The Kenworth W900L series is an iconic truck. Featuring a long hood and a conventional cab design, its classic looks are what most people picture when they think of a big rig. Even if you don’t know anything about trucks, there’s no denying the W900LX has a real presence, even when it’s made from wood in miniature form.
Like most of Awesome Woodcraft’s designs, the Kenworth truck is built from scratch. The craftsman uses cardboard templates to trace the design on wood blocks before cutting them with a jigsaw. He also sketches out features of the design with a pencil before carving them out with a chisel.
Slowly the truck’s cab comes together and takes shape, along with the frame and suspension. All 16 wheels are uniformly rounded using a lathe and shaped to resemble separate wheels and tires. No detail is too small for this wood masterpiece. It includes jack stands to support the trailer, utility boxes, and round saddlebag-style gas tanks. There’s even a driveshaft attaching the engine to the eight drive wheels.
The next part of the build focuses on the tanker trailer. A conventional cargo trailer would have been easier to build, but the tank is more of an artistic challenge. Made from separate round blocks of wood held together by metal reinforcement bands, the finished result looks fit to haul gasoline or beer from an overturned truck.
Finally, the semi-truck is painted and assembled. The size and details make it look imposing, rivaling the Ford F-450 Super Duty wood carving. The hood swings open, revealing the engine. The truck’s cab doors open to show the interior, including the seats and instrument panel. Everything looks realistically accurate, from the top of the smokestacks to the lug nuts on the wheels.
The finished product is a sight to behold. The tractor and trailer look like they were built on the same scale as the Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz that Awesome Woodcraft created previously. But at about four feet long, the Kenworth dwarfs the Cadillac, much like it would in real life.
