[Making Piano hinges]

Hi Justin,

Thanks a lot for sharing the tutorial of the hinges. They really look sensational. Could you please state some dimensions? Thickness of etched material, width and length of tabs or fingers, diameter of the wire? Thanks very much.

Juergen

[The trucks that built Boulder Dam]

Hello Charles,

Thank you very much for the marvelous pictures of Jeff's AP Cement Mixer. Both your dump truck and his cement mixer are gorgeous builds.

I browsed through your photo bucket and was again stunned with all your models with the numerous details you scratched.

It really is a pleasure to look at these builds and how you solved the scratch building of the very small parts from brass.

I just have to repeat myself: I'd like to see more of your models. BTW, have you ever thought about publishing articles or writing a book about your work with detailed drawings and descriptions to help other people to build such beautiful models? Or, by any chance, did you this already?

Thanks a lot for sharing and posting the pictures.

Juergen

[1968 Freightliner coe]

Sean,

Thanks for your descriptions - yes, it made sense to me and the outcome is gorgeous.

Thank you also for the info about your tools you mainly use. Especially the razor saw is a really interesting tool, didn't see that so far.

For sure I'll stay tuned for the progress on this.

Until next time with probably (surely?!) more questions,

Juergen

[Scratch built yard goat]

Hi Gary,

Thanks very much for the hints and search words. I will try the words, maybe I'm successful.

I will take your offer seriously. In case of further questions I'll be back on you.

For the time being thanks very much.

Juergen

[Scratch built yard goat]

Gary,

Thanks a lot for all the information. I also searched a bit on the internet for yard goats. They are interesting vehicles.

I can imagine how difficult it is to gather all the data to build such a truck. I'm far from an expert concerning the scratch building but I do have some ideas I'd like to build. I'm constantly struggling to find the necessary information e.g. all the dimensions. In some cases I also contacted the manufacturers but usually they're quite reluctant.

Are such manuals you mentioned easy to find or are they deep in some unknown crevices of the internet? Are there special key words I should use?

Thanks again,

Juergen

[Scratch built yard goat]

Hi Gary, it's hard for me to find words describing what you're doing. I'm really amazed of your work. What's the scale you're building in?

Well, as I'm not living in the US I don't know all the special trucks you're using over there. Can you please tell me what a yard goat is?

How did you do the multi-color line drawing? Because there's not a single dimension in the pdf you posted.

Where did you get all the dimensions from? Do you have additional sources of information, e.g. the manufacturer?

Excuse my silly questions but I'd like to know.

Anyway, it's a stunning project I certainly will follow further on.

Thanks for sharing the idea of this build.

Juergen

[1968 Freightliner coe]

Hi Sean,

That looks extremely good to me, I wish I had your abilities in modeling and detailing.

How did you do the piano hinges and the brass handle? (please don't laugh about my questions)

Juergen

[Just saying HI]

Hi Jeff,

Welcome aboard. I was also bit by the bug as you put it not long ago. You don't have to worry about your detailing and building capabilities because I will probably ask a lot stupid questions as well. But we shouldn't be shy so we learn the stuff and get better all the time.

Yes, you're right, the prices have changed considerably but we pay it because it's just a wonderful hobby.

Have a good start and enjoy.

Juergen

[Old Mack enthusiast finding back to the hobby]

Hi everybody,

Thanks to all of you for the warm welcome.

Michael: I'm sure you'll find lots of other German modelers when you go through the other sections.

Yes, although my interest is in trucks and particularly the off-road beasts I nevertheless can imagine that it's difficult for you to put away the ships. Everybody's got their own area of modeling. For me that's perfectly ok.

Thanks for your welcome as well.

Enjoy the weekend.

Jürgen

[1938 Ford Brushbreaker]

Charles,

Thanks very much for your answer. I really look forward to seeing the progress on this project. I certainly will stay tuned.

Enjoy the weekend.

Juergen

[Old Mack enthusiast finding back to the hobby]

Hi All,

My name's Jürgen, I'm nearly 61 and I live in Bremen in the northern part of Germany. I'm an mechanical engineer and I'm designing and planning insulation systems operating at very low temperatures (minus 196 °C; minus 321 °F). As so many other fellows of this forum I built some models in the early 1980's after I fell in love with Mack's R-models during our first vacation in the US but then didn't have the time anymore because - you probably know it already - I had to finish my study, bought a house I had to renovate in a lot and then travelled a great deal from one construction site to the other to supervise the installation of the insulation systems I had designed. When I started renovating the house I still had a couple of boxes with unbuilt kits and stored them in the attic to get them out of the way. Several years back my wife and I travelled the US in our vacation again and I - you know what? - I couldn't avoid to encounter trucks of all sorts and makes and all of a sudden I remembered the boxes in the attic. Back from our vacation I got into the attic and had a look at all the kits and I believe you're not surprised when I tell you that the fire was immediately sparked again. At that time I got on the internet and I was highly surprised of the mass of information there is on our wonderful hobby.

I've followed several sections of the forum for a couple of years already but didn't sign in cause I thought who'll be interested in my views as there are such a great number of experts and specialists on this forum who probably have to contribute more valued experience than me.

Until yesterday when I browsed the 'On the workbench' section and found myself compelled to also add my view to one of the threads, so I logged in as well.

That's the way it is.

Thanks for reading.

Jürgen

[1938 Ford Brushbreaker]

I've always been drawn to the older trucks with the curved shapes on fenders, hoods etc. and even if it might sound boring to you I'd like to express that I'm again amazed by your skill of scratchbuilding. In my view it's unbelievably stunning work. You again got me riveted to your project.

Could you please tell where you'd get the wheels and tires? Their sturdiness neatly fit the general look of the truck.

Juergen

[The trucks that built Boulder Dam]

Hi Charles,

until yesterday I was only reading in this forum but there is a time to become a member and for me it was yesterday.

When I found your report on the Mack AP model for the Boulder Dam in this section I sat riveted in front of the screen and read how you scratched this dump truck.

It's really an awesome build and your ability to do this kind of scratchbuilding is beyond my imagination. In your report you also mentioned the Mack AP cement mixer your buddy was building at the time. Did he finish the build? Was there also a report of this project in this section? Is it possible to see some Pictures of the finished model?

Anyway, hope to see some more of your outstanding work.

Juergen