Western Star 4900 FA plow truck

[BK9300]

4 hours ago, DRIPTROIT 71 said:

WOW!!! WOW!! WOW!! Did I mention WOW!! Make sure to check all those fittings for leaks.? Amazing work going on here!!

Thanks, Brian - yes, there sure are a lot of them - sure need that magnifying desk lamp!

Edited August 21, 2024 by BK9300

[BK9300]

Interlude . . .

I'm not going to put up many pics of the painting that's going on at the moment.  Instead, I thought some "action" shots of one our real trucks working, from back in the day, might be of interest.  These pics are screen shots from a video made for the company many years ago - lots of GoPro video and drone shots (don't know where the original video is because the videographer removed it from YouTube).  I know there are lots of videos on YouTube of these type of trucks working, but some of these shots are pretty close to the action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More updates coming soon. . .

Edited August 26, 2024 by BK9300
typo

[Biggu]

Oh, !! Does that bring back the fond memories, Brian....

[BK9300]

Spent the past week re-priming several parts after initially painting them a colour that was too orange.  Many of the parts were then air brushed with decanted Tamiya Camel Yellow, a more appropriate shade of yellow for this truck.  The sander was just re-primed today and needs another light coat to cover the remaining orange cast.  It is my hope to add several runs of wiring on the sander for its lights and other items needing power, so the wiring grommets on the sander have temporary pieces of wire in them to prevent paint buildup.  A few pics of the re-painted items.

just about ready for assembly;  sand conveyor is unpainted on the sides as it slides into the bottom of the sander body and won't be visible;  sand conveyor also needs to have the ladder bars added and detailed a bit.

first coat of white, fine surface primer over the orange Wheatland Yellow

wiring grommets with pieces of wire to minimize paint buildup; side panels of sander look like I've missed gluing sections to the end panel, but the original sander was 'stitch' welded, so I tried to reproduce that look

parts of the front plow, wing plow, sander ladder, hydraulic cylinder and push arms for wing plow, valving for pre-wet tanks

Getting close to putting the sander together and mounting it on the truck!  Thanks for looking in!

Edited August 30, 2024 by BK9300

[Biggu]

The sweetest eye candy ever !!! If you want to make it look real, bend the rear bumper, break a few chain rungs or bend them badly at least, put a tandem load of sand on the rear fenders and leave a frozen load in the box !???…. Seriously this is a fabulous build, Brian, so much fun and pleasurable to watch this come together ….

Jeff

[Gary Chastain]

Agree with Jeff, fun to watch you build, outstanding skills. 

[BK9300]

On 8/30/2024 at 5:20 PM, Biggu said:

The sweetest eye candy ever !!! If you want to make it look real, bend the rear bumper, break a few chain rungs or bend them badly at least, put a tandem load of sand on the rear fenders and leave a frozen load in the box !???…. Seriously this is a fabulous build, Brian, so much fun and pleasurable to watch this come together ….

Jeff

 

Thanks, Jeff - one day maybe, I'll try a little weathering - it's something I definitely don't have a "feel" for!

[BK9300]

2 hours ago, Gary Chastain said:

Agree with Jeff, fun to watch you build, outstanding skills. 

Much appreciated, Gary - great to have you looking in.

[BK9300]

Brief update - been repainting the sander the past several days.  First couple coats were light but found it difficult to get paint into all the crevices and angles on the sander body - some corners still lighter than flat areas because air just blows paint out of the inside corners and angles. On third coat, started with these lighter areas and lower volume of paint and it seemed to cover these areas better, then finished the third coat with a wetter application than the previous two.  After taking a few pictures, I could still seem some uneven coverage, so, after sanding out a couple bits of fuzz, one final coat to go.  

Some light areas still on the lower, rear frame - I know it's a sander body, but they come from the manufacturer with almost as crisp a paint job as a new car, so still a ways to go yet

license plate bracket area on left fender is a little light as well

 

you can better see the "stitch" welded areas on the hopper body support brackets - used the Revell glue applicator, with the thin metal nozzle, like a caulking gun.

