Scrathbuilding

[3raildriver]

I am planning on building a 3 bay engine shed for my blue pullmans.Its going to be modled on Etches park in Derby
What i need help with is the Steel roof constuction & side suports .What materials are there out there in plastic and the best way to do the joints & method of constucting them
The sides will be clad in wills brick sheets

[TimberSurf]

A quick google shows a brand new £22 million Steel portal building, and possibley two older sheds. Might we ask for a little more info or a pic?
There is a good range of "L" and "I" beams available in plastic, but I fear that a realistic scale model of a 'steel portal building' will give very little structural strength at the join between roof and side walls. The minimum you would need is haunch (or Knee) and apex brackets. I think you may have to overscale the steel so as to not make a flimsy model or else consider making the steel frame from brass. Other options would be to use an open lattice trestle frame for the roof, similar to those used in the Modelux, superquick and Metcalfe suppliers.

Metcalfe Engine shed interia.jpg (49.07 KiB) Viewed 1622 times

Another option would be to base the roof on or use components from a laser cut supplier (LCUT sell them separately, although only for double wide)

[3raildriver]

The structure is steal uprights and the same to the pent roof Not a lot of braceing .The Brick work is on the outside of the steal uprights
.I ll see if i can fine the pics ive got sent from EMT
i real after the deatail of the steel joints

[3raildriver]

rsz_sam_2542.jpg (42.36 KiB) Viewed 1570 times

[TimberSurf]

OK so it is a standard steel "portal" span. Just google "steel portal haunch" and "steel portal apex" and you will see how they are constructed.
I go back to my first answer, if you make the beams to scale, the structure will be very delicate if made in plastic!

[TimberSurf]

I have just built a roof as a portal span. Its about the width of 1 1/4 engine sheds (130mm), using slaters corrugated sheet and 2mm I beams (its for a motor garage). It is very flimsy. When it is all glued onto the four walls, it will be strong enough, but if it was any larger it would be very soft to the touch. A 3 engine shed, even with 4mm I beams would simple crumble if you just picked it up!
For that sort of width, it either needs to be a lattice structure or else brass is needed for the steel beams.