Refuelling station (or something)

Today, in our 'in a budget' series...

"How confinement is developing my ability to recycle rubbish" :D

I'm building another piece of scenery, to be part of my ongoing desert series, such as the moisture vaporator, the control station building or the infamous windmill. Of course, in these times of quarantine there is an item which is essential, the true cornerstone of the whole project. The most valuable object of desire during the first days of this apocalypse madness...
Toilet paper roll.

Ba da bum

So, how am I turning all the crap above into something? Let's see! First thing is that card is a fun material to work with, it allowed me to cut through it so I could use more interesting shapes.

Well, your concept of 'interesting' may differ from mine, that's OK

I glued round sections inside the roll. Part of them will be seen and they add consistency to such a fragile structure.

One down and another just above

Then I added this etched brass grid I had been keeping from an old model for decades:

Purpose unknown. Never mind

I repeated the process on the console. It's a tiny piece I've produced and cloned for my mining town; you may spot some of them there.

You most probably won't be able to see a damn thing here

So this is the main element:

Ta daaaa

On its base and with further details

Rear view

Then I started to work on the other piece, a deodorant. You can observe the six square pieces down there, which are meant to be the actual fuel dispensers. Or something

Retractable hose inside, or maybe it is provided from somewhere else

I know, it really doesn't look like a fuel station, not even for an abandoned post in the wasteland desert. I had to reinforce the idea, so I added this tank.

You know, the kind of the toy-inside-chocolate-egg thing

Hmmm, do you think this is going to work?

Not that much impressive

After some white priming...

Better. Didn't say 'good'. Just 'better' than before

Way too new and pristine. First thing is to add the marks and whatever, and then a first medium brown wash.

Still too clean

But you see more or less how it's going to look like in the end

This could work for Star Wars, but you know, the 41st millenium is famous for its shortage of qualified cleaning and maintenance professionals. Second step consisted of more defined stains with a darker brown.

Still too clean!

The third step was to add rust and dirt with a sponge:

Pretty much the final result

Again, rear view

The final touch was the wiring. You know, the green stuff cables and thread wires. This is the result:

Looks totally reliable

Close-up of the flammabilis sign (and Periculum. Altus voltius in the back)

Rear view. Now with a 60% more of cables

Scale comparison shot. Now you get an idea of its size

'Nope. Not a single idea of how this works'

I guess that if this is the only option you have right in the middle of the desert, you will have to take the risk and refuel here...

I hope it looks nice alongside the rest of my scenery...

Well, dirtier than the rest, but I can work with this. An industrial refuelling station right at the exit of the town

Little by little I'm getting quite a nice bunch of scenery. I can use these elements by themselves or in combination with the town, which gives me some nice options for scenarios. I don't think I can storage many more pieces, but in the meantime I'll keep on producing them!