Blog- 46444's HOe Blog - All that glitters is.....Brass! GLR Models PKP Px48 build continued.

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Work has continued on the GLR Models 3D printed PKP Px48 kits today.

 

As I've mentioned previously these 3D printed kits are like a blank canvas and offer many variations in the level of detail you want to add.  In this case and as with many Continental locos it's going to be pipeworktastic but for the time being I thought I'd concentrate on getting the main work done on the body prior to adding handrails and pipework.

 

As with any 3D printed kit there are limitations to the level of detail that can be portrayed and also the finesse of the detail.  Richard has designed a brilliantly thought out kit but one area I thought that could be improved is the roof of the cab and tender cab,  

 

I carved off the rain strips from the cab and tender and made smooth.  In this case Shapeways have used a really hard nylon to print the kit and it's not the most easiest of materials to cut.  Also on the cab I removed the overhangs from the front and rear of the roof and bevelled the edges to the rear of the tender cab.

 

Thankfully in my drawer of 'bits' I had some bras sheet of various thickness and have made new roofs up for the cab and tender. Having cut the brass sheet to shape I scored the edges from behind to facilitate bending the tight curves that meet the cab sides,  I then rolled the brass on a couple of sheets of kitchen roll to get a curve, followed by bending the edges with the handle of a needle file.

 

Here's the close ups testing the ability of my HTC's phone camera:

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing is fixed at present hence the 'wonk' of the new parts.  I made a front vent up from scrap brass sheet and the rear vent is a piece of 60 thou plastic sheet sanded accordingly.  I've also marked four points on the roof to add the lifting eyes as well.  These will be applied once the roof is glued into place.

 

I've also added some etched chequer plate to the footsteps sourced from Mainly Trains and added two brass overlays to the front of the loco beneath the firebox door.

 

 

 

You'll also notice I've cut away the rear of the coal bunker and this will be replaced with a vertical back piece made from plastic sheet.  Looking at photos of my prototype locos these had this style of bunker with the slope sides continuing towards the rear.

 

Also with the tender I've opened up cut away to the front of the tender cab to take it to the point where the roof meets the tender side.  Beading will be applied to this area as well.

 

 

 

Quite a productive session really, although there's a long way to go yet and I've a second loco to be getting on with.

 

However, I'm really enjoying this build and I look forwards to seeing them run on some 'static grassed' track with a couple of Rollwagens and a green PKP bogie brake van.

 

I'm away for a few days now so no further progress until Thursday.

 

Na zdrowie,

 

Mark

 

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