3d printed models - GLR 3d Model Design

[ben racey]

Hello all,

 

The attached loco may (or may not) be of interest to some. As I've mentioned in a couple of other posts, I've been developing a small range of 3d printed coaches, locos and other bits and pieces. Further details are available on my website : www.glr3dmodeldesign.co.uk

 

There's no rhyme or reason to the prototypes I've chosen, I'm purely designing models that I want(or would have otherwise scratchbuilt), that I can also then release, and 3d manufacturing, using shapeways at present, provides an easy route to production. Hence my modelling interests can be given full flow, from Irish Narrow Gauge, to Irish Standard Gauge (mostly GNRi), as well as a couple of Polish narrow gauge prototypes - narrow gauge PX48 and the MBxD2 railcar - like I said, there's no rhyme or reason, it's just stuff I'm interested in!

 

I'm using Google Sketchup to design the models, then running either through netfabb cloud or cadspan pro to get into the STL format you need to print in. I've found the book 'Google Sketchup for beginners' very helpful, but even with that there are a few tricky bits to watch out for on Google Sketchup - it's not really designed to develop models that we would want or in these sizes so there's a few oddities that mean it can be tricky to get a flat surface when you're working to the modelling sizes.

 

The latest model I'm working on is a Great Northern Railway of Ireland JT class 2-4-2 tank. To my knowledge, there isn't a kit of one of these available, and they're a lovely little loco which will suit my planned GNRi layout in due course. Work on it has been in abeyance for the last 6 months or so as real work has been rather busy, but I've started work on it again, and the photos below show where progress has got to. This is the prototype loco, I'm printing both the body (which incorporates a separate cab so that you can remove it to add cab detail etc) and chassis, and using parts already available for the chimney, dome, safety valves, buffers etc - as well as plasticard overlays to cover the tank sides, etc, to get a smoother effect.

 

I'm using WSF (polished) for the body, and white detail for the chassis. The chassis incorporates the main printed chassis, with the pony trucks, and a jig for the coupling rods - I'm using alan gibson variable length rods for these. I've printed the forward and rear parts of the chassis as part of the body as they were rather fragile as part of the chassis.

 

 

I'm planning to release it in due course once I'm happy with it, hopefully over the summer once I've sorted the extra required parts and written some instructions.

 

Had a quick chat with the mods and got the ok to post btw. Hope it's of interest, even if the prototype isn't, I think it shows what you can do using the various bits of software that are out there at present.

 

Regards

 

Richard.

 

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Right hand side view of JT tank. Alan Gibson chimney and dome, markits wheels - and my own design of 3d print for the chassis, pony trucks and body!

 

 

Another side view....

 

 

And the final view which shows how the body breaks down into body/cab (which is a one piece print, but designed to be separated to build up) and the separate chassis (in white detail).

[ben racey]

Hi Guys,

 

The Warley show approaches, and, this year, I'm doing a demonstration on 3d printing on stand E39a.

 

I'll be setting up a laptop, and screen with some of the models that I've designed to date, and am aiming to discuss the technology, how it works and demonstrate some of the techniques I've been using - through sketchup, netfabb and cadspan. Of course, I won't have a printer there... but will be able, if I can get onto Wifi at the NEC, to show some of the principles of it, and of course discuss how I've approached some of the problems I've faced getting models to print via Shapeways and imaterialise.

 

If you're coming, please feel free to stop by and say hi.

 

Hope to see you there!

 

Regards

 

Richard.

[Atso]

Looking good there Richard!

 

I'm very interested in how you did the chassis. Is this SWF and have you used any bearings for the axles? I've been thinking about making some non powered chassis for some N gauge tender locos and am very interested in how the printed materials wear in use.

 

Good luck with your venture!

[ben racey]

Hi Steve,

 

The chassis for the locos I've designed have been printed in White Detail, with conventional brass bearings a push fit, with a little superglue to hold them in place. In future, I'm looking to use imaterialise brass for chassis, and, maybe, valve gear - though I think you'd be pushed to do the valve gear in n gauge yet, you could do the chassis.

