U.S. Tractor D7 “Tow Cat” by CDW - FINISHED - MiniArt - 1:35 Scale

[Jack12477]

Oh oh ! The stash is growing I 

[CDW]

5 minutes ago, Jack12477 said:

Oh oh ! The stash is growing I 

Remember that movie, The Blob? That's the way my stash is growing. 😅

[CDW]

Uncle Joe was my mentor. In 1933 Joe was born, one of 16 children all of the same mother and father on a farm in West Virginia. While his dad was away at work, an employee of Columbia Gas company, all the kids had chores to do to help keep food on the table. When Joe reached the ripe old age of 8, he decided (probably from necessity) to go to work full-time with his older cousin, Lester. Lester was a logger, driving a team of Belgian work horses to haul huge cut logs to a sawmill. In new pipeline construction, a 100-foot-wide right-of-way is cleared pushing trees off to each side. The timber was pretty much free for the taking as it most often was in locations very difficult to access and even more problematic dragging it to the sawmills. Joe learned to command his own team of horses and by the time he was 18 years old, had saved enough money to buy his own dump truck, trailer, and D6 dozer. From this humble beginning, Joe built his own multi-million-dollar gas and oil pipeline business. 

[lmagna]

7 hours ago, Jack12477 said:

Nice hobby store you have there ! 😁😇

I agree not many have a larger stash than I do but in this case I am hopelessly outclassed.  Heck there are hobby stores with smaller inventory.😁 You do need to organize your shelfs before posting pictures though into sections of aircraft, armored, cars, ships, etc. That way I can shop easier. It could be possible you may have to either raise the ceiling or lower the floor if you get any more.

 

I also think that you have found the sure way to hide new models from the wife. Once they get in there she will never see it. It will be like ET in the toy pile!

[CDW]

She even went with me to buy the models today. She never gives me any grief for buying hobby items, Never has in almost 50 years. 

[Canute]

She's a keeper.

[lmagna]

Mine is like that except I need to point out to her what I would like to have. A tugboat looks pretty much the same as a battleship to her!

 

An example was a few years ago I finally was able to locate a model of the USS Houston. It was of course in gray I had it out looking over the details and she said "Is that the Titanic"?+

[Canute]

My Admiral is pretty good with aircraft; she was a flight engineer on C-141s once upon a time. Beyond that it;s boat (Staten Island ferry or Hobie cat), or train(box car or the 20th Century Limited). She does tolerate my model building, too. 😄

[CDW]

10 hours ago, lmagna said:

 

[CDW]

I twisted together 4 strands of 30 gauge wire to create a cable for the winch. It seems a little too much diameter so will re-do with 3 strands for a smaller diameter.

 

If any of you have ever been a “swamper” for a winch equipped dozer, you will have a healthy respect for steel cable. The cable will often get frayed with individual wire strands jutting out. Even with heavy leather gloves on. The sharp strands often poke through the gloves giving a painful stab wound to the hands and fingers. It’s probably hard to believe, but I would completely wear out a new pair of leather work gloves every day. Company doesn't supply them either. It’s an individual expense.

 

 

[CDW]

Ready for some tracks. Fiddly links but convincing as real.

 

 

[Old Collingwood]

Coming along really nicely  - all that  detail you are squeezing out of it.

 

OC.

[CDW]

13 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

Coming along really nicely  - all that  detail you are squeezing out of it.

 

OC.

Thanks OC

 

Each track link consists of four parts. Each track side contains thirty six links. No quick way to get this done, parts are fiddly.

 

 

[CDW]

While there is no quick way to build the tracks, I found an organized and process flow that works well for me.

 

First glue a pin into one side of the link parts.

Note that each track pad has four alignment indents to locate the link parts.

Slide the pin/link assembly through the preceding link and glue to pad.

Note that there is a right and left link part and these parts are specific for each side. Now slide the opposite link part onto the pin then glue to the track pad. Glue must not contact the pin/link part so as to remain moveable.

 

 

[Egilman]

Classic single pin plate tracks... 

 

Lots of repetitive gluing.... Will look fantastic when done...

[CDW]

30 minutes ago, Egilman said:

Classic single pin plate tracks... 

 

Lots of repetitive gluing.... Will look fantastic when done...

Thanks…and it’s very realistic to the actual way the track links are assembled IRL. MiniArt are on their game in the design of their kits. Maybe could be considered a bit over engineered at times.

[CDW]

The very last link is completed by sliding a pin in place to secure the link, then glue on the track plate/pad. 
A subtle coat of clay colored shader placed on area of road wheels to simulate ground conditions. Other shades will be used elsewhere on the model along with other weathering effects.

 

 

 

[Egilman]

That's excellent Brother...

 

The tracks have that loosely tight look they all have when run for a bit....

 

I take it your going to leave it in Cat Yellow rather than OD?  Excellent choice in my opinion...

 

She really is looking the part....

[CDW]

1 hour ago, Egilman said:

That's excellent Brother...

 

The tracks have that loosely tight look they all have when run for a bit....

 

I take it your going to leave it in Cat Yellow rather than OD?  Excellent choice in my opinion...

 

She really is looking the part....

Yes on the yellow for this one. I have another armored version I will do in OD.

[CDW]

Using just these two shader paints so far

Looks like this

 

[CDW]

24 hour drying time on the shaders

[Canute]

Looks like it had a dirt bath.  Long drying time - are they some kind of oils?

[CDW]

Just now, Canute said:

Looks like it had a dirt bath.  Long drying time - are they some kind of oils?

Acrylics, water based, but there must be something added that slows the drying time. It's to allow some self-leveling tendencies, I think.

Kinda neat how the shader left what looks like a handprint on the toolbox. Totally unanticipated.

Edited August 2, 2022 by CDW

[CDW]

Using AK Weathering pencils to do some rust items here and there.

Started off with the exhaust manifold in dark rust. Subsequent colors will be applied to achieve the effect desired.

 

 

[CDW]

Engine grime wash

 

 

[CDW]

[Old Collingwood]

Excellent work.

 

OC.

[Edwardkenway]

Wow!! Absolutely awesome!

[CDW]

1 hour ago, Old Collingwood said:

Excellent work.

 

OC.

 

31 minutes ago, Edwardkenway said:

Wow!! Absolutely awesome!

31 minutes ago, Edwardkenway said:

 Thanks for the comments.

 

Every Cat dozer I ever worked around had a hinged flap on top of the exhaust stack to keep rain and debris out. The kit did not include one, but it’s easy enough to scratch one from scrap styrene and photo etch tree material.

 

 

[CDW]

Anatomy of a rusty exhaust stack