P.S.P./Scale-Link 20 ton US Low Bed Trailer
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2015 - 05:33 PM UTC
Brian please understand, I am not arguing this minor point about air line colors, I don't really know that much about such things, I am just sharing reference material.
p.s. I really liked that link you gave us to another site talking about this subject. Thanks
This is a restored Mack NO now living in Britain and as you say perhaps they use different colors in Europe.
(I am looking into this only because I was thinking of adding the air line connections front and back, to both the White 666 and also my Mack NO just to give a splash of color to these otherwise all OD painted vehicles. So I have been looking into what colors to paint them.)#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2015 - 05:38 PM UTC
However I shot this Army recovery vehicle right here in Kentucky.
And the 5 ton it was towing had this.
(Perhaps the Army does not consider a blue service air line as a proper military color - fine for the Navy and Air Force - but not for the Army.)Hey, just kidding around!
New York, United States
Joined: May 02, 2013
KitMaker: 4,403 posts
Armorama: 4,078 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2015 - 06:26 PM UTC
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2015 - 07:23 PM UTC
Seems like we have military vehicles on flatbeds going by almost all the time on I-75 and I-64 and I NEVER have my camera when I need it. The photos of the recovery vehicle were shot on a cell phone!
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2015 - 07:34 PM UTC
WHY DO THEY CALL THEM "GLADHANDS"?
Railroad Definition:
Gladhand connector:
"A quick coupling and uncoupling connector at the end of a trainline air hose that resembles a pair of shaking hands when hoses are connected."
Florida, United States
Joined: November 23, 2012
KitMaker: 1,277 posts
Armorama: 1,254 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2015 - 09:37 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Thanks Brian. You're right of course. I fussed about the original model maker getting the mechanical brake rigging running down the wrong side of the trailer because they were looking at a photo they thought was upside down (it wasn't) and then I go and make the same rooky mistake! Yes the air tank would be on the left side of the trailer and not the right. From the diagrams I have the electrical lines run down the right side and the air lines down the left!
CORRECTED PHOTO:
Ya know...after taking another look at the underside of your trailer, I'm thinking you could still glue on some wood planks and not have it readily noticed that it could be 'out of scale', i.e., too 'thick'.
I've got some of those planks to spare if you're willing to try it out!
IPMS number 506
AMPS number 711
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2015 - 11:29 PM UTC
Thanks John for your kind offer.
I probably will add some planks to the underside of the trailer but the problem is whenever the floor bottom gets near any structural member the resin "flows" up and into the structural member. So what should be flat floor isn't.
My thought right now is to put flooring in the flat central area of each square and then cover the "flow" with caked mud.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2015 - 11:49 PM UTC
Here is my very poor rendition of what I have in mind for the underside of the trailer:
The light gray tone represents the caked mud that could cover up the flaws in the resin molding. Also I would actually show way more flooring than this illustration indicates.
Florida, United States
Joined: November 23, 2012
KitMaker: 1,277 posts
Armorama: 1,254 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 04:57 AM UTC
I am on vacation for the next two weeks, away from home, so, if you want some planks, you will have to wait a bit.
IPMS number 506
AMPS number 711
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 07:34 AM UTC
Finished the manual brake mechanism tonight. The black line is some very nice micro-chain zig-zagging it's' way through several rollers to then connect to the brake wheel shaft. Brake wheel will go on the left.
Tonight I had to strip and rebuild ALL the brake rigging on the trailer. More on that later.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 07:36 AM UTC
Day dream'n
Gonna have to lower that fifth wheel! Trailer is sitting way too high!
Colorado, United States
Joined: December 24, 2005
KitMaker: 1,624 posts
Armorama: 994 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 08:32 AM UTC
Hello Michael,
It's cool, total understand what you are doing with the references. It's hard to explain the color difference and why the military examples are yellow and civilian trucks are blue. Yw for the link btw.
Also, the definition you have is pretty much spot on.
