How to model a smoking chimney

What we used

Vollmer 46017 Industrial Furnace with Chimney

Seuthe No.10 Smoke unit 

Laser Cut Lettering – 6mm
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The skylines of many former industrial towns were once populated with large chimneys. From a modelling point of view, they add useful height to a model and can hide gaps in the backscene, but making one is a challenge. Real chimneys aren't vertical tubes, but taper slightly. Building a square chimney is easier than a round one, so for this task we're using a kit.

Vollmer’s HO scale plastic kit (ref. 6017) is slightly underscale, but that doesn't matter as it’s not noticeable. Assembly only takes ten minutes, but to make things more interesting, we decided to make it work with a smoke unit. These are simple heating devices which vaporise thin oil. 

The body of smoke units can reach 70 degrees, which poses a problem for plastic kits, so we had to make some modifications. Mounting the unit near the top of the chimney makes it easy to refuel using the syringe supplied and increases the draw to emit the smoke. We are using standard Seuthe oil, but scented oils are available.

1

The Vollmer kit is simple, so the only instructions included are three exploded diagrams on the back of the header card.

2

Seuthe’s No.10 smoke generator is designed to fit into steam locomotives. Smoke oil and a syringe with a blunt needle is included.

3

A quick test of the generator powered by 12V DC produces plenty of smoke and proves that the brass body gets hot, very quickly.

4

To protect the chimney, we've fitted the generator in a plywood disk supported by projections inside the chimney. Contact wires are fed down through the base.

5

Six millimetre laser-cut letters are attached to the ladder supports from the same kit. Once complete, the structure is dusted with weathering powders.

 

 

In five very simple steps you have a smoking chimney, a great addition to any model railway. It's something that will definitely get people talking when they see it in action.

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