Ok moving over to the A7 in 3D a simple knock up of some of the frame parts to see what 'it' should look like, hopefully in seven days I'll have some metal work that looks similar if not identical, excepting the 3D prints of course, I'm not pulling that trigger until I know the metal work is good enough.
Overall view
Front end close ups, inside front view.
The blue grey bits up here are the proposed castings and the rod is the cylinder drain cock lever, hopefully after supper I'll add the linkages lifted off the art work and we'll see if they all fit.
Outside front view.
The outer cylinder frame work is an inverted U, the hole in the top should aid fixing either the wrapper or castings, hopefully both.
Front end outside rear.
Currently the cylinder rear cover is an etch but I may change this and add the stuffing gland as one casting, though it is tempting to leave the cover plate in etch and then insert the stuffing glad casting on top.
Rear inside.
Again these are currently etched plates, they're only the same colour as the castings to make them stand out easier. The same thoughts apply to these are the previous outside ones, the jury is out on that at the moment, I'll see what the etched ones look like once fitted to the model.
Rear end.
Probably the most complicated part to fabricate due to the step in the frames and triple plate work require to fix it all together. The rear frame plate work is etch not cast, again coloured to make it easier to see where it all goes. The rear brake shaft is in and hopefully the pull rods can go on shortly. The twin steam brake cylinders are clear to see.
From the rear.
The large flat plate over the rear radial is not prototypical....boo....but is there to limit the side throw of the radial truck and provide a smooth flat surface for the springs to push on; still to add are the two plates on the frame side that act as a guide and bearing surface to allow the radial truck to....well....radial
The large hole in the twin flat plates is where the hand brake linkage passes through and into the cab. There are a couple of rebates along the top of the frame for a couple of other non prototypical plates, one to secure the frames to the body, the other to tie in the rear end and give it a bit of strength.
On the outside of the frames are the footplate brackets and brake hanger brackets to add and all the rivets, they serve no purpose other than to add a bit of bling.
There is no skulduggery here, that would defeat the object of the exercise, each part is simply lifted off the main etch and expanded to 0.35 or 0.45 mm thick to represent the real material. Then it is flipped and poked through the holes to see if it actually fits. So far only one part has a mistake, a o.6 mm hole on the wrong side, on the model I'll fill it with NS wire and file smooth and then drill it on the other side in the correct place.
Enjoy.
Mick D