Not quite at the stage of @mickoo's beautiful model yet, but good progress on the S15 upper works today.
There is something incredibly satisfying when you place a cab on a curved footplate and it fits first time. They are not secured yet as there is some detailing to do first.
If I remember, then next time I build one of these I will fit the cab rear beading after the cab has been formed to shape. There isn't much material above the cut out and it would have been easier to hold that in a pair of parallel pliers while the curve is made.
There is something incredibly satisfying when you place a cab on a curved footplate and it fits first time. They are not secured yet as there is some detailing to do first.
If I remember, then next time I build one of these I will fit the cab rear beading after the cab has been formed to shape. There isn't much material above the cut out and it would have been easier to hold that in a pair of parallel pliers while the curve is made.
Today has been a game of two halves...........
I made good progress with completing the cabs and fitting them to the footplate. With the strengthening part of the footplate removed it was possible to unite the footplate and chassis.
So next it was on to the firebox, boiler and smokebox.
The boiler/firebox etch comes prerolled but needs cutting and forming. That takes a little time but at first I was quite happy.
And then it hit me: the boiler/firebox etches on both kits have been rolled inside out. There are two washouts towards the top of the firebox. The ones on the LHS are nearer to the spectacle plate than those on the RHS. Unfortunately rolling the etch inside out results in those on the LHS being further out.
I now have to decide what to do. There may be a spare etch in the Gladiator stores, but probably only one. So I think I am going to have a go at drilling new holes in the right places and plugging the existing ones. It's a lot of extra work to get it to an acceptable finish.
I don't really fancy dismantling and re-rolling the existing fireboxes but that might be an option.
Grrr!
I made good progress with completing the cabs and fitting them to the footplate. With the strengthening part of the footplate removed it was possible to unite the footplate and chassis.
So next it was on to the firebox, boiler and smokebox.
The boiler/firebox etch comes prerolled but needs cutting and forming. That takes a little time but at first I was quite happy.
And then it hit me: the boiler/firebox etches on both kits have been rolled inside out. There are two washouts towards the top of the firebox. The ones on the LHS are nearer to the spectacle plate than those on the RHS. Unfortunately rolling the etch inside out results in those on the LHS being further out.
I now have to decide what to do. There may be a spare etch in the Gladiator stores, but probably only one. So I think I am going to have a go at drilling new holes in the right places and plugging the existing ones. It's a lot of extra work to get it to an acceptable finish.
I don't really fancy dismantling and re-rolling the existing fireboxes but that might be an option.
Grrr!
A trawl through the Gladiator spares box revealed not one but two spare S15 boiler etches!! These are clearly produced by Photo-Etch so must have been lurking for quite a while. I have now rolled them - the correct way! - and will return to the bench with a lighter heart tomorrow.
Phew!
Phew!
