Bodge it #2 - scratch bodged cattle truck

[adeshers]

By popular demand &:


A few photos of progress, so far, of my cattle truck with opening doors. I think the photos explain construction better than I can. The chassis is an LGB of unknown origin but I bought it from fellow forum member C&S (thanks Giles). Coffee stirrers form the bodywork and floor. I've replaced the wheels with metal Liliput axles and filled the hollow cavities in the chassis with roofing lead to add ballast. The hinges on the small doors have been made using strips of cut-up cat food tin and 1mm copper wire stripped out of 'twin & earth' cable. For the hinges for the large doors/ramps I used the same wire but left the insulation on and cut through it and glued alternate sections to the body, then the ramp / body / ramp / body (I told you the pictures would explain it better. Left to do are the roof, buffer beams, paint and round up the cattle. The body will be attached to the chassis using screws through the holes in the uprights that extend below floor level so it can be removed for maintenance or change of 'live' cargo .

Damn those Slim Fast tins :wits:

 

[Eaglecliff]

Nice one - very inspirational. Only managed to collect 4 coffee stirrers so far - have you SEEN the price of motorway coffee??? I tend to buy stripwood from GeeDee Models in Nottingham when I'm allowed out.
Keep up the good work.

 

[peterbunce]

Nice work, Thanks for the photos - as you say they add a lot to the post, and as usual save a 1000 words each!

Possibly, rather than remember to shift the tines aech time, it could be much better have a white to light grey sheet of card(?) to hide them, and it is removable when the photos have been taken - I suspect that the tins are being used for storage? If so a good use for useful tins.

 

[adeshers]

Nice work, Thanks for the photos - as you say they add a lot to the post, and as usual save a 1000 words each!

Possibly, rather than remember to shift the tines aech time, it could be much better have a white to light grey sheet of card(?) to hide them, and it is removable when the photos have been taken - I suspect that the tins are being used for storage? If so a good use for useful tins.

Sound advice Peter, the trouble is remembering. SWMBO read that vitamin B1 helps short term memory so bought some tablets but we always forget to take the things (and they taste horrible :- )


Sure enough, you can't have enough storage. When Dad died we cleared out his garage and found an old tea caddy used for storing screws that I can remember as a little boy - they are probably the same screws as well knowing Dad

 

[adeshers]

Nice one - very inspirational. Only managed to collect 4 coffee stirrers so far - have you SEEN the price of motorway coffee??? I tend to buy stripwood from GeeDee Models in Nottingham when I'm allowed out.
Keep up the good work.

I buy mine by the several hundred off e-bay. Just do a search for coffee stirrers. Don't know if they work out cheaper than your stripwood and the quality can be sometimes dodgy. You've got to weed out the bent ones but they don't go to waste.

 

[Gizzy]

I get my (used) coffee stirrers from Sheringham Station on the Poppy Line.
I go round all the tables and empty their table top rubbish recepticles for them....

 

[owlpool]

very nice

 

[dragon]

Sound advice Peter, the trouble is remembering. SWMBO read that vitamin B1 helps short term memory so bought some tablets but we always forget to take the things (and they taste horrible :- )

I understood it was Vitamin B12 that was taken for memory loss. But what do I know?

 

[Shawn]

Another great looking car. Nice work so far.

 

[C&S]

Very nice job, Ade; glad the chassis has been put to good use, and under one of my favourite prototype wagons, too.

Re: hinges and strapping, have you tried using the metal foil that is used to make the tubes for tomato puree? Much easier to cut and fashion than tinplate, and you can emboss rivets from the back with a sharp point. I used to use toothpaste tubes, until they all went plastic, but luckily the tomato boys still use metal foil.

 

[adeshers]

Very nice job, Ade; glad the chassis has been put to good use, and under one of my favourite prototype wagons, too.

Re: hinges and strapping, have you tried using the metal foil that is used to make the tubes for tomato puree? Much easier to cut and fashion than tinplate, and you can emboss rivets from the back with a sharp point. I used to use toothpaste tubes, until they all went plastic, but luckily the tomato boys still use metal foil.

Thanks Giles, now that's a good tip. I'll try that.

 

[adeshers]

Quick update -

Thin styrene sheet was cut and embossed to provide buffer beams and a large sheet was cut to make a base for the roof.

The roof was then clad with coffee stirrers.

The ends were sanded to (almost) parallel.

Muslin was then glued on using waterproof PVA and left to dry overnight.

And all was overseen by the depot supervisor

 

[Martino]

Very, very nice.

More power to your elbow, sir.

 

[mikka]

wowzers..... :admire:

i wish i had the patience with them coffee stirrers....

i made some wooden coach sides for a friend dabbling in SM32 and havent used any 3 years since XD

here in Oz we call em paddle pop sticks.....yes ice creams sometimes use em.

 

[Bram]

Cracking job you have done there, the tomato puree foil is also good for lead flashing on buildings.

 

[yb281]

Crackin job, I like cattle wagons . A couple of Schleich cows will add some weight too.

 

[dunnyrail]

Nice one - very inspirational. Only managed to collect 4 coffee stirrers so far - have you SEEN the price of motorway coffee??? I tend to buy stripwood from GeeDee Models in Nottingham when I'm allowed out.
Keep up the good work.

Another option is to get Lolly Sticks. I got a pack from my local friendly Art Shop. Not a lot of dosh changed hands as I seam to remember. Because they are a bit larger than Coffee Stirrers they do need cutting down for some smaller applications. But are just right for some of the larger ones.
JonD

 

[Steve]

Looks Brilliant like the way you have done the roof

 

[adeshers]

Thanks for all the kind comments - very heartening. A few photos follow with an update.

The livestock have been rounded up (a Schleich bull and cow) but their transport is not ready! The muslin on the roof is dry and now the excess can be wrapped underneath and glued, left to dry and then trimmed.

Trimming completed and in this shot you can see that the glue has become less opaque and the planks can be seen through the muslin. The doors are open ready to receive the cattle.

The beasts fit (just). The flash photography gives a better idea of the colours. With the cattle on board that's one weighty (some might even say - meaty) wagon. Sorry - hat, coat, door.

 

[pugwash]

Ace Ade!
Could you take a closer shot of the hinges please? I'm intrigued. Okay, you did while I was typing
Now the crunch, where in Chapel-en-le-Frith are you going to get cow pong?