1/12th scale road grader

[elderly]

I have finally finished the rear section of my grader. Here are a few pics.

[AUSSIE]

OH! What a Stunner Elderly.
And I must say equally good photos as well that show all the fine details.
Now I can't wait for the next installment

[elderly]

Thanks Aussie. It will be a while until the next instalment my wife and I are off to Melbourne next weekend for our Granddaughters engagement party. We will spend a few days down there catching up with old friends and later in the month we are off to Canada and Alaska.
Cheers Elderly.

[bj383ss]

Elderly,

Fantastic work. One question for you do you make your own dowels? I see you have several different sizes and species on this bad boy. I have a train I am going to start soon and it calls for several different sizes of dowel rod in walnut. I'm trying to figure out how to make my own in small sizes like 1/8" and 3/16".

Later,
Bret

[AUSSIE]

I have a way that I make Dowels for my toys-
I have a small metal turning lathe that I fit a wood turning chuck too.I use metal cutting tooling and run my dowels down with this setup.
Another thing I use is a metal paint scraper with accurate sized holes drilled in it to suit the dowel sizes needed.I push the doweling through the holes for final size.I even use this for sizing toothpics used for wheel spokes etc.

Elderly,

Fantastic work. One question for you do you make your own dowels? I see you have several different sizes and species on this bad boy. I have a train I am going to start soon and it calls for several different sizes of dowel rod in walnut. I'm trying to figure out how to make my own in small sizes like 1/8" and 3/16".

Later,
Bret

[wheelinround]

Elderly I am amazed at the progress

[elderly]

Hi Bret,
Thanks for your comments. No I dont't make my own dowels I buy the walnut ones on line from Modellers Shipyard. Modeller's Shipyard - Products - Timber - Timber - Dowels - Round they can be quite pricey because they have an handling charge so I buy a range of sizes in a reasonable quantity to keep the price down a bit.
I have another project in mind that calls for quite a range of dowells in different materials such as purple heart, maple etc. I will make them using the same method as Aussie has described. They are American plans and they say that these dowells are available at hardware stores. I don't know if this is the case in America.
I don't know if you have seen the thread on the dowell and tenon cutters reviewed on another thread the problem with these is that they are only available in limited sizes.
Cheers Elderly

[elderly]

Thanks Wheelin.

[munruben]

Excellent work, great detail. beautiful model.

[Byc]

Amazing work and attention to detail. I enjoy seeing your wip's

[bj383ss]

Hello Elderly,

Thanks for the reply. We do have dowels available in hardware stores but only in oak, poplar, and sometimes maple. I have seen the dowel makers you talk about but as you say they only make down to a certain size. The price on these cutters with all attachements is the same as a small Lathe. I don't have a lathe yet so I have been trying to figure out how to make 1/8" dowels. 1/4" and up I can make on my router table with roundover bits.

When you make the scraper with an 1/8" hole what size is the piece of wood you start with, I would assume 1/8" square maybe. Anyways thanks for your reply.

Later,
Bret

[crowie]

G'Day Elderly,
Truly inspirational, the attention to detail & fine craftsmanship is beautiful.
Thank you for the great WIP photos.
Cheers, crowie

[Franczo]

amazing! ... one question Elderly, what types of wood do you recommend for working with details?

thank you!

[Byc]

Excellent workmanship. Such a joy to see your work.

[elderly]

I have completed my grader except for the wheels. The wheels that are on there at the moment I made for another project, they are only on the grader for the time being. I am going to leave it for a while now and make something else. I have several things in mind but I have not been able to make up my mind which one to do next.
Cheers Elderly.