Semi Trailer Mechanic

What's goin' on... Tim That'll look good as a fleet tractor no special bells or whistles. Just a plain jane truck!

What's goin' on... John. Sorry man but I can't help ya out w/ details. I know what ya mean. If you're reluctant on building that hold off on building it. Find another kit so you got one for the unbuilt collection and another one for the display case.

What's goin' on... Here's my new FlickR photo album. Unlike my other EPSON albums this one won't have any in-progress shots. Thanks for looking!!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/9495602@N02/

What's goin' on... WELL DONE!

What's goin' on... Can't really give ya a direct answer to that question. Every generation has had it's share of good and bad makes and models.

What's goin' on... That'll look good when you're finished. Got any plans how you're gonna detail/paint it?

What's goin' on... Yeah those 16th scale truck/trailer kits are getting to be few and far between. Be patient keep your eyes and ears open and you'll a few. If you get the itch bad enough to scratch the best truck kit (if you haven't built any truck kits)to get would be the Revell 25th scale 359 Peterbilt snap tite kit. That's a good one for a first truck kit.

What's goin' on... I stuck my foot in my mouth by telling the CEO of the trucking company I work for I'd build a model of one of his trucks. So here soon I'm gonna get started. The truck kit that'll be used is the Italeri FLD120 (Fireball). Having several Italeri kits including a couple of the mentioned kit I was wondering. Are there any pitfalls to this kit or for that matter any Italeri truck kit that a first time builder might run into? Thanks in advance for comments or recommendations!

What's goin' on... I know that using a pin vice drilling a hole on the back side of the piece (beit cab,trailer side panel) stopping just before the drill goes thru the plastic/styrene will leave a mark that'll look like a rivet. That's good for small to moderate detail work but not on a full length 53ft(25th scale) trailer. I've entertained the thought of rigging up a drill press so the depth at the end of the travel is perfect for making rivets w/out piercing thru the styrene. Thanks for the tip I'll try that sometime.

What's goin' on... Josh Prostar is what I was thinking of. A Duraplate would be easy to build w/ the exception of doing the rivets. I still have yet to figure out how to make rivets that doesn't take five mins. to get one finished!!!

What's goin' on... Steve. Appreciate ya taking the time to do that! I saved that info to disc. Some of that info may come in handy at work!!!

What's goin' on... Tim You make it look so easy!!!

What's goin' on... That turned out good!!!

What's goin' on... I'd like to see the ..... Frieghtliner Coronado Peterbilt 388/389 Western Star Lowmax International's got a new one I can't recall the name. Speaking of International I've got the Clint Freeman Components 9300 but I'd like to see that as a complete kit!!! Trailer wise.... It'd have to be one of these pigs!!!! This trailer would be the most difficult to scratchbuild. http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?...&p=64968412

What's goin' on... HA HAAAA "Greenback" is an old slang for DOLLAR just like a BUCK and so on. Rumor has it there were a couple people purposly outbidding people who are trying to win an auction then at the auctions end not paying up! Also I've heard of sellers having multiple accounts counter bidding interested buyers on their own auctions for obvious reasons!

What's goin' on... I got into a bidding war w/ a fella a while ago over an original Alaskan Hauler (White w/ orange graphic decals) I threw in the towel at 210 greenbacks. More than that for a kit just isn't worth it to me. If I recall that auction closed over 300. About three months later the Alaskan Hauler was reissued for get this 49.95!!!! Scott W. Pryer

What's goin' on... Jeff Keep checking EBAY those trailer kits show up there off and on. Reissued kits are still in hobby shops so keep your eyes open. As far as using a van trailer floor for a flatbed that isn't accurate. Have you considered scratch building a trailer?

What's goin' on... I can relate to ya on wanting to wash your hands of a project after several months. A really good kit to build is the Revell 359 (partial snaptite kit) That goes togather really well. I built one using the AMT359 as a donor kit to bash. As for a trailer kit? Take your pick.

What's goin' on... I built the Alsakin Hauler kit as a tandem day cab and I had that problem too. http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?...5436734&f=0 Above is a link to a picture of that truck. Note I didn't use those flaps because of that reason. If you're set on using mud flaps Evergreen Scale makes sheets of black styrene. (I LIKE THAT STUFF) I use that for mud flaps. If ya use .020 it's light and thin enough to give when ya open the hood as opposed to the thick plastic flaps in that kit. Below is another link to an AMT 359 I built (pardon the redunancy I used this as an example in another post) http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?...&p=73954954 IF ya look at the flap on the quarter fender that's an example of that black styrene. Now under the fender on the hood I used the same thickness styrene for those flaps only white. I highly recomend you do this instead of using the flaps from that kit. Not only for the above mentioned reasons but using the thin styrene just looks more proportioned to scale. It's not so thick. Needless to say half the time I'll glue the hood shut or not even try to make the hood open. My hands are so big that eventually something will get broken opening/closing the hood for different poses. Once Tim reads your post he'll give ya some good ideas! GOOD LUCK!!!!

What's goin' on... By the looks of your posts you've been busy! RIght now I've got the "Builders Block"! Two projects on the bench and the CEO of the trucking company I work for wants me to build an FLD120 for him. Sometimes you (generally speaking) can sit down and there's no effort to complete a project. It's like it finishes itself. Then on the flipside you sit there and you can't seem to make any headway at all!!!

By the looks of this picture all ya need is a single leaf spring (multi leafs) I've been meaning to build a U-Model Mack using the DM 600 and the R Model chassis. Here's a picture look closely at the rear axle. http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/truc..._u_model_sa.jpg

What's goin' on... The detail work on that engine's really clear!!! What truck is this for?

What's goin' on... I'll use an AMT rim (10 hole chrome) remove the chrome - (original issue kit rims bleach will remove the chrome on later reissue kits Castrol Super Clean will eat it off in a few days) and use round stock styrene to fill the holes. Insert the rod in the hole and then use a solvent glue ( Plastruct,Tenex7-R,Ambroid) this will fill in the gaps so to say. Leave two holes open. Once set up trim the styrene rods flush then use a Dremel tool w/a small bur bit and open up those two holes to an oval shape. Spray w/ a heavy solids primer to hide any imperfections and paint white w/ enamel. (acrylic Tamiya) will show imperfections if any. If ya really wanna get detailed use fine brass wire to make a valve stem. Here's a 359 w/ BUDDS on it I made as described above. http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?...&p=74385760 Good Luck!!!!

What's goin' on... For a resin kit that looks like it's detailed really well.

What's goin' on... That turned out good!