5D_Stoke

I have had some limited success with this yesterday on one test photo, here is the resulting .obj file (green image from Netfabb) and then tidied up (grey photos) with a few minutes work in Blender (which I am fortunately fairly familiar with at a basic level of sculpting and revising figures created in other programs). I've not tried 3D printing her yet but that should be relatively straightforward. This program does look like it offers a relatively quick way to generate standing figures in 4mm scale (or smaller) that would look good enough painted, but attempts to get it to work with sitting or more complicated figures failed completely. The mesh is reasonably fine but the program creates all sorts of anomalies, e.g. hands vary from quite well defined to non-existent (as on this example pictured - the right hand is decent, left one missing from the elbow!). Over 4mm scale they are a bit too basic. For sitting and more complicated 4mm figures I have used DAZ, and also MakeHuman, and these give superb detail for 7mm and 16mm figures that I also print, but such programs are a huge learning curve to get usable outputs and there are frustrating limits in how much my laptop will cope with to export and fix the files for 3D printing, so I was rather hopeful of making something quicker and easier this way. The technology can only improve, thanks for sharing it! If I manage any better ones I will share them on here.

Wow, that is a superb result, will redouble efforts to get it to work for me tomorrow. Victorian and Edwardian figures are exactly what I want to create, plus possibly WW1 military.

Many thanks, I've now tried that and it went through the first cell stage fine, but at the second stage, image to 3D mesh, when I thought I should be able to select a .png or .jpg file, I get the error message: NameError: name 'image_path' is not defined. Sorry, I have no bank of knowledge to know what's going on! Has it not loaded the program correctly?

I got the same error message I'm afraid, I had assumed this might work from the demo page without going to the trouble of installing the program. Is it meant to?

Shapeways supplies most of the designs I sell, and they have a sale on... https://www.shapeways.com/shops/5d_stoke

Over on another thread about Freightliner models https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/149657-Hornby-freightliner-flats/page/7/ I have pasted some information about the Freightliner 10ft and 20ft ISO containers now available as free stl downloads for home 3D printing from Jonny Duffet on Thingiverse. Many thanks Jonny for this and so much other useful stuff!: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5234894/files. Plus some plug in replacement doors for the Hornby 20ft moulding I've put on Shapeways to print and purchase to help detail the pre-ISO Hornby 20ft container (or your 10ft and 30ft cut-and-shut pre ISO ones as well): https://www.shapeways.com/product/B5WEZ4FSX/freightliner-container-non-iso-doors-4mm-scale

Freightliner Container (non-ISO type) - replacement doors for Hornby 4mm scale model I've also made available for sale via Shapeways some easy and accurate replacement doors for Hornby containers if you are modelling the 20ft without ISO corner fittings, these will replace the Hornby opening doors (which are the crudest bit of a great moulding, and often broken or missing). They represent the type with three hinges per door and only two locking bolts, whereas the ISO type had (and still have) four hinges per door and four bolts. They can equally well be used on your cuts-and-shuts to produce 10ft or 30ft pre-ISO Freightliner containers. The cost per set may appear high but of course your containers can be arranged on the flats so that very few actually show the door detail... Unfortunately the production costs at Shapeways have increased a lot but this will enable anyone to purchase them anywhere in the world, as I've not got the capacity to manufacture and ship them. Not meant as a commercial, just trying to share them, the mark-up on these is a few pence each. The attached photo shows a home-produced test print in grey resin, the examples from Shapeways will be in their high quality translucent Smooth Fine Detail Plastic (previously known as Frosted Ultra Detail or "FUD"). https://www.shapeways.com/product/B5WEZ4FSX/freightliner-container-non-iso-doors-4mm-scale?optionId=252011647&li=shops

To add variety, and as an alternative to just modifying the Tri-and Hornby 20ft and 30ft boxes, fellow modellers of Freightliners may have heard about the excellent 10ft and 20ft ISO type Freightliner containers kindly made available as free downloads for 3D printing by Jonny Duffett ("IronMink") on Thingyverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5234894 This week I have successfully printed the 10ft ISO container in UV-cured resin on an Anycubic Photon S printer having made some modifications to the wall thickness and added a cross brace underneath (complete with locating holes so it will, if necessary, fit on a Hornby container flat!) Here's a pair fresh off the printer before cleaning and curing. The first couple were slightly distorted so I won't show those, and there are a few more tiny modifications still to do. I'm now moving on to printing the 20ft ISO containers with smooth sides, which will be finished using Fox and Railtec transfers. Very pleased indeed with these as, while 20ft ISO containers can be made most easily by adding ISO fittings to Hornby ones and preserving the livery elements, these 3D prints give a quick route to plenty of variety in an early Freightliner train.

They would scale down to 2mm but its not quite that simple, I would have to make them thicker to enable Shapeways to accept them for printing. There is a general problem increasing the thickness of curved shapes, it's a whole lot more labour intensive than on flat surfaces, and where there are multiple windows its even more fiddly, at least the way I do it! I think in scales below 4mm the sides are going to appear so thick that the glazing would be unrealistically recessed, this is where etched material scores, if it can be curved to the correct profile, which I admit is difficult for this coach with its unusual profile compared to the single curve of 99.99 percent of mark 1s.

