Changing Gears

[leafsprings]

Nice progress. You would think AMT would have had a C series pumper back in the day, being that they were so popular. Another note on the C series rear springs. They need to be brought down from were the instructions say they should be, to avoid the overloaded squatting down look when the body is installed.

[J.B. Customs]

I did go ahead and used the ford chassis as was suggested and the Akron truck is gas power that was a plus so far everything has worked out there was a few hiccups and I am sure that there will be a few more but so far only a few modifications unless somebody see’s something that I forgot are I need to do are I have gotten wrong 

[Chariots of Fire]

Number of discharges determine the size of the pump generally; 250 gpm for each discharge.  Two per side would make it a 1000 gpm pump, a standard size for most Hale pumps of the day.   With regard to the main pump suction (that big cap thingy in the middle of the pump):  The AMT caps are way too big.  Consider making a round cap about 7 mm in diameter, cut off the ears from the AMT cap and glue them on the smaller cap.  Much more in scale as most intakes would be 5" inside diameter.  Smaller pumps had 4-1/2" suctions.  You should be able to get an acceptable chrome finish on the cap using the 2mm Molotow chrome pen or Alclad.

For some nice grab rails try some 1/16" diameter aluminum tubing.  Polish it up ahead of time.  Use some common pins for stanchions and drill small holes for the stanchions to fit into.  Check out the E-One pumper with the extended cab above.  It has aluminum tubing grab bars.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Chariots of Fire

[GLMFAA1]

Just for the fun of it and to see if it was possible I made the pump panel

used masking tape to mark off spots that needed to remain, carefully planed, filed, and sanded area

Recommend shapeways source for the stortz suction connection.

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/downrangeproductions1-35th-scale?section=1%2F24+scale+parts&s=0

greg

[Rockford]

This is a whole new world with its own vocabulary isn't it? Absorbing. 

[J.B. Customs]

23 hours ago, GLMFAA1 said:

Just for the fun of it and to see if it was possible I made the pump panel

used masking tape to mark off spots that needed to remain, carefully planed, filed, and sanded area

Recommend shapeways source for the stortz suction connection.

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/downrangeproductions1-35th-scale?section=1%2F24+scale+parts&s=0

greg

That is fantastic I have not gotten that far yet but now I know what I am going to do when I get there my pump panel is not plated but I have some ideas rolling around in my head on how I will detail it out 

[cifenet]

This is becoming a very interesting WIP!  Hope to follow more!

It is also interesting how you paint the color where parts are still attached to part sprue.   

When the parts are detached from the tree, how would you address the unpainted spots that are exposed?  Would that be just simple spot touch up, or do you go back and spray second coat?  Just curious~   

[J.B. Customs]

5 hours ago, cifenet said:

This is becoming a very interesting WIP!  Hope to follow more!

It is also interesting how you paint the color where parts are still attached to part sprue.   

When the parts are detached from the tree, how would you address the unpainted spots that are exposed?  Would that be just simple spot touch up, or do you go back and spray second coat?  Just curious~   

Simple touch up and I don’t usually paint everything on the trees but too achieve the darker red everything had to be primed gray it was just simpler to leave the rims and brake parts on the part’s tree

Edited April 25, 2023 by J.B. Customs

[J.B. Customs]

Finally got some time to start mocking things up and many thanks to Greg for helping with the booster reel and pump panel 

[Chariots of Fire]

That last photo is interesting.  There was a giveaway hint on the closeup of the pump panel as well.  The main pump is a centrifugal pump meaning it cannot pump air.  In order to prime the pump and get water into it the main pump needs some assistance from another small rotary gear pump to expel the air so that water can enter.  Once primed, the centrifugal pump will do ok.  The priming pump is lubricated with oil and each time it is used a certain amount of oil would be discharged to the ground.  That is the reason for the oil reservoir shown on the photo.  An alert crew would check it from time to time to be sure that the reservoir was full.  

The other interesting feature is that the crosslay was only accessible from the pump panel side of the truck.  Most can be reached from either side but would need each side to be open and not hindered by the ladder.

[GLMFAA1]

Glad to assist. Enjoy passing along fire apparatus construction tips. Don't forget the extra hose divider in the bed. Charlie and I couldn't determine if there was discharges on the rear of the truck.Another puzzle are the two wheels at the discharges there is usually only one master pressure set wheel. I now see with these photos that the booster reel was a hand crank rewind which is resolved with a rod from the gear box ( to make a gear box use an end from a rear spring traction bar ball joint) at the reel to the left side hose guide. Two other items from the kit modifications are the tail lights and move the electric outlet to side of the cab. I would just use sheet stock instead of the rear compartment panel piece for the tail light area.

greg

[J.B. Customs]

Oh yes still a lot of work to do before I can even think about primer and paint  glad that I have not secured anything yet here are a few extra shots of the rear 

[J.B. Customs]

Well after checking things out I shorten the booster reel and reconfigured some things and added the manual crank still needs  a couple more modifications 

Edited April 30, 2023 by J.B. Customs

[Chariots of Fire]

And the eyelet above the ladder is the pike pole holder.  The front holder is an upright U shape.  They drop the end of the pike pole in the U and secure it with a cotter pin.

