Uh-oh...major project!! Need some ideas!!
Daniel M. Farnham
I got hit with a whopper today (not Burger King, and get your minds out of
the gutter! :-)) I came stolling into the College Place Fire Dept., where I
work, and the Chief hands me two AMT/ERTL LaFrance Fire Engine kits. Both
had been started to some degree. One is the Pumper, and the other is a
Ladder Chief, the 1000 series. They were given to the department by someone
or other, and now the Chief wants me to build a replica of our Engine 12-2.
It's obvious that there are going to be some major hurdles to clear here to
get the project done- like a large amount of modifying and scratch building.
I'll give you all a little insight- I'm 31, and I've been modeling for 14+
years, and mostly build WW2 planes. I have almost 170 model planes (only
twenty are not built, and three of those are currently in progress), and all
are 1/48 scale. The only non-aviation models I ever built was a starship
Enterprise, an M1A1 Abrams tank (which I was a crewman on in the National
Gaurd), and a 1/800 scale USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), which I was a crewman on
when I was in the Navy.
Now I've been handed this project, and I know that it's going to take some
major work, to say the least- kitbashing, scratch building, modifying....I
have done very little of this before, and I'm a bit intimidated!
Okay, now for my questions (if I haven't put you all to sleep by now)....
First, what would be a good source for plastic parts I can use to replicate
the SCBA packs for the jumpseats?
Second, is there a specific material that would be best (such as tubular
cotton maybe) for replicating the hose loads on the Engine?
Third, what would be good material to use to replicate shoulder straps for
things like the SCBA's?
Those are the only three questions I'm posting for now- I'm sure I'll have
more as this goes on! I'm trying to keep this as short as possible (I can
just about hear the snoring now! :-)), but let you all know where I'm coming
from, so it might give you all a good idea of the advice I need!
If it helps, you can go check out a picture of the Engine I'm building a
model of- the web site is www.ci.college-place.wa.us/Fire.html. Once there,
click on "Apparatus", and you will be able to scroll down to a picture of
our Engine 12-2.
Thanks for your time everyone, and I'll be looking forward to seeing what
you have to say!
Dan
Dustin May
hopefully, rewarding project. Keep us posted!
--
Dustin May
Take out the "nospam." in my address for replies.
"Daniel M. Farnham" <stickan...@bmi.net> wrote in message
news:3c576715@news...
Steve Frost
> >
> > Second, is there a specific material that would be best (such as tubular
> > cotton maybe) for replicating the hose loads on the Engine?
> >
Solder in some thickness? In all seriousness, thin shoe laces, e.g.
dress shoes? The shoe laces might have too much texture though. You only
need present the effect of a roll of hose not necessarily the entire
roll of hose to scale...right? Not sure what scale you're shooting for;
I suppose 1/24 or a 'regular" auto scale, correct?
> > Third, what would be good material to use to replicate shoulder straps for
> > things like the SCBA's?
> >
Thin metal sheets work great for shoulder straps, seat belts, etc. as
does toothpaste tube material, at least in 1/35 scale. Verlinden sells
it in various thickness levels, but there are other alternatives to
outright buying them. The metal sheets can be gleaned from empty tubes
of oil/acrylic paint, medication, creams or ointments. Slice the tubes
open, wash them in warm soapy water and roll them out with a small
rolling pin and there you have it. The sheets are malleable and hold
shape.
Believe it or not, one of the best sources of thin lead sheet is the
dentist. The films used for dental x-rays come packed in small 1 inch by
1 inch lead sheets. My dentist gladly gives me a bag or two of the stuff
every few months. It's malleable, and it's free. The size might exclude
its use for your needs though.
HTH,
Steve Frost
Edwin Ross Quantrall
> Hi everyone!
>
> I got hit with a whopper today (not Burger King, and get your minds out of
> the gutter! :-)) I came stolling into the College Place Fire Dept., where I
> work, and the Chief hands me two AMT/ERTL LaFrance Fire Engine kits. Both
> had been started to some degree. One is the Pumper, and the other is a
> Ladder Chief, the 1000 series. They were given to the department by someone
> or other, and now the Chief wants me to build a replica of our Engine 12-2.
> It's obvious that there are going to be some major hurdles to clear here to
> get the project done- like a large amount of modifying and scratch building.
>
> I'll give you all a little insight- I'm 31, and I've been modeling for 14+
> years, and mostly build WW2 planes. I have almost 170 model planes (only
> twenty are not built, and three of those are currently in progress), and all
> are 1/48 scale. The only non-aviation models I ever built was a starship
> Enterprise, an M1A1 Abrams tank (which I was a crewman on in the National
> Gaurd), and a 1/800 scale USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), which I was a crewman on
> when I was in the Navy.
>
> Now I've been handed this project, and I know that it's going to take some
> major work, to say the least- kitbashing, scratch building, modifying....I
> have done very little of this before, and I'm a bit intimidated!
>
> Okay, now for my questions (if I haven't put you all to sleep by now)....
