Western Star 4900 FA plow truck

[BK9300]

23 minutes ago, Biggu said:

Wow. Absolutely outstanding !  How many work lights do you have planned? Are you going to hang backup lights on the mirror brackets or on the steps or both?  This is such an exciting build and one very close to my heart. This is absolutely spectacular.  

Thanks, Jeff!  I’m struggling with how many work lights to add.  Four are spoken for on the sander, and one (or two?) that sit on the hydraulic tank inlet filter housing, if there’s enough room.  So, I have enough to do a couple backup lights off the bottom, back edge of the steps.  I’ll see if I have any room left to hide wire runs for those  lights - that, and being able to work with the truck on it’s side and not break anything off, are what I need to consider.  Being so familiar with these trucks, you keep me on my toes!

Edited August 20 by BK9300

[BK9300]

Spent a frustrating afternoon trying to figure out how to line up the warning stripe decals on the back of the sander - go figure.  Seems like a small problem, but the closer I get to the end of this build, the more problems I find/create to slow myself down!  Didn't get the decals on, but thought I'd share some of my frustrations and my plan for tomorrow.

 

The stripes on the real truck meet at a 90 degree angle, so I started by trimming the ends of two decal test strips at 45 degree angles.  Haven't decaled anything in over 30 years, and even using Micro Set, found it difficult to move the stripes into position on a test piece of painted styrene, so they met neatly along the 45'd edges - also discovered that the decals won't take much abuse before coming apart! (the black pieces at the bottom were test patches for the non-slip strips on the sander fender)

 

After thinking about the difficulty of getting the 45'd ends to come together, I went back to pics of the real sander.  Again, the mechanics/body shop guys are much smarter than me - I made two 45 cuts for the stripes to come together while they made 'butt' connections using only one cut.  Much simpler!  Also, the join on the real truck is still not perfect - thin line of paint shows at the joint.  Might still have some difficulty moving decals around, but won't need to fuss as much as with the 45's -

 

So, after wasting a couple decal stripes (I had ordered extra just in case), I drew out a layout using the butt joint method and should be able to work out from a Tamiya tape center line and have it work out - hopefully!

 

Tomorrow will tell if this plan works out!

 

[redneckrigger]

Having not only worked with trucks like this but I also built bodies as well as repairing old ones, and painted everything from dozers to loaders , cranes and about any truck you can imagine.  And I can say that your attention to detail has every base covered, absolutely incredible work!

[BK9300]

1 hour ago, redneckrigger said:

Having not only worked with trucks like this but I also built bodies as well as repairing old ones, and painted everything from dozers to loaders , cranes and about any truck you can imagine.  And I can say that your attention to detail has every base covered, absolutely incredible work!

Thanks very much, Tom - I've needed to learn a lot along the way, and can never have too many pics of the real thing!

[Jürgen M.]

That's going to be a real challenge applying those decals!

Have you thought of painting? 

Not less work, I know but if the decals don't work out as expected it would be a reasonable plan B!

I'm sure though that with your pantience and precision you'll get the job done!

[Biggu]

This has always been something I could never figure out. Your drawing reminds me of what the Highways shop used to do here in Nelson, as we had a paint shop and they used to put the hash marks on the tailgate sanders and the masking looked exactly as your drawing. That took me back many years. Such a fun build to watch and SO accurate. Just gets better and better.  You are overcoming many challenges of this build and it will be the most accurate , detailed, unique model. Just wonderful. Nothing missed. 

Edited August 24 by Biggu

[BK9300]

17 hours ago, Jürgen M. said:

That's going to be a real challenge applying those decals!

Have you thought of painting? 

Early on in building the sander, I wondered about how to do the warning stripes (hash marks) and did think about painting.  I was pretty sure I would make a mess of it, in the confined space at the back of the sander, so that's why I settled on the decals.  Patience needed for sure, and sometimes I could use more - thanks, Jürgen!

