Western Star 4900 FA plow truck

[BK9300]

20 minutes ago, Steve H said:

Hi Brian, not at all surprising that everything fit perfectly. Beautiful work. Those moments in a build where main assemblies come together and fit as planned, are very rewarding. 
My 2 cents on the paint. Steve (Rockford) above is correct about the silver base as a colour block for the plastic. This would be more commonly used as a block for red plastic which tends to bleed and turn white paint pink. I think you would probably be ok with just primer, but definitely do some testing, and maybe consider a base of silver. Others here may have a more informed opinion. 
‘Keep up the amazing work, very much looking forward to seeing this in person sometime. 

Steve, I can always use 'two cents' - appreciate the tip!  Am definitely happy with the progress, and plan to get the test painting underway soon as it's dry.  I hope that I get to show it to you in person someday! Thanks, Steve.

Edited February 25 by BK9300

[BK9300]

Another tedious item off the list today - the hood mount support halves that attach to the hood's inner brace.  Spent some time looking at pics and finally figured the only way to make a up this portion of the mounts, and have them be solid, was to do a little surgery on the top portion of the inner brace.  So, out with the razor saw and a new blade in the X-acto knife!

 

A very low tech way of establishing the angle that the other half of the mounts need to be at, to meet up with halves on the firewall

 

I ended up taping the 2mm x 2mm stock down and cut it along the 'vertical' line 

 

Then I needed to make two openings in the leading edge of the inner brace - I wanted the resulting mounts to be very solid and this would hopefully achieve that; marked the outside edges of cut with razor saw

 

And trimmed out the balance of the openings with new, sharp #11 blade.  The dots are my way of keeping track of which side goes where - one mount was a tick longer than the other and I likely wouldn't have remembered which was which any other way!

 

'Rubber' pads added to end of mounts - the mounts are just taped in place for now, to check alignment

 

Cab and hood taped together once again.  The mounts line up!  I do not intend to have them actually touch - I'm sure paint will take up a bit of room in the gap that you see, but the mounts more give an impression of hood support than actually provide it!

 

 

Next two pics are final test of alignment and unobstructed hood operation with mounts in place

 

All good and hood closes up tight!

 

Its a nice afternoon out and the studio shed has the heater on, so going out to do a primer test on that spare hood.  Will see if I get to a colour coat later this afternoon and will post a pic, regardless of how it turns out!  Thanks for having a look and I have appreciated your thoughts and comments!  Take care.

Edited February 25 by BK9300
typo

[Biggu]

Incredible precision. I really don’t know how you are going to top this build, Brian. Magnificent. 

[BK9300]

1 hour ago, Biggu said:

Incredible precision. I really don’t know how you are going to top this build, Brian. Magnificent. 

Thanks, Jeff - not sure I'll be focused on topping it - just hope to find something interesting and have a go at it!

[BK9300]

Got the test painting underway - 

 

Two different styrene colours to cover

 

One medium thick coat of grey primer (not worrying about painting sides of hood or fenders); pic taken in natural light coming through door, and . .

 

an hour and a half later, a medium coat of white primer, bit over cast outside.

 

Under the fluorescent light of my magnifying lamp

 

Will leave it for a few days until giving it two coats of colour and then let it set for a week or so, to see what happens (thanks again for the heads up, Steve!)

Edited February 26 by BK9300

[cifenet]

Nice update, Brian~

The support rails under the cab are looking fantastic!  And the hood is in there like a glove.  The primer looks to be well matched! 

[BK9300]

Test painting of spare hood still looking ok - I'll put the colour coats on tomorrow.  Spent last couple days mostly thinking about how to tie the remaining build items all together and in what order to do them.  Most everything, it seems, requires something else to be done first, so started making a list - I'm a couple pages into it and more items keep popping up!  I did start laying out some of the 3D printed parts, in an effort to refocus, and I've settled on doing the interior next.

