Went to Scale Reproductions Inc. (LHS) and bought some of the Plastruct material that I've asked Plastruct for. If they send it to me, that's okay since I'm going to need more material for the flare and cooling tower. It will go to good use. I bought the needed C-4 channel so I can finish up the #2 Sphere's legs, the stair railings since I wanted to get that big tank done, and some more piping #4 and #8.
First I built the upper platform using the same routine as the lower. It also has a larger curved rail. In this case I attempted to heat the ABS with a hot air gun. It got a little distorted, but I'll take it. In some ways, I actually like making rails out of drilled brass angle and brass wire. I have much more control of shaping and how rails terminate to each other. If I was to do this again, I may fab them out of brass.
I was able to peel the old railing off the stairs and put the correct stair rail in place. I cobbled together a patchwork of pieces where the stairs meet the platform rails. It was this area specifically to which I was referring in the last paragraph where a brass rail would have come out much better (and stronger).
I added angle braces under the upper platform and and angle brace from the top right railing's edge to the tank body. After painting it will look okay.
I then added the rail to the bottom platform now that the correct railing was on the stairs. Again, bringing the straight and stair rails together was less than optimum.
Weekend means no shop work, so I'll see y'all on Monday.
