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I started ab Explosives Truck some months ago using Maxons' Cinema4D (9.6) 3d software as an aid to construct a real studio scale model. There's no self imposed deadline with this project - it will take as long as it takes

I've used the plans in the thread http://www.eagletransporter.com/forum/s ... php?t=2559 as a guide. Any significant inaccuracies that may be present are being be resolved at the 3d stage before committing to making real parts.

DVD screen grabs are also being used as reference material.

3d renders done with Maxwell 1.7

I decided to start with the wheels - no particular reason for this but I assume they will be the set of compents that will consume the most amount of time. The Explosive Truck wheels derive from 1960's Johnny Express toy truck and some of these were found on eBay and imorted to England from the United States.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEvOhnDdy64 This YouTube video shows an old Johnny Express truck advert.

I've seen some nice replica models of the Expolsives truck but I've always thought that cutting the wheels through the centre unnecessarily removes some of the inner 'spoke' detail.

So, to have a look at the wheel and where cutting could be better placed I made a rough 3d model of how the wheel finishes up when modified for the Explosives Truck.

My rough 3d wheel with some treads. Photos thay follow show how I've cut two Johnny Express real wheels to form the basis for making a single Explosive Truck wheel.

The two real wheels after cutting with a razor saw.

A Cinema4D created curve was simply transferred to a piece of plastic and used in an even simpler home made tool to form the wheels tread surface curve with more hand sanded bodyfiller.

The filler was roughly applied to the wheel surface and when the wheel was then rotated, excess filler was removed by the tool leaving a nice curved tyre in its wake.

I think using a computer in the way I'm doing should give a natural hand made 'feel' to the final model which is what my aim is. It's still nice to be able to see how something is going to look using 3d software before committing to the real thing though.

In keeping with this aim all other plastic sheeting will be shaped by hand rather than having stuff laser cut.

I've started to make the body of the real model. Overall dimensions of the acrylic sheet I will be using have been taken from the 3d parts I made earlier. This Cinema 4D screen grab shows the idea - the part with the red tinted polygons will form the cab sides.

From computer to reality - 3mm acrylic used for this.

The body gets underway. This is where my 3d software proved very useful and time saving in sorting out the sizes for the internal support structure. 3mm and 2mm acrylic sheet used for these parts. Glued with Tensol 12.

I decided to include some simple front and rear lighting and have been having a look where a couple of toggle switches and battery pack would be easily accessible.

The roof panelling looked to be the solution. So the roof will have a hole cut into it and be covered with removable 'dummy' hatches that match the dimebsions of the drawing I'm using.

This 3d preview image also includes the front wheels turning. The sheer size of those wheels limits the notional turning circle but I can get a 10 degree movement.

This 3d image shows the arrangement for some plastic strips I used to use on the real model. Also, I've only recently obtained some correct rear lights. - trying these simpler 3d lights for the time being to see how things look.

Up to this point most of the 3d work has been making panels with thickness so that the measurements of those could be transferred to acrylic sheet. Great for accuracy but makes for an over complex 3d model. As this is a dual project I've now made a more modest 3d struction that will become the proper 3d model.

The curved floor and cab side sections were made with planes and extruded splines (less control points work nicer in forming smooth curves) cut into them. The planes where then given some thickness and the window cut out. Takes a little longer this way but a nicer mesh is the end result.

Some of the old Airfix girder bridge, footbridge and signal gantry kit parts get added to my proper 3d model. The position of those is being replicated on the real model I'm making.

To get a bit more width to the chassis 'box' I've reduced the width of each 3d wheel by 2mm. This adjustment can be easily copied over to the real wheels - I'm pleased I didn't finish and cast the one I'm one I'm working on This additional 8mm makes the chassis box look much better.

Here, the rear strip assembly has been fixed to the rear of the Explosives Truck. I used watered down pva glue for this and when dry was sealed with a brushed coat of Klear floor polish.

This is how the real Explosives Truck model looked with the cab sides fixed in place - my 3d software (Cinema4D) was useful here because I have those sides interlocking with the floor and the position of cuts made in the Cinema4D polygon parts were transferred to the real acrylic parts.

Tensol 12 (acrylic adhesive) was used to attach most of the old Airfix kit parts. That strip at the upper rear has a 1959 Airfix date on it which is being left because I think it adds something to the model and is not that noticable.

With more acrylic panels fixed in place, work continued with sorting out the curved cab sides. I was originally going to make these from balsa wood but have opted instead to make a framework to cover with sheet plastic and automotive body filler. The 3d preview image should give an idea.

As with some other shapes already made, I have used extruded 3d software splines to form the curve - UV mapped and printed out. The shape will be transferred to some of the framework parts.

A simple ground 'bump' has been added to the 3d scene so I can see how the real suspension will eventually function. Each wheel is to have its own axle so that each side works independant.