Thanks for this. Mirrors have always been a difficult part of each truck build for me. Looking forward to your regular mirror how to. Will add these round mirrors to the list of things to try.
Truck mirrors are always challenging, kit parts can often be either fairly accurate although oversize and difficult to glue together, or closer to scale size but oversimplified. (Both mirror options in the AMT Mack R kit fit this category with the standard ones being accurate/oversize and requiring multiple tiny glue joints and the deluxe ones being one dimensional with only two attachment points. In both cases the mirror heads themselves are well done). I have gone between styrene rod and brass wire on various projects over the years, styrene rod was used most recently on the current Mack R project for ease of flattening and drilling the ends then joining with solvent cement. Brass wire is much nicer to work with for making curved shapes and 90 degree bends though.
Thank you for sharing this very useful tips, i am a lifetime Mack and Brockway fan and scale model builder. My models look a lot better and realistic now👍🏻👍🏻👌🏻🤗🤗😃
Robert, blind sport mirrors are an overlooked detail, on model truck kits! Many types of trucks use convex mirrors. Semi tractors, trash trucks, school buses, and now fire apparatus. Never knew that there were different sizes of mirrors, on the same truck! Pedestrians & bicyclists are reason for more mirrors on big trucks! If you go to NYC, all the trucks have convex mirrors on their front bumpers. Blind spots plague a big truck operator! Backup cameras are changing that!
FYI, not all of us have fender mirrors. I've gone into NYC without them ... 295" wheelbase Pete 389, 5th wheel all the way back to keep steer axle weight legal, with a 53' stepdeck with 10' spread with a 48' bridge (kingpin just 18" from the front of the trailer!!). Oh, that was a TREAT ....
You're welcome - full disclosure, the 5 minute epoxy wasn't the first method I tried! I did get acceptable results using a brass thumbtack for convex surface (mounting stem already attach although a bit on the coarse side), one drawback to that method is limited range of sizes. Styrene disks from here forward!
I've got a big plan for a resin cast chopped Pete 359 build - 300" wheelbase day cab (plus 10-12" straight pipes, and some other touches)! I saw this a while ago and am gonna have to use it - also going to watch the scratch mirror video. The trailer is a 40' reefer box - gonna letter it with 5/8" (real size) white letter decals - "PROFESSIONAL FREIGHT RELOCATION ENGINEERS" - truck and trailer are going to be black. I've been a trucker for four decades. Couldn't drive without the fisheyes. In the old cabover days, we also had a large spot mirror (about a half ball, not just a convex!) that we called a "Dolly Parton" that was mounted over the windshield on the right side. Gave GREAT visibility around the front and front passenger corner of the cabover!
It was "on hold" for a couple months as I worked on getting the Mack R600 completed, wanted to get one model ready for Fulton show in November and the Mack was closest to completion. Starting back on the Transtar now, will have a video up in the near future on air cleaner and intake piping.
Look,s very nice 👍🏼 ive made lot,s of fender mirror,s for on the R600 Mack,s ive made them just a little different. I took a shirt button and ground it down ½ size thickness, with a Dremel than taken styrene thin solid tube plastic rod glued it together sanding it and made bracket,s from thin styrene! For the mirror part to mount to the fender. I just used regular chrome bumper tape and trimmed the edges came out perfect ive also made made them for cabover model,s aswell for the front and top corner,s of the front cab.
Fender mirrors brings back a memory from the time I worked for J&F Trucking and drove Mack R's, head mechanic in charge of the shop hated fender mirrors for some reason so if J&F bought a truck that had them and was going to overhaul it (at that time they were buying up a lot of 6 and 7 year old trucks for their fleet) the fender mirrors came off it it was equipped with them. Occasionally one would come into the fleet in great condition and just get relettered, those got to keep their fender mirrors! Two of the trucks I drove during my J&F days had fender mirrors: An R600 and a Superliner! Both were a different colour from J&F's dark blue as well, the R600 was black and the Superliner was white.
Thanks for this. Mirrors have always been a difficult part of each truck build for me. Looking forward to your regular mirror how to. Will add these round mirrors to the list of things to try.