>
> First, what would be a good source for plastic parts I can use to replicate
> the SCBA packs for the jumpseats?
Plastruct, Evergreen, your parts/spares box, parts from old models, resin
detail sets, etc...
> Second, is there a specific material that would be best (such as tubular
> cotton maybe) for replicating the hose loads on the Engine?
White cotton shoelaces (?) dirtied or painted to resemble canvas?
> Third, what would be good material to use to replicate shoulder straps for
> things like the SCBA's?
Sheet lead?
> Those are the only three questions I'm posting for now- I'm sure I'll have
> more as this goes on! I'm trying to keep this as short as possible (I can
> just about hear the snoring now! :-)), but let you all know where I'm coming
> from, so it might give you all a good idea of the advice I need!
>
> If it helps, you can go check out a picture of the Engine I'm building a
> model of- the web site is www.ci.college-place.wa.us/Fire.html. Once there,
> click on "Apparatus", and you will be able to scroll down to a picture of
> our Engine 12-2
Neat!
> .Thanks for your time everyone, and I'll be looking forward to seeing what
> you have to say!
Hope it turns out well!
--
Edwin
"You are never dedicated to do something you have complete confidence in. No
one is fanatically shouting that the sun is going to rise tomorrow. They know
it's going to rise tomorrow. When people are fanatically dedicated to political
or religious faiths or any other kind of dogmas or goals, it's always because
these dogmas or goals are in doubt." - Robert M. Pirsig, "Zen & The Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance"
Bryan McKinney
How 'bout a few closeup pics of the SCBA's and the hose. I've got a pretty good
idea of what the hose looks like, but not the breathers.
Have you checked Squadron? Didn't somebody put out a airfield crash crew? Maybe
there are some breathers in it.
As far as hose, maybe a good model railroad shop might have something useful.
The only other thing I can think of is that heater coil stuff, you know the one
with the cloth-like insulation on it. Maybe you can pull that off.
Straps ought to be easy for an a/c guy. Strips of masking tape, lead foil. My
wife had some really fine weave muslin that looks like it might work for cloth
stuff. I might have to soak it in white glue.
Good luck.
Lance Mertz
it fold and everything... and would stay in place once dried.
Lance Mertz
Ketchikan, Alaska
Toujours Prete
Art Murray
to give the project to a totally deranged individual.
Imagine! Someone with more built kits than unbuilt kits!
Nut case, lunatic! :-)
Art
AAMRESIN
Dan,
As I don't know what an "SCBA" is, I cannot begin to answer that one.
However, if the rig you are modeling has the older-style canvas hose, then
white flat shoelaces will work very, very well. Simply dye them a light brown
with good ol' Lipton's tea--worked very well for me when I did this series of
fire apparatus some 25 years ago!.
As for seat belts/shoulder harnesses, this will be easy for any firefighter or
EMT! Dermicil surgical tape has a beautiful woven grain to it, and will take
either Tamiya or Testors Acryl paint for color, without obliterating the grain.
Simply cut the Dermicil to the scale width, and stick it down (if you want it
to stand out from the seats a bit, stick two lengths of narrowed Dermicil
together, back-to-back, and then glue it in place, leaving some gaps to make it
appear more like a belt, and less like upholstery detail.
Any other mods, such as bodywork, should be fairly easy, especially if you've
done any aircraft conversion work--just keep in mind that the subject is twice
the scale of the aircraft you've been doing.
Art Anderson
Jim Smith
Daniel M. Farnham
>Well, it's pretty clear that the Chief's first mistake was
> to give the project to a totally deranged individual.
> Imagine! Someone with more built kits than unbuilt kits!
> Nut case, lunatic! :-)
And proud of it!!!! :-)
Dan
"Art Murray" <amu...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3C58A855...@mindspring.com...
Daniel M. Farnham
You are exactly right- it's the backpack-type air tanks that we wear into
burning buildings and other hazardous enviornments. Sorry I didn't clarify
that in my post!
Regards,
Dan
"Jim Smith" <jsm...@email.com> wrote in message
news:3C58BDAF...@email.com...
The Laws
hoses. I am going to have to look for Dermicil tape for aircraft seatbelts.
Pete
Jim Smith wrote in message <3C58BDAF...@email.com>...
M Hanson
modelers there that might be able to give suggestions or help out. It's a
Yahoo group.
MH
"Daniel M. Farnham" <stickan...@bmi.net> wrote in message
news:3c576715@news...
Mike Kucaba
>Second, is there a specific material that would be best (such as tubular
cotton maybe) for replicating the hose loads on the Engine?<
I believe shoelaces work well.
You need to contact a guy named Tim Bongard,Has done some beautiful work in
SAE and Car Modeler.
--
Mike "KOOKABA " Kucaba
Willow Springs, IL U.S.A.
I thought I remembered that...then I remembered to forget that.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/modelcarbuilder/
"M Hanson" <mha...@nospam.tampabayshops.com> wrote in message
news:e9m68.80345$h31.5...@e420r-atl1.usenetserver.com...