Adding door lock rods to the Moebius Models 53' van trailer kit

Moebius Models 53' van trailer kit with the swing door option represents a common highway trailer configuration with two lock rods, one per door.
0:22 Van trailers that are expected to see heavier duty service - such as intermodal use like the Conrail Mercury one I am modelling - often have two lock rods per door...
0:45...and there is the in-between option of three lock rods!
0:58 With basic scratch building materials it is easy to add lock rods to the Moebius kit.
1:22 Lightly draw on guide lines in pencil using molded-in parts for reference.
1:49 Measure molded-in attachment brackets with vernier caliper and use depth gauge end as cutting guide. 3/32" aluminum tube matches kit details well and is easy to cut by rolling across workbench surface while maintaining light pressure with hobby knife blade.
2:05 Aluminum is also easy to file. Next step is filing away approx. 1/4 of the tube's diameter...
2:27...to create a "C" shape which slips onto 1/16" diameter styrene rod that is used to make the lock rod.
2:36 Glue lock rod to door and line up aluminum tube pieces with guide lines.
2:53 .015" x .060" styrene strips are cut to match length of aluminum tube pieces, outer corners sanded round, and glued in place. This combination of tube and styrene strip simulates formed metal fitting that real lock rod pivots in.
3:12 Tichy Train Group .020" rivets (part #8017) are glued on to simulate fasteners. I cut rivet head off of mounting post and attach with small amount of liquid cement. This is easier than laying out and drilling holes for each rivet's mounting post.
3:32 Details at bottom of lock rod are next.
3:40 Two pieces of 3/32" aluminum tube, cut to match kit molded-in detail, are filed to "C"-shape and glued on.
3:52 Triangular pieces on door are made by filing taper on end of .020" x .080" styrene strip, cutting small piece off, and gluing on. The pieces that go on door frame are the most difficult ones to make of this whole project and were done by drilling .032" diameter hole in scrap piece of .010" styrene sheet, then cutting away material until a small, squared-off "C" shape piece resulted. Two were made per lock rod and glued in place on either side of aluminum tube.
4:23 Making door handle was fairly easy, starting with .010" x .040" styrene strip cut 1/4" long. This is glued to door as a spacer for the handle itself...
4:35...made by forming 1/64" x 1/16" brass strip to match kit door handle, filing end round, and gluing on top of spacer.
4:48 Tab attaching handle to lock rod is .020" x .080" styrene strip with short piece of .030" styrene rod representing pivot point.
5:03 Last handle details are short pieces of .015" x .060" styrene strip with rivet head castings and section of .06) styrene half round glued to handle. These represent the latch holding handle in closed position.
5:48 A last detail to add is at top of each lock rod. As molded, kit lock rods stop at top of door...
6:01...while on a real trailer lock rods extend past door to clamp door closed at top as well as bottom.
6:15 For model purposes, a simplified approach can be used. File a flat on .080" styrene rod to create a "D" shape and glue short pieces of this above each lock rod to represent the top fittings.
While this video showed lock rods being added to the Moebius kit, same approach can be used to create lock rods on scratch built trailer doors.
#scalemodelling
#scalemodeltrucks
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[@grahamc7283]

Good day Robert,
There are always some good tips to be found in your how to's. The more I watch the more I learn about the small nuances and details of trucks; might even get me to have a go at building one myself.
Thank you for sharing
cheers, Graham

[@ckna6739]

Thank u for sharing keep on modeling good tip on making the door handling

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Nice extra touch and well done video.

[@unclesweetiesmodelworks]

Such incredible detail, as always. I really appreciate your detailed explanations of everything you do. It all gets filed away for possible future reference.

[@proudnavyveteran]

Great work. Keep modeling.

[@davidparsleyscustomscaleemerge]

Fantastic details Robert!

[@ruanecrummett9261]

Great info and video thanks

[@crushingvanessa3277]

Similar to what I did before, just yours has a bit more details added.

[@BlueGillage]

The doors look great, Thank you for the how-to video. Im curious, what is your reasoning when you choose brass over aluminum and vice-versa? Does it matter what type of primer to use when painting them i.e. lacquer, enamel, acrylic?

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

For painting, I have used all three types of primer with no issues on brass and aluminum. Lacquer or enamel will likely adhere better to a large metal surface however the brass and aluminum parts on my models are typically smaller details with the majority of model being plastic.
Decision to use brass or aluminum is made based on a few factors:
If soldering is involved, use of brass is required.
For ease of cutting and drilling, aluminum is preferred. (Brass can be cut and drilled with hand tools, it is just easier with aluminum.)
Aluminum is great for any item that will be a polished or chrome finish. Truck exhaust stacks and hydraulic cylinder rams are two common applications. With a bit of Nevr-Dull or Autosol, aluminum tube can easily be given a chrome like shine.

[@BlueGillage]

Ty sir.