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Model Railroader Associate Editor Eric White and MRVP’s Ben Lake join forces to build models of something no one produces in HO scale – a 1940s era cement truck. In this first installment, Eric walks you through the process of kitbashing the chassis and cab from other models to carry a 3D-printed cement mixer, designed by Ben. After watching the video, check out the story in the June 2017 issue of Model Railroader magazine, and if you want to make one yourself, you can buy the 3D printed mixer at www.shapeways.com/shops/rvm.
thanks for video with detail
OUTSTANDING !!!!!!! Very informative.
Fine job, and nice to have the measurements in millimeters instead of fractions of an inch.
Nicely done Ben, can you clarify one thing that was done. You removed a portion of the rear body frame leaving no rear cross member/body panel on the frame. Is that portion covered by the concrete mixer body, or do you add a piece of styrene to close the opening? Thanks
Very cool project Eric. This is the absolute weakest part of the hobby for me…. but maybe I could work up the courage to try something like this someday. Thanks for sharing!
First, thank you for properly referring to this truck as a concrete mixer. It mixes concrete, not cement. Cement is an ingredient of concrete. My father started a concrete company in Morristown, Tennessee in 1947. In this area most mixers were of the tapered inclined shaft design and often only used a single rear axle. The mixer size at the time ranged from 2 to 4 cubic yards in capacity. As mixes size increased the shift was made to dual rear axles. By the early 70’s mixers had increased in size to 10 or 11 C.Y. The limiting factor in mixer size today is the load capacity mandated by weight laws. Very nicely done model.
Michael, to get the axle where I needed it to be, I ended up having to move them both. There’s a version of this truck with tandem rear axles, but they might need to be moved to. I just worked with what I had.
John, Yes, the truck in the photo is an International. I couldn’t find models of the same truck, again, I used what was available. I found other similar vintage photos of Tews trucks that were built on other company’s cab and chassis. I don’t recall offhand what they were, but I figured the Chevy truck, which is easy to find, was plausible.
I assume (yes, I know that’s dangerous) both rear axles were driven. I didn’t install the driveshaft between the axles because it wouldn’t be obvious if it was missing. Unless someone picks up the truck and looks for it!
Maurice, Yes, Ben Lake designed the mixer body and it’s available on Shapeways at the River Valley Models store.
The Chopper was one of Andy Sperandeo’s. I think the hardboard base probably got a groove worn in it, so Andy laminated a piece of styrene to the surface to cover the groove. Then, he added a piece of styrene under the hinge to bring the arm back to the correct height.
Thanks for watching!
Eric
Thank you Eric for sharing your talents with us, enjoyed this video look forward to more.
Warning: Modifying small vehicles can be habit forming 🙂 The CMW vehicles often lend themselves to conversion, detailing or modification and the price is usually reasonable. Looking forward to Eric’s comments about working with the Shapeways part(s).
First of, credit where credit is due. The Cement mixer body is designed by River Valley Models and available through Shapeways. They note that it does not have to specifically be the dump truck for this conversion.
Second, what modifications or “hack” did you make to the NWSL Chopper and why?
Great project! Look forward to the next part.
Eric,
The photo of the Tew’s ready mix truck, what make is that truck? Looks like an International?
Also, did these tandem axle trucks have both rear axles driven, or just one axle?
In the video you only connected one to the drive shaft. Today’s trucks have both rear axles driven.
Excellent modification
Question: Would it have been easier to leave the axle in place as modeled and add a second axle/differential to the end of the frame? You did have to “steal” the wheels and tires from a second truck, so why not just cut the frame you are going to use short and add the second axle on the end using essentially the same method?
Personally, I was kinda disappointed with the story and the video as I was hoping to show the process of 3D design and production of the cement mixer body. I expected to see more about that in the mag and the vid. Instead a very well planned and document model chop shop, which is good in its own right.
Cool project. I enjoyed the video.
Impressive scratch/kitbash modeling Eric. Nice looking truck at the end. I like the fact that you admitted that you had earlier versions of the model from which you learned how to build the final copy. Where did you get the cement barrel from and was that stock or did you design that off of a photograph? Thanks.