Kenworth W924 log truck scale build

[Carmine A 2046]

Currently we're in the 20-30°C Range. Dry, Sunny and PERFECT! People who move here in late Winter/early Spring.... really get CONNED!! 😝😂😅🤣

As soon as I hear back from them, I'll let you know 😉

[Carmine A 2046]

Still waiting... but had an intriguing thought 🤔  HOW ABOUT using Car Window Tint film?? It's got to be dead easy to apply to Windows measured in Millimeters! Would also provide even colour on all "Glass". 

Just a half-baked thought!

[tim.senecal 487]

Carmine,  anything is worth trying, and window tint is cheap enough that even if it fails, you haven't spent a huge amount of money testing your theory...

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Great thought re the window tint. I've got some grayish colour tint here which I think I will use on the bug deflector, will have to see if there's such a thing as blue/green tint.....good option!

Cheers

Kurt

[Carmine A 2046]

..... now I've just used up my ONE good idea for the whole year!!! 🤣😜

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Took the plunge this afternoon and tried the home made vacuum former for the first time ever to make the new cab roof.....result was very good so I'm stoked! What you see below is the upper/top roof section which is mounted on a plinth to help get a good well defined result. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was.

Also formed the rear wall of the cab so now I have to massage all of these bits together somehow, lots of careful cutting and filing and then make the firewall and windscreen frames. 

The bulk of the cab will then be mostly complete and I can start on the bonnet and guards. Good fun!

Have a good weekend all with plenty of RC action .

Kurt

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Here's the cab with the pieces rough cut (still some cutting/sanding to do) and sellotaped together for a quick test fit. Next to cut a window in back of cab.

 

[Carmine A 2046]

WOW Kurt! That looks amazing!! 👌  And my expectations were already high. One of these days I've got to cobble together one of those Vacuum Formers.... 

Some people now just 3D Print these.... but this way is SO much quicker!

[Beetlemankurt 676]

@CarmineA, cheers! The vac former definitely is fun and pretty simple to use (even for a noob at it like me). The moulds/formers took a bit of sanding and filling to make but it was actually pretty enjoyable even though I usually hate sanding. I’m pretty sure though by the time I make the required set for the hood and fenders/bonnet and guards I’ll be sick of it by then …

Didnt get much more done today as hobby time was a bit limited around family commitments but still managed to get the rear window cut out and lined all of the pieces taped up on top of a piece of glass to see how straight and true the cab is. It needs a little bit of adjustment but nothing too challenging. Just a bit more tinkering.
 

Quite surprised just how much the whole thing is strengthening up as the pieces are all joined together which is nice. Next will be the firewall and cab floor, and some more detail work followed by the windscreens and framing etc. don’t want to secure the floor permanently just yet until I get the actual King Hauler kit in about 4 weeks so I can suss out how best to attach it. Also, I’ll need to get the interior in anyway.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. 

Cheers 

Kurt

 

 

[Carmine A 2046]

Of course Kurt.... curves strengthen ANY project!! Engineering 101. 😉  I really like that method. I've never seen a Vacuum Former 😳  I'm guessing that semi soft wood with enough rigidity yet easy to sand would be good?? I'm guessing. 

I'm almost considering 3D Printing Moulds (Lasts) and Vacuum forming with those..... Wood seems faster.  🤔  But if I Print them, they will almost last indefinitely. Hmmmm...... 

Opinion: if you can figure out how to screw the Cab on from underneath, it could look so much better!! 😊 Cheers and have a great Week!

[Beetlemankurt 676]

14 hours ago, Carmine A said:

Of course Kurt.... curves strengthen ANY project!! Engineering 101. 😉  I really like that method. I've never seen a Vacuum Former 😳  I'm guessing that semi soft wood with enough rigidity yet easy to sand would be good?? I'm guessing. 

I'm almost considering 3D Printing Moulds (Lasts) and Vacuum forming with those..... Wood seems faster.  🤔  But if I Print them, they will almost last indefinitely. Hmmmm...... 

Opinion: if you can figure out how to screw the Cab on from underneath, it could look so much better!! 😊 Cheers and have a great Week!

