Commission: Southwold open in 7/8ths…
Sometimes it’s quite nice to have a straight forward ‘kit build’ commission, although in my experience the enjoyment comes from taking it beyond the ‘box’ and creating something a little more memorable…
This is a Bole Laser Craft kit of a Southwold open wagon in 7/8ths scale on 45mm gauge. I’m no expect but the Southwold was 3ft gauge, and 45mm is about 2ft gauge in 7/8ths, even in 16mm it’s under gauge on 45mm. That said, the kit is nicely designed and assembled without too much trouble. It’s been well thought out with components that fit without much reworking. I chose to paint the interior before assembly, and filled sanded and smoothed the visible tabs on the body before adding the 3D printed sintered nylon ‘metalwork’.
As well as that ‘finishing’ step I also added rivet detail to the solebars, rather than relying on a laser cut outline of a rivet head - I think these small steps add more depth in the larger scale. However once I’d painted it it just didn’t pop, the plank detail wasn’t defined.
So despite some swearing I determined the best approach was to scribe the plank detail and then weather it to add some depth. The added benefit of this additional work was that I was able to add some deliberate (as well as a little accidental) plank damage which has really lifted the overall finish.
This project has been fitted in alongside a few other larger commissions, and shows that even ‘straight forward’ commissions end up with a personal touch when I work through their detail with the customer. If you’ve got a prototype you’d like recreating, a kit you’d like to realise as a model or just a new ide tidy proposed on an existing locomotive, then get in touch for a personal proposal. My skills allow me to offer you a one stop shop designing, sourcing and fitting etched parts, 3D printed details, custom transfers and a unique weathered finish.
Have a good weekend, and until next time, more soon…
I found it interesting your comment on the visual read of the planking on the model. It's interesting how this kit design style means that the corners exhibit a style of joinery looking like they're mitred to hide any end grain. I'd almost think that in a scale as large as 7/8's a small model like this could be designed to be individually planked and the variation between planks might read better than it ever would in the smaller scales. We've talked on this before and the relationship of 16mm or 7/8's and how their size relates to techniques popularized in smaller scales.
ReplyDeleteChris
When I scratch built my slate wagons and gunpowder van for the tramway this is how I built them, yes, as individual scribed planks of styrene. These kits assume a lower skill level. The end grain is hidden because it’s plywood so I’ve sealed and filled it to hide the obvious ply look.
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