Slow but sure, getting there.  Lots to do yet - appreciate you looking in!

Edited September 14, 2024 by BK9300

[Biggu]

Wow ………….. my eyes hurt. Brian, my builds are heading for the garbage can. You  have the skills of a MASTER model builder !!!!

Jeff

[BK9300]

I wouldn't be doing that, Jeff!  Don't know about the builder part - I wouldn't even consider trying to weather a truck and you seem to have that down pretty good.

[Gary Chastain]

Fantastic progress

[BK9300]

Thanks, Gary - I find painting to be a "high tension" aspect of building, so it goes slowly.

[BK9300]

Finished painting the sander and the top screens.  Had to then sit and pick out all the short pieces of wire that plugged the wiring grommets so they wouldn't fill with paint.  Made a mistake with the grommets - hindsight says I maybe should have done them differently, like attaching them after the sander was painted.  Now, I don't know if I can 'rubberize' (paint) them after the fact - they are too small and hands a bit too shaky.  May need to leave them yellow and not make a big mess.  Mocked up the sander, top screens and the fender mounted, pre-wet tanks and valves for progress pic.  Hope to start on some hydraulic and electrical runs on the sander next week!

I am removing the place holder where the sand conveyor will go - also to prevent paint buildup, and you can see the little bits of wire at bottom of pic, removed from the various grommets on the sander.

Sand conveyor not completed yet, but you can see how it will slide into place once it's finished and detailed better

top screens in place

all top screens will open - inner sander braces yet to be installed

sander mock up with pre-wet tanks and valves (conveyor motor not glued in place yet

Lots to do to finish off sander - wiring and hydraulic lines next week!  Always appreciate your comments!

Edited September 14, 2024 by BK9300

[Gary Chastain]

Outstanding skills, the details make the difference, looks really good. 

[BK9300]

16 hours ago, Gary Chastain said:

Outstanding skills, the details make the difference, looks really good. 

Thanks, Gary

[Randy D]

Brian,   This is truly a build that compels the viewer to keep going back to look at all the detail over and over!!! Impressive.

 

Randy

 

[BK9300]

44 minutes ago, Randy D said:

Brian,   This is truly a build that compels the viewer to keep going back to look at all the detail over and over!!! Impressive.

 

Randy

 

Thanks for having a look, Randy - I appreciate the comment!  Your work is quite inspirational - looking forward to an update on your Farm Floater.

[gotnitro?]

Beautiful work 

[BK9300]

1 hour ago, gotnitro? said:

Beautiful work 

Thanks, Jeff - slow going at this point, with the detail stuff!

[BK9300]

Made a little progress this week, mostly involving detail painting and some minor assembly - getting there bit by bit.

 

Used Alclad chrome on exhaust tip (needs to be recoated); painted fittings on ends of hydraulic hard line runs; flat yellow 'boxes' represent the plastic brake and warning light housings on sander - painted aluminum tips on boxes for electrical connectors; painted fittings on sand spreader; pre-wet liquid pump housing painted aluminum and added rubber gasket around each end housing lid 

Fuel tank painted - need to make hold down straps and attach fuel lines/fittings

attached CTM brake lights to light housings and attached pre-wet unit to sander frame

spreader spinner attached

 

Still hoping to get to the hydraulic lines and wiring soon!

 

[Biggu]

OUTSTANDING, detailing, Brian......not one item missed.....

[BK9300]

10 minutes ago, Biggu said:

OUTSTANDING, detailing, Brian......not one item missed.....

Thanks, Jeff - as always, appreciate your comments!  My assembly/completion goals seem to keep getting missed because one detail or another conflicts with yet another, in terms of assembly order (no instructions for this one!).  Often said on this forum, and it's true - need to be several steps ahead of the assembly process in your head, as opposed to where you actually are, to be able to continue without having to take something apart later on.

(glad to hear you had a good holiday!)

[Biggu]

Thanks Brian. It was a great holiday and good to get away but equally as good to be back home. Hopefully some bench time ahead. 

[Gary Chastain]

Impressive detail work Brian.