Hey, yeah I just used MDF wood for making the mounds and plain old plasterboard filler. 

I watched a fair bit of 'Wesmade' builds on YouTube to get the gist of how to do it. My vacuum former is not exotic at all, just a thin wooden box with a tonne of holes drilled in the tip, a wooden frame cobbled together to hold the styrene sheet and our household vacuum cleaner. Does the trick though .

I like your thinking about fastening the cab from underneath. Hopefully the standard KH cab floor will fit with slight modification as the KW cab is not wildly different in length, width and general shape....I'll see what I can suss out to avoid any screws being visible.

Cheers

Kurt

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Hi all, well it’s been a while since I posted due to busy work schedule and family stuff. But….I’ve been managing to chip away at the KW build and it’s coming along slowly but nicely.

I picked up a KH kit recently and have been having fun putting this together while still tinkering away at the styrene cab. As at yesterday, the cab is all now glued together and a couple of weekends or so ago I tinted some polycarbonate for the windows to give it the green/blue KW glass look.  The air horn covers are yet to be attacked with the Molotow chrome finish and the air cleaners, running lights and visor, exhaust are all taped on for now but you get the idea ….I’m really pleased with how this is turning out and this styrene building malarkey is good fun after all….

Todays to-do list will be with window rubbers for the windscreens and rear window. 
 

couple of pics for you all, the second is just a perspective pic with the revell bonnet offered up. I’ll be making the 1:14 scale version of this part over the next month or so.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Cheers, Kurt

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Forgot to say I also learnt a vital lesson in working from photos doing this build….check multiple sources and from multiple angles!…..check and recheck!. My last photo above is a good example of unintended distortion that can occur. Looking  at the cab in that particular photo, it looks like the exhaust stack is angled toward the rear and the top portions of the windscreen wider,  and the roof is very rounded , in real life on the actual model neither is true….the first photo is a better representation. Funny how that happens, don’t know why but perhaps someone can enlighten me? I’d be interested to know. I’m guessing it’s to do with the lens on the camera?
 

Also, in regard to dyeing the polycarbonate (in case anyone else wants to try it), I used Rit dye that says it’s appropriate for nylon etc. I figured it’s all plastic of sorts so was likely the best shot. I tried a few different temperatures and found that water that is not yet boiling, but is right on the edge, had the best results. I ended up dyeing one batch too dark and one lot just right. Worked out well, here in NZ you are only not allowed to have windscreens tinted so it was just the sides I had to do. Ended up checking them every 5mins and after about 30mins it was sorted. Piece of cake!

hope this helps someone.

Kurt

 

[Re-Bugged 10159]

Great stuff mate 👍🏻

[Carmine A 2046]

Looking amazing Kurt!! 👌👍👍 Excellent tip on the Tint! 

[tim.senecal 487]

Glad to see everything is working out on that vac-former.  nice work.

[tim.senecal 487]

On 5/2/2022 at 12:49 AM, Beetlemankurt said:

Hey, yeah I just used MDF wood for making the mounds and plain old plasterboard filler. 

I watched a fair bit of 'Wesmade' builds on YouTube to get the gist of how to do it. My vacuum former is not exotic at all, just a thin wooden box with a tonne of holes drilled in the tip, a wooden frame cobbled together to hold the styrene sheet and our household vacuum cleaner. Does the trick though .

I like your thinking about fastening the cab from underneath. Hopefully the standard KH cab floor will fit with slight modification as the KW cab is not wildly different in length, width and general shape....I'll see what I can suss out to avoid any screws being visible.

Cheers

Kurt

I am not sure if you are building this as a day cab or as a sleeper cab, but that might make a difference on what you want to do regarding the original floor.  I hacked up my original floor because my king hauler was modified to be a day cab, but like cutting off the sleeper itself, cutting off that part of the floor was no big deal.

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Hey Tim, cheers mate. Yep this will be a day cab so will need do a few mods with the floor. I'm going to make the bonnet/hood tilt forward too and 'hope' to be able to squeeze the battery under there along with a speaker for a sound system. I'll probably have to go to a lipo to take advantage of the reduced size of the battery but that all good by me.

