BK9300

Thanks, Jürgen - will be relying on the Sketchup model a lot, to guide me along - pretty sure I wouldn't have attempted it just from the pictures I took!

Another fine build, Jurgen! You mentioned in your WIP that the cabover couldn't sit next to the conventional on the shelf. Even with the display cabinet you built awhile back, sounds like you might need to make another cabinet, or expand into another room!

Beautiful, well executed project, Daniel - great addition to your Raccoon Racers!

You've created a gorgeous ride! Beautifully done.

Thanks, Jeff - lots to work out yet! When I actually get started on this, I want to build it a bit more conventionally - frame, suspension, engine, cab, hood and then the deck and the Snooper unit. The rotating towers were the biggest concern and might be on my way to having them solved, so, that’s a big relief! And those little thermos/coffee cups sets are pretty special - need a scale shop bench to set them on!

Earlier, I made some changes to the slew drive assembly design, and asked @Bren for another round of test prints. I received the latest version yesterday! I am satisfied with the external ring gear portion, and still plan to make the inner portion from styrene. Because I want to be able to pose the boom sections, I started having some worries about the strength of the resin ring gears, given I need to drill numerous bolt holes around the circumference of the gears. So, I started looking for alternatives or backups, just in case some testing down the road breaks a gear (or both). Latest test print - external ring gear, drive motor gear (pinion?) and the two, inner ring pieces to sandwich the ring gear between - After a bit of cleanup, and sanding the inner sections to fit inside the ring gear, I found the sections would move over each other, and that confirmed the workability of the design concept. But, in this state of finish, there was considerable resistance to smooth movement. That's partly what I hope to overcome with inner portions being made from styrene - Was at the hobby store today, and came across some spur gears for R/C vehicles and picked up a couple. One was 78 teeth and the other was 68 teeth, and the drive gears each had the same number of teeth. My biggest resin gear has 120 teeth and the smaller one has 100 (maybe). Each of the plastic spur gears are slightly bigger in diameter, with less teeth than their resin counterparts, but would definitely solve the strength concerns I was having - The plastic spur gears and the resin ring gears are the same height - Perhaps all I need to do is make the slightly bigger, phantom version of the PM-260, say, a PM-262, to allow for the slightly bigger spur gear diameters (and change the logo on the main boom!). I laid out the two spur gears on the overhead shot of the inspection unit and I don't think I would need to make too many changes to make the gears fit in - slightly bigger main, and secondary towers, slightly longer boom sections and all would be good. Still going to consider the resin gears, and I'm going to test their durability, but I thankfully have a backup plan - Oh, and Bren also sent along some coffee to the fab shop! - Some things being worked out, so that's a good thing!

Beautifully detailed! Are your door pulls and chrome dash pieces kit chrome or did you paint them?

Superb build for 'Just a mediocre build for the display shelf' ! Another beautifully finished model.

No, not a pro, just an old guy with too much time on his hands!

It’s been fascinating to watch all the parts you’ve created since getting your printer up and running, and these tires/wheels look really good, too! Always seems tough to get the desired stance - will your modifications affect how the engine sits?

The details just keep improving, Jurgen! Another fine project is just about completed.

Words like ‘Awe inspiring’ can sometimes seem out of place - not here, though. I would need to start my life over to try to acquire the skills you possess! This is truly magnificent.

Thanks, Jeff! I’m struggling with how many work lights to add. Four are spoken for on the sander, and one (or two?) that sit on the hydraulic tank inlet filter housing, if there’s enough room. So, I have enough to do a couple backup lights off the bottom, back edge of the steps. I’ll see if I have any room left to hide wire runs for those lights - that, and being able to work with the truck on it’s side and not break anything off, are what I need to consider. Being so familiar with these trucks, you keep me on my toes!

Thanks a lot, Gary, and very generous of you to say!

Started in on some finishing details for the sander. I got the ladder put together, but not attached to sander yet - too much handling for decals needs to happen yet, and didn't want to break anything else. Also, got the non-slip strips added to the top of the fender that the base of the ladder will attach to. Organized some parts that need to be painted - work lights and roto lights - and made a bit of plan on how to finish all these bits off, and finally finish the sander! Ladder sections and some hardware, ready to put together, after bolts are shortened (the yellow, square light housings are for the two upper, amber flashing lights at the back of the sander) - Lower, hinged section of ladder bolted in place - ladder just sitting on top edge of sander for pic - Lower section raised to travel position - real truck had a latch like I added to the battery box, to hold the lower section in place when raised, but the frame for the ladder is just too narrow for me to add a similar latch here. The slotted bracket that lets the lower section unfold also holds it in place well enough for a static model! - Non-slip strips added to top of fender - used 400 grit, automotive finishing sandpaper, with a thin strip of epoxy down the center - Some time ago, I found some 1/24 scale, PIAA fog lights (made by Yamamoto on Spot Model's web site) that should work well for the work lights - four for the sander and a couple others elsewhere on the truck. For each light, will need to remove tiny, resin pin on the base mount, and drill out for a short pin of 0.5 mm brass rod, as well as a hole for the wiring. Some lights will be clear and some will be amber - I had a hard time finding roto lights and finally settled on some from Auslowe - they will be a tiny bit tall, but they have a semblance of a rotating lamp inside. Hopefully that detail won't be lost once painted with clear orange, and I'll add a strip of chrome tape to the light's base - Will paint these lights tomorrow, start some of the decaling and get these light mounted and wired soon! More tomorrow, if all goes well.