Grille removal

More old style modelling. This time the removal of the grilles on the sides of this model locomotive body.

Those supplied look like they were glued on the side of the body when making the master. On the real loco they are flush with the body side. I wouldn't mind so much but they don't even look like they have been glued on perfectly square !

Anyway, removal is simple enough. Drill a lot of holes and then join them up by waggling a knife blade in each. Then file away the remaining plastic to leave a nice rectangular gap whilst simultaneously weakening the plastic molding. All I have to do then is fill it with some etched brass.

Now some of you are looking at this and thinking it's perfectly normal. Others are wondering what the hell I'm up to. It's been years since your Horbachmaeljan loco needed this sort of work carried out. This really is keeping the old skills alive !