I'm really enjoying the vacuum former, works great and is quick (unlike carving and sanding the moulds/bucks ha ha). Does a nice job at creating the curved bits needed.

Just curious as to what lipos people are running in their semis if anyone wants to chime in?

Cheers

Kurt

[tim.senecal 487]

21 hours ago, Beetlemankurt said:

Hey Tim, cheers mate. Yep this will be a day cab so will need do a few mods with the floor. I'm going to make the bonnet/hood tilt forward too and 'hope' to be able to squeeze the battery under there along with a speaker for a sound system. I'll probably have to go to a lipo to take advantage of the reduced size of the battery but that all good by me.

I'm really enjoying the vacuum former, works great and is quick (unlike carving and sanding the moulds/bucks ha ha). Does a nice job at creating the curved bits needed.

Just curious as to what lipos people are running in their semis if anyone wants to chime in?

Cheers

Kurt

i hollowed out one of the fuel tanks and hid a stubby 2000mah 2 cell lipo in there.   the endcaps for the fuel tanks will hold them together, and a small slot can be made in one endcap to allow the battery leads to come out under the frame.   the fuel tanks were the only place available on the single axle k100, so one fuel tank hides the battery, and the other hides the receiver.

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Thanks Tim, awesome sneaky tip there .. Sounds good.

Kurt

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Hi all, still plugging away at the KW but haven't had much time at all lately as work has been absolutely hectic leaving me a bit brain drained at night.

Anywhoo, I've painted and installed the rear Dayton Spider wheel rims and fitted them with some off highway tyres from the Mercedes Arocs. 

Aside from that, I've been constructing some new air cleaners out of styrene and pvc pipe as the kit ones were too small to be accurate for the specific truck that I'm modelling. Didnt know there were so many sizes and different filter caps until recently! 

I also ended up vacuum forming the roof twice more  until I was happy with shape.lots of complex curves and quite difficult to find reference pics as it's not an area of the truck commonly photographed.....so that's taken a while also. please excuse their wonkiness of tye air cleaners in the photo, they have just been sellotaped on at this stage while I get their dimensions all correct.

Next on the list will be making some brass rod  side mirrors and I've also cut the MDF formers to begin shaping for the bonnet and guards for vacuum forming.

Also, i have ordered some Kenworth hood side badges to be modeled and 3d printed at the correct scale from a local company as i don't have a printer myself. Should be here in a week or two. 

So it's coming along slowly but nicely. Hope all all well out there with you all my fellow RC truck maniacs .

Kurt

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Hi all, just a quick update. Please excuse the bad quality photo but it's a very wet dark day here today so not the best for photos...good for typing up a few words though :)..

Anyway, I've almost finished the scratch built air cleaners now - laying down in front of the truck in the pic (made from pvc pipe and styrene bits added).

Been cutting filling and sanding away over the last week or two to make the wooden forms for the bonnet and guards. I'll be vacuum forming these in three pieces (top and each side) and adding some additional styrene body/curvy bits afterwards to get all the necessary detail and shapes.  

All going well, I plan to have these completed in the next couple of weeks then crank the vacuum former is again!

That's all for now, will take some better quality pictures when the weather and light improves improves bit.

Have a great weekend all!

Kurt

 

[Beetlemankurt 676]

A bit more sanding and a couple of coats of filler primer and these wooden forms are starting to look like the real deal! Still some more sanding and adjustment to do but really pleased with them so far. Still got the right hand side to complete.....

Should be on track to vacuum form next week some time...yay!

[Beetlemankurt 676]

[Beetlemankurt 676]

Hey all, anyone shortened frame rails before? Perhaps i'm not using the right key words in my searches but I only seem to be able to find examples of extending frame rails....not shortening.

Anyone done a nice tidy job of it and want to share how you did it? I'm going to need to ever so slightly shorten mine, probably about 15-20mm. Probably need to cut it just behind the cab. 

Looking forward to your input.

Kurt