Scotties Miniart US Bulldozer

[Mini Me]

Keep it coming Mr Scottie...... she's looking the business alright!

 

[Allen Dewire]

Paul, I have 200% faith in you and your great skills my friend!!!..........

 

[adt70hk]

Wow!!

 

[minitnkr]

"Shortcut" routing - right side of right drum to over rear A-frame sheave, etc., etc.

Routing through fairleads - right side of right drum over upper-right fairlead to under lower-right fairlead to over rear A-frame sheave etc., etc.

Hope this helps. Was no fun in 1/87.

 

[Mini Me]

Excellent!!

 

[scottie3158]

I'm sure you won't, but if you did I bet the pig would have perfect hearing!
Pete

Peter, haha very kind of you.

The joys of model making mate. Now which bulldozer is it your building LOL

View attachment 455631

Here are some close ups if it helps. Plenty of reference photos if you need them. If it helps others have said this is the worst piece of the build. Onwards and upwards now my friend. Great work

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Cheers Steve.

I think 'spot on' mate - working perfectly methinks and looking superb (now I am jealous!)
Steve

Thanks Steve really appreciate the comment.

 

[scottie3158]

Keep it coming Mr Scottie...... she's looking the business alright!

Thanks Rick glad you approve.

Paul, I have 200% faith in you and your great skills my friend!!!..........

Allen I'm glad you have faith mate I am beginning to wonder with this build.

Wow!!

Cheers Andrew

"Shortcut" routing - right side of right drum to over rear A-frame sheave, etc., etc.
View attachment 455641
Routing through fairleads - right side of right drum over upper-right fairlead to under lower-right fairlead to over rear A-frame sheave etc., etc.
View attachment 455642
Hope this helps. Was no fun in 1/87.

Thanks Paul I wonder why they missed out the fairleads.

Excellent!!

Thanks Rick.

 

[minitnkr]

Maybe the cable broke & they were in a hurry. Several different photos show the "shortcut" taken for plow operations, but never when doing pulls or operating scrapers.

 

[scottie3158]

This may well become my very first shelf queen. I made s start on the tracks today and what PITA, each part has multiple sprue gates that need cleaning up and there is not one positive point of contact. The pin that joins the two sides of the links is loose in the holes both inner and outer so they flop about and the two location points on the top of each link are so badly moulded they do not fit the the shoe. I am in the process of trying to make a jig to hold the parts in the right place. The tracks have really let this kit down.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Scottie
Tracks are often a real trial but these sound impossible. Are there any aftermarket tracks available? If you can build a jig that should help. Could you replace the loose pins with a slightly larger diameter wire or styrene rod?
Jim

 

[Mark1]

Hope you can work round it, it's frustrating to abandon something you already put a lot of effort into, the amount I've got unfinished they've now become spare room queen's the amount of space they take up!

 

[Tim Marlow]

This may well become my very first shelf queen. I made s start on the tracks today and what PITA, each part has multiple sprue gates that need cleaning up and there is not one positive point of contact. The pin that joins the two sides of the links is loose in the holes both inner and outer so they flop about and the two location points on the top of each link are so badly moulded they do not fit the the shoe. I am in the process of trying to make a jig to hold the parts in the right place. The tracks have really let this kit down.

That sounds like a real challenge Scottie. Sure you can crack it though, just take it slow and careful and you be fine. What is weird is that the tracks look quite simple in design, so why have Miniart made it so hard?

 

[Allen Dewire]

Hey Paul, if the tracks don't work out the way you want, Friul Model makes a set of metal tracks for the D-7 (ATL-178) They sell for about €19 for a set. maybe food for thought my friend..............

Prost
Allen

 

[scottie3158]

Hi Scottie
Tracks are often a real trial but these sound impossible. Are there any aftermarket tracks available? If you can build a jig that should help. Could you replace the loose pins with a slightly larger diameter wire or styrene rod?
Jim

Jim, I was thinking along those lines I will have a measure and order some rod that is a better fit.

Hope you can work round it, it's frustrating to abandon something you already put a lot of effort into, the amount I've got unfinished they've now become spare room queen's the amount of space they take up!

Mark, I doubt it will beat me as I'm not someone who gives up easily. I think Miniart have just made them over complicated. I will find a work around.

That sounds like a real challenge Scottie. Sure you can crack it though, just take it slow and careful and you be fine. What is weird is that the tracks look quite simple in design, so why have Miniart made it so hard?

Tim, I will get there. They are obviously designed for people with more patience and smaller fingers than me lol.

Hey Paul, if the tracks don't work out the way you want, Friul Model makes a set of metal tracks for the D-7 (ATL-178) They sell for about €19 for a set. maybe food for thought my friend..............

Prost
Allen

Hi Allen cheers for that I might give them a look see. Hopefully I will find a work around.

 

[outrunner]

Just looked at the instructions for those tracks and they look a real pain to put together, much more complex than the tracks on the Mirror Models dozer I built which I thought were bad. Best of luck with them Scottie and I am sure you will manage to beat them into shape.

Andy.

 

[scottie3158]

Just looked at the instructions for those tracks and they look a real pain to put together, much more complex than the tracks on the Mirror Models dozer I built which I thought were bad. Best of luck with them Scottie and I am sure you will manage to beat them into shape.

Andy.

Andy, I had another go at them today and I have decided to go with Allen's suggestion and order some fruits. Man I hate to be beaten but they are not worth my sanity lol.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Scottie
Probably the best option. It's only money and this way you'll keep your sanity.
As for being beaten - we will happily replace fenders and moulded on mesh so tracks are no different.
Jim

 

[scottie3158]

Hi Scottie
Probably the best option. It's only money and this way you'll keep your sanity.
As for being beaten - we will happily replace fenders and moulded on mesh so tracks are no different.
Jim

Jim,
Very true it's just I don't like being beaten by a kit.

 

[scottie3158]

Has anyone else built a miniart dozer, it will be interesting to know how you found it.

 

[Steve Jones]

This guy does a good run through on his build and how he did the tracks

Miniart Dozer