The gladhands look like somebody shaking hands, hence the name. Other definitions range from a political handshake to a handshake from a person with malicious intentions.
See ya in the funnies..............
Everyday is a gift, not a given.
......and all we know is he's called the Stig.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 05:29 PM UTC
Thanks John for the offer but I am trying something else here. I figured I needed something very thin and the same width as the planks on the topside deck so I using .20 x .188 Evergreen plastic. Then I am distressing it to look like wood by dragging a saw blade over it several times.
Now using this concoction to put a thin vener over the entire under side of the trailer.
It is looking fairly good as long as you don't look too close. Hopefully the other added details will distract the viewer's eye!
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 09:22 PM UTC
I said earlier, I had to strip out all the old brake rigging.
The P.S.P. instructions had the brake shaft and rigging hanging down below the main structural members. In reality this would put it in the perfect location to get knocked off wherever the trailer went over a high spot in the terrain. In actuality all this gear is intended to be mounted BETWEEN the structural members and out of harm's way.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BEFORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AFTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
This view from the TM is looking down from above with the wood decking removed.
______________________________________________________________________________
Next comes the mounting of the air brake actuators, the air tank and some piping.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 09:36 PM UTC
As you have probably already noticed I have begun to cover the underside of the trailer with thin plastic strips distressed to look like wood. My opinions are mixed regarding this process but I certainly like it better than having done nothing here. I suspect it will look better once painted and weathered.
Texas, United States
Joined: March 11, 2007
KitMaker: 977 posts
Armorama: 976 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 09:45 PM UTC
Gregovich "I paint all my Models in 4BO Green" Beckman
Holder of the Knight's Cross, Hero of the Soviet Union, Dragon Slayer and Slinger of Massive BS.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Monday, July 13, 2015 - 02:08 AM UTC
I am currently trying to add a thin veneer of plastic "wood" to the underside of this trailer. Started out using a burr in my Dremmel tool trying to square up the curved "fillets" on the underside floor of this trailer.
What it looks like in the "after burr".
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Monday, July 13, 2015 - 02:22 AM UTC
After squaring up the resin fillets I then started adding the "wood planks" one board at a time.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Monday, July 13, 2015 - 05:39 AM UTC
This will give everyone a fairly good idea of how the underbody flooring is coming together:
Still need to add brake cylinders, air tank, piping, wiring and more bolt head detail.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Monday, July 13, 2015 - 06:38 PM UTC
In the photo above: The square tubing stubs sticking up along the top edge of the trailer frame are the bottom ends of the pole pockets that are cast into the top of the trailer deck. These still need to be cut off flush with the underside of the trailer frame.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Monday, July 13, 2015 - 06:49 PM UTC
OK, any suggestions on making large caked on mud deposits? I would like to use something that is already light mud brown rather than something I have to paint afterwards.
Texas, United States
Joined: March 11, 2007
KitMaker: 977 posts
Armorama: 976 posts
Posted: Monday, July 13, 2015 - 07:06 PM UTC
Elmers Wood putty. Comes in a tube...can get at Home Depot, Lowe's or Walmart. It comes in a woody sort of color, close enough to mud. A dark brown wash is all you need after it dries. The putty is a light tan color with some dark brown colors mixed in. Not too expensive either.
Gregovich "I paint all my Models in 4BO Green" Beckman
Holder of the Knight's Cross, Hero of the Soviet Union, Dragon Slayer and Slinger of Massive BS.
#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Monday, July 13, 2015 - 07:13 PM UTC
Thanks Greg. Had not thought about wood putty, could be perfect!
Here is a good mud how-to by Adam Wilder:
https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/1221#521
Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 12:31 AM UTC
Tennessee, United States
Joined: January 10, 2005
KitMaker: 337 posts
Armorama: 332 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 12:02 PM UTC
Mike, That trailer can also be had with the converter dolly. Do you have any idea if the fifth wheel assembly would be a match for converting the truck to a tractor?
In Memory of Cpl. Cecil T. Nicholson, U.S. Army, 1931-2006
