Dirt Modeler

Dirt Modeler was started as a side project to Intersection Replicas as i had a constant string of emails from people wanting to purchase my parts.  Intersection Replicas began with an idea to push the envelope of what was possible with a 1:24 dirt late model.  Two things i knew for certain when I sat down and began the development process.  It was going to be brass, and it was going to have fully functional and scale working suspension.. front and rear.  I also knew i was going to start with form being the main design theme, and I’d adjust the form out of scale only when i couldn’t find a way to add the function.

The largest hurdle for this all to come to fruition was working fasteners.  Glue and epoxy simply was not going to cut it.  I realized this very quickly with the first prototype as it would not stay together.  If this car was going to work, screws were going to be the main fastener.

The main issue with these screws, is cost.  They are expensive.  A set of fasteners to put the car together is the largest cost of the whole project.  The screws and nuts alone cost the same as a certain diecast company is charging for their built cars.  The 1:24 Dirt Late Model is designed to be built with 000-120 screws.  These are the smallest screws you can buy at a somewhat reasonable cost.  The next size down (0000-160) jump from about $.50 to over $5.00 for a single screw and nut combination.  This in addition to there being over 100 screws  on a single car.. the car was going to have to use 000-120.

Now that you know the story of the screws, it’s time to get down to the business of using them.

First of all, you probably aren’t going to have the right size screwdriver and nut driver in your craftsman tool chest to use these.  These are much smaller then any fastener that auto shop tool sets were meant to handle.

Start with a good screwdriver.  The blade on your screwdriver is of VITAL importance here.  Not having a perfect blade on your driver will lead to instant frustration.  A blade that is not perfect will wander out of the slot of the screw head after only one or two turns.   This means you’ll have to stop what you are doing, and look to put the screwdriver back into place.  This also means that you are no longer looking at the nut you are holding with the other hand.. and you’ve probably just dropped it, or lost hold of it with your tweezers or nut driver.  Trust me, i’ve been through this scenario many times.

I’ve tried a few brands, and i’ve been most happy with Wiha brand screwdrivers.

Wiha Slotted Screwdriver, Precision, 1/32″, 4.72″ OAL

Get the smallest screwdriver you can, the 1/32″

If you’re serious about wanting to work with these small screws, i recommend getting a couple. The blades are hardened steel that can fracture if you drop them on the ground a couple times blade side first.

Now that you have the screw side taken care of, we have to focus on the nut itself.

There isn’t a single solution to this problem. Many nuts will have to be threaded under, by, over, and through some parts. So the most important thing here is options.

The 000-120 nuts will require a 5/64″ Nut Driver and/or wrench (they do make wrenches this small)

Nut Driver, 5/64″ Pollicis

The Pollicis nut driver is the one i use most.

Moody Tools MT-ND078 5/64″ Mini Nut Driver with Acu-Min Steel Handle

More common would be the all steel versions like this one from Moody Tools.

Nut Driver Blade, 5/64″

Another very handy version is the nut driver blade itself. They can squeeze in tighter spaces.

R29b SA – 160mm Self Closing Tweezers

The next helpful tool for getting those nuts threaded up is some good self closing tweezers. You can put the nut in them, wrap them around a bar or under a panel, then thread the screw into the nut. I use these quite a lot in the most tight spaces, and i recommend having at least one pair in your toolkit. These are great for many, many uses.

Permatex 24206 Medium Strength Threadlocker Blue, 2.5 ml Bottle

Last, but not least, consider getting yourself some threadlock. It’s essential for the joints on the birdcages, and steering mechanism to keep the nuts in place as you move things around through the suspension travel. And come on… thread lock on a scale model? What’s cooler then that! who else has that!?

Until Next Time.

Michael S. Crowley
dirtmodeler