2021 Pierce Ascendent Tower

[Chariots of Fire]

Made a little bit of progress.  I've been sidetracked by another project but should get back to this one soon.  Got the rear steps to build and some added detail to the outside of the cab.

[hct728(Bob)]

33 minutes ago, Chariots of Fire said:

"I've been sidetracked by another project but should get back to this one soon."

 

I resemble that  remark, LOL!  Great progress, everything in alignment despite all the chrome trim and surface chrome bits. you have a good eye (or a strong magnifier!)

Dare I say this was the easy part? Wondering how much of the ladder truck you'll be using for the body

Edited March 7, 2024 by hct728(Bob)

[Chariots of Fire]

Not a bit of it, Bob.  The tower has a 5 section ladder with the basket on the end.  Mid mount to boot.  Body is basically one of a kind so all will be scratch built as well.

[hct728(Bob)]

12 hours ago, Chariots of Fire said:

Not a bit of it, Bob.  The tower has a 5 section ladder with the basket on the end.  Mid mount to boot.  Body is basically one of a kind so all will be scratch built as well.

Amazing to take that on! Looking back at the 1:1 I see what you mean, it is a monster! I noticed lots of surface variation, not all is flat like on most kits. Did you see my post on piano hinges, after some digging at the website I see that they have some very small sizes available, see the photo

 

[Chariots of Fire]

I'll check that out Bob.  At first glance they seem just a little big but maybe not.  We'll se.  Thanks!

[lvfd221]

How do you make the corners? Do you start with tubing and cut to 1/4 round or have a place that you get 1/4 round stock.

Thanks 

Rex

[Chariots of Fire]

8 hours ago, lvfd221 said:

How do you make the corners? Do you start with tubing and cut to 1/4 round or have a place that you get 1/4 round stock.

Thanks 

Rex

If you are talking about the cab corners, it is PVC water pipe.  I sliced it lengthwise to get a section for each corner.  The radius is based on the radius measured on the drawings of the truck and reduced down to 1/25 scale for size.

[lvfd221]

Thank you for the info. I have a project that needs corners that looks like the cab corners. 

 

 

[hct728(Bob)]

5 hours ago, lvfd221 said:

Thank you for the info. I have a project that needs corners that looks like the cab corners. 

 

 

$10-$20 for a heat gun and you can bend styrene into any shape you want. For corners, I heat and bend it over the rounded edge of a piece of scrap wood. You need to stretch it a bit to make it conform. More heat and you can 'heat and smash' over a wooden buck or even vacuform it. 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2024 by hct728(Bob)

[Fanman]

Charlie when are we going to see this one finished?

[Chariots of Fire]

HI, Ed.  Not for a while, I'm afraid.  It has been put away until the spirit says go.  A lot to it and there has to be a plan.

[Fanman]

I hear you been there myself. When the moment hits you. I watch this site faithfully but I haven’t built any thing in years but I’m feeling the moment so I guess l’m going to have to dive in.

[Chariots of Fire]

Back into it, I think!  A few months back I had set this build aside for lack of enthusiasm in getting involved in the details of the body.  In the process of doing other things one day, I knocked the box with the truck inside onto the floor.  The officer side front door came off, the frame was snapped in two along with the underpinning of the rear tandems.  It immediately went back in the box and was left that way until a few days ago.  After taking another look at the damage I decided to see about fixing it.  The door went back almost immediately and with only slight evidence of it having been broken clean off.  It took a bit more to reassemble and reinforce the frame where it broke and even more to put the tandems back together.  I had to pop off the center hubs of the rear tires to remove them but fortunately I had used CA sparingly for just that purpose.  So here is where it is now and with additional study and a few photos of the real rig I just may get back into it and "get 'er done!"!!

[Gary Chastain]

Glad to see it back on the bench, watching

[Scott Eriksen]

Yep,,,I was wondering what happened,,,been awhile,,,,,will look A+ when done!