actual build so looks as thugh the "actual build will start tomorrow :)
 
wombat457 said:
Here is the Ladder cut to length, the Safety Cage Formed and ready to go onto the ladder along side the tower:

OFIxGwJ.jpg


Soldering the Ladder to the Cage (or visa versa) is always the FUN part :) And yep - I know I can use CA Glue, but where's the fun in that - besides, that doesn't let me show off a little - yeah right :p :)
Click to expand...
Nice.
 
wombat457 said:
Marked out the first "Air Flow Opening":

YPlV9TO.jpg


6tPrNYm.jpg


The process of cutting it:

CGJ2z4n.jpg


End Result:

Moc31UJ.jpg


Think I might have to frame the inside edge of the openings to neaten them up a bit. Anyway, one down X amount to go.
Click to expand...
a coat of black paint may suffice to neaten up the inside edge.

also, I think I would spray paint the ladder/cage black or something. You probably realize this but cutting the hole would have been easier before glueing the 4 walls together

I think this is a greeeeeeeeate project, very original!

Dave
 
@logandsawman

The black paint idea is a good one Dave - I like it And yeah, putting in windows/openings and doors will be done prior to assembly on the next one. I never really meant this one to go this far :) As for originality, at the risk of sounding conceited, I don't think I have ever seen another Fire House Hose Drying Tower - that isn't to say someone, some where hasn't done it before :)

@Twinboystrains

Your more than likely right and I did think about using a single drill bit of the appropriate width (1/4") but was a little concerned it might bite too hard into the wood and break instead of drilling it, if you know what I mean. I'll get myself a NEW 1/4" bit and see how a small piece of basswood handles it.
 
Okay - well, I tried drilling holes into the basswood using both the 1/4" and 7/32" bits and once it broke through it tore the wood apart. I thought that happened because the wood wasn't secured around the edges so I tried it on the actual tower using the 7/32" bit only -

oAtKuh3.jpg


Not a good result, so taking short cuts doesn't work here either ;)
 
wombat457 said:
Okay - well, I tried drilling holes into the basswood using both the 1/4" and 7/32" bits and once it broke through it tore the wood apart. I thought that happened because the wood wasn't secured around the edges so I tried it on the actual tower using the 7/32" bit only -

oAtKuh3.jpg


Not a good result, so taking short cuts doesn't work here either ;)
Click to expand...
Tony, did you drill a pilot hole first ?
 
No I didn't, but don't think that would have made any difference. I drilled on the slowest drill setting (which was still pretty quick) and it wasn't until the bit broke threw the wood that it shattered like it did. Basically, the basswood isn't hard enough to hold itself together against the ferocity of the drill bit bite.
 
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