 

I've taken the view that it's better to use conventional materials for the wearing surfaces, and then use the 3d printed stuff for the frames etc. So my coach bogies use conventional brass pin point bearings, set in a wsf(for coach bogies) and white detail(for locos).

 

Cheers for now.

 

Rich.

[5D_Stoke]

Great to meet you today at Warley Richard, and talk about 3D printing. You had some very impressive models on display.

It was very useful to see Shapeways' White material in use, and compare it to FUD and iMaterialise Prime Gray.

I'll put a posting up about my North Staffordshire Railway wagon projects asap.

Best,

Mark Smith (5D_Stoke)

[ben racey]

Hi mark,

 

Good to chat through on saturday, as you saw, it created an amazing level of interest, from people who had no knowledge of the process (but who seemed to be keen to give it a go!), to those like yourself who came along with some really impressive work of their own - really enjoyed the weekend, now recovering from what's always a busy weekend. Will take a look at your NSR thread.

 

Regards

 

Rich.

[ben racey]

Hi Guys,

 

As is always the way, I received the connecting rods I've designed for the JT tank in the post a couple of days after the show. A couple of photos are attached. I'll be fitting the pick ups and giving it a blast round in circles to see how they stand up with a bit of continuous running. A little worried how they'll stand up in traffic, however they're thicker then etched rods, so there's more material in there - we shall see. It may be that fitting Nickel or other material, as bushes may be the way forward for these.

Regards

 

Richard.

 

 

 

[ben racey]

Hi all,

 

Have now had a chance to finish off and put some paint on the loco, running in is proving to be going very well - the 3d printed brass rods are working very well too.

 

Regards

 

Richard.

 

 

 

 

All it needs now is to put some transfers on it, paint the rods, and we're sorted.

[ben racey]

Hi all,

 

A few more photos of progress on the GNRi JT class 2-4-2 tank. 3d printed basic bodyshell, plasticard overlays and brass castings for the chimney, dome etc. chassis is White detail from shapeways, this has romford wheels and 3d printed brass connecting rods

 

 

 

Also, I've been making some progress on a couple of GNRi coaches, the M2 van:

 

unpainted:

 

 

and painted:

 

 

 

This coach is 3d printed in white, strong and flexible, apart from wheels, roof vents, buffer heads and bogie mounting screws. It's looking pretty good, I think and will be on sale soon via Shapeways.

 

Also, a new GNRi all third - a K1 class coach, this also will be on sale via Shapeways when I'm happy with it.

 

 

Regards

 

Richard.

 

 

[ben racey]

Finally managed to source some transfers for the JT tank! Photos to follow after the weekend, really pleased with the way the loco has turned out.

 

regards

 

Richard.

[Bluebell Model Railway]

very impressive, just started to look at WSF as a material to work with for the body of some coaches, certainly yours look rather good, was a bit put off as it was quite a rough material, but yours looks to be great.

[ben racey]

Well... what a disaster.... sprayed it over with dullcote on friday morning, and it looks like the can was too cold.... as it's come out with a rather awful snow effect, anyone seen anything similar before...?

 

 

(Those of a nervous disposition may wish to look away now.....)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst I ponder the way forward for No.91, well it is 3d printed, and the chimney, dome etc are gibson brass, so I may scrap and use the parts to make off the body to make No.92 - the chassis is fine btw.... didn't paint that friday!

 

Something to cheer me up was a delivery from imaterialise of the brass connecting rods for a couple of CBSCR 4-6-0 tanks I'm working on, those at least look pretty good, at least until I'm let loose painting them......!

 

 

Regards

 

Richard.

 

[ben racey]

Hi all,

 

Some good news. Managed to rescue the JT tank:

 

 

Some other news, received this today from Shapeways. It's a GNRi K3 coach - there was also an I3 which was the same on the exterior(I think).

