The next development

Well some of you may have read on RMWeb or Western Thunder about modellers using the latest type of resin based 3D printers. I was reading Mike Trice's posts https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/142773-anycubic-photon-3d-dlp-printer/
and saw he had bought one from Amazon recently and he was having great results from the start. I idly flicked over to Amazon and they were having a sale that day, £90 off list price! Too much temptation! I have been thinking about this as I have tried making the castings in various materials over the years and have a whole load of etches that need castings to get things complete. This is the answer.
I also found I could download Fusion 360 for free - a 3D CAD programme and so I did and found some excellent, simple to follow tutorials from Warwick University aimed at school age students and did them and then started to see what I could draw for the LB&SCR modelling.
So, a loco I started about ten years ago was the Slaughter version of the Craven Standard Goods. A lovely looking beast. I didn't realise the complexity of outside frames etc and all the twiddly bits of Cravens engines. I had some etching completed and soldered some of it together, it wasn't far out but the outside frames slot for the axleboxes was too large and I had no castings! Well, I have now and am redrawing the etches to be able to complete a mixed media kit. I had great trouble with the appearance of the loco springs from layers of etching and the firebox curves back and front were made from about six layers of etch soldered together and filed up. Not any more as I have managed to draw all these and a great deal more in the 3D CAD and then print them. The last bit for the loco body has just come out the printer and so I will start on the tender and other parts next.
I have been drawing the parts in both 4 and 7mm scale and will continue to do so. Things will appear of EBModels website when ready to sell but I will try and keep this blog going to show you developments as they occur.
I am pleased that my general doom and gloom after last Novembers burglary has been got rid of through a combination of friends chatting and this new toy! I intend to try and get a whole load sorted over the next few months so stay tuned!

7mm parts at front and left, 4mm parts at right rear. At last the springs will be in one piece and not from loads of etch layers. I am very pleased and want to get other bits sorted now and then get some things finished, aiming for October AGM of Brighton Circle to have kits ready.
Cheers Ian