They would scale down to 2mm but its not quite that simple, I would have to make them thicker to enable Shapeways to accept them for printing. I primarily designed and printed them because I wanted to model the carriage myself; not modelling in 2mm so have no idea how to tailor the design so it replaces the sides on an available Mark 1 model, for example. How are they usually done? And I assume 2mm coaches usually have the door handles and grab handles moulded on - making them in wire would be a bit of a step too far!? Likewise they would scale down to 3mm or 3.5mm if there was suitable demand.

Yes the 3D printed sides have the small lip along the top to engage with the Triang/Hornby roof moulding (not included) and hold everything straight and level. Of course all the roof detail will need to be re-worked for an accurate portrayal. Here is a comparison photo with a Hornby BSK side, they are actually the correct length +0.5mm which can be gently filed away to match the end profile and make an invisible join. The photo makes them look longer, it's an illusion from them being printed back to back sprued together, slightly offset. I must stress I've not built mine up into a model to show you how it goes together as I'm currently awaiting some cancer surgery and treatment so hope it will be one of my therapeutic model making projects in the next few months. Might even start a thread on it!

The tabs along the bottom of the sides are a fit to the Triang/Hornby underframe unit as these were made in their hundreds of thousands and are pretty accurate, cheap and available, and make a very strong model that can be well detailed with footboards and all the bits and pieces. I am not sure about the Cooper Craft one as I've not made a CC underframe myself, have one unbuilt somewhere but not sure which box its in! What I do know is that the Southern Pride underframe had slots that are a bit different to the Triang Hornby ones so these sides would not be a direct fit onto Southern Pride. For anything else, like Cooper Craft, the tab along the bottom of the sides could be sliced or sanded off if necessary to get a good fit. I think there have been a couple of sources of etched sides over the years but a problem has always been getting the distinctive side profile right for this carriage, it is subtly different to a standard Mark 1 to accommodate the unusual window units, and hence the doors, etc are all non-standard. I have captured that profile from drawings, measurements and photos; 3D printing is ideal for this sort of application. The material from Shapeways is the best available but will have some minor ridging that should disappear under a primer filler, lightly sanded but avoiding the hinges and door bump stops which are all printed on. Door and grab handles will need to be added, probably best after painting and lining. In case anyone is wondering about the price, I've nested these sides together as closely as possible to ensure the minimum build volume to keep the cost as low as possible. This also keeps them straight and level when in transit and it is best to keep them sprued together until just before you want to use them; 3D prints can distort sometimes though this is usually sorted by immersing in warm water. I add about US$2dollars fee so really the price you pay is little more than Shapeways manufacturing cost. I would print these at home but my printer isn't large enough to do the sides in one hit. 3083 is a lovely carriage, have ridden in it a couple of times, must be the pride of the SVR Mark 1 fleet, but being an elderly and non-standard example it can't be easy to keep it in tip top condition.

A fascinating carriage. You don't mention the scale you work in, but I have designed and successfully 3D printed a pair of 4mm scale sides, with the accurate flatter sided profile for this carriage. They are designed to fit a modified Hornby underframe and ends, keeping costs down. I'd not publicised them being available for sale through Shapeways as I've not yet built them up into a test model, and I was also going to design an interior to match, to print in a cheaper material. If flush glazing is desired this will need to be cut individually but I am investigating 3D printed bespoke glazing if it can be home printed in clear resin to a push-fit accuracy and and polished to a transparent finish (these are big "ifs"!). The sides are £19 for a pair including VAT but not P&P, see https://www.shapeways.com/product/XXLYQTXQR/br-mark1-open-first-3083-body-sides-x2-4mm-scale?optionId=204884182&li=shops (for UK purchasers since Brexit, please be aware that, depending on the overall order value, VAT may be charged by Shapeways at source or, on larger orders, be charged with an additional fee by the shippers on delivery instead).

My understanding from talking with one of the volunteers in the loco shed at Haverthwaite station many years ago, and backed up by a much more recent magazine article about the early days of the Lakeside line, is that "Sir Robert" was purchased intact for preservation but before they could collect a scrap merchant cut it up, in mistake for an Austerity 0-6-0ST. Hence only various fittings made their way to the LHR as spares for other locos. A great loss of a pregroup loco to preservation that would have been an ideal workhorse for that line.

Fascinating pictures, I don't ever recall seeing Players Cigarettes private owner vans before. Given modern sensitivities, I can't see the likes of Hornby or Bachmann producing this as a model anytime soon... We are definitely looking at two different vans here at least, one has simple spring shoes, the other has J-hanger auxiliary suspension. And the one in the distant shot has step boards beneath the doors. I suspect all have a passenger-rated underframe judging by the clasp brakes and, as noted above, the corner lamp irons enabling inclusion in passenger trains. Would make a fascinating model, if anyone can come up with some dimensions or other details I could try a 3D print.

