Single stack for a (1/25 scale) Mack!

A current "on the workbench" project is an AMT Mack R600 being built to represent this one 0:07 inspired by a photo in a book featuring piggyback and intermodal railroad equipment.
0:14 Exhaust stack does not appear to have any attachment to upper part of cab, unlike both AMT kit options shown at 0:27 and 0:36.
0:46 I believe the 1:1 truck had a stack mounting bracket similar to this one, with formed square tube support attached to frame and independent of cab. (Note the bolt holes near cab corners - AMT's kit options are not necessarily wrong, just not how the particular truck I chose to model was spec'd)
1:22 Evergreen 1/8" square styrene tube appeared to be a close enough match for the real stack bracket, and bend locations were marked based on a "best guess" working from photo and the model itself.
1:34 Bends were notched with triangular file...
1:49...then separated for assembly.
2:02 1/16" brass rod is a good fit inside the 1/8" square tube and adds strength to finished part.
2:15 Gap filling CA glue is ideal for assembly. Clamping to flat surface helps ensure alignment, here a small piece of glass is used with clothespegs. Any glue that gets between part and flat surface (it WILL happen!) won't stick very well to glass and finished part can easily be freed from assembly surface.
2:48 I used a Transtar 4300 kit muffler as I had one available and it is a decent part. Mufflers can also be built up with styrene tube.
3:21 Kit stack is replaced with 3/16" aluminum tube which scales out to very close 5" and is also a good fit over kit exhaust pipe. I like to use one long piece of tube going right through muffler as it is easier to ensure stack is straight this way.
3:39 A band style exhaust clamp is represented by gluing piece of .040" x .040" styrene strip, cut .160" long (scale 4") onto bottom of stack tube. Glue styrene rivet heads (Tichy Train Group #8018) and bolt heads (#8016) to this to represent fasteners.
4:21 Gluing kit exhaust pipe and muffler onto stack tube completes this subassembly.
4:46 Heat shield is a little more challenging but not impossible. Plano Model Products #204 (brass, "Morton pattern) is cut to size and strips cut from .005" brass sheet (from K&S) are soldered on to create the non perforated border around edge of heat shield. Brass this thin cuts easily with hobby knife and straightedge.
5:14 Tin (apply a thin layer of solder) one side of surface of each strip.
5:27 Magnets and flat/ square steel surfaces, such as the X-acto triangular square and small machinist's square shown here, are ideal ways to hold these fiddly little items in place. Apply heat to top of each brass strip and the solder will melt, flow between mesh and strip, and bond both pieces together.
6:45 After final clean up of any excess solder, form heat shield into curved shape to fit muffler and glue bolt head castings on to simulate mounting hardware.
6:56 A separate band clamp for top of muffler is made from next size up aluminum tube, 7/32" in this case to fit over 3/16", and cut .160" long. Styrene strip .040" x .040", along with rivets and bolt head castings, are glued on to complete this little part.
7:35 Rain cap is the most difficult item to built due to small size, it starts with 7/32" brass tube cut .040" long to make a ring which represents clamp ring holding cap to stack. Cap is a 1/4" disk punched from .010" brass sheet and counterweight is cut to shape from .010" brass.
8:12 Solder cap to ring...
8:27...then counterweight to ring using some more creative "magnet sculpture" to hold ring and cap down, preventing them from becoming unsoldered when heat is applied.
8:52 .010" x .040" styrene strips and fastener details complete this little item.
9:05 Stack bracket is glued to frame, and .030" styrene rod pins are attached at locations matching the muffler's molded in bands. Even though tube is filled with brass rod support, wall of styrene tube is thick enough to provide gluing surface for the pins.
9:31 Pieces cut from 1/8" styrene angle are used for "mounting brackets", one leg is cut short as shown at 9:43 and bolt head castings added.
10:02 Glue these to tube at locations matching the mounting pins.
10:13 Completed bracket ready for stack...
10:25...which is a complete subassembly that is added permanently after final painting and finishing.
Although not 100% identical to the photo of 1:1 truck (it looks like Transtar 4300 muffler is a little longer than what real truck was equipped with) this "single stack for a Mack" is a reasonably convincing representation and something a little different from stock kit part.
#modeltrucks
#scalemodeltrucks
#scalemodelling

[@evanhermel7990]

Robert, you are a genius!

