Here is my scratch built US M32A1B3 ARV used in Korea. The boom is a total scratch build its a bigger diameter pipe to handle heavier loads. I still have a lot of details to add. I made the latch on the tow bar lock and unlock, look at the pictures to see.
Terrific work in styrene. It’s art in plastic! You may want to consider getting into 3D printing (resin printing that is) since many of the more complicated parts could be drawn and printed. Many of things you can do by scratch-building styrene can be accomplished in resin printing. But be aware. It’s a steep learning curve and a whole new set of skills needing to master. Sounds like I’m talking you out of it…
Ralph, it hasn’t eliminated my scratch-building, just enhanced the heck out of it. Case in point, I built an overhead gantry crane (non-operating) for a large O’scale engine house on my train layout. The crane chases was built old-school out of styrene, the railing was a three-layer, laser cut laminate and the hoist apparatus and trucks were 3D printed. This was one of my earliest projects.
I found the gantry drawing on the SketchUp 3D Warehouse and modified it many ways to fit my space. I first had the hoist 3D printed by Shapeways, but it was too big and at the same time, my 3D printer arrived in June 2019 so I printed my own.
Since then I’ve printed thousands of parts. Just today I’m painting about 120 small angle brackets with bolt details for a bourbon warehouse (rick house) under construction of the same model railroad. This is definitely old school with lots of scale lumber, but the angle bracket which I drew and then printed have saved me lots of time.
All it took was one drawing, the slicer lets you step and repeat the objects so i was able to print 60 per load. Each took 25 minutes plus post cleaning. I had to do some very minor sanding, but in two days I had 120 of them.
And yes… I could have made them with some styrene angle and NBW castings, and it would have driven me nuts.