Edited August 24 by BK9300

[BK9300]

7 hours ago, Biggu said:

This has always been something I could never figure out. Your drawing reminds me of what the Highways shop used to do here in Nelson, as we had a paint shop and they used to put the hash marks on the tailgate sanders and the masking looked exactly as your drawing. That took me back many years. Such a fun build to watch and SO accurate. Just gets better and better.  You are overcoming many challenges of this build and it will be the most accurate , detailed, unique model. Just wonderful. Nothing missed. 

I think sometimes I make more work for myself than is necessary, but, mostly, have been able to work things through - thanks, Jeff!

[Biggu]

13 minutes ago, BK9300 said:

I think sometimes I make more work for myself than is necessary, but, mostly, have been able to work things through - thanks, Jeff!

And in fine fashion too , I might add 

[Rockford]

Just a fantastic build all the way through. I know I get more nervous about mucking the thing up as I get closer to the end of the job. I'm almost scared to pick the thing up. With the work you've put into this you must be really wary of the next step. I think you care more about your truck than the painters in the shop ever did! 

[BK9300]

6 hours ago, Rockford said:

Just a fantastic build all the way through. I know I get more nervous about mucking the thing up as I get closer to the end of the job. I'm almost scared to pick the thing up. With the work you've put into this you must be really wary of the next step. I think you care more about your truck than the painters in the shop ever did! 

Awesome to hear from you, Steve, and a very insightful observation - I’m worrying more about getting paint and decals right, than I did making the hood hinges work!  

[BK9300]

Had a successful morning (and afternoon!) at the bench, working on decaling the sander.  Six hours went by pretty quickly!  Big shout out to Terry, at STS Decals, for making my artwork into the truck's decals.

 

Used part of earlier drawing to layout a starting point for the hash marks - I've got the front of the sander sitting, carefully, on a towel, with the back end on a parts box -

 

The grid pattern is set! -

 

Not a hundred percent sure why I included this - it did look precarious, though, and made me press on to get the back end finished! -

 

This is a big weight off my shoulders - a couple things not quite the way they could have been, but I had re-done a couple hash marks along the way and wasn't going to do any more!  Also got some warning labels added to back end -

 

Overhead shot of decal for the Swenson Spreader, pre-wet pump - 

 

Sander's manufacturer decal, a couple more warning labels, and the sander's unit number -

 

 

 

Now that this part is behind me, I can get on with finishing some wiring and lights and decide whether or not to attach the sander to the frame yet - may need to leave it off until I get the cab and hood sorted.  Things could be easier to handle if the sander not attached just yet.  Getting closer!

Edited 11 hours ago by BK9300
Typo

[Biggu]

Absolutely PERFECT !!!! This is just eye watering good and perfectly accurate. Spot on ! What a ride this build has been. Thanks for letting me tag along, Brian. I kind of don’t want it to end.  

[BK9300]

1 hour ago, Biggu said:

Absolutely PERFECT !!!! This is just eye watering good and perfectly accurate. Spot on ! What a ride this build has been. Thanks for letting me tag along, Brian. I kind of don’t want it to end.  

Much appreciated, Jeff!  It has been quite a ride alright, but not to worry, it won't end - it'll just be a different ride!

[Jürgen M.]

Unbelievable! What a clean and perfect job!

Hat's off! 

[BK9300]

12 hours ago, Jürgen M. said:

Unbelievable! What a clean and perfect job!

Hat's off! 

Thanks for that, Jürgen - very happy with how the decals turned out!

[Gary Chastain]

Do you know what museum this going to yet?🏆🏆🏆🏆

[Jürgen M.]

Looks to me as if it was ready for the winter season. 

It is a real one, isn't it? 🤔

[BK9300]

On 8/26/2025 at 3:41 PM, Gary Chastain said:

Do you know what museum this going to yet?🏆🏆🏆🏆

I don't think a museum would take this - it's too fragile!

[BK9300]

On 8/27/2025 at 12:50 AM, Jürgen M. said:

Looks to me as if it was ready for the winter season. 

It is a real one, isn't it? 🤔

Too funny!  All it needs are the lights and they're under way!  Thanks, Jurgen.

