I tell you what: this business of starting with etched parts is really a lot faster than forming parts yourself. I spent about an hour this morning laying out and forming the four key-holes that I use to screw the cab to the frame, and which somehow I forgot to include in the pattern. If I had etched those holes, I could have that hour back.
Even with the forgotten holes, the cab went together far faster than the one for #10. That one took three attempts over the course of two months before I had a product I could live with.
Today, I also spent many minutes learning that when folding up to form a butt joint, I should fold the outside of the joint first. In the case of the cab, the ends are inside the sides, and they all fold up from the seats. If I had folded the sides first, I could have gone a little past 90 degrees and let the metal spring back slightly. With the ends folded up first, however, I struggled to get everything lined up perfectly.
The cab with keyholes slots works just as I’d hoped. As with #10, it is a simple matter to trap the running board against the house brackets with the cab. Unlike #10, there is no fiddling with screws – simply push the cab forward and turn the screws about 3/4 of a turn and the whole assembly is tight!
Pembroke:87 