Well, back to the GEVO for a few days, the second test etch has been rumbling along in the background, but before I pulled the plug I decided it was time to consider the panels and hatches. Some are clearly going to be etched overlays, but it was the grills, pyramid stamped and pressed vent panels that were....and have been for many years for me.....the problem.
So as a little experiment I decided to have them 3D printed, they're okay, there's room for improvement I'm sure but their inclusion is still up for debate.
First the pressed vent panel covering the battery compartment. This was done as a very thin overlay, and I mean thin, almost transparent. The vents are a little over sized but that can be tweaked.
However, as thin as it is, it's still too thick to replicate the real thing. There's two choices, sand it even thinner or make half etch recesses in the nickel silver steel work behind; more beer will be consumed whilst I ponder that solution.
Next up are the vents to the blower cab (GE calls each body section a cab, operators cab, auxiliary cab, blower cab, engine cab, radiator cab) this is pretty much standard across much of the production. Two vents are fitted here, a large (RH - Engineer) and a small (LH- Conductor) and the etch work already had openings here in the metal work.
The original plan was to etch something up, possibly with a tiny grill (with holes) formed into the sinusoidal waveform like the real thing, however, taking stock of life generally I decided it was too short so opted for a solid rendition.
The grill flange is slightly to thick and it has a raised section on the rear to locate it into the hole in the etch work. The grill came out well...except the small blow holes at top right. Two options here, live with the slightly thicker frame, or, remove it and have the frame etched with a inserted (from the rear) grill section.
On the other side the smaller/shorter one.
I also tested one of the shallow pyramid stamped covers as fitted to the Inverter cabinet (that's the big box behind the conductor on the LH side, always fitted to AC units but occasionally DC units, no idea why as DC units do not have inverters). Like the grills it has a raised locating section on the rear, but unlike the grills I didn't think ahead and have corresponding holes etched in the cabinet; hence it's standing proud a little.
It's okay, but like the others, the flange or it's thickness is not scale, you could probably form this from etch and scour lines on the inside to replicate the pyramid edges though you'd not replicate the large bolts held to secure it.
As before, there are two options, loose the locating lug on the back and then fit it into a half etched recess or loose the lug and sand it thinner.
Half etch recesses are okay but you never seem to get a perfect crisp edge with the part inserted into the recess, though I do have some ideas how to correct that.
That cabinet to the rear of the Inverter cabinet can also be replaced with a 3D print, currently it's just the core with no overlay on the model, I've no idea what's in here....I did know, but it (annoyingly) evades me right now.
There are many other objects that are certainly suitable for 3D printing, some of the grills in the radiator cab are fitted into substantially thick doors, there's also the headlight fitting and the cab control desks for example. All I need do is find the time to draw them up
And now some 1:1 stuff.
Four UP GEVOs pull hard to drag a standing manifest out of the siding on the Palmdale cut off at Cajon.
Three BNSF GEVO's wheel a long double stack train through Hesperia toward Cajon pass.
Five BNSF GEVO's (3x2) climb out of Victorville and over Natural crossover heading west.