Recent content by jackdoud

Unfortunately Main Line Hobbies in Plymouth Meeting, PA got shut down after covid so cross that one off the list. Herb's Hobbies and Crafts in Doylestown PA closed 10 years ago. You can add Modellbahn Ott Hobbies in Boyertown, PA to the list. Stores are getting really thin on the ground in my...

I built a Randy Cooper a few years ago. The kit isn't terribly accurate but it's a decent starting point if you don't want to start from scratch. BTTF3 Time Train (Randy Cooper) As far as reference goes you have to distinguish between the Filming Miniature, the On-set full scale and the later...

I've got the Trench pictures:

battery, sound, thrower, pack

Last I heard Covid shut the project down even harder but there's some work being done on the upholstery and Adam was looking into a shop to finally build his roof rack.

I never could figure out the flashlights used in the show. It's definitely not a stock Maglight and flashlights are one of those things that are impossible to search for online. This looks like the only option for something accurate.

Randy Cooper sells a "box of greeblies" kit: Model Kits — Randy Cooper Models & Design

To finish up I was given an Aoshima BTTF3 Delorean model kit to cut up and spread around the train. I tried to position the parts as accurately to the movie as I could though they do move around a lot depending on the angle of the shot.

Painting was a continuous process throughout the build as it'd be impossible to do if not in sections. Once all the parts were ready I installed the lights. The entire thing runs off a 5v USB phone charger. Then it was time for final assembly. For the display base I had a set limit of 11"...

The reactor tender I left mostly stock. I did have to replace a few broken fins on the front cone. The one major issue I ran into was the exterior piping. It's too big and does not sit correctly. I cut several sections out to reduce the overall length and then filed grooves into the side...

The interior was probably the most fun part to build. I started with the boiler end. I rebuilt the time circuits in the correct scale and started adding details out of styrene and model bits. Of course I had to paint as I went. Piping and valves were made from various styrene rod and model...

The siderails and cab walls on the train had weird rivet band detailing that has little relation to either the full size or filming miniature versions when it isn't missing entirely. The cabin itself is a mess. All of the windows have issues, none of the padding is correct, the roof is wrong...

The drive piston's cones are a little short but not wanting to completely rebuild them I could live with them. The rear covers though where the drive shafts are attached are the wrong shape and had to be replaced. Which brings me to the cow catcher. I really didn't want to have to replace it...

So here's the kit as it arrived. At first glance it's a very nice garage kit. Parts are decently well cast with only a few serious bubbles and intelligently placed mold lines. A lot of cleanup work but you could easily assemble the kit as provided with a few weeks of work. Parts are provided...

In 2019 a friend of mine bought Randy Cooper's Time Train kit. He took one look at it and realized it was out of his skill to build so he asked me to do it. It took me 8 months to complete mostly due to the many changes I ended up making to it but I finally finished it last weekend. I wanted to...