The Big Bertha build is progressing quite well despite a few problems with Blender. Serves me right for using a beta rather than a proper release. However, there were some nice features in the beta that I hope will make their way to a proper release.
The body is complete other than the texturing. Quite a few items I have made will actually go into the loco chassis rather than the body mesh.
In the last week I have built the wheels, brakes, brake rods, rivets on the boiler and cab, plus a few odds and ends. The wheels started as Paul Hobbs meshes but the diameter was a half inch out so I had to remake the rims and the hubs. The balance weights were interesting since wheels 2, 3 and 4 appear to have the same weight while 1 and 5 have a slightly smaller weight. The offset for the balance on wheel 3 is different from 2 and 4 so there was more work there than I anticipated.
I have started work on the pistons and you can see the partially complete mesh. The pistons and housing are currently oriented at zero degrees on the X axis because its easier to make it that way. The mesh will have to be rotated eight degrees on the X axis for the final mesh.
Anyway, this is how it looks today in Blender (solid view). This week I will be finishing the piston housing, the animation and the Walschaert gear (mesh). I'm looking forward to doing the animation.
Paul
The body is complete other than the texturing. Quite a few items I have made will actually go into the loco chassis rather than the body mesh.
In the last week I have built the wheels, brakes, brake rods, rivets on the boiler and cab, plus a few odds and ends. The wheels started as Paul Hobbs meshes but the diameter was a half inch out so I had to remake the rims and the hubs. The balance weights were interesting since wheels 2, 3 and 4 appear to have the same weight while 1 and 5 have a slightly smaller weight. The offset for the balance on wheel 3 is different from 2 and 4 so there was more work there than I anticipated.
I have started work on the pistons and you can see the partially complete mesh. The pistons and housing are currently oriented at zero degrees on the X axis because its easier to make it that way. The mesh will have to be rotated eight degrees on the X axis for the final mesh.
Anyway, this is how it looks today in Blender (solid view). This week I will be finishing the piston housing, the animation and the Walschaert gear (mesh). I'm looking forward to doing the animation.
Paul