[@davidparsleyscustomscaleemerge]

Amazing details !

[@unclesweetiesmodelworks]

Man, that is some serious attention to detail!

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

It is fun getting "into the weeds" with the small details, part of the enjoyment/challenge of model big rig trucks for me.

[@FlorentinoRebuildingCo.5644]

This has to be the best looking 1/25 truck model in the entire hobby world. 10:26 Your Mack looks absolutely perfect in this shot. Just Perfect. I'm planning a 1/25 rotator for my next project....but I'm going to do a Mack after...I'll model using your steps. FANTASTIC build. Thanks for doing these Robert.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thank you - I am rather partial to Macks, R's in particular, since during the few years I drove for a living it was mostly R600's, and even the Superliner (model RW) is an R model cab with big square hood. And just like with the railroads there are so many interesting regional differences with the R models - your Hayward, California built Macks were subtly different from the "eastern" ones built in Pennsylvania. Being over on this side of the country (Ontario, Canada) it was mostly the "eastern" Mack R's I had experience with although the one I took my commercial driver licence road test with was in fact an R "western" one, originally built for service in the oil patch in western Canada and later it migrated east for a second life with a welding company.

[@Daleshobbies612]

Great work. After watch your videos i have been trying new ways to and more detail. Keep up the amazing work.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thank you - other modellers have shared information and ideas with me over the years, good to hear that some of what has been posted here can be of use to you.

[@dennisbisconti4583]

This is a great channel this is the kind of information I look for you should start to get more subscribers as truck big rig modeler find this channel keep up the great work 👍

[@erichb4021]

Great Tutorial video. 👍🏼 I did mine a little different but anyway,s your,s came out great.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

That's the nice thing about this hobby, many different ways one can do things. Sometimes available detail parts can be a factor, in other cases personal preference (aka a favourite material to work with) - and as long as one is having fun it's all good!

[@markbickelhaupt4414]

More great work! The rain cap is a nice detail for a flat top stack.

[@abpsd73]

Great work. I've done aluminum tube before to avoid the dreadful kit exhaust pipe and polished it to look like a 1:1, but I've never found a way to deal with the ugly kit heat shield, from now on I'll be using your method. I'd be interested to see a video when you're finishing these parts to get a realistic metal finish.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

This is the first time I have used brass, on previous models Plano’s stainless mesh (Peterbilt oval pattern on Labatt’s 378, slotted or “Apex” pattern on Kingsway Louisville) provided proper metal finish on its own. I am going to try Alclad chrome on this model, it has worked well on both plastic and brass parts with other models. Airbrushing both black base coat and chrome finish should be OK even on the mesh.

[@alwoodsmodellingmayhem]

You are doing some really nice work to this build. Looking forward to further updates. Subbed.👍👍😉

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thank you - frame will be ready to paint soon, that will be a big step forward.

[@ruanecrummett9261]

Great job looks fantastic

[@oldschool6345]

You make it look easy, it makes people think they can do it too. Where did the two hole wheels come from for the Mack? They look spot on. Thanks for sharing

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

These wheels came from Plaskit, a small resin parts supplier located in Quebec, Canada. I bought these ones a number of years ago. Last time I saw Daniel (Daniel Gailloux, owner of Plaskit) in person was at the Fulton NY show back in 2018 or 2019. I did place an order by mail a year ago for some other items so I presume Daniel is still active in the resin casting field. 24.5 wheels (in 1/25 scale) fit Itlaeri’s 1/24 tires nicely to get the “taller rubber” look.

[@oldschool6345]

@@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579 Thanks for the lead!

[@barryrae9355]

Where do you get the 2 hole rims

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

These are resin ones I got from Plaskit (he is from Quebec, Canada) a number of years ago. I used Italeri tires on them to represent 24.5 rubber. It is more work to “roll your own” two hole rims but I have used AMT 10 hole wheels in the past, filling 8 of the holes and filing the other two larger. This can be useful on the inside wheels of a dual pair as those wheels are mostly hidden from view.

[@davetello3764]

The steel wheels are a nice touch also. Are they aftermarket?

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Yes, these ones were purchased a number of years ago from Plaskit, I believe he is still casting as I got an order of detail parts in early 2022. plaskit _ resin@ yahoo.ca

[@davetello3764]

@@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579 thank you for the information!