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"Project Malta"


S.A.C Martin

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Here's something I'm working on currently.

 

My planned RMweb Comp project - sadly due to lack of funds, could not be completed or even started in time!

 

However I loved the idea of it so much, I'm going ahead with it - and part of it involves creating some locomotives, rolling stock, and buildings for my planned project - simply titled "Museum". It makes a change from my BR era, ex Eastern region rolling stock, and gives it a bit of a link to my missus and her family, who are from Malta.

 

The rolling stock of the real Malta Railway was fairly eclectic - as shall be mine! My first loco, to be 3D printed, is intended to be an On30 scale model of Malta Railway no.1 - fairly appropriate, given its the first part of the project I am working on!

 

Hopefully, if the 3D print comes out okay, I can examine the model, identify areas of improvement, and then modify the 3D model to make Malta Railway no.2 thereafter. Repeating the procedure will give me Malta Railway no.3, and hopefully a decent representation of the Manning, Wardle locomotive it is meant to be.

 

Here's what it looks like as of this evening's edits session:

 

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The Smokebox door handle was modeled, followed by the roof and rear cab sheet. The bufferbeam and running plate have been widened after I checked my measurements - they were 0.2mm out on correct width.

 

Overall the model is scale dimensions (ish) to On30 scale (not counting the track gauge, which I have discounted in favour of the use of off the shelf HO/00 gauge stock. Just like American On30 gauge, actually). The boiler is slightly too big, but that was enlarged to allow the chassis I am using to fit on top.

 

The next job was making the chimney - you learn something new everyday! "Follow me" is the command used on Sketchup to create a rounded object through extrusion of several flat surfaces.

 

It looks like a bottle cap here, currently!

 

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Next job is modelling the NEM coupling pocket, to NMRA standards, allowing Kadees to be used, adding rivet detail, and a few other bits and bobs. After that, I'll print this up as a test sample, and then go from there. :)

 

Until next time - hopefully with some updates on both this, and the "Project P.O.C" too.

6 Comments


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sorry, Don't understand how you get a 3D print to become a model? what do you get when you print?

Do you have to transfer to metal and "Bash" eventually.

Sorry if this has been explained before.

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sorry, Don't understand how you get a 3D print to become a model? what do you get when you print?

Do you have to transfer to metal and "Bash" eventually.

Sorry if this has been explained before.

 

No problem. :)

 

Basically, you get a plastic bodyshell, not quite as fine as an injection moulded model, but good enough to work from to make toolings. In my case, I'm going to print (literally!) several copies of this model, refining it each time until I am satisfied with the model overall.

 

Essentially, a 3D printer prints layers of plastic, one on top of the other, building up the layers into the 3D object made in the software one so chooses to use.

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Very nice indeed, I keep flicking through the book I aquired over there on holiday, but I don't think I'll get past the card coach bodies I cut out a few years ago...

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Ahhh..????.. similar to the "Rapid prototyping" process which I saw demonstrated during my pre-retirement days?. That was a "wet" process, taking many hours to build up the item required. You seem to imply that the printing is quite quick to enable you to modify your design in a sensible time-frame.

Modfather mentions a book, Title / Author?

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"The Malta Railway" - can't remember the author, lent it to a friend recently! Sorry :(

 

Found mine on Amazon for a tenner though :)

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It's probably not worth putting too much fine detail on these 'printed' bodies as they usually need a lot of filling and smoothing to get rid of the stepped effect. Better to make the basic shape, smooth it up and add the detail after that.

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