Cutting out metal parts

Work recommences on the Super D with the discovery that I'm missing some bits for the chassis - the guard irons (the locos ones, I have three pairs for the tender) and supports for the brake pivot under the cab.

Luckily, in the mountain of paper that came in the box of bits, there were several drawings of the locomotive from which I could trace the parts. Ideally, I would have preferred to use carbon paper but couldn't find any. Luckily the print was strong and the paper I wanted to trace on to thin.

Needing two of everything, I laminated a couple of bits of nickel silver together with a little solder, lots of flux and plenty of heat. The drawing was stuck on with spray glue.

After this it was just a case of making holes (pictured) and hacking away with a piercing saw. Straight lines are formed by cutting near to the line and then filing back to it. Once happy, more heat and a scalpel blade forced between the sheets of metal separated the bits. A course file cleaned away the solder and was followed by a rub with the fat fibreglass stick.

Result: parts that look pretty much like they would if I'd been able to cut them out from an etch !