Dennis Bus by Mike Dowling - FINISHED - OcCre

[Mike Dowling]

I have seen many people asking about OcCre models on this forum but very few logs about them. I realise this is a non boat topic but just at the moment there are several stagecoaches being built so I though I would continue the trend.

 

I have made lots of OcCre models and I think they are great. Wood is usually of good quality, metal mouldings excellent, instructions some of the best I have seen as they come in the form of a booklet with step by step instructions and photos. I appreciate their kits would be a total anathema to the scratch builders out there but they are good fun and make up into lovely looking models.

 

So, onto the usual box contents which you can see. There are always a lot of metal pieces in their kits but all small items are enclosed in a plastic box. The laser cut sheet parts are some of the best I have come across.

 

 

[Eddie]

Hey howya goin Mike mate, great to have you back making build logs, I will follow you on this one mate. I've heard about OcCre but never really looked at them on the web, well it's about time I do.   

 

Mike weave us a story, a tale about OcCre, as we sit by the camp fire roasting marshmallows and getting bloody drunk on beer.

[popeye the sailor]

interesting project    this is the first car kit made of wood that I've seen

[Chuck Seiler]

Sure, why not.  NRG is becoming a chapter of the International Plastic Model Society, with wooden models getting awards at IPMS shows.  Why not wagons and vehicles.

[Mike Dowling]

Not a lot to show yet but this is the beginning of the lower 'deck'!

 

Much to my surprise for an OcCre kit one sheet of laser cut pieces has a very nasty warp. I have managed to flatten it but a quick email to OcCre and replacements are on their way. Pretty good I reckon and they always have been when a fault occurred.

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

What will be the interior of the bus has been given floor lining and seats and the drivers seat has been 'planked'.

 

 

[Eddie]

Hey howya goin Mike mate, good start mate.   

[Mike Dowling]

With apologies for the dreadful photographs the lower box (!!!) is now painted and glazed and the ceiling is ready to be fitted. Unfortunately the glazing had to be done first and for those that have used acrylic glass before you will know how much static is generated when removing the protective film which then attracts every bit of dust! Still, it has to be done and I will remove it to glue the lid on. I tried to pre-bend the ceiling a bit but there is quite a curve and I foresee some serious clamping to get it to hold done whilst the glue dries.

 

 

[chborgm]

I use a stiff clea material that is use for clear divider in notebooks etc. I got it at office max. It is also great to use as a surface when you want to glue parts.  since ca will not stick to it.  

when gluing I set a sheet over the plans, Line the pieces up with the plan or sketch and glue it. When dry the parts just lift off.

 

It is called "presentation covers" on the box. Their web site is www.gbc.com. I have to buy a box of 100, but they come in handy.

 

Clarence 

[Mike Dowling]

See, I told you it would need some serious clamping!!

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

Time for an update.

 

The roof stayed on! The cabin is basically finished now except for pretty signs and various accessories.

 

A point that might be useful to some. OcCre have loads of very nicely laser cut pieces but, when joining them together the locating holes often show and look horrid. So, I cover them in paper either before or after assembly depending on where they are. The roof over the cab seat was done after construction and hides two big and I have papered the stairs prior to construction to show you what I mean. These locating holes do not fill well with normal filler and still show hence the paper.

 

 

Whilst waiting for things to dry  I started work on the chassis. Loads of little nails to insert and cut off to simulate rivets. There were a few wood breakages involved in this process but nothing that couldn't be repaired with glue and some paint. Also done the bonnet, side, radiator. Still done driving controls to go on the side but not until near the end.

 

 

 

 

 

[reklein]

Nice looking project. I have to comment on those odd looking rear wheels though. Were they wood or what. Wondering how I could find out more on their engineering?

[Mike Dowling]

Bill, I should imagine the wheels were cast in some kind of metal.

 

Stairs on, fiddly little things they were and quite difficult doing the sides. Also planked the walkway for the top deck.

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

A progress update.

The seats are done complete with handrails. The sides of the upper deck are on and the handrails done. I have put the body on the chassis a bit earlier than the instructions suggest as I  think it would have been easy to knock off the rails later. At least it is  beginning to look like a bus now.

 

 

[Eddie]

Hey howya goin Mike mate,  shes coming along great, you know what country this bus was in?    

[Mike Dowling]

Er ... would you believe England Eddie ? I guess it will be more obvious when the signs are on!

[popeye the sailor]

nice bit of progress....coming along really well.   just bookmarked the site....they have some cool look'in models  

[Mike Dowling]

Making the hand rails for the stairs was a real labour of love ! Gradually bending the wire bit by bit until it was right took me a whole afternoon. Adding the rhombus shaped pieces and finishing the stairway another day. Before I put all the signs on, each one had to have the very edge of the paper painted to avoid white lines showing around each.

It really is beginning to look like a bus now, and an English one at that Eddie!

 

There I is still quite a bit to do underneath yet but I am pleased with the way it is coming together.

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

On the final furlong now. The undercarriage is finished, mudguards on and the settings for the safety grills each side.

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

The beasty is finished! Made up into a nice little model I think, 1/24 scale. More of a kit than some where you would have to make up more parts yourself. OcCre castings up to there usual high standard. I have noted that their brittania metal is really quite hard and very strong unlike model trailways which is very soft and easily broken. OcCre's instruction books are brilliant with step by step instructions and excellent photos. I have done a lot of their models and this is amongst the best. Certainly a bit different from boat building.

 

Anyway, I hope you like the end result.

 

 

[Eddie]

Hey howya goin mike mate, well done mate, whats your next adventure going to be, did you save up for that plane?    

 

I pulled my plane kit off the shelf the other day and started cleaning up the laser cut burnt makes from it.

[popeye the sailor]

great looking model Mike....you did a very fine job of it

[JohnB40]

Very nice Mike

[michael mott]

Nice looking model Mike, I have a paper model of the same bus, still in the flat form.

Michael