 

For the plow lights, this bracket is what needs to be fashioned - 

 

First though, I laid out the plow lights, to consider how best to replicate mount, and to check fit of lenses and decide how best to make the bracket thin enough for scale, and strong enough to support the lights; will paint inside of housings chrome or chrome silver

 

Exterior of light housings will be painted Tamiya Rubber Black and the turn signal lenses with clear orange; I'm hoping the clear resin lenses of the main lights will show better once inside of housings are painted bright

 

But the interior is what I want to concentrate on next - I'm going to remove the flat instrument panel sections of the kit dash board as one piece.  Then, hopefully the resin printed panels can be glued to that section and the combined instrument panel fitted back into the dash with some additional bracing in behind the dash, if needed.

 

Then comes the control tower - I had previously received the main body of the tower as a single unit, but I found it too difficult to properly detail paint the component pieces.  I was fortunate to get @Bren to reprint some of the various valve controls as separate pieces, to paint them easier.  Will also need to make some very small control levers/handles to mount on top of the 'rubber' boots for various plow controls.  The drawing is the template for the 2mm x 2mm mast to mount the two monitors on.

 

I had thought early on that I would open the driver's door, but not going to go through with that.  Even though all the interior detail won't be visible, I still think I can, with the right lighting, see inside well enough and also get a few decent pics once the interior is finished.

 

As far as getting the finished interior back into the cab, I may need to revert to Italeri's instruction sheet and do it through the back of the cab.  Not my preferred way, as I hope to paint the entire cab before putting the glass and interior back in, but I'll make sure I can do that before gluing the day cab panel to the back of the cab!

 

Like I said some time ago, I tend to bog down a bit when my way forward isn't totally clear.  Past couple days there has been a lot of model building going on, but all in my head!  Anyway, the list will help.  Some more test panel painting tomorrow and a start on the interior.  Take care!

[cifenet]

Those 3D parts looking good! 

Yeah, I get many of those moments where I end up thinking a lot and not much progress.  

This is mostly due to the fact that you got so many things to go through and plan out~  

 

[BK9300]

Started in on the dashboard late yesterday afternoon - cutting out the flat surface where instrument decals where meant to go.  I did manage to carefully scrape away at the line around the panel area and get it out as one piece.  Lots of fussing later, this morning and afternoon, and I had the 3D printed panels back in the dash.

 

At this point, the panels had been temporarily spot glued onto dashboard insert that I had cut out yesterday - the dash board insert is held in place with tape from behind

 

I used the back of an X-acto blade to scrape around the dash board insert, and after cleaning up the opening and the edges of the insert, I needed to add a 0.5mm styrene strip around the perimeter of the insert to fill the gap

 

I had originally thought I was going to need extra strips behind the dashboard to support the insert, but the styrene strip and some fine shaving of the opening to make the insert fit properly, meant it was a tight enough fit that solvent glue was all that was needed to secure the insert in place.

 

My main reason for going for 3D printed dash panels was because I needed a shift gate and shifter in the right hand panel for the Allison automatic transmission.  Once I had designed that panel, it only seemed right to carry on and do something for the other two panels.  Still some cleanup (always!) and a small strip to add underneath the center dash panel, to the left of the steering column opening.  Regardless, I'm very happy with how this turned and now I can make that shifter!

 

Going to carry on with mocking up the steering, mounting the dash board onto the interior tub, test fitting in cab, then onto the floor, do a bit of painting and maybe get to the control tower early next week.  Have a great weekend!

[cifenet]

Fun seeing the surgical work on this and the dash is looking nice right now!

[BK9300]

10 hours ago, cifenet said:

Fun seeing the surgical work on this and the dash is looking nice right now!

Thanks, Steve - sure lots of time spent looking through the magnifying desk lamp!

[BK9300]

Got a little bit more done on the dash yesterday, but now need to make a trip to hobby shop for some paint before I do more on it.  Carried on with some work on the back of the cab.  I needed to make the mounting plate for the pass through air lines that supply the valves on the main hydraulic manifold.

