Eric White, Editor of Model Railroader magazine, continues his HO scale glass plant project for the East Troy Industrial Park Project Railroad, now focusing on building chimneys with intricate brass details. Discover the secrets to flawless metalwork as he shares tips and tricks for soldering metal parts in a manner that yields a seamless finish…and an authentic industrial structure!
Be sure to keep up with the construction progress by linking into the Trains.com Workshop Webcam (available 24/7), and the full series of helpful, instructional videos rolling out every month until the effort concludes. Even then, the fun will continue in frequent Trains.com articles/updates and Model Railroader print features, beginning with the January 2026 issue. You won’t want to miss the Expert Tips and Techniques the crew will share with you along the way, as they have a bit of fun bringing the ETIP into fruition!
I chose brass because I wanted a thin profile to the rings. But you could use plastic if that was less important to you. I was reasonably confident in my soldering skills, but I’m no expert. Like anything, practice and experience teaches the most.
And thanks, David, for the links to the alternate disc cutters. We inherited the tools we have from the old jewelry magazines Kalmbach used to have. They were left behind in the jewelry workshop, and probably weren’t in good enough shape for a jeweler to want to use them anymore.
PMC Supplies sells a disc cutter (1/2″ – 1″) with circle shapes for $28.49. If you’re modeling in N scale and need smaller circles, they sell a disc cutter (1/8″ – 1/2″) for $50.95.
PMC Supplies sells a disc cutter (1/2″ – 1″) with circle shapes for $28.49.
https://pmcsupplies.com/collections/disc-cutters/products/5-piece-round-steel-disc-cutter-set
If you’re modeling in N scale and need smaller circles, they sell a disc cutter (1/8″ – 1/2″) for $50.95.
https://pmcsupplies.com/collections/disc-cutters/products/small-economy-disc-cutter-with-7-circle-shapes
Now comes my favorite part time to put the buildings together. Can’t wait to see the finished product when it is done.
Like Gary my soldering skills are also average at best. Could you do the same sort of thing with styrene tubing and sheets?
I’ve never worked with brass and my soldering skills are average at best.
I enjoyed this video, found it inspiring, and maybe I’ll give brass a try in the future.
Thank you