Your tips for improving Norscot CAT Construction Equipment

Well, I posted this on another board, and got some interesting tips so far, but I figure I'd try you guys out too....

Norscot's construction equipment models are pretty good, but they do have a few problems which make them a bit toy-like.
So, before I run out and buy a few dozers and front-loaders (I have one backhoe, not Norscot but of similar diecast construction, which I am looking at right now), what modifications do you normally make?

I can see that the bright shinly joints need to be painted at a minimum yellow, do you use red/grey primer first, then a light coat of yellow to simulate rust/grime?
--- One tip suggested Modelflex CN Yellow on these joints - any other recommendations
I can see the paint job is shiny, how much do you normally disassemble your model before coating it, and do you use dullcoat or semigloss - also any good and easy weathering tips.
--- Another tip suggested adding some weathering to the bucket if it is supposed to be used, including scraping some paint off the bucket to simulate the wear and tear of moving rocks and gravel (OK, this is a start, but I've seen dirty buckets/blades, rusty buckets/blades, and both - not too sure where to start).
What other parts do you add (superdetail) - I think the main thing would be the dull black (I also have seen pale yellow) hydraulic hosing across joints.
One tip I probably won't use was in regards to tying the equipment to flat cars with scale chain - I plan instead to use the backhoes + dozers in a construction company yard (waiting for the next job), and the front loaders in some sort of trash/waste transfer station.
Any other tips would be great, thanks...

I've always liked the finish on the Norscots so much that I wouldn't have considered using them as anything but new equipment/flat loads. You probably have it right that you need to tone down the bare metal joints, though.

But Boley construction equipment can be found dirt-cheap, and I've repainted and weathered this stuff for layout scenes. I have a utility yard as one industry on my layout where Boley items are kept pending use to dig trenches, lay pipe, etc. I use Floquil TTX Yellow to repaint the shiny metal or plastic Boley finish. I prime it first with Floquil SP Lettering Gray. I also put deposits of dried mud and dirt around the caterpillar treads and wheel hubs using small quantities of Sculptamold mixed with the earth-colored latex house paint I use to do my scenery. You can also do buildups of dirt around blades and backhoes this way. As you mentioned, I also use a mix of Floquil SP Lettering Gray and Platinum Mist to paint caterpillar tread surfaces, dozer blades, and backhoe teeth bare metal. I let this dry and when completely cured paint it TTX Yellow but use a Q-Tip to wear off the yellow to show bare metal where needed, followed by the Sculptamold.

I've heard of guys finding "OK" construction equipment in the toy sections of places like Walgreens very cheaply and doing the same thing to them. So even though Norscot is very reasonably priced, you can do better, especially if you're going to put it in scenery.

jwb1323 wrote:But Boley construction equipment can be found dirt-cheap, and I've repainted and weathered this stuff for layout scenes. I have a utility yard as one industry on my layout where Boley items are kept pending use to dig trenches, lay pipe, etc.

After I read this, I wandered off of the Boley site and checked their construction equipment (careful, as they seem to mix in 1:72 and other scales randomly with the HO stuff). The standard Boley construction equipment is kinda -well, meh... but their Volvo releases definitely give Norscot a run for their money:
http://www.boleycorp.com/1-87/products.php?item=2309-8
http://www.boleycorp.com/1-87/products.php?item=2307-8
http://www.boleycorp.com/1-87/products.php?item=2310-8
http://www.boleycorp.com/1-87/products.php?item=2308-8

The 1-87 Vehicle Club first displayed these in Sep of last year, and I was pretty impressed then (forgot about them since...)
http://1-87vehicles.org/New%20Products/03_sep.php - second and third picture down.

Off topic - I wonder why Boley made it's GMC Sierra Pickup in 1:72 scale?
I kinda understand the 1:72 Ford F150 (since Atlas makes a similar model in HO), but the GMC... (actually, I wish they made a F250 or F350 in HO scale - those Fords are now appearing everywhere on rack trucks, dump bodys, tow trucks, flatbeds, rescue service, box vans, you name it, taking the place of it's ancestral C700s... - speaking of box vans, I wonder if Boley offers it's box van separate http://www.boleycorp.com/1-87/products.php?item=3002-26 - some nice white semi-gloss paint for the body panels, flat stainless or chrome for the body structural parts (well, corners) and roof), some weathering, drop it on a COE chassis, and you got a truck found in at every distributorship and warehouse across the nation.

Oh, and I did appreciate your weathering and dirt tips, good ideas to try on the equipment. Now folks, about those hydraulic hoses...

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Long's Drug Store in Moreno Valley, CA, has had Boley stuff at 50 percent off for a long time. This means that you can get some of their cheapest items for a buck or two. I am not going to complain about exact scale at this price for a scenery item, especially if I'm going to crud it up. The Norscot in comparison belongs on a flat car, though.

Those International cabs with the Altec utility and tree trimmer bodies on them are neat!!

Thats similar to what I'd like to see for railroad trucks except with railroad specific bodies for welding trucks etc.

Used CAT equipment needs alot of rust. Rusty buckets & teeth & 'dozer blades & the tracks are all places to apply different amounts of rust. Stuff sitting idle would sport rust acording to how long since it's last job. The rustiest old unit polishes most of the rust off the crawler treads & bucket or blade after only a few hours back on the job & is the first to gather light orange rust after a rainy weekend.

While this stuff is often re-built & re-painted; it's not that unusual to see the odd new part on the rusty, greasy undercarrage shouting out in fresh CAT yellow.

The only time used, idle equipment would have un-rusted cutting edges & treads is after a re-build/re-paint of when sitting on the used lot.

A CAT dealership would have new and traded equipment prepared for re-sale & waiting for re-sale prep. That's a great way to mix new/old/faded stuff and add a receiving customer to a siding. Some Cat dealers are 1/2 truck engines [more stuff to model] and 1/2 excavating & generating equipment. You could add Non CAT stuff as trade ins...