[GLMFAA1]

The item sitting on the booster reel floor is a strainer that attaches to the hard suction when they are drafting from an unknown water source that might have contaminants that would damage the pump. Simple mock up would be a piece of exhaust pipe from a big rig truck model with a cap and ring in the center. there was rope tied to the strainer to retrieve the hose from the source when done. Other mock up would be tubing cut to size,capped and rope tied and then wound around the strainer like a spool with the other end of the rope stuck in the end.

                                                             only start wrapping rope at top

 

greg

 

[J.B. Customs]

On 4/29/2023 at 10:12 AM, Chariots of Fire said:

That last photo is interesting.  There was a giveaway hint on the closeup of the pump panel as well.  The main pump is a centrifugal pump meaning it cannot pump air.  In order to prime the pump and get water into it the main pump needs some assistance from another small rotary gear pump to expel the air so that water can enter.  Once primed, the centrifugal pump will do ok.  The priming pump is lubricated with oil and each time it is used a certain amount of oil would be discharged to the ground.  That is the reason for the oil reservoir shown on the photo.  An alert crew would check it from time to time to be sure that the reservoir was full.  

The other interesting feature is that the crosslay was only accessible from the pump panel side of the truck.  Most can be reached from either side but would need each side to be open and not hindered by the ladder.

I was talking to the owner today and asked him about the crosslay so come to find out that the truck did not have a crosslay so they actually cut the opening and made the crosslay 

[J.B. Customs]

16 hours ago, GLMFAA1 said:

The item sitting on the booster reel floor is a strainer that attaches to the hard suction when they are drafting from an unknown water source that might have contaminants that would damage the pump. Simple mock up would be a piece of exhaust pipe from a big rig truck model with a cap and ring in the center. there was rope tied to the strainer to retrieve the hose from the source when done. Other mock up would be tubing cut to size,capped and rope tied and then wound around the strainer like a spool with the other end of the rope stuck in the end.

                                                             only start wrapping rope at top

 

greg

 

Really like the tips on how to do the strainer and I have plenty of truck parts and also when talking to the owner the booster reel was both manual and electric I also added an electric motor to the reel 

[gotnitro?]

Nice work so far ! Always wondered what the strainer was for on our local trucks..makes sense now 

[J.B. Customs]

So I went to apply a couple of these decals and the backing comes off with the decal making it cloudy I am sure it is because they are old i tried soaking them a longer time and some other ways that didn’t work any ideas on how I can make them work are should I just trash them and look for new 

[J.B. Customs]

A little progress at a time 

[Chariots of Fire]

If it's not too late I'd cut down on the size of the booster hose.  Most booster hose is either 3/4" ID or 1" ID with garden thread for couplings.  If you can remove the current hose load try substituting some red electrical wire about 1/16 diameter.  That will put it more in scale for what you are doing.  Got a good start on the red paint.  What brand are you using?  Here's a look at some of the electical wire I've used on rigs that I have built.

This happens to be a 1961 Maxim.  The hose reels are the same as yours, only thinned down so you can see the relative size of the hose is smaller.

Same wire again and on this one I slipped on pieces of aluminum tubing to look like couplings.  The hose may appear larger but it really isn't.  There is just more of it on the reels.

Edited May 10, 2023 by Chariots of Fire

[J.B. Customs]

1 hour ago, Chariots of Fire said:

If it's not too late I'd cut down on the size of the booster hose.  Most booster hose is either 3/4" ID or 1" ID with garden thread for couplings.  If you can remove the current hose load try substituting some red electrical wire about 1/16 diameter.  That will put it more in scale for what you are doing.  Got a good start on the red paint.  What brand are you using?  Here's a look at some of the electical wire I've used on rigs that I have built.

This happens to be a 1961 Maxim.  The hose reels are the same as yours, only thinned down so you can see the relative size of the hose is smaller.

Same wire again and on this one I slipped on pieces of aluminum tubing to look like couplings.  The hose may appear larger but it really isn't.  There is just more of it on the reels.

Yes I can see the difference and yes the smaller diameter wire is definitely more in scale thanks for the tip and I am glad that I have not secured the booster reel in yet. For paint I used Testors dark red enamel on top of Rust-Oleum gray primer and will put a final coat of Testors wet look clear coat for the final finish 

[Chariots of Fire]

You might give a second thought to the clear.  If the coat of red has any luster at all let it be.  JMHO!?

[cifenet]

Coming out nicely.
 

And I personally think the hose can work as is although the reference photo does seem smaller in diameter.  
 

Keep up the good work!

[J.B. Customs]

On 5/11/2023 at 10:10 AM, Chariots of Fire said:

You might give a second thought to the clear.  If the coat of red has any luster at all let it be.  JMHO!?

I test cleared a scrap piece and compared the uncleared with my reference pictures I believe that I will not clear it thanks for the tip and making me take a second look. Between you and Greg I feel I am being schooled by the best