Many thanks, a clear and concise walk-through how 3D printing can replicate parts. What's your next challenge?

An impressive print of an unusual item, a perfect use for 3D printing to produce parts to customise kits and ready-to-run.

The UPS invoice was clearly showing the charge as "Import VAT" £45.68 plus the "Brokerage Charge" of £11.50. There was a separate line for "Duties" which was blank. However, looking again at my Shapeways order it does say "VAT (0% Distance Selling Regulation) €0.00" and it does clearly state the order would be manufactured in the Netherlands, so I suppose I should have been aware of this. Total order value was Euro 246 and the annoying bit, apart from the UPS charge, is that I was taking advantage of their free shipping offer so could have split the order in two, kept each below £135 value and probably avoided any charge at this end... Will be wiser next time.

I've received an order in Jan/Feb with no charges but another arrived today with a £45.68 import VAT charge and £11.50 "brokerage charges" £11.50 by UPS for delivering the bill along with the items. At least if we could pay the VAT when ordering it would save the additional £11.50 just for collecting the tax. It also seems bizarre that Shapeways is a New York based company trading in US Dollars but the VAT is charged this way to British customers because the order was printed and shipped from the Netherlands. Investing in a larger printer of my own shortly so will make fewer Shapeways orders for myself but still sell a lot of my designs through them and this sort of extra hidden charge will put a lot of customers off, at least from ordering a second time.

Interesting work, Mike, I too had a go at this a few years ago and produced a sprue of half a dozen 7mm scale Victorian figures using a mashup of available files like top hats, figures manipulated in Blender and then in Sketchup. In the end Shapeways couldn't to print the sprue as there were too many errors and I never returned to finally fix it. I agree absolutely with what you are saying about a lack of available models and parts, there are so many variables esp if you want to model particular eras of clothing. Now I do my own printing at home (Photon S) I'll return to it one day, my ideal was to print some carriage seats complete with passengers already sitting on them, to go into Victorian compartments. The detail doesn't need to be amazing but they need to look right and have plenty of variations, it turned out to be much harder to achieve than I expected. I began to think that phtogrammetry from life sized figures in suitable clothing was possibly the easiest way to go, such as Modelu already does.

Perfect, thank you, just the detail I wanted to see! Is the picture date-able fro the LBSC brakevans or any other information apart from the obvious dumb buffers making it pre-1913? Harecastle is north of Stoke on Trent on the NSR, the junction station known as Harecastle, where the lines to Crewe and Macclesfield diverge, is now called Kidsgrove. It's not clear exactly which of the Harecastle Colliery companies this wagon was operated by; a quite look-up in the last few hours suggests it could be same operator as "HARECASTLE", Harecastle Collieries Ltd, sketched and noted as red oxide livery by Bernard Holland in 'MRC' March 1970, operated from about 1905 to about 1932. However the design of wagon and livery with small lettering and a light coloured plank suggests to me it might be the precursor to that, Harecastle & Woodshutts Colliery & Coke Co, or the Lawton and Harecastle Company, which worked Harecastle Colliery in the 19th century, from the early 1860s. More research needed!

That PO wagon is also of great interest! Does the print have a bit more to the left, please?

You've got a very nice result there David.

The image from Chitubox is very useful. What is your layer height? following guidance on a much-circulated graph (though I've only tried limited validation of it myself) I print at 32.14 degrees for 0.030mm layer height and 40.25 degrees for 0.04mm layer height. If you use the slider on the right to browse through the sliced layers you will get a good idea of how much suction there might be from large areas having to print at once. at only 10 degrees inclination in one axis there is going to be quite a lot of the floor printing at once, so you might have suction issues at that point. I agree with Bill, the supports for the sides might help keep things square while curing but are in the wrong place to avoid distortion while printing, what you may need is a few horizontal sprues drawn in CAD inside the wagon between the side knees and/or one or two isolated Chitubox supports on the outside of the wagon to keep the sides vertical as it prints. I also find extra support is worth adding in Chitubox to the ends of the headstocks as these extremities tend to be a vulnerable area for slight distortion, especially when printing wagons larger than 4mm scale. Also when printing at any angle it is worth checking and repositioning supports so they touch the lowermost edges of the headstocks otherwise you can end up with a rounded or uneven corner rather than the crisp 90degrees the printer is capable of, due to unsupported areas. A nicely drawn 4 plank dropside wagon, by the way, what's the prototype?

If you are printing on an angle then a hole in the floor of the wagon isn't going to make a lot of difference to the suction forces, you'll already have dealt with those through the angle you choose. In your slicer program browse through the layers and see whether there are any points at which there are large areas that need to pull off the plate, if so it may be worth angling a little more or less, or printing in a different orientation. I use a Photon S and have had trouble with suction and "elephants foot" when printing flat on the plate but since angling prints using the optimum angles for different layer heights (as far as I can given the size of the model on the plate) I have had no suction problems. Other problems yes of course, we all do, but not suction...