[BK9300]

Working on the final details for this truck, I've come to realize I will never be able to plan for everything.  Was working on the lights for the sander and had a stab of fear because I realized I hadn't pre-drilled all the holes for the pins that will attach the lights to the sander before I painted.  Long ago, I had thought about doing that; then that thought clearly disappeared and now I need to drill through a finished paint job to get the lights put on.  I've also put off locating the chain hangers - the real trucks had hook hangers in differing locations on the sander body, or frame, but the particular arrangement of attachments on the truck I'm modeling doesn't have room for chain hangers in any of those spots.  I decided to go with some frame mounted hangers, just in front of the battery / tool boxes, with protective mud flaps in front of the hangers.

Small bits of work on the lights, that took way longer than I thought it would - drilled and pinned for mounting to sander and each light housing has another pre-drilled hole for the wiring on the sander to thread through - 

 

Need to drill holes for mounting pins - three needed on the back edge of the side panels near the loose wires, one on the middle of passenger side of sander and one on top, by the front roto light - maybe start with a small hole first, so I'm not chipping away chunks of paint! -

 

The real truck didn't have any chain hangers - I re-checked all my pics - and many of the 'normal' locations for hangers aren't available or optimal on this truck's layout.  There is lots of room (red sketching), on both sides of truck, between the battery / tool boxes and the back edge of front fenders, to attach frame mounted hangers - 

 

Something like this is what I plan to make, just not attached to any fender(s) -

 

Hope to get the sander work and roto lights painted tomorrow.  More soon!

[Biggu]

Brian, you have some of the coolest aftermarket parts.  Love the light fixtures ! 

[Daverde]

Wow I’m amazed at your work!!!

[Firebuilder]

On 8/23/2025 at 10:26 PM, BK9300 said:

Spent a frustrating afternoon trying to figure out how to line up the warning stripe decals on the back of the sander - go figure.  Seems like a small problem, but the closer I get to the end of this build, the more problems I find/create to slow myself down!  Didn't get the decals on, but thought I'd share some of my frustrations and my plan for tomorrow.

 

The stripes on the real truck meet at a 90 degree angle, so I started by trimming the ends of two decal test strips at 45 degree angles.  Haven't decaled anything in over 30 years, and even using Micro Set, found it difficult to move the stripes into position on a test piece of painted styrene, so they met neatly along the 45'd edges - also discovered that the decals won't take much abuse before coming apart! (the black pieces at the bottom were test patches for the non-slip strips on the sander fender)

 

After thinking about the difficulty of getting the 45'd ends to come together, I went back to pics of the real sander.  Again, the mechanics/body shop guys are much smarter than me - I made two 45 cuts for the stripes to come together while they made 'butt' connections using only one cut.  Much simpler!  Also, the join on the real truck is still not perfect - thin line of paint shows at the joint.  Might still have some difficulty moving decals around, but won't need to fuss as much as with the 45's -

 

So, after wasting a couple decal stripes (I had ordered extra just in case), I drew out a layout using the butt joint method and should be able to work out from a Tamiya tape center line and have it work out - hopefully!

 

Tomorrow will tell if this plan works out!

 

I have tried decals  to make the chevrons, even purchased some premade ones and never had much luck with them. Tearing and such. I now paint all of mine. It can be very time consuming consuming, and no matter much  pushing and smoothing down of the tape, there is also a little bit a bleed through.

[BK9300]

On 8/29/2025 at 6:21 PM, Biggu said:

Brian, you have some of the coolest aftermarket parts.  Love the light fixtures ! 

I think the fog lamps are going to work out well for the work lights around the truck.  Didn’t know about them till I started searching for something that could work- felt lucky when I found the PIAA lights!  Thanks, Jeff.
 

 

22 hours ago, Daverde said:

Wow I’m amazed at your work!!!

Thanks, David - appreciate you having a look!
 

 

1 hour ago, Firebuilder said:

I have tried decals  to make the chevrons, even purchased some premade ones and never had much luck with them. Tearing and such. I now paint all of mine. It can be very time consuming consuming, and no matter much  pushing and smoothing down of the tape, there is also a little bit a bleed through.

Dom, I certainly understand about the difficulties of masking clean lines - was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to do that in the tight spaces at the back of the sander, so decals it was!