1/24 Road Roller

[Gordon Ferguson]

Having now started with the crane thought I would add what I have been filling in my time with while deciding on colour, etc.
I have a thought that I would like to display the crane in some type of builders yard and that thought led me on to looking at photo's of road rollers  ......  I had decided that I would try and model one of the small versions and while I could neither find plans or even basic dimensions I did find this for inspiration



As with most of my models over the last few years it is not an exact scale replica, I used to model that way but ended loosing all the enjoyment of what is supposed to be a hobby and "fun" by the people that would point out that I had missed a rivet off on the third row down, etc.

I decided that the rollers may give more problems than the body so thats where I started, made out of rolled paper and plastic sheet plus rod and strip for additional details.



As it turned out the body was actually far more difficult .. probably due to the fact that I had no drawings or dimensions so I ended up having to rebuild it a number of times, as while not a scale model it is important to me that it at least looks as if it may work ( its the engineer in me !)



That last photo shows the balsa core which was then skinned with plastic card.

As is my usual practice , when I had the basic shapes sorted I then started to add some additional detail using rod, tubing etc.



Gradually I added more details



Since taking these photo's I have actually spent some time sorting where I am going to photograph my models , so sure you will delighted that the background clutter may be a thing off the past.



Last couple of shots show where I am now, the plan was to spray the model with a dark grey/black undercoat  1 to check for flaws and 2 to provide a base for using the hairspray technique to show subsequent wear. Now I am not so certain that I will go down this route , I am inclined to over weather my models  and think it may be better to lightly paint in the chips and wear.

More will follow.

Gordon

[lab-dad]

way cool!
Would have loved to see some more "along the way" photos.
The little details are great!
Thanks for posting!
-Marty

[Ken Hamilton]

What a gorgeous piece of scratchbuilding!! 
This kind of stuff is right up my alley.
Thanks for showing this - can't wait to see more.

[RoughboyModelworks]

Beautiful work on the road roller Gordon...

Paul

[chester]

Very nice work Gordon. I can't tell if it is missing any rivets.

[marc_reusser]

HE FINALLY POSTS!!! .

Wow!...and what a doozey it is!.. This is a great build...very cool project. I like your interpretation better than the original.

I love this,... first the crane ...now the roller...you're building all the projects on my "to do" list....now I don't need to build them,...I can just live vicariously through yours.

I think you should go ahead with the hair-spray approach.....have a look at Micheel Fitchenmeyers current Sci-Fi build.
SBS w/ painting on his website: http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/bergeluther/

...or Michael Rinaldi's TD-25:
On Mig Forum:  http://www.migproductionsforums.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3216


Thanks for posting this...look forward to the next steps.

MR

[Ray Dunakin]

I love it!

[Gordon Ferguson]

Glad you all liked this little beast.

Ray, for a man who produces that wonderful brass work , the fact that you like my "details" is a compliment. Let me know if there is a specific bit you want more shots on  ..... sure I have lots more out of focus, badly lit shots to share.

Ken Thanks.

Marc well pleased that I am reducing your work load, while you are in thinking mood ponder this little issue

The "tyre/tread" on the wheels  in the real ones is a roughly polished steel finish ... I think I will use one of the buff-able paints, with maybe some of the "heated alloy effect" paints used by the jet guys  & fichtenfoo just to add some slight character ( & pigment powders?) and hopefully keep the the toy effect away ....... any thoughts?
   

[marc_reusser]

Coloring is a tough call on those....

Like tracks, they quickly became shiny when rolling across the ground, and thus exposing the bare metal.....however, they could also very quickly develop surface rust over a few days of inactivity, as these freshly exposed steel begins to oxidize.

.....so it depends on what condition situation you want to model.

If going to the fresher worn steel, I would still be sure not to go too silver and shiny.....rather than using a silver or steel paint, I personally would probably opt for (or at least do a test of) something like the MIG steel pigment over a balck/brown base color...sort of the approach that Michael did...or what Mig did on the tines and front bottom/side edges of the scoop


Note that theoght still shiny, it has that darker underlying darkness and depth of steel.

You might well be able to achieve this using the darker or burnt steel color from alclad, and buffing it out to the desired sheen, but I think that this will be too monochromatic/even in shading/sheen........plus Alclad is a real b*tch to work with over imperfect surfaces (not saying you have one...just a heads-up).

Regardless I would do a few test pieces on some scrap tube.

I personally don't think I would go the route of the discolored/heated metal .....just doesn't seem right...I see no reason for the metal to get hot enough to get that type of discoloration (and from the few rollers I have seen in my life, I can't really recall it occuring).

HTH,

Marc

[marc_reusser]

OK...so my first thought is probably a bit off......it appears roller discoloration also depends on what the heck you are rolling:

























And last but not least....here's one that made me think of Ken

[finescalerr]

I visited Marc today and he told to check out this thread when I got home. It was good advice. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]

Some More....





















...now you just need to choose your look  

[Gordon Ferguson]

You don't hang around do you !

I would say thanks for taking the time to find all this reference material, however all you have really done is find about 3 or 4 more rollers I would like to have a go at 

Agree, material being rolled is key to overall colour .... was not thinking of trying to show heated steel only to get some tonal variation. Your material has helped clarify my thinking, which is

If abandoned or laid up for a while main colouring will be variations on rust/oxidised metal

or

if in use linking the colour to the rolled surface .. possibly using pigments, over a "slightly" oxidised surface.

In both cases seems pretty clear that colour will have to be applied in such way to show the movement /streaking at 90 degrees to axis of rotation .... and the best advice is to get some practice pieces done.

Thanks for this   

[NORCALLOGGER]

Gordon,
Outstanding model and leads to another question.
what/how did you model the lettering on the radiator shell?
Thanks for posting these great models.
Rick Marty

[Gordon Ferguson]

Rick,

the letters were individually applied... and it shows unfortunately - 2mm plastic alphabet from http://www.slatersplastikard.com/plastikard/alphabets.html

Spaced out, fixed with MEK Pac and then burnished with glass fibre pencil when dry to attempt to make them look cast.