Official O Scale Truck Repair Build Thread

admin · April 2019

Joel Freedman is presenting the official forum build and I am very excited to see Joel's personal touches applied to this kit. Joel is a wonderful friend and award winning modeler. Thank you Joel for undertaking this project and documenting your build. This takes a tremendous effort and we all appreciate it!

Everyone is encouraged to participate in Joel's build thread. Please comment often and let him know you are here and enjoying his effort! Many folks visit the build threads for years to come following its conclusion and off topic conversations are very distracting. Note that this thread will be limited solely to Joel's build. If you would like to share your work on the SW forum (highly encouraged) please start a separate build thread.

Joel · April 2019

Hi All! I am honoured to be chosen (after I begged a lot) to do the "Official" forum build for this amazing kit. Truth be told I don't really consider myself "Official" anything but I'll try and do justice to this amazing kit. Remember this is just my take on the kit, I will not pretend to be Ken and do the definitive build.

The kit just arrived and it is so much more fantastic then even the website pictures indicate. I know it's all there in the pictures but looking at all the intricate castings and lazerboard parts, wow. As I sift through the myriad of details it really blows my mind.

So here's some pictures of the box and it's contents: rsz_img_4316

Probably best to get a bib to catch all the drool.
rsz_img_4319

And finally the most important component, far beyond all the other great stuff above, the manual. A short treatise on some of the best finishing and weathering techniques on the planet. IMHO if you have never built a SierraWest kit the manual is worth the entire price of the kit. First step is to read the manual. Second step is to reread the manual. rsz_img_4322

sdrees · April 2019

This should be a good one Joe. You got my attention.

BILLR · April 2019

I may be into HO but I love seeing the level of detail and creativity that you can do in "O scale". I'm looking forward to this! Always plenty of ideas that may scale down.

prsdgt65 · April 2019

Joel,

Will be following along. This is one of my favorites Brett has released. The number of castings and details are far superior to any other kit manufacturer. Plus, we get that wonderful smell from the resin.

I took my manual with me on my recent trip last week to Texas as reading material.

Frank

Dave_S · April 2019

Joel,

Thanks for taking the lead on this build. I am definitely following each step and photo you post. I have been waiting for this Truck Repair kit since Part One of the Railroad Camp was offered.

Nice job on the opening salvo of photos and descriptions. I am particularly enamored with the white metal truck engine block and radiator castings. The resin cast details and especially for my particular interest the open top 55 gallon drums are great castings as well.

Upon receiving my kit I opened the box, poured over the contents and dug out the construction manual to start reading. I was way to excited and forgot to take any contents photos as you have presented here. You are far more disciplined and organized than I am.

Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ

brownbr · April 2019

Great. Can't wait to watch it come together.

kebmo · April 2019

i have this up next and am excited to see what you do with it.

KCSTrains · April 2019

Joel, congratulations. I know you will do a great job. I will be following along. Phil

Jerry · April 2019

Waiting for you to get a start on this one Joel1

Jerry

shay987 · April 2019

Will be watching. I'm thinking of switching to O scale.

Joel · April 2019

Thanks guys for the votes of confidence. Dave I am also excited about the engine block and hope to detail it with some wiring and piping. I'll try and track down some reference photos. Does anyone know the make/model of the engine? Jerry just for you I started going at the strip wood with the wire brush and then getting rid of the fuzz with steel wool. Lots more detail to add but it's a start. Obviously not really as disciplined as Dave thinks rsz_img_4362

Bill · April 2019

And he’s off! I spotted some laser cut fan blades in a photo above. It’ll be fun to see what you dove with those and the other additional goodies in those bags. I’m looking forward to it!

kebmo · April 2019

oh man. are you gonna try and return them to their proper bags?

Joel · April 2019

Kevin these are only some of the boards from Bag 1. Looks like it will be a long weekend of detailing wood.

kebmo · April 2019

yikes...
i didn't realize there was that much strip wood. the wood is my part.

