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J17 - Attempting a 3D printed boiler


Fen End Pit

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I'd spent a fair amount of time trying to solder up a belpaire firebox and despite many attempts I really wasn't that happy with the results. So, as much as an intellectual exercise as with any practical expectation of success, I thought I'd try and model the firebox, boiler and smokebox up in CAD and try to print it. This is very much a 'work in progress' but the results are rather encouraging. The layer lines at a .03mm layer height are virtually invisible to my eye and will disappear even further under a coat of paint.

 

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I was astonished by how well the rivets around the smokebox came out and how cleanly the holes for handrail knobs have been printed. I printed the chimney and dome as separate pieces (and haven't cleaned the bottom of the dome off properly hence the poor fit). In terms of the actual model I think the smokebox door needs a slightly more pronounces curve to is and I believe I can probably add the sandboxes to the 3D print.  I might just add the dome and chimney to the model rather than have them as separate pieces. I think a lot of the other issues are related to getting the printing support right, I'm wondering about modeling a support base in CAD rather than adding on in Chitubox.

 

I was pleased enough with the results to dismantle the etched splashers on the my current footplate so I could match the 3D printed part with the etch - I think the footplate and cab are still best made from brass. Bear in mind that the holes left in the foot plate from the original splashers are over-size and I'll need to fill them to make them the same size as the 3D printed parts. When press down the gap between the 3D printed part and the footplate around the front splashers disappears.

 

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So I'm very much encouraged to keep going this route. I will solder up the cab and print the rest of the super-structure with a few tweaks and then see how it all looks.  This was printed on a Phrozen Mini 4K at .03 layer height using 'The Technology Outlets' premier Low odour grey resin.

 

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Having read the latest MRJ I would like to refute the idea that this 'Dreadful 3D printing' kills craftsmanship.. It just takes a different sort of craftsmanship, just in the same way that photo-etching brass didn't kill craftsmanship when it meant we no longer had to cut everything else out by hand with a piecing saw.

 

Please let me know what you think.

 

David

 

 

Edited by Fen End Pit
loss of photos

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Please let me know what you think.

 

I'll bite.

 

For what it's worth, I agree with you.  Making a decent 3D print of anything complex takes a great deal of skill, both with the CAD side of things, and in knowing how to exploit the printer.  A different set of skills to those required to scratch build, certainly, but skills all the same.

 

Adrian

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To my untutored eye that looks really very good. I have a Mousa Models o4/7 boiler awaiting installation on a donor. Though I am very happy with it, your smokebox door looks very clean indeed in comparison.

 

Best wishes,

 

Alastair

Edited by A Murphy
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Looks good to me. Boiler /splashers are excellent . The skirt of the dome is a bit wobbly , but I'm sure a bit of heat will dewobbly. ( nice word that ) 

 

I am liking what I see with resin printing. I have been messing about with software, I want to be confidant with that before even thinking about a printer. 

 

Your comment about the idea of 3d printing is killing craftmanship I agree with. It isn't , as you say it is just another method we can use. I have in the past thought about a centrifugal caster for making parts , but now things have clearly moved on.

 

Mass is traditionally an issue, but I am getting better with chassis, a well compensated lighter design seems to me to run better than a hugely overweight block of whitemetal.

 

 So keep going, I am impressed with that so far. 

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Very nice indeed and I agree with you entirely that its still better to use brass for some things and 3D printing for others - especially where lines of rivets are involved!  As you can see from my blogs, I use a brass tube for the boiler with added 3D-printed cladding - a good compromise for both strength and details.

 

Mike

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I think as with all new processes there are the good, the very good and the appalling unfortunately some peoples views have been swayed some of the really low resolution and inaccurate prints out there but some brass kits that are still produced are dreadful. There have been good 3D prints about for ages some of the best I've seen were the late Dave Finney's, Fordson tractor and motorcycle they were amazing and that was a good while ago. I think the drive to  print a complete loco or wagon is may be too far I think the way you have done it using brass for footplate and cab and printing for boiler and fittings is using the best of both technologies.

 

Simon

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This looks very good quality, and shows what can be achieved in this medium.

 

I'm fully in agreement with Heacham, and like any new process there is a learning curve and an evolution of harnessing its strengths rather than using it for everything. The same could also be said of resin casting a decade or two back. Some of it was rubbish, but in many cases it provided a viable way to make models that otherwise were unobtainable. Think of the Silver Fox diesel range, even though Heljan eventually came along and proved the subjects to be viable in RTR.

 

John.

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The first digital photos I saw were truly terrible, but a few years later...wow! Same with 3-D printing; I'm excited for the younger modellers at what possibilities await. But as an oldie I'm content to stick with what I know.

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probably not too long before we are 3D printing our meals in the manner of Star Trek :)

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I think it looks superb , never mind the 2 foot rule it looks fantastic from a few inches away ! back in the dim and distant past i recall reading a winging letter on how white metal body kits were killing off the hobby and that sawing up sheets of tinplate was the only way to model ! 

as an aside i think multi media is the way to go .

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Superb results indeed, well done!

 

This new technology is incredible and old farts like me can only look on in amazement at what can be achieved.

 

Your point about etching brass etc. back in the 1970s and comparing that to 3D printing today is a valid one, but on the other hand, we each of us grow up and form the basis of our modelling skills in a certain 'era'. In many terms, I think that this then defines our 'modelling comfort zone'.

 

As such, I am comfortable to built an etched kit that someone else has produced although I know that I don't have the skills to master even the old-fashioned (pre-computer)  way of producing the master artwork (having seen a friend successfully master this back in the 1970s).

 

I haven't yet built any kits where 3D printing is a major component, the opportunity or need hasn't yet arisen, but presumably superglue is indicated as the most suitable adhesive (5 minute epoxy is more in my comfort zone).

 

As for mastering the software required for CAD or even things like Templot, my personal modelling time is relatively limited and coupled with a basic inability to readily grasp computer and software related matters, I know that I would begrudge the time needed to learn and achieve anything meaningful in these fields, so I have had to accept that I must leave this 'brave new world' to others and perhaps grovelling ask for any related assistance, as and when I might need it.

 

Good luck with the project!

 

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I find that one of the biggest problems with 3D printing is that it opens up so many possibilities :)  Often, it's difficult to decide what to make next!.

 

I do remember, though, that getting started in creating my first designs on a computer seemed an almost impossible task.  Once I realised that so much can be done simply by extruding a two-dimensional drawing into the 3rd dimension, then I began to find that it soon fell into place.  Jut a few simple techniques can take you a long way!

 

I am still amazed by how much can be done even with a basic FDM printer.  Of course, there is always some visible banding but it's not noticeable at normal viewing distance in a 4mm scale model.  With a low-temperature filament, like PLA, it is easy to 'weld' parts together with a soldering iron. I also find that superglue works very well with this material.

 

If you can get through the initial learning 'barrier', then it becomes great fun turning out models that seemed impossible just a few years ago.  I was fortunate in that 'lock-down' gave me plenty of time to get to grips with the technique.

 

Mike

Edited by MikeOxon
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