Milk churns

[ge_rik]

Just finished making a batch of churns to handle the milk traffic on my railway.

They are based on the 17 gallon conical churns which predominated up until the mid 1930s.

Have already made some from commercial sources - GRS, ModelTown and Trenarren - but they all seemed to be a little under scale compared with the info I found on the GWR modellers' website.

so ended up using the cones from the base of some party toys as the basis of my models.

... and besides, they worked out a lot cheaper.

They don't bear close scrutiny, but they will at least plug a gap in this aspect of my freight handling.

More information on the construction process on my blog.
http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/how-i-made-some-milk-churns.html < Link To http://riksrailway.blogsp...-some-milk-churns.html

Rik

 

[gregh]

Brilliant detective work to find a cheap enough shape to make multiple units. They look great.

Just for interest, the Aussie milk cans looked like this, so I can't copy your method.

Ours were only 10 gals - our farmers must have been wimps.

 

[bobg]

Brilliant detective work to find a cheap enough shape to make multiple units. They look great.

Just for interest, the Aussie milk cans looked like this, so I can't copy your method.

Ours were only 10 gals - our farmers must have been wimps.

Gregh, why not turn them in wood? A brush pole would be close to the right dia, and the wood is usually good for turning. Sand to a finish, and seal and paint.

 

[gregh]

Gregh, why not turn them in wood? A brush pole would be close to the right dia, and the wood is usually good for turning. Sand to a finish, and seal and paint.

Possible - would need to be a good fine grain wood and most broom handles I've tried to turn, just ripped the grain. Would be a pretty slow process - good for the soul?
As for many things - it will happen when I get a round touit.
At present I just use these 'approximations' made from party poppers. You get about 30 for $2

 

[ge_rik]

Brilliant detective work to find a cheap enough shape to make multiple units. They look great.

Thanks Greg - quite a bit of effort involved in making them, but I just kept thinking about the money I was saving. I've kept the best one to maybe act as a master for making a resin mould - another of the 'round tuit' jobs you mention

Just for interest, the Aussie milk cans looked like this, so I can't copy your method.
Ours were only 10 gals - our farmers must have been wimps.

In the thirties the ten gallon churn took over from the 17 gallon ones over here -

Maybe a few hernias led to the change.

Rik

 

[trammayo]

I like that style of churn - its nice to see a decent sized group of them modelled

There were two sizes of the later churns - 10 and 12 gallon. At 12lb (approx) to the gallon, plus the steel of the churn, they were heavy b+++++s to put on the milk stand for the lorry. Then along came aluminium - wow what a (slight) difference in weight!

Then of course came the refridgerated bulk tank. Now that was a revolution. Out here, farmers used to take their milk to the dairy even in bulk tank days (on wheels and towed behind the tractor!).

Mind you, milk churns weren't the only heavy things. Grain was shipped in 2cwt sacks - hired from a British Rail subsidiary, Squirrel Hire if I remember correctly. And bales from the Thresher straw (using a stationary baler) weighed 2cwt dry, and maybe double if they were wet. Happy days?

 

[Gizzy]

I've some churns on my railway made from those yoghurt chloresteral drink pots, simply sprayed in silver paint.

Your ones are so much better though Rik....

 

[ge_rik]

At present I just use these 'approximations' made from party poppers. You get about 30 for $2

I did think of the party popper idea - specially when I was trying to find something to represent the top part of the conical churn. It's amazing how a coat of silver improves them.

I've some churns on my railway made from those yoghurt chloresteral drink pots, simply sprayed in silver paint.

I didn't think of that - my wife drinks a couple of these a day - I might have a look at them.

If I do get around to adding a creamery to my railway (as per the Leek & Manifold) I might have to have a load of churns rattling around in the background. These two ideas might help speed up the detailing process at some future date.

Thanks chaps

Rik

 

[ge_rik]

Great picture in post #1 Rik.
Got any more of a similar ilk.

Thanks Paul
I'm beginning to take more lineside piccies but haven't yet accumulated as many atmospheric shots as you and quite a few others on the forum have done.

I have posted a few on this page on my blog - but as I've said, not got that many yet.

http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/progress-report-42.html < Link To http://riksrailway.blogsp...rogress-report-42.html

Rik

 

[GJFREESTONE]

hi rik
very resorceful making something out of another object its nice to see different loads for wagons. now you have a industry for your railway ,think of all those new wagons to support it
graham shrewsbury

 

[ge_rik]

hi rik
very resorceful making something out of another object its nice to see different loads for wagons. now you have a industry for your railway ,think of all those new wagons to support it
graham shrewsbury

Hi Graham
Transporter wagons à la Leek & Manifold, maybe?

Rik

 

[tramcar trev]

Bachmann make them viz
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bachmann...ains&hash=item43a6b1315a&_uhb=1#ht_2945wt_899
If I was doing the job I would only make one then take a silicone rubber mould of it and then you can cast as many as you want.....
That why you get exactly the style you are looking for....

 

[ge_rik]

Bachmann make them viz
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bachmann...ains&hash=item43a6b1315a&_uhb=1#ht_2945wt_899
If I was doing the job I would only make one then take a silicone rubber mould of it and then you can cast as many as you want.....
That why you get exactly the style you are looking for....

I've left what I feel is the best one unpainted as one day I'll get around to making a mould from it. Not made a two-part mould before so could use this as a test-bed.
Those Bachmann churns look OK but I'm not sure I'd want to pay the postage for them.

Rik