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More designs sent for 3D printing: T Gauge Class 37s

Will J

Entry posted by Will J

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Excitement, I had an email today letting my know that my latest couple of orders from Shapeways are now in production. Soon I hope to be able to show pics of the 'printed' N gauge Class 139 People Mover...

 

...and also, here is a teaser of my latest tiny T gauge project: (as seen first in the T gauge group B) )

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Note that the sides are smooth, as I figured that at this scale it would be wise to combine the wrap around livery, and grille details, into a single decal! The tiny Class 37 will be made from 'Frosted Ultra Detail', see http://www.shapeways.com/materials/frosted_detail

 

I suspect that there is much more detail on these models than will actually show on the print, but it will be interesting to zoom into some photos and see what has come out in the final reckoning!

 

The other interesting element of trying to get involved with an emerging new scale is the compromises it entails. These '37s are wrapped around an existing mechanism which pretty much dictates the dimensions....

 

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You suddenly feel for the designers of early N gauge models, Im thinking about the beautifully crisply moulded but grotesquely over scale Lima Deltics, the sort that we point and laugh at today with our finescale standards. Set with the challenge of adapting somebody elses mechanism to a UK prototype in the latest 'mini' scale, you end up pulling similar tricks. T gauge is supposed to be 1:450 scale, these Class 37s are more like 1:400.

 

The answer, I guess, is that they are never going to be finescale renditions of a prototype, but more a representative object to trundle scenically around the rolling scenery of an epic layout!

 

Anyhow, the proof of the pudding will be in the printing, as soon as the courier arrives with the goodies I shall let you all see what has emerged. The package should include:

 

1x N gauge Class 139

3x T gauge Class 37 locomotives

1x T gauge 'bubble car' railcar

1x T gauge Class 139*

 

*The last of which was more of a joke order to make the order up to the minimum order quantity... It will be about the size of a solitary baked bean :yes:

 

(and yes, the big challenge will be remembering where I put it!)

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Leicester Thumper

don't sneeze near the T gauge 139.... and make sure it isn't that baked bean colour or you could end up with a crunchy bean with the next fry up....

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Will J

That could be fun, there has already been an etched kit for a tiny Deltic but it was sold out last time I tried to get one. A printed plastic one could work nicely and allow for different 'nose' versions, depending on whether you want green, light blue, dark blue or pink variety!

 

I'm really not sure how much of the detail will appear, it will be fasinating to find out...

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James Hilton

I look forward to seeing all of these - especially the N gauge 139 if I'm honest as I think that's been a great project. The T stuff looks fun, tiny though!

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Will J

If you havent seen a T gauge model yet, it is quite a shock! Oddly, it soon becomes 'normal' , and N gauge begins to look oddly big! The human mind is an odd thing, we don't gauge the size of things in strictly scientific units of measurement, it is all based on size compared to what you are used to!

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