 

Added the short styrene filler strip under the center dash panel and the button for the glove box; also added some brass rod, rolled with the edge of an X-acto knife, to simulate the hinges to open the dash panels; a bit more detail to add then will start painting

 

Made the mounting plate for air lines to the valve manifold; then got a bit side tracked, stopping to figure out how this might look when finished

 

This another pic of real plate and air lines - at the very bottom of the pic, you can see a couple of the air lines at the valve manifold as well

 

I had planned to use some brass tube to simulate fittings, some silicone, R&B Motion spark plug boots and some plug wire for the air lines

 

Put together a sample air line to mock it up on truck

 

Pretty good idea what this will look like when finished - the air line at the valve manifold will also have a boot on it when I put this all together 

 

Have the heater on in the shed and will do a couple coats of colour on the test hood later this afternoon - not seeing any bleed through from the blue styrene to the white primer, so far!   Might seem like I'm bouncing all over, but it is making some sense to me and progress still happening - take care!

 

[cifenet]

Gorgeous details and great choice to simulate the air line plugs!   

[Scott Eriksen]

Nice progress Brian,,the dash looks great

[titino]

Awesome!! Exquisite detailing.

[BK9300]

On 3/2/2025 at 5:02 PM, cifenet said:

Gorgeous details and great choice to simulate the air line plugs!   

Thanks, Steve - I like the look of the plug boots, too - should turn out good if I can keep the CA glue from showing!

 

On 3/2/2025 at 5:16 PM, Scott Eriksen said:

Nice progress Brian,,the dash looks great

Not my favorite type of scratch building, but I am happy how it's turning out so far - thanks, Scott!

 

10 hours ago, titino said:

Awesome!! Exquisite detailing.

Well, thanks very much, Germán - I'm glad you had a look!  I've been a fan of many of your builds since last year - lots of detail in those engines of yours.

[BK9300]

I did some work on the dash today, some of it a couple times - can't seem to avoid those do-overs!  I found I needed to make a new control tower base out of styrene - the resin ones seem to be spreading apart a bit at the open edge on the back side for some reason.

 

Sometime ago, I found a picture of an Allison automatic, dash mounted shift gate and handle.  The shift gate is what I modeled into my right hand dash panel

 

Using some 1.5 mm strip, and a section of a pin, I made a handle for the dash mounted shift gate

 

Another view of the shift handle, but what stood out for me was how hard it was going to be to paint the ashtray and what's supposed to be the A/C and heater controls.  I decided it would make masking off the dash panels easier, as well, if I removed the molded in ashtray and heater control and made separate ones I could paint and attach later

 

I still have to do a bit of shaping on the ashtray and heater controls - they're a bit tall

 

A new control tower underway - even though I had modified the design of the tower to have thicker walls for printing, the open back side is spreading on most of the towers I have.  Must still be some stress and the easiest point to give is for it to widen?  All the other parts of the control tower have been printed separately so, should be ok.

 

Calling it a day - thanks, and take care!

Edited March 4 by BK9300

[Biggu]

Geez, Brian, ALL that AND a trip to the Post Office. You’re a busy man.  Dash is looking spot on !

[Gary Chastain]

Been thinking Brian, usually a builder will try to build his next subject better than his last build. What are you building next to out do this build? You have set that bar mighty high on this build. 

[Biggu]

2 hours ago, Gary Chastain said:

Been thinking Brian, usually a builder will try to build his next subject better than his last build. What are you building next to out do this build? You have set that bar mighty high on this build. 

That’s exactly what I said. This build is magnificent, I can’t imagine what might be next ….no matter what the subject matter the build will be epic !

[BK9300]

4 hours ago, Gary Chastain said:

Been thinking Brian, usually a builder will try to build his next subject better than his last build. What are you building next to out do this build? You have set that bar mighty high on this build. 

