Lunajammer Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 "There's no wrong way to build one," is the term most often associated with these because they were individually built by resourceful people according to need and parts availability. But before starting you have to pre-imagine the need and era; barnyard helper or field plow, 20's or 50's, cared for or trashed. Fortunately, there are several currently or recently available Model T kits, especially when they come in 2-in-1 kits. I pulled this one from my stash because it offers some extra farm based parts. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 (edited) The drive wheels is the achilles heal of the project and it sort of determined what kind of vehicle I would build. I didn't like anything I could readily find on toy vehicles. In the spirit of the project I didn't want to invest the time, money and delays in finding the perfect choice online. I have no vintage truck wheels among my parts so I'm building my own, which means I guess my doodlebug will be a tractor. The article on how to build one HERE recommends modifying the Model T's existing wheels, but wood spokes seem a little light duty to me so I'm making iron wheels. Edited March 30, 2023 by Lunajammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 I established a diameter of about 1-1/4 inch and scrounged the house for plastic circles that size. Bottle caps offer the most size options for rims but once I started cutting and working them, it occurred to me that the plastic is the same material they make glue caps out of. Might not be good to glue things to. Then I went to a plastic bottle that had better plastic but was too thin and flimsy once cut. Then I went to my first preference, PVC pipe, but it looked way too thick and out of scale. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 (edited) Digging deeper I found another (1-inch inside diameter) PVC pipe designed for less pressure, which means thinner walls and more scale appropriate. An excellent development. I gave a lot of thought to how I would build the rest of the rim when I remembered I've had these steampunk gears in the parts box for a couple years. They seem to be an excellent answer to make the wheels and there are a variety of choices. Problem is you only get one of each variety so I had to shop for another pack. Meant for scrapbooking, they are metal, but paper thin. I struggled with whether I could live with that. Naturally, the store I bought them from a couple years ago (Joann's) no longer carries them. It's a fabric and craft store, so I walked the isles looking for alternatives when among the buttons I came across this packet on the right. Looked like pretty good prospects but I then went to Hobby Lobby, still trying to match the steampunk gears when I came across the packet on the left and each packet contains at least two of the same shape. One of these two should work. Edited March 30, 2023 by Lunajammer 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 I just chose a random width for the wheel which is a scale foot, so half inch slice. Using the circle guide on my cutting mat, I marked off spacing for ten cleats on each wheel. The buttons only needed to be sanded down slightly to fit inside the PVC. They fit just snug enough that I could adjust as needed without them falling out. VERY important to keep remembering is that the wheels are directional so I had to keep double checking that the cleats faced the right direction. The angle strips measure a scale 3-inches deep, which seemed appropriate, but felt a little aggressive. However compared to the photo above, it still seems right. These wheels were completed in one modeling session and I'm giddy with happiness. They were so important to the look of this project and ended up being so easy and relatively quick (less than two hours at distracted turtle speed). This is pretty much the hard part. The rest is just cutting and gluing on the rest of the kit. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Nunes Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 A very cool project idea and a nice start. Looks like fun! Joe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stavanzer Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 Fantastic Wheels. Thanks for the Helpful Photos from Hobby Lobby & Joanns. I might try to get a packet of those LaMode Gears. Perfect for Doodlebugs. I look forward to seeing what is next! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 18 minutes ago, stavanzer said: I might try to get a packet of those LaMode Gears. They're like plastic but they sand like resin, dry and dusty. Might be a sort of resin. I didn't try styrene glue on it, I just measured them into where I wanted then wicked in super glue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchook Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 Great start! I love the way you did your wheels, I might have to borrow that idea. I've helped revive alot of these old Doodlebugs over the years with my father. He has a soft spot for them, it's what they had to use as kid. He still looks for them to restore to working condition and even has on he still uses today. Here's a few pics of my father when he was a kid on a couple of his and the small pic is my Grandfather & his brother. