Modified F-unit fuel tank question

[Packer]

I posted this in the weekend update thread, but I have a question regarding detailing, so I figure I'd ask again here.

I had made some modifications to a stock stewart F-unit fuel tank. I'm modeling several units with cut skirts and I made up my own method:


http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2331166
But for, some reason my model seems kinda off me, something about the gap seems strange. Looking at the proto photo, I think like the entire tank itself may be too low. It's in the stock location, so maybe the stewart tank sits too low.

What do you guys think about the gap between the tank/battery boxes and carbody?

[sirenwerks]

Less space between the bottom edge of the carbody and the external-most tank top and more depth between the carbody exterior and your new vertical member might help.  I can't see on your new set-up, but the difference in the prototype tanks' profiles is an important visual marker to me as well.

[Packer]

Thanks for your input, Sirenwerks.

If I get what you're saying, moving the tank up, or adding something to the top to mimic the tank profile would help? As for depth, I can only go in another 1/16th of an inch on both sides before I'd have to modify the frame.

I'm thinking some .06 quarter round styrene strips on top of the tank would kill two birds with one stone. Adds something that looks like the prototype profile, and closes the gap.

[sirenwerks]

...As for depth, I can only go in another 1/16th of an inch on both sides before I'd have to modify the frame.

An artist's trick would be to paint the interior of the 'depth' either a darker black or weather the more external areas with a lighter color, basically a negative highlighting (via greater darkness) of the shadowed area.

[Packer]

Some more work done to the tank.




I added some .08 square rod on top of the battery box, then some .06 quarter round on top of the fuel tank.

What do you guys think?

I'm roughing out another way of doing this, using a piece of L-shaped styerene instead of two strips of .02 styerene glued into an L. Still working on measuring the other idea out.

[Packer]

Tried a new was of doing the tanks so they have a bit more relief, and can be made fairly quickly.




if your wondering what the stray white line is, it's where my jig broke. I rebuilt it and have cut a few more tanks. Just have to glue in the styrene bits to shape it out.

The "cut" tank compared to an "uncut" tank:




Figure later this week I clean up the rest of the noses of the other Fs and start cutting skirts on units who get them. Maybe get a few in base primer and add the DW stuff to them.

I wonder if shapeways could be used to make tanks an how much it would cost....