TomMich · April 2019

Joel, Looking forward to your build. Even though I model HO I have built the RR Camp, which included the HO version of this building. It was fun to build in HO and I look forward to seeing what you do with it. Amazing bunch of castings. I can smell the resin here!

Joel · April 2019

Hey Tom and Bill welcome aboard. Well I was looking at that pile of stripwood and I decided to deviate slightly from the manual (uh oh here we go). First it's too much to do in one sitting so same as with the casting (later, much later) I'll just finish enough to do each wall and then after the wall is done move on to the next bunch of stripwood. Secondly I decided I wanted more of a grey tone on the outside of the building that will contrast with the brownish hue on the inside (where the sun can't bleach it). To that end I did something I've always wanted to do and took a bunch of old stripwood and tried 13 different methods of staining them. #1 is the recommended colouring from the manual that I will use for the interior, #13 is good old silverwood stain. I always forget how I achieve certain finishes and I hope this will keep things straight for me. Only took about 45minutes and again I think it will come in handy over many builds. rsz_img_4361

#3 and #10 are pretty much what I'm after.

PaulS · April 2019

Joel, excellent resource and thanks very much for sharing ... what is 'etoh' please ???
Thanks and I'll be following along,
--Paul

Joel · April 2019

Hi Paul,
Etoh is the chemical representation of alcohol. Sorry I didn't realize anyone was actually gonna read all my crazy ramblings. Truth is because of lighting and colour variations no one can use this actual chart but should make their own as the colours you see are likely different from the ones you'll get. Even when I try and replicate the effects I often just get close matches.

Robert.G · April 2019

Whilst waiting for my kit to arrive, your postings are for sure welcome and interesting readings.
And as so many others, I'll be following along the ride.

And Ed, I think you've got your movie classics mixed up...

PaulS · April 2019

Thanks Joel !!

Joel · April 2019

OK well the staining on the first few boards is done you can see the difference in the colouring for the exterior (on the right) and the interior. rsz_img_4384

Now to start a wall. The second wall is much more interesting and I'll document the construction in a bit of detail. I start with some double sided tape and in order to prevent the dreaded little bits of paper adhering to the wall I added some normal scotch tape over the area where the fire blocks are (the little horizontal boards) rsz_img_4391

Now I place the 1/4 "guides to keep everything square and the laser cut components. rsz_img_4392

Then I measure the different pieces required (9 long studs, 2 studs above the windows, 6 short ones below the windows...) As per the instructions I cut them a bit long and then use the true sander to get a good fit. I deviate from the instructions in that I make one of each and then use my new razor saw to cut copies. I hold the board that is the correct length on top of the board to be cut and then using the top board as a guide make an exact copy. Keep a copy of the long studs and some of the fire blocks to use as templates for the other walls. rsz_img_4366_1

Now I've got all my pieces cut I put a dab of AI on the ends even though they should never show. rsz_img_4394

Now I look at the plans and notice there are a few places where studs are double or tripled up. I assemble each of these units now before attaching them to the walls. I try and choose the ones with better grain to face out (remember the wall is built upside down so the details are positioned toward the template). rsz_img_4395

Now it is a simple matter of a dab of glue on each end and slotting them all in place. I glue the stud not the header so when I slot them in the excess glue is deposited on the upper surface of the wall which will shortly be covered by tarpaper.
rsz_img_4396

Finally the fire blocks are cut to size and ends stained and glued in place. Took me longer to write all this than to actually build the wall. rsz_img_4397

kebmo · April 2019

looking good so far....

David_C · April 2019

Joel,
I just received my Truck Repair yesterday and first things first, I read the always great manual. This kit is another one of Bretts' fantastic genius. I will be following your construction techniques and hopefully I can accomplish the same.. almost.

Robert.G · April 2019

With the manual AND the super detailed information we get here, one can't go wrong.
Great take off !!

KKarns · April 2019

What a pleasure to see you working up this official forum build Joel. I really like your attention to the wood detailing right up front and find it so evident in the quality of your work. I'll take a framed copy of your stripwood trial board to hang in my shop! Awesome work my friend...love it.