20210404
Started work on the Model Trailways Phillips 66 Oil Tank Wagon a couple of days ago. Decided to this instead of another ship model – a bit of a change, a challenge and besides, I work with petroleum infrastructure. (In the same box that contained this model I also received 2 more ship models; trying to avoid 'downtime' between during the next few months.)
I started with the wheels for the model. Interesting item as the wheel hubs are metal (not cast resin) and although the axle holes are round, the hubs are slightly oval. The out-of-round hubs meant that some of the spokes were a bit on the short side and would not stay put without some help.
After fumbling my first assembly attempt (spokes seemed to go everywhere but where they were supposed to), I build a small jig that held the hub in the right position relative to the rim (slightly below the rim’s outer face) allowing the spokes to be put in place with a slight angle towards the real of the wheel. To hold the hub end of the spokes in place I filled the slot in the hub with modeling putty. Pressing the spokes into the modeling putty while gluing the rim ends to the spokes allowed me to get the wheels looking just about right. Once I hade everything in place I moved the spokes as needed to get them lined up; a little CA glue was also of assistance in a few spots. A couple of the spokes are not perfectly aligned but overall they look OK. I decided to paint the wheels gunship gray instead of white; painted the tire strips black.
Started work on the tank part of the wagon while waiting for the paint on the wheels to dry. Have it roughed-in: holes for fill caps and drains drilled, plastic rods simulating weld seams installed, and end caps glued on. Need to final shape the end caps then install the fill ports on the top and the fuel pipes on the underside of the tank before getting started with the wagon frame.
Started work on the Model Trailways Phillips 66 Oil Tank Wagon a couple of days ago. Decided to this instead of another ship model – a bit of a change, a challenge and besides, I work with petroleum infrastructure. (In the same box that contained this model I also received 2 more ship models; trying to avoid 'downtime' between during the next few months.)
I started with the wheels for the model. Interesting item as the wheel hubs are metal (not cast resin) and although the axle holes are round, the hubs are slightly oval. The out-of-round hubs meant that some of the spokes were a bit on the short side and would not stay put without some help.
After fumbling my first assembly attempt (spokes seemed to go everywhere but where they were supposed to), I build a small jig that held the hub in the right position relative to the rim (slightly below the rim’s outer face) allowing the spokes to be put in place with a slight angle towards the real of the wheel. To hold the hub end of the spokes in place I filled the slot in the hub with modeling putty. Pressing the spokes into the modeling putty while gluing the rim ends to the spokes allowed me to get the wheels looking just about right. Once I hade everything in place I moved the spokes as needed to get them lined up; a little CA glue was also of assistance in a few spots. A couple of the spokes are not perfectly aligned but overall they look OK. I decided to paint the wheels gunship gray instead of white; painted the tire strips black.
Started work on the tank part of the wagon while waiting for the paint on the wheels to dry. Have it roughed-in: holes for fill caps and drains drilled, plastic rods simulating weld seams installed, and end caps glued on. Need to final shape the end caps then install the fill ports on the top and the fuel pipes on the underside of the tank before getting started with the wagon frame.