Build thread, 1/56 hub and tire

[Doomsdave]

Very helpful information.  I'm anxious to see how you handle the treads.  Your truck is looking great so far. 

[Admiral Benbow]

A most useful step-by-step - thank you for that!

[CompanyB]

Thanks guys.  Good to know it's useful information.  There is not a handbook on scratch building or model making per say.  I just happen to stumble on things that seem to work, and then adjust the techniques over time.  Though now, I'm sort of big into the switch to 3D prototyping, and some of the newer models you'll see this year from company B and a new entity I'm involved with, use a combination of the 2 methods.

On the 3D work, I usually farm that out to a couple of good artists who use 3rd party print services like Shapeways or Moddler.  That means that all my time is spent on drawing/sourcing the initial model blueprints, isometric views of specific parts,and reviewing the artwork and files.

On the wheels..  You can imagine changing things up a bit in Step 3.  It's at this phase that adding things like long round strip for bolts/rivets, or additional tubes for more elaborate rims.  It's much easier to add long bits of rod to protrude as bolts now, rather than try to drill the holes evenly later.  The tire tread is actually easy.  Again, it involves thing strips of plastic, being cut at different angles.  It does involve sculpting the plastic to shape by sanding though.  But it's not too hard.

Spokes , my suggestion is to use 3D   Spokes are a plain pain to do.  Not so much for a one off, but for metal reproduction.  That's why I went with 3D on the Austin Ac's.  But, you will be happy to know that I'm currently working on blue prints for a 1916 civilian model T in "large" 1/56 scale.  Still compatible with our line, but enlarged slightly in the passenger compartment to be able to hold a good amount of drivers and passengers.  I'm getting several variants of wheels done, and was thinking of making just the wheels available in the shop, along side the kit.  This kit will be interesting, as I'm getting the whole frame, drive gear, gas tank, engine, wheels, etc in 3D, and the resin coach and bonnet will just drop on for glueing.  Sort of like the real car.

Hammers, sounds great to make this an official How To.  I'll post a few more pics tonight of some hub variants and get started on documenting the tire tread application.  If you need an clarification let me know.

Other secrets...hmmm, what do you want to know?  Maybe we need a "Ask the scratch builders" topic.

[6milPhil]

Great stuff indeed, even more so because you shared it. There's still moments of obsessive insanity to it, but for me that's all part of the hobby... 

[jdp]

Must... have.... tread... now! 
I enjoy all your build threads, it's always nice to take a peak behind the curtain and see how the pros do things.

[CompanyB]

Sorry for the delay in posting.  Work finally caught up too me, but don;t deel too sorry for me, as I draw for a living  

There are several ways to add treads to these tires.  it's rather simple, but does take a bit of time.

First off, lets refresh by looking at the hubs.  With a little variation, you can make quite a few different kinds.


For the treads, we'll be doing a standard tread pattern, and a chevron pattern.  For the standard treads, start by butting small sections of plastic that will act as the individual ribs of the tread.


You'll need to cut a lot of them.  Start gluing them to the tire, alternating one side to the other.You can use the width of each adjacent piece to help space them apart.


It's best to do a few, then leave it to allow the glue to set.  Then continue.  Make sure you go around the whole tire.


The next step will be to sand these down. Sand the sides flat, and begin to sand the tread pattern down at an angle, to blend it into the tire.  You can also start rounding the tread at this point as well.


Also start sanding the tread itself, to reduce it's height and create a more subtle effect.  After this, I'll add a few brushes of the plastic glue to soften the edges of the plastic a bit, then let it set.


Lets move onto the chevron pattern...
Starting with a different type of strip, flat strip, cut into chevron halves


Begin glueing these down, one on either side.

[Silent Invader]

I am extremely impressed.     Thanks for sharing. 

[Braz]

Impressive, and very informative. Not for the impatient. Thanks

[6milPhil]

Mad but brilliant, I've gathered the materials together to attempt this very thing, although I'll cast off a single wheel as I can't imagine making one than one of any type.

I do a fair amount of scratchbuilding, and a bit of hacking vehicles/diecasts but I've ever tried vehicles because I didn't have a clue about how you might make the wheels... so many thanks for opening a new hobby door for me. 

[CompanyB]

I would highly recommend casting from one master, as making four might prove maddening to some.  But if you do it while watching TV, it actually goes by pretty fast. It perhaps would be a little cheaper to just scratchbuild 4, since all you need is time.

I'll be casting the front hub and tire as one, and a double rear tire and hub as the other on the SWAT build.