Tank 116 - Lotsa Rivets

[Geoff Ringle]

The  tank started EBT life as a previously owned tank which was placed on an EBT built wood flat car #102

At some point in the 30's the tank was placed on steel flat 116.
You can see the rust marks which denote the previous location of the bands when the tank was on flat 102.

I have always thought it funny that the EBT had to label the car "TANK-CAR"... wtf else could it be.

So now I wonder if I should apply the word CAR askew like the prototype?   
Which might just look like a modeling mistake?

[lab-dad]

I'd say do it!
If you don't someone here may say it is not "prototypicaly correct"

The guy with the "tank" stencil must have been taller than the guy with the "car" stencil.

-Marty

[5thwheel]

    TANK     CAR

I think it is an illusion; a sign painters dilemma. When painting block or all cap letters some look wider, taller or smaller even though they are painted within the same size spaces.  A good sign painter knows how to compensate for this by slightly adjusting the spacing and height and width of each letter.  For tank The T, N, and K are all broad topped letters which can give the illusion of the word being higher that car.  CAR is round head, no head and simi-round headed letters which shift the visual image so the word can look lower.  The mind is a jokester.

[eTraxx]

applied perspective correction and drew a line below the text

[Geoff Ringle]

Thanks for the input guys.  It is a case of "just noticeable difference".  It fear that if I put it on askew it will look like poor modeling skill rather than prototypical.

I like Marty's one tall and one short sign painter theory.

In a different view, I think the misalignment is more noticeable.

[Geoff Ringle]

A quick handheld snap of the tank with primer...
I can see some rivets that need setting...
As I hoped, the conical rivets cast nice shadows...

[Ray Dunakin]

Looks great!

I wonder, what was the purpose of conical rivets?

[eTraxx]

Found a reference in an article from "Everyday Engineering Magazine, volumes 4-6" pub. 1888  .. where it says "The different styles of rivets in general use throughout the country are the "conehead," "buttonhead," and the "countersunk head" rivets. The cone and countersunk head rivets are generally used on steam, oil, air and water-tight work".

In "The Iron Age, Volume 93"  pub 1914 they refer to  button-head structural rivets .. and .. cone-head boiler rivets.

[Chuck Doan]

Geoff, did you do any cleanup on the dome, or is that how it came. Looks quite clean.

[NE Brownstone]

Hey guys,
I just found this book Machine Design I in a box in my basement while I was cleaning out some room for a shelf.  
Felt it would be appropriate here.
>edit> I added a few of the preceding pages I had left out that explain more about the rivets.

[NE Brownstone]

Holy crap!  I didn't think they would be that big.  Oh well, live with it.

[Geoff Ringle]

Russ, Perfect size... thanks for posting the great info.

Ray, I read somewhere that conical rivets were for hand hammering.

Chuck,  I primed both without cleanup.  The vent is "as printed".  Terry did some cleanup on the dome. 
I'll do a little surfacing before paint, but not much.

[finescalerr]

The drawings show two kinds of rivets without explaining why one or the other is in use. Baffling. -- Russ (The semi-retired Russ)

[NE Brownstone]

Russ,
I added 5 more pages from that book that explain the rivets in more detail.  I guess I was in a hurry to put up the pretty pictures the first round.