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Post by Beekster on Mar 31, 2019 15:09:36 GMT -6
Another week with not much happening; I've been busy detailing my SLK, getting new tires for the sedan, doing yard work, and having a house guest this weekend. I have gotten the winch deck in shape, though:  I have fabricated the treadplate platforms using styrene sheet and Archer Surface Details decals. The modified hydraulic motors are on the winches, and sharp eyes will see the gap at the bottom of the winch control pedestal where the four lines will go to snake underneath the deck to the pipe stubs underneath. The winch cable ends are secured on their half-round lugs; winch line will be added after paint. Speaking of which, with the first car detailed the garage is tidied up and the winter tires are back on their storage posts and covered up. This means my airbrush station is fully functional again, so I can get going on painting other projects like the Madill 071 yarder and the Chilean Mack tank transporter in the coming weeks. |
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Post by JCON on Mar 31, 2019 15:52:23 GMT -6
Looking good!!!
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Post by BUCKY on Mar 31, 2019 22:53:14 GMT -6
Great looking progress on this one, and it sounds ya have a good plan for the other builds! Looking forward to it on this end!!!
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Post by dogfish7 (R.I.P.) on Apr 1, 2019 9:31:25 GMT -6
Amazing details!
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Post by JED on Apr 3, 2019 9:18:41 GMT -6
Yet more great work Beekster
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Post by Dukemaddog on Apr 3, 2019 12:32:15 GMT -6
Fantastic work Beekster! Man that rocks. I am so looking forward to seeing the other projects back on track too.
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Post by Beekster on Apr 4, 2019 12:53:54 GMT -6
While fiddling with bits to make the plumbing for the air horns, I've also started to work on the trailer. Hobby Boss has not done anyone any favors with how they did the molds for the trailer:  This is an example. There are ejector pin marks visible on all the major parts, and for the trailer side pieces seen here they are on the OUTSIDE surfaces! Is this difficult to deal with? Heavens, no. Is it SMH annoying, followed by the question "what were they thinking?"? It is most certainly that. Oh, and Duke, my friend: Yesterday the major Madill subassemblies got another coat of gloss orange. There will still need to be some light sanding and another light coat to get a good smooth surface once this has set up hard in two or three weeks. So that project isn't in winter limbo any more, either. |
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Post by JCON on Apr 4, 2019 16:04:28 GMT -6
Good filling job Beekster, you are hired!!!  |
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Post by BUCKY on Apr 4, 2019 19:05:08 GMT -6
Looks like you spent some time filling those spots!!
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Post by Beekster on Apr 6, 2019 12:56:49 GMT -6
Oh, the filling isn't done yet by a long shot gents. Lots to do on all the cross members of the trailer, too. While working on those, I'm thinking ahead and getting the air tanks prepared. I'll drill those for plumbing wire before they are installed, of course, but before that there's weight to be added. My old aircraft modeling skills are put to use once again as seen here:  Being concerned about ensuring all wheels touch the ground, I've been sneaking weight in where I can: Fifth wheel mount (a sliver), winch deck toolbox and hydraulic fuel tank (bigger pieces), and inside the engine (bigger pieces). The trailer has few places for adding mass, but the air tanks are perfect. Cut up a little round weight, shape it with pliers and hammer, and superglue it inside. It isn't much, but every little bit will help, I imagine. Just don't do this kind of work while munching on your favorite snack, since your fingers will develop a fine sheen of lead residue. Wash thoroughly or go a little bit crazy like the ancient Romans... Oh, wait...too late for me on that score, lead or no lead. |
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Post by JCON on Apr 6, 2019 14:34:45 GMT -6
Lol and good tip on the snacking!!!
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reserve
GAINING SPEED
Posts: 683
Likes: 1,758
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Post by reserve on Apr 7, 2019 15:56:28 GMT -6
No wonder I've not noticed your return, this is not a Sherman variant. For what they charge for the kit you'd think they'd give you a full engine, and along with shortsighted engineering (knockout pin marks) kind of sours me on the idea of getting one.
