Atso-Cad Models relaunch kit

Stevie DC · October 08, 2017, 03:52:41 PM

Well it has been a bit of a bumpy road over the last few years but I'm please and excited to say that Atso-Cad Models is finally producing a new kit - an Island Platform Waiting Room.

The kit is etched brass and will be supplied with a 3D printed chimney. The building measures approximately 82mm in length and 46mm wides over the roof. There is currently a minor revision being made to the artwork but I expect to be able to launch this kit within the next six to eight weeks.

Final price is to be confirmed by I'm expecting this kit to be around £16.

At present the Atso-Cad website and email is down so, if Tank is ok with it, please can you express any interest here or PM me - no payment is required until I have the kits ready.

I'll be attending the TaD-Rail exhibition at Cottesloe School, Wing next Saturday (14th October) as a demonstrator and will have the test build pictured above with me if anyone would like a closer look.

joe cassidy · October 08, 2017, 06:15:52 PM

Looks good Steve.

Is it a model of a real building ?

Best regards,

Joe

Mr Sprue · October 08, 2017, 06:51:53 PM

Steve as always an excellent example of your modelling skills, hope the sales from this kit help to fund you towards all your other projects we've chatted about!

Nicely done m8....in fact put me down for one!

Stevie DC · October 08, 2017, 07:08:41 PM

Quote from: joe cassidy on October 08, 2017, 06:15:52 PM
Looks good Steve.

Is it a model of a real building ?

Best regards,

Joe

Hi Joe,

The inspiration for this are the surviving structures at Oakley Park Station. However, the kit is not an exact replica.

Stevie DC · October 08, 2017, 07:09:57 PM

Quote from: Mr Sprue on October 08, 2017, 06:51:53 PM
Steve as always an excellent example of your modelling skills, hope the sales from this kit help to fund you towards all your other projects we've chatted about!

Nicely done m8....in fact put me down for one!

Thanks Dave, I'll put you down for one!

Roy L S · October 08, 2017, 08:22:35 PM

Just to comment.

Steve selected me for one of his test-builds.

now I have a pathological fear of etched kits so it was a great leap of faith that Steve chose me to be one of his "guinea pigs".

The etch fret he gave me was a work of art in itself. All very neatly laid out and beautifully detailed. The instructions, although pre-production were well thought through and easy to follow,

Steve assembled his using solder, but I elected for superglue as for me a soldering iron is for electronics only! This was also though a good chance to see how effective gluing was as an alternative.

I was careful and took my time, but even still the build went together quickly, everything was well thought through with plenty of fold over tabs for strength at joins.

A couple of pics below: -

Next job will be painting.

Altogether a really good kit and an enjoyable experience assembling it.

It deserves to do well and I'm sure it marks the start of a range of top quality kits.

Roy

Mr Sprue · October 08, 2017, 09:30:40 PM

Quote from: Roy L S on October 08, 2017, 08:22:35 PM
Just to comment.

Steve selected me for one of his test-builds.

now I have a pathological fear of etched kits so it was a great leap of faith that Steve chose me to be one of his "guinea pigs".

Excellent stuff, my I add that looks a super job well done by a guinea pig!

Stevie DC · October 10, 2017, 09:17:20 AM

Quote from: Roy L S on October 08, 2017, 08:22:35 PM
Just to comment.

Steve selected me for one of his test-builds.

now I have a pathological fear of etched kits so it was a great leap of faith that Steve chose me to be one of his "guinea pigs".

The etch fret he gave me was a work of art in itself. All very neatly laid out and beautifully detailed. The instructions, although pre-production were well thought through and easy to follow,

Steve assembled his using solder, but I elected for superglue as for me a soldering iron is for electronics only! This was also though a good chance to see how effective gluing was as an alternative.

I was careful and took my time, but even still the build went together quickly, everything was well thought through with plenty of fold over tabs for strength at joins.

A couple of pics below: -

Next job will be painting.

Altogether a really good kit and an enjoyable experience assembling it.

It deserves to do well and I'm sure it marks the start of a range of top quality kits.

Roy

Thank you for testing building the kit Roy and for your kind comments on it.

Stevie DC · October 10, 2017, 09:24:12 AM

The second test builder, Tony Wright, has completed his model and reported back very positively on the kit. He has also taken some photographs of his build which he has kindly allowed me to share.

The above shows a part of the instructions, along with the notes I'd provided regarding the slight mistake on the artwork - which will be rectified before production commences. This photograph also gives an indication of what to expect to see on the etch.

Tony has also added his own chimney (a 3D print will be provided for this on the production kits) and adding some additional detaining in the form of downpipes. As you may be able to tell, Tony has used solder to construct his model but, as Roy has demonstrated, superglue can be used successfully as well.

Once this weekend is out of the way, I'll be finishing the final couple of revisions to the artwork and sending it off to the etchers.

Tank · October 10, 2017, 09:30:26 AM

Fantastic kit Steve. Well done to all three builders.

Bealman · October 10, 2017, 09:42:31 AM

Just tuned into this.... awesome stuff. Congrats to you and your 'beta testers'.

Good luck with your venture!

paulprice · October 10, 2017, 10:37:54 AM

Its a brilliant looking kit, and is a credit to N gauge, some 7mm kit manufacturers could learn a few things

Mr Sprue · October 10, 2017, 05:55:18 PM

Its looks pretty awesome just in brass, be a shame to paint it!

MalcolmInN · October 11, 2017, 12:35:46 AM

That all looks seriously nice ! I've not done brass kits before and the price is come-on in !

Plus I have had in mind (for a long time now!) a scratch build of a station (from my youth) that had a front that had very similar walls to that , but - it was an addendum/annex to the Victorian building had a flat roof and no need of a back , I wonder if extra wall panels might be an option ?
Just thinking aloud !

Stevie DC · October 11, 2017, 10:27:02 AM

Thank you everyone.

Quote from: MalcolmAL on October 11, 2017, 12:35:46 AM
That all looks seriously nice ! I've not done brass kits before and the price is come-on in !

Plus I have had in mind (for a long time now!) a scratch build of a station (from my youth) that had a front that had very similar walls to that , but - it was an addendum/annex to the Victorian building had a flat roof and no need of a back , I wonder if extra wall panels might be an option ?
Just thinking aloud !

Malcolm at present this is a stand alone kit, although it has been designed so that two kits and be joined together - although I'm yet to prove this feature but hopefully will have done so by next week.

I am presently unemployed (since November) so Atso-Cad is being revived to provide an income again. Pretty much every remaining penny I have has gone into the development of this kit so any future releases will be dependant on how well this one does. However, I would love to do a variant to cover single sided platforms in the future.