The Can Am Garage gets a rollbed! May 16/07

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

A while back (OK, YEARS), I bought one of the DG Productions Internationals (the stake bed) with the intention of building a replica of a neighbour's box van. That just never happened.

Late last year, I decided to draw up a set of plans based on the info. from Jerr-Dans website and using a Modelhaus rollbed as reference.

Earlier this week, I finally decided to go for it seeing as I had the required Evergreen plus some newly acquired NWSL tools.

I scratchbuilt the white plastic frame in maybe 10 minutes last night.

Eventually, it will be hinged to the International's frame and the loadbed will slide on it.

FYI, I'm basing my rollbed on a 22' model offered by Jerr-Dan.

Had I mentioned that the bed will be poseable? This should be fun.

For anyone who's considering scratchbuilding, may I suggest you invest in some the KILLER tools made by North West Short Line (NWSL)? I've acquired three of them since the beginning of the year and I couldn't have made the frame as quickly and as easily without my trusty Chopper and TrueSander.

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

Finally got everything taken care that had to be taken care of. Time for some modeling!

It's been a few days since I worked on the rollbed and in that time I've been trying to figure out how to finish off the end of the chassis and the sides of the chassis rails. The solution came to me last night while I was eating supper.

I started by measuring the dimensions (length in other words) for a filler piece for the end of the chassis. I transferred that to my Chopper and set my stop (the black triangle).

I found a suitably sized piece of Evergreen and proceeded to chop it down to size.

I then transferred the freshly cut piece to my True Sander.

I held it up against the fence and gave both ends a quick swipe or two of the sandpaper just to make sure that they're 100% square.

Back to the shop.

A perfect fit as you can see. I'm currently waiting to see if the black plastic of the truck's frame/chassis can be glued with model cement. If it doesn't work, I'll resort to super glue.

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

As I'd hoped, I made more progress today.

Broke out my Duplicutter II to make my life easier to cut my second sheet of treadplate down to size.

Used both the Chopper and True Sander to get the angled ends of the bed's outside edges equal. That was not fun but it got done and that's what matters.

Finished off the truck's frame rails or at least enough to make them look finished.

[blubaja]

That's coming along pretty well. That cab looks alot better than the Topkick they produced. Where did you get the NWSL tools from might I ask?

[RodBurNeR]

that is looking great!

for goodness sakes, please tell us about them tools! i have never seen either peice and am very interested to know where you got them? thanks! awbcrazy@tconl.com

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

That's coming along pretty well. That cab looks alot better than the Topkick they produced. Where did you get the NWSL tools from might I ask?

The tools can be ordered from http://www.walthers.com or from your local hobby shop and I believe that MicroMark carries some of them.

You can also go to the NWSL website - http://www.nwsl.com/

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

Made an Evergreen "sandwich" to use as part of the slider assembly.

The one on the left has been glued in place. The center section is separate and will be hinged to the chassis. The slider will slide on this.

A test fit of the bed showed that it rubbed on the wheels so some to raise the height of it was necessary. Evergreen strip to the rescue!

I had to notch those strips to fit around the back of the cab. Hard? No. Fiddly? You bet.

The bed and subframe.

It's not called a slider for nothing.

As you can see, being positionable has it's advantages.

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

Today was a fiddly day as I spent my time making the storage bins at the front of the bed.

As you can see, the driver's side one didn't come out as nice as the passenger's side one. I could re-do it but not one is likely to see it on the finished model so I'll prolly just leave it alone.

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

Worked on the headache rack today but didn't get much done as it's fiddly work.

[Mr. Can Am Garage]

Started work on the winch today. All it needs now are end caps and some cable.