Gary, I’ve had some side conversations with Jeff about this along the way.  Don’t know at this point if the goal for the next build will be to out do this one, but sure will be looking for something interesting to tackle!  I don’t have a familiarity with trucks and trucking in general, like many builders here - I was the ‘numbers’ guy in our company.  So, for the near future, likely going to stick with equipment I am more familiar with and that would, or could, fit in YRB’s highway and bridge maintenance fleet.  In my time with the company, YRB didn’t build many new bridges, and many of those were smaller, forestry road structures.  But, a crane truck was often needed to place girders or work on a Howe truss structure, so maybe something like that.  Have often thought about something with a twin steer and extra axles, to carry a bigger crane and still be ok with load restrictions here in BC!  Lots of other ideas, too.  Appreciate the question, Gary (and Jeff) - good to get the ideas in clearer focus - thanks!

[BK9300]

Work today took awhile, for the result achieved but I'm glad for the progress.  Carried on with the styrene control tower and then the mast for the monitors.

 

 

Cut out the inner portion of the flange material I had added yesterday afternoon, and drilled some bolt holes

 

Fabricated the monitor support mast and its base and drilled more bolt holes

 

Next couple pics are the monitors mocked up in place, along with the plow control lever boots and a couple valves. 

 

Looking at the two mock up pics, I think the mast is too tall - the tops of the monitors should be just below the top of the dash

 

Will put in some ribbed, 'rubber' flooring tomorrow, shorten the mast a bit and maybe do some work on the bracket that attaches the monitors to the mast.  Good enough for today!

[cifenet]

The cockpit looks super proper and well represented!  Definitely worth the effort you are putting in to make it look good.

 

[BK9300]

Thanks very much, @cifenet (Steve!) - still carrying on with the fiddly bits, for sure!

 

I did more reworking of the interior floor, making it smooth, before adding scale, Evergreen siding, to simulate the rubber flooring in original truck.  Also laid out all the bolt holes, wiring openings and the hole where a shifter would be in a truck with a manual transmission, that will have a cover plate added because this truck has an automatic.

 

Removed the locators for the driver and passenger seat - the locations of the front and outside edges of each are now marked with 0.6mm holes

 

Hard to see in the pic, with the angle of my light, but the Evergreen siding, 'rubber' floor mat is now in, holes re-drilled through from the bottom, and a hole added at the center, rear of the floor pan for wiring to the two monitors that will be mounted on the mast.  The 'factory' manual transmission hole will be widened slightly and then closed with a cover plate.  The cut out strip at the rear edge of the floor rubber, is for the floor pan locator I long ago attached to the bottom of the day cab panel.

 

The rubber flooring detail is a bit more visible here.  Also mocked up the tower and mast, with the bolts to attach them to the floor, and a collector wire loom that feeds several individual lines from two monitors out to various sensors/motors

 

I had another go at trying to use the photo etch zip ties, but the edges of them are very sharp and all I could think about was the damage I would do to future paint on the mast while struggling to get them tight.  Also need something I can paint black and insert into the spring 'loom' for the wires out the back of the two monitors - as it is now, I can see white through the spring.  Maybe once the floor is painted rubber black, the stretched portions of the spring won't show through.  And, it will be inside the cab, down low, so likely won't matter!

 

The next couple pics were just to re-confirm that some detail will be visible through the side windows that will be left mostly open.

 

And, hopefully, the windshield won't reflect or distort too much, and allow some detail to be seen/photographed through it.

 

A valid question might be, "why am I doing all this detail work that won't be very visible"?  Firstly, I'm doing it to finish off the inside in the manner of the rest of the truck, and the WIP pics will show the detail.  Secondly, it has given me another opportunity to think about what else, and how else, to do detailing on future work.  And, it's enjoyable, too!

I'm getting close enough to being done that I'm thinking about how to photograph the finished truck - that's another mini project in itself!  Take care.

[Biggu]

Fabulous !!!