The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · by **Pontimax 01** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 9:19 pm

I think I will just build my own for my Buster Prime to tow.

I'm templating it out in cardboard right now. I used a scale calculator along with measurements of Buster's truck mode to find the dimensions I wanted. It seems that he doesn't come in at a clean 1/32 or 1/31. He's just a little between. The trailer is scaled out more to the 1/31 side right now, but I may lop a little length off the end to shorten the overall look. I plan on chopping up one of my spare Movie 1 LC Prime's for the tires and I'll scratch build the refrigerator unit at the front and the trailer legs.

Once I'm happy with the dimensions I figure I'll build a frame out of some 1x1 sections. I think I can sheet that with balsa. Then cover the balsa sides with plastic card courtesy of the model railroaders. They even make a corrugated looking card that I think would look good as the trailer sides. Airbrush it all and I think it will look good. And I bet I can do this pretty cheap with on-hand materials.

Thoughts?

by **Treetop Maximus** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:08 pm

Go for it. How much do you want for the cardboard prototype?

News Credits: 1 · by **Pontimax 01** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:51 pm

Treetop Maximus wrote:Go for it. How much do you want for the cardboard prototype?

I'll be happy to give ya the dimensions and measurements when I get them finalized. Right now I'm cutting and re-taping on the cardboard trying to perfect the look I want. I chopped off the stuff that's too low and hanging below the drawn on wheels in the picture, brought it up to the rear fender level of Prime's vehicle mode to give it the adequate ground to bottom of trailer height feel. I even attached the wheels from movie 1 LC Prime to it today to see how it looks. I like it.

Going to go get some materials tomorrow after work to build a frame.

by **Treetop Maximus** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:27 pm

Pontimax 01 wrote:
Treetop Maximus wrote:Go for it. How much do you want for the cardboard prototype?

I'll be happy to give ya the dimensions and measurements when I get them finalized. Right now I'm cutting and re-taping on the cardboard trying to perfect the look I want. I chopped off the stuff that's too low and hanging below the drawn on wheels in the picture, brought it up to the rear fender level of Prime's vehicle mode to give it the adequate ground to bottom of trailer height feel. I even attached the wheels from movie 1 LC Prime to it today to see how it looks. I like it.

Going to go get some materials tomorrow after work to build a frame.

I was just kidding. :lol:

I don't have the skeelz to build something like that from scratch. I look forward to seeing the finished product! You'll keep us posted, right?

News Credits: 1 · by **Pontimax 01** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:25 pm

Here's an update Treetop.

I built a frame that is more or less complete now. Now I will start working on sheeting over that with some balsa sheets I have. I have something special planned for going over the balsa. I just happened across and item of interest and it gave me a really awesome idea.

But here is the work so far.

It may stay this way for a bit as I'm currently packing up my apartment, I'm closing on my house on the 22nd. So it may get packed and put off til after the move. Which would work well because I'll have more space to finish assembling and painting it.

by **Treetop Maximus** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:19 am

Nice! It's well-built so far. I can't wait to see more.

News Credits: 1 · by **Pontimax 01** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:04 pm

I got bored this morning and decided to start working on the sheeting.

I'm only cutting it to fit right now and taping it on. I still need access to the inside so I can place reinforcement blocks along the frame for wheel attachment points and the hitch attachment. This way they are very solid and sturdy.

Then I decided to break open one of my lil suprise finds and see how it looks on it.

And I'm really really liking it. It's corrugated aluminum sheets made for hobby building. I think they are for model railroading. But they look great I think as the siding material of a semi trailer. :grin: