Christel ordered for me a 50W CO2 laser machine for my upcomming birthday in april.
But the machine arrived way to early 🙂
First test, some Belgian railroad signs … Filips did send me some files he made in Visio, and asked me to make a prototype out of it. Soon it became clear thas his measurements where “way off” 🙂 This was a “huge” sign, almost usable for scale G / LGB 🙂 So, I fired up my Coreldraw, and corrected everything … Later on, I decided that the 3MM LEDs where also to big, I modified this to 1.8MM LEDs, it looks much better 🙂
Next, I was up to some challenge for myself, to test my drawing/measuring abilities, and to get familiar with “the machine. I did know about the existing of an ironbridge in Coalbrookdale (U.K.), which is now protected under Unesco World Heritage. I was always intriged by this bridge, which was the first iron bridge, completed in 1779, but which I had never seen in real life. Because this bridge is so famous, it’s not that hard to find tons of pictures, clipart and information about the bridge. Only a few known sizes where enough to start me calculating and resizing the bridge to H0 (1:87) scale. Some parts I had to guess, some other parts where modified for a personal touch, but the overal idea/image of the bridge should feel “familiar”. I have about 30 high-res pictures of the bridge (even an aerial overview), but I’m only showing here 2 pictures, so you get the idea 🙂
This bridge will be incorporated in the module with Christels’ farm. It still needs some paint and needs to be integrated in the landscape, but actual lasering and construction of the bridge itself, is finished 🙂 As a “try-out” to learn to know my new machine, it turned out to a real usable project 🙂 So, I’m very happy with this new “toy” 🙂
THANK YOU CHRISTEL, FOR THIS NICE PRESENT !