Ale-8-One Reefer

[Chuck Doan]

Another beautiful model. A shame those trucks will be hidden under the car.

[EZnKY]

Thanks Chuck.  I'll know they're there though...

I've still got my doubts on this whole work thing Russ.  I've tried to keep an open mind and have given it a try for more than 20 years, but I still feel like there's a whole lot of time and effort required for not that much in return. 

[pwranta193]

Nice, Eric

It really is a slick piece of work - though I know nothing about trucks other than that is where the round thingy that smashes the pennies is mounted.  I love seeing this kind of construction, as there is rarely this need for a working robustness with 1:35th static gear.

That and the fact that I suffer from Soldering Ineffectiveness Disorder.

Paul

[EZnKY]

A little progress on the ice hatches and platforms.  Still lots to do...

[Malachi Constant]

Nothing clever, critical or creative to add here ... but couldn't hurt to say that I'm still lurking and enjoying the progress here!  -- Dallas

[finescalerr]

Keep building. Your modeling inspires me. -- Russ

[EZnKY]

Thanks guys - I'll keep posting until someone says "enough."

I decided to use a different type of hinge for the doors.  I made a quick master from styrene and some castings from Ozark.  A quick mold using Alumilite products, followed by a bunch of copies.  I didn't take the time to set up a way to vibrate the mold or create a vacuum, so my failure rate was about 50%.  Lots of air bubbles around the hinge barrel.

The eight best castings turned out well enough to use, and they're at least as good as the ones in the kit from Phil, so I'm satisfied. 

Watching the news from Japan makes me grateful this is what I get to do today. 

[EZnKY]

Question-

I'm planning on painting the grab irons on the yellow sides in black.  Should the grab irons on the ends and on the roof be the same black, or should they be mineral red like the ends of the car?

[finescalerr]

Why not mineral red for both? Or black? -- Russ

[Philip Smith]

Pure perfection!

Philip




Hog Wallow, KY 

[EZnKY]

Pictures from this past weekend's efforts.  I decided to stick with black for the grab irons and have about half of them installed.
Most of the car has the base coats finished, but not much weathering done yet.

I'm fairly happy with how the door hinges turned out - at least the doors don't look like the average Colorado reefer.  One of these days I'm going to have to tackle the air bubble problem.

The hardware is on the roof hatches.

[EZnKY]

Slow progress on the trucks. 
I've put some lighter rust tones over the base coat.  On two of the wheelsets I sponge painted it; on the other two I splattered the paint by blowing an empty airbrush across a loaded paint brush.  Crappy results both ways, but it didn't really matter once I added the pigments.  Next steps will be grease and dust, followed by final dry brushing the high points with bright rust.

I did a little detail painting on the trucks, followed by a rust wash.  Pigments and grease next.  I've really been torn on how far to take the trucks.  I want them to appear in service and not decrepit - ess weathered than the prototype photo.  But not brand new either.  I haven't found photos showing a lot of chipped paint the trucks - mostly grime, dust, and grease.  That's why I started with a uniform black base coat rather than a rust base followed by a chipped black coat.  We'll see how they turn out...

[Malachi Constant]

Wow, that last shot is unbelievably realistic!    (Oh, and the model is looking good too.) -- Dallas

[finescalerr]

I think your paint scheme looks wonderful. The attempts to replicate those weathered wheels is headed in the right direction, too. -- Russ

[Frederic Testard]

Your wheels are nice, Eric.
A moment I thought you had modelled what's shown in the last picture and that I would have to retire from modelling. I see I may have a respite...