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 1 hour ago, mchook said: Here's a few pics The pics are great! What a fond memory for both you and your dad and restoring them would be a very enjoyable hobby because it's purely mechanical and it's not critical or imperative anymore that you get it fixed. Just a leisure hobby. Unless, of course, you're doing it for someone else. I'd never seen one in my life until just a couple years ago at a steamthreshers reunion. Love the pic of your gramps. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 (edited) Got to finalize the wheels, needs hubs. Again, I scrounged the house looking for bits and bobs. I started with a pen cap. It's interesting, but again, it's soft plastic like glue bottle caps. Glue might not stick. Not throwing it away yet, it's still interesting. When in doubt, KISS. The hubs from the remaining Model T wheels fit the hole perfectly. There's a little suspension of logic here, lots of bolt heads on this wheel, but I'm free-wheeling here. Problem solved. At this point, I feel like if I never complete this project beyond this point, I will have at least contributed a cool wheel idea to this forum. Edited March 31, 2023 by Lunajammer 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stavanzer Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 Great Wheels, Great Project! I hope you can at least get it all togerher, even if it never gets painted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 The doodlebug tractors that I see have shortened wheelbases and the look I want will replicate that. I removed the muffler, which is exactly 1/2-inch (one scale foot) and also that much of the frame. It didn't feel short enough so I took another 1/4-inch more out. Which quickly brings me to the first mock up. That feels right, so I shortened the drive shaft and support rods to fit, salvaging the shaft's front flange. One of the AMT Fruit Wagon options is a custom cab, which includes just a cowl and windshield. Good. Now I don't have to cut up the kit's runabout body. Don't need the windshield. I don't want the full hood either, so I cut off the sides to reveal the engine, but if I'm driving this, I still want the cover. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 Excellent work on a really cool project!👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 This is a great example of scratch building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 3 hours ago, NOBLNG said: Excellent work on a really cool project!👍 3 hours ago, iBorg said: This is a great example of scratch building. Thanks guys, I appreciate that. I'm enjoying this more than I expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 Interesting project. Love parts box builds. I enjoy seeing how you have come up creative solutions for this project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stavanzer Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 Great Work so far! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted April 3, 2023 Author Share Posted April 3, 2023 Fun with paint and washes. As usual, I'm getting distracted with some unnecessary details, but when I saw this Model T belt drive accessory, I decided my doodlebug should have one. I scrounged a bunch of parts, including two 49 Ford hubcaps. Obviously it's not dead on accurate but I think it will look the part. I still need a pulley and some minor details. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcoat Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 (edited) When I was a kid there were the remains of one of these out in the bush by our house although not sure it was a Model T. All that was left was just a frame (shortened like this) engine block and welded to the front a PTO housing very close to what you are making. Figured the only reason these parts were still there were that they were just to heavy to pull out so remained after everything else had been stripped. Such a cool subject! Edited April 3, 2023 by Tcoat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 Nice work on the belt drive accessory. Great parts bash. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted April 4, 2023 Author Share Posted April 4, 2023 I love the memories you guys are sharing here. Too bad I'd never even heard of these until I joined this forum. There was a CBP here about ten years ago that you can find if you search but last time I checked a lot of photos were either damaged or had broken links. Looks like I won't get much bench time the rest of this week. Rats, I like to work when there's momentum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stavanzer Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 10 hours ago, Lunajammer said: Fun with paint and washes. As usual, I'm getting distracted with some unnecessary details, but when I saw this Model T belt drive accessory, I decided my doodlebug should have one. I scrounged a bunch of parts, including two 49 Ford hubcaps. Obviously it's not dead on accurate but I think it will look the part. I still need a pulley and some minor details. Great Scratch Building! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchook Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 This one reminds me of your build. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted April 10, 2023 Author Share Posted April 10, 2023 Minor update: I cut the shaft off a plastic gear from a printer I tore apart to use as the pulley on the PTO, then finished up construction on that little thing. Also did a little more weathering on body parts using mostly thinned artist oils and a touch of acrylics. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.