7mm On Heather's Workbench - Prairie ago-go

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
EA120BFE-B875-48D3-833C-69DDBCBD22D5.jpeg

It doesn’t look like a lot has progressed today, but both buffer beams are in, work has begun on hanging bars, and I’ve formed up the tank and bunker carcasses. The bunker will be interesting, with all those corners and curves. I am actively considering whether making the back sheet up from some flat material might be better than the kit method of two parts. Thinking on that, as I could partially engineer the corner curves into it as well.

*dusts off thinking cap*
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
It’s been hard going this week. That darned Real Life keeps sticking its oar into things.

FD178B0E-9002-46CE-B226-FB5865B3DDE4.jpeg

Be that as it may, I’ve fitted the hanging bars. The split method used by Mr Mitchell tends to leave unsightly joins that will need to be dealt with. Filler? I don’t know. We’ll see. In the background to can see various bodywork components scattered about, including the kit parts for the bunker rear. I’m going to attempt forming it up to fit, and if it doesn’t work then I’ll scratch a new piece - as mentioned previously.

E33299CE-7498-4F02-86FD-13AF23D47ED6.jpeg

Speaking of bunkers, I’ve fitted the extension plates to the carcass. These are simply butt soldered to the basic cage, but I will reinforce the joints with some scrap etch later. I may also add strips across at strategic points to support the detailed skins.

F799C043-872A-4D51-B4F1-7417F3160505.jpeg

Having installed the buffer planks, and the front deck, something was nagging at me. It’s obvious if you look at it, but in case you can’t spot it, the front deck plate has rounded corners at the front. This is not a feature of the 4400 and 4500 classes. I have a spare etch, left over from the baby Prairie build - which also entailed a scratched front deck, if you recall - but it still has the same issue of the rounded corners. I really, really, don’t want to scratch build a new front deck, with all the rivets, plates and various apertures and sockets, but I rather think I’m going to need to. It’s enough to make me put it all in the box and get on with something else for a while.

Anyway, it won’t happen this weekend. We’re off out gallivanting, so the bench can fester until we get back.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
It had to go.

6AE70E07-2723-47C4-9BDF-E3A50C2B4DD7.jpeg

With a spare unformed front deck etch, I set about marking up some thin nickel-silver sheet. The plate lines have been scribed in, which better represents the way the real thing looks. Here, we are part way through, having deployed the GW rivet press, and I’m pleased enough.

178587F3-6AE8-41C5-AB6B-B89F901393BB.jpeg

Here I am done. I still have to sort out lamp bracket locations, the support strut plates, and the holes for the grab handle. I’ve still got to see if I can form the curved back edge without losing too many pimples, but I’m sure it’ll be okay.

That wasn’t so painful after all.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
In case anyone was wondering at the sudden halt in proceedings and overall radio silence from me, I am currently learning to cope with some extra plumbing that was installed a couple of weeks ago as something of an emergency admission to hospital.

It's taken most of the intervening time to get used to the embuggerance, and I'm only just beginning to find it comfortable to sit on hard chairs for any length of time. I have found I can walk with reasonable comfort, so I have been making myself take a stroll around the local woods - keeping the requisite distance from other humans as I do. The spring sunshine is making a hell of a difference, I have to say.

The original scheme was I would be readmitted to hospital in a few weeks to be returned to whatever is deemed normal for me. With that naughty virus thing hitting at about the same time, I expect my day case readmission to be postponed for more important things, understandably so. Happily, I have been provided with medical supplies for a couple of months. We shall see what transpires.

Therefore, Best Beloved and I have decided to pull up the drawbridge for a couple of weeks. I'm going to attempt to do some further work on the prairie in the coming week, but body and soul really aren't in the mood at present.
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Sorry to hear this Heather - the last thing any of us need at the minute is unexpected medical issues whatsoever. Hope you recover as well as you can and can enjoy the sunshine.

Adam
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Sincerely sorry to hear, Heather.

Fingers crossed you return to something nearing fine-fettle in the non too distant.

Stay in touch.

Jonte
 
Top