That being said, your extra struggles with this are gonna make a big difference in the result, which I am confident will be excellent
Regards,
Mark
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Post by Beekster on Apr 8, 2019 16:39:03 GMT -6
No wonder I've not noticed your return, this is not a Sherman variant. For what they charge for the kit you'd think they'd give you a full engine, and along with shortsighted engineering (knockout pin marks) kind of sours me on the idea of getting one. That being said, your extra struggles with this are gonna make a big difference in the result, which I am confident will be excellent Regards, Mark Well, Mark, it is still far cheaper than the Meng offering which tends to run around $115 plus shipping; this one was $90 on initial release and the second one I just got was only $75 all in. For that kind of price difference I can forgive a lot of engineering shortcuts. And have no fear, this is Sherman-related in it's own way. Painted a dark gray for civilian use, this one will carry my Madill 071 yarder. |
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Post by BUCKY on Apr 8, 2019 17:03:30 GMT -6
Wellllll.....it was bound to happen......Beekster brought out the BFH!!!!!!!! LOL
Great re-engineering going on, here!!
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Post by Beekster on Apr 9, 2019 9:59:43 GMT -6
OK, the last really fiddly bits inside the cab are done. And boy, were they ever fiddly to work out and get in here:   google rollThis is the plumbing for the air horns; the line running up the side of the cab, valve assembly, air line to the horns, and the pull-chain to activate them. The last thing to do with respect to this is in process, and that is carving a channel in the side of the dash for that vertical line. Getting it placed correctly is tricky, and I've carved a couple of divots out in the wrong locations. Filling work with scrap plastic will fix that. I've also got the trailer air bottles together, and decided to remove all of the air line connection stubs and replace them with fine brass tube. Once fully cured, a few passes with a needle file will square up the ends and a quick twist with a fine drill bit will ensure the hole is clear for wires to go in. Once I have the the dash panel squared away again, I can mask stuff off and hit the interior of the cab and the instrument panel with primer & paint, then do the instrument decals and seal them in. I want the cab interior finished and assembled for good before I proceed with the last exterior pieces: Side mirrors & frame, which is really fragile; exhaust pipe, which has to seal down against the stub pipe coming out from under the cab, and the rear-facing work lights at the back. Those last parts, and the cab clearance lights up front, will probably wait until final assembly because they are fragile, fiddly, or both.  |
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Post by JCON on Apr 9, 2019 10:34:37 GMT -6
Nice work!!! Your cab roof looks like my grandson got in there to play with his markers, ha, ha!!!
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Post by Beekster on Apr 9, 2019 11:38:10 GMT -6
Nice work!!! Your cab roof looks like my grandson got in there to play with his markers, ha, ha!!! Yeah, getting rid of that funky mold seam and raised-letter text created all those gouges now filled with putty. At the time I had no functional Dremel tool, so I couldn't just grind it down with a sanding drum. I've got one now, so the second cab (eventually...) will be easier to deal with. |
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Post by JCON on Apr 9, 2019 11:45:14 GMT -6
Lol, I was just picking on you brother!!!
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Post by Beekster on Apr 9, 2019 11:51:22 GMT -6
OK, I officially owe Hobby Boss an apology: Sorry that I doubted you, Hobby Boss. Behold the trailer frame and top deck, assembled this morning and trussed up with tape while glue cures:   Remember those ejector pin marks I complained about? Well, I shouldn't have bothered and neither should you. If you examine the photo of the underside, those two pieces neatly sandwich the cross members, and both are inside that outer frame with the vertical slots. That's part of the top deck piece, and of course the slots are where wheel stations will eventually go. If I had looked carefully at the parts and assembly procedure I would have caught this and not wasted effort on cleaning up the inner frame rails like I did. These pictures also show that I am about at the limits of this light box with an assembly this large. My focus isn't perfect, so I need to move the camera back and adjust the focal length to make that better. There are limits to that, however. The day is soon to arrive when I have to break out my larger light box, the one I used at the start of this thread to take pictures of the kit box. That thing requires a card table to set it on, so it is unwieldy and can't be left set up permanently like this little one. I also need to spend some bucks and order more powerful bulbs for my studio lights, since they naturally sit farther away when placed around the bigger light box. I've got 45 watts for the two overheads and 15 watts for the side lights; probably need 85 watt and 35-45 watt options. Time to go shopping... |
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Post by JCON on Apr 9, 2019 12:42:14 GMT -6
Looks good sir!!!
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