 

 

 

This is it as it arrives from Shapeways:

 

 

 

All I've added on at present are the wheels, bearings, couplings. Reckon it looks ok!

 

 

 

 

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Amazing, certainly inspiring stuff, If I may ask a question about your coaches, as myself and a modelling friend have been planning on doing some coaches, chassis, body ect... on your body's on this thread as I have tried a few materials, I assume its White strong and flexible your using? Are the models Polished or are they just the normal slightly rough finish?

[ben racey]

Hi, thanks for that!

en 

Yes, the material I've been using for all of the carriages on here is White Strong and Flexible from Shapeways. I think it works well for this kind of victorian pannelled coach - the roof I don't think is a problem - a slightly rough effect actually looks ok - whilst for the sides, I think that the layered effect gives the model more weight than a brass model has -which always look a bit light' to me....When painted up, I think it looks good for a coach for a layout - I'm thinking of modelling Ballyhaise in time, and I'll need a fair few coaches. Currently I've 8(7 printed / 1 ratio) - I wouldn't have been able to build that collection as quickly as I have by any other means....

 

'course, if the better materials - imaterialse prime grey for example, get cheaper I'll use them, but for now, it's fine - for me anyway, others may take a different view, of course - but it works for me!

 

Regards

 

Richard. 

[Bluebell Model Railway]

well that's certainly interesting, as I have been watching your models, and wondering how and what you were using, I've painted a bit of WSF and the roughness seemed to decrease a fair bit, of course it kind of absorbs the first few coats, but then seems to decrease, which is not bad, I will certainly look in to this then, as I was looking at Imaterialise as they can polish slightly bigger items at 200mm, but seeing your results certainly have made me look again at using shapeways.
Thanks for sharing that information certainly interesting reading and watching.
 

[ben racey]

no problem

 

I use Halfords car sprays as the primer  in white or grey, and then go over with Halfords tangerine for the orange, then weather down for the wood effect with a wash of enamel grey on the sides which takes it down nicely, with grey for the chassis/roof. Transfers, then dullcote, then glaze. Works for me, so long as it's not a cold day of course....!

 

Regards

 

Richard.

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Interesting many thanks, I will try some of those methods, when I get round to finishing them, many thanks !

[ben racey]

HI all, 

 

The products of some work over Christmas are now looking good, first off is the K3 coach, this is a Great Northern Railway of Ireland all third - the model is the prototype, there's a bit more work to do on the pannelling, but it's painted up quite well:

 

 

 

 

Second is the M2 passenger brake van, another Dundalk product, it's very similar to the M1 clerestory roofed van, bar a few subtle window differences:

 

 

The M2 van is available to purchase, should you be interested via my shapeways shop - the K3 will be once I've sorted the pannelling.

 

Oh, and a happy new year to everyone! I'm sure the coming year will bring us some exciting developments in 3d printing....

 

Regards

 

Richard.

[leslie10646]

Personally, I think Richard hides his light under a bushel, so to try and give his good works some visibility, I have commissioned him to produce me some RTR examples of his vans for the Provincial wagons stand at the Bangor Exhibition on 12/13 April. I'll be selling them at a special show price of £95. Come and have a look!

 

Leslie

 

M2 Van 3.JPG

 

[Nelson Jackson]

Beautiful job on the JT class locomotive, well done, any chance of pics showing the locomotives in the background of one of your pics? it looks very interesting, is it a S class?

[ben racey]

Hi Nelson,

 

Thanks for that! Very pleased with the way it turned out in the end.

 

Yes, it's an S class body, intended to be lugnaquilla, eventually - however it's a bit of a stalled project, as the lining has proved beyond me at present! I do have a completed U, PPS as well as the JT. Another JT should be finished relatively soon, and then if I get a look at it I might look at trying to finish it off as well as another U class....

 

Time being the main constraint!

 

Regards

 

Richard.