20 Mule Team

Hi Gang, I had one of these kits when I was a kid and watched Death Valley Days all the time   

Found the orig. issue on e-bay for a good price so I got it



Parts bags



When this is done it's mounted on a 45" long board that is 4" wide and I haven't a clue where I'm going to put it   

I opened up the mule bag and put them together, all 20



they have 4 different sets, 3 sets has 6 mules and the other has 2 mules, here is a picture for scale size



I'm going to make them 3 or 4 colors that mules were, black, tan, gray at least. This a nice kit for being make in the 60's, very little flash and a great fit on parts   

Going to start on the wagon's next and will update then   

Thanks for looking and comments are always welcome.

Interesting model !

Did you get an okay from Sam to build it in the WW I Build? I think it would be cool.

I got a little done, started with the water wagon and here is a parts shot



got most of the painting done, not all



undercarriage with the front axle on



on all four wheels which I have to do the metal around them yet



and with the tank just setting on the frame ( had to see what it looked like )



I'm not sure if I should leave the tank light blue or paint it like wood or metal ?? the only pictures I can find are black and white and don't show the water wagon that close    What would ya'll do ??

It doesn't look like a wooden tank, I would say go with a metal look. Maybe a stainless Steel or something like that. I don't know hard call to make.

Zbuckster wrote:It doesn't look like a wooden tank, I would say go with a metal look. Maybe a stainless Steel or something like that. I don't know hard call to make.

It is a metal tank made in the 1880's so I might just leave it unpainted ??

This is a ref. picture I just got and will be using for color and detail



Going to change a few things but that's OK   

001 

I call metal tank. Back in the day it would have been rolled wrought iron, riveted together.

If it was wooden, you'd have wooden staves & iron hoops- like a barrel.

John, what does the scale work out to?  001 001 

Great subject to model, John. And the 2 different 'mules' are really horses that led the team according to a little history website.

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-20muleteams.html

Should be a fun build.

Looking good. I am really enjoying this build.

RetiredMike wrote:Great subject to model, John.  And the 2 different 'mules' are really horses that led the team according to a little history website.

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-20muleteams.html

Should be a fun build.

The two horses are the set in front of the first wagon but they did use all mules sometimes. Here is a link to another ref. history site    

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-mule_team

Webby, I'd say around 1/48 scale or in that area.

The tank is metal IMO John. Why not rusty it up some?

Hi John,

I'd have to agree with Al, I think with it crossing the desert with all the heat and the sand being blown around it wouldn't have stayed painted for very long, unless this is it's very first trip...

Looking forward to seeing it come together which ever way you go about it...

Andy...

Hi Gang, well I finally got the water wagon done







and here is one for size



Going to start on a wagon next and see if it goes together better then this one did   

I'm going to get it all put together and then I might weather it a little bit, not sure.
Thanks for the comments and the advice cause it helps me keep me sane   

Looking good. I like the steel band tire on the wooden wheel. nice work.

Looks good John. Woodwork looks great. Is the tank staying grey?

Looking good, John. Great potential there for some weathering.

Skid wrote:Looks good John. Woodwork looks great. Is the tank staying grey?

The wagon frame and the tank are a very light blue (pale ) and that is as close as I could find to the real color.

Thanks for the kind comments   

This is really different. Always a joy to find something like this from when we were kids.

That was one of the weirder things for a model company to render. Lotsa work to get the reins and harnesses to the wagon. Lotsa mules to weather into realism too. Good luck, it actually looks like an interesting if hard kit to get "just right."

oh yes, this is looking good !

Looking good John. That thing is going to be huge when you're done.

Was waiting on some things to dry on the funny car so I started getting the wagons together, They went together real nice and easy





and both of the wagons



going to do the wheels and axles this week I hope. This is going to be a long build cause after I get all the wagons done then it's time for the mules and the display base along with the harness, chains and the figures and maybe some weathering and a load in the two wagons.

Thanks for the comments, whey are welcome