Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Tender flare


Tender flare
Originally uploaded by Phil_Parker.
There's not much more horrid a part of building a locomotive than forming the flare at the top of the tender. It's not helped in this instance because the flare parts are separate to the sides. This is for production reasons - the wrapper is a single etched part and in the 7mm original it would have made this even bigger to include the flare in the sides. You'd still have to do the back separately anyway. Every kit manufacturer does this in a slightly different way and it's no more fun.

So I fitted the sides which isn't too difficult except this is a but joint visible from both sides. The the back. This has to be joined in the same way BUT you have to bend and trim the corners as well.

In the corners I'll admit to be completely unscientific. Rather than spend hours trimming and fitting the brass I get it near enough and then blog a load of solder all over it. This is then carefully (!) filed into shape. Sometimes this gets too thin and I have to fill it up again and start over. Sometimes it works well, sometimes there is a lot of swearing and grumpiness. Bit like life really.

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