Truck mirrors are always challenging, kit parts can often be either fairly accurate although oversize and difficult to glue together, or closer to scale size but oversimplified. (Both mirror options in the AMT Mack R kit fit this category with the standard ones being accurate/oversize and requiring multiple tiny glue joints and the deluxe ones being one dimensional with only two attachment points. In both cases the mirror heads themselves are well done).
I have gone between styrene rod and brass wire on various projects over the years, styrene rod was used most recently on the current Mack R project for ease of flattening and drilling the ends then joining with solvent cement. Brass wire is much nicer to work with for making curved shapes and 90 degree bends though.
The R model series of videos your doing are epic. Thank you
Thank you for sharing this very useful tips, i am a lifetime Mack and Brockway fan and scale model builder.
My models look a lot better and realistic now👍🏻👍🏻👌🏻🤗🤗😃
Robert, blind sport mirrors are an overlooked detail, on model truck kits! Many types of trucks use convex mirrors. Semi tractors, trash trucks, school buses, and now fire apparatus. Never knew that there were different sizes of mirrors, on the same truck! Pedestrians & bicyclists are reason for more mirrors on big trucks! If you go to NYC, all the trucks have convex mirrors on their front bumpers. Blind spots plague a big truck operator! Backup cameras are changing that!
FYI, not all of us have fender mirrors. I've gone into NYC without them ...
295" wheelbase Pete 389, 5th wheel all the way back to keep steer axle weight legal, with a 53' stepdeck with 10' spread with a 48' bridge (kingpin just 18" from the front of the trailer!!). Oh, that was a TREAT ....
So simple yet SO effective. Thanks for the "pro tip" :)
You're welcome - full disclosure, the 5 minute epoxy wasn't the first method I tried! I did get acceptable results using a brass thumbtack for convex surface (mounting stem already attach although a bit on the coarse side), one drawback to that method is limited range of sizes. Styrene disks from here forward!
Great idea for scratchbuilding. I've resorted in the past to trimming down the convex drive axle center caps that are in AMT kits.
I didn't think about the drive axle caps, another very good source for convex surface.
AWESOME!
I've got a big plan for a resin cast chopped Pete 359 build - 300" wheelbase day cab (plus 10-12" straight pipes, and some other touches)! I saw this a while ago and am gonna have to use it - also going to watch the scratch mirror video. The trailer is a 40' reefer box - gonna letter it with 5/8" (real size) white letter decals - "PROFESSIONAL FREIGHT RELOCATION ENGINEERS" - truck and trailer are going to be black.
I've been a trucker for four decades. Couldn't drive without the fisheyes. In the old cabover days, we also had a large spot mirror (about a half ball, not just a convex!) that we called a "Dolly Parton" that was mounted over the windshield on the right side. Gave GREAT visibility around the front and front passenger corner of the cabover!
Great video , I’m building IH 4300 Transtar I’ve watch your 4300 build any updates on that kit ?
It was "on hold" for a couple months as I worked on getting the Mack R600 completed, wanted to get one model ready for Fulton show in November and the Mack was closest to completion. Starting back on the Transtar now, will have a video up in the near future on air cleaner and intake piping.
Look,s very nice 👍🏼 ive made lot,s of fender mirror,s for on the R600 Mack,s ive made them just a little different. I took a shirt button and ground it down ½ size thickness, with a Dremel than taken styrene thin solid tube plastic rod glued it together sanding it and made bracket,s from thin styrene! For the mirror part to mount to the fender. I just used regular chrome bumper tape and trimmed the edges came out perfect ive also made made them for cabover model,s aswell for the front and top corner,s of the front cab.
Fender mirrors brings back a memory from the time I worked for J&F Trucking and drove Mack R's, head mechanic in charge of the shop hated fender mirrors for some reason so if J&F bought a truck that had them and was going to overhaul it (at that time they were buying up a lot of 6 and 7 year old trucks for their fleet) the fender mirrors came off it it was equipped with them.
Occasionally one would come into the fleet in great condition and just get relettered, those got to keep their fender mirrors! Two of the trucks I drove during my J&F days had fender mirrors: An R600 and a Superliner! Both were a different colour from J&F's dark blue as well, the R600 was black and the Superliner was white.