JimmyBobProductions

Honestly I take it back, that looks lovely! We've been testing up a model of a locomotive I've made, based on an actual prototype. I won't say what, just because. And it's honsetly come out great already! The sizing is a bit off and some of the parts need thickening as they were coming out broken, which to be fair is an easy fix. I'm using blender for the modelling process, but getting specific measurements in there is tricky, anyone know of a add-on that allows it to be more percise? I don't think many use Blender fo this process to be fair Maybe going in with a loco is a bit soon but if it can work, then why not really Maybe if I get one of my 3D models of a coach or wagon working first. Will keep updated on that, all enjoyment at the end of it

Didn't consider white metal, but the quality doesn't always come out great for it I think? White metal to me has always been a tad rough at times, I quite like the astectic for old wargaming miniatures with it. Have to show some photos if ya' want, sounds to be just as good of an idea Going off of a lil' tid bit I said earlier, does anyone know a manufactuer that does just the metal tyres/flanges for wheels? Obviously for models, or do companies that make driving wheels tend to do them in house. Food for thought, more so if there's printed spokes to go in it, humour me

Blimey quite a few then! I've been tempted by the one of the Elegoo ones for a good while but just don't know if I'd have much use for it outside of printing bits and bobs. We've been testing some prints, small things that are generally apart of a locomotive and they're coming out quite nice. There was one idea to print a single version, as many kit bits as we'd like really in the highest detail setting but then cast it in silicon and resin instead of printing every single one. Unsure if anyone has done that but I can't imagine it hasn't crossed their minds. Don't know if it works out cheaper in the end but there's an idea

Something to try out! Out of curiousity what kind of printer do you have? Personally always wanted to a resin one but most are great with the right settings

Honestly for upscaled N that's pretty darn good! I do have to wonder if downscaling OO to N would be good aswell, granted you don't need that much detail but an interesting experiment. Z gauge well, doesn't bare thinking about the posibilities. Honestly that's pretty cool, just the idea and thought of home made kits and bits, ah the dream. Seriously though those prints look very nice Oh certainly! My partner and I were just spitballing random ideas. Anything that has the possility of being money making takes a lot of time and research to really pull off correctly. But I think I'll print a few small things and see what happens with that. In the mean time make some larger stuff which I'd like to have myself anyway

It's the right idea in any thing you want to get into that it won't sell regardless of what you do. I want to be an author and writer but that's going to take a heck of a lot to work out in the end. In the meantime I'll put stuff out and let people enjoy it if they should come by, tis the same with this. My partner does sort of run a repairing and reselling type service with some pretty good success, so only makes sense to expand that? kind of thing. Obviously my idea to make a kit but he has made fences and even a lil' hut to take photos with his models for reselling. Ya' know offering lil' bits and bobs that when someone passes they'll go "Oh, I'll just have one of those! Perfect!". But I totally understand this isn't a new thing, people have been doing this since home printers have come out and thought about all this before. Little late to the party there. Maybe the idea of taking on a commission of just, custom printing bits for people who request it? Like similar to a paint or art commission. Probably cost more in the long run for an individual person, tis all random idea. I'll certainly look into small things though, as there are a few bits I'd like to try anyway. Heck the people idea I still think is a good one Having browsed the NGRM forum (way too much, I really love Narrow Gauge) it seems it's the most common spot for printing really. I've seen a fair bit of N Gauge to for models that just don't exist but not as much. I suppose smaller the scale lends it's well to that, less material and time to print, chassis might be an issue though. Has anyone actually made an all in one kit before for locos or stock? I feel like I've seen a couple but can't remember. When I say all in one, I mean body/parts and the chassis/wheels; maybe a motor to if we're talking loco. Understand it would cost a lot to make in house but, just curious really if it's worked out

Honestly I like the thought to of having just things I like making which no one does to and just, making avalible for others. Certainly wouldn't be a normal business if anything did sell decently, still a nice thought though for certain! Yeah I agree, I said Narrow Gauge specifically as I see more freelance modelling there compared to standard gauge stuff. There's a lot of different prototypes available in kit and print, all really nice so dipping into that would just be the same territory. At the same time printing my own George England or something would be lovely, or heck freelance versions of existing engines with a variety of different options. I suppose generic railway staff, crew, passengers and such is still a good idea in that. Model one 3D human and from there's it's posing and adding specific era clothing and heck maybe even railway specific uniform, plus the time on printing that wouldn't be massive. I suppose I wouldn't know until I make a thing, he prints it and then see what happens. My partner, going on the all in one kit idea, did think about making our own wheel tyres/flanges and printing a plug to go in it, meaning any wheel is possible. However I don't believe there's a place/manafactuer that just does metal wheel tyres? Could in theory cut our own on a lathe or something but might be more work than what it's worth. It's more the idea of doing it like an actual kit as I know a lot of people like the putting together and painting process more, but I know printing is a very different beast to that. Everyone is different so could tap all areas. Offer a kit in bits and one in full depending on preferences, just because Do want to say I'm not big on it for the business side. I think there's a dream sometimes of owning a model shop and selling our own kits but honestly it's more just seeing what people think of some random ideas generally, the skies the limit and tis a bit of fun at the end of it

Yeah this is what I thought really, there's a lot of stuff both print and resin kits that are already just, existing. Why wait for the postage of a small building if you can just nip down the street to a model shop and buy a kit. I guess it depends on what people would want and if it looks like more what they want. This is generally the idea I had which I know a lot do already. I guess nice looking generic four wheel coaches and wagons for Narow Gauge modellers is something small enough to do but wouldn't be too costly/take time to do. Unsure what his printer type is but it does come out nice. Was testing a print last night and while it still have some roughness to it, the resin kit we based it on to do a "replica" of for testing came out looking pretty close, bar a few details. I love the idea of basically printing a sprue of bits but that would probably be way too much time to print compared to a full body shell. Which then brings me onto maybe having to be more specific, like would doing a particular locomotive or coach/wagon be better? Guess it depends on the locomotive but personally always been into the 1800s Era of railway which has seen a bit more of a boom the past few years so maybe either scratch building bits or a complete kit to make that a greater interest to model. Just spit balling ideas really, in theory we could make anything, it's just time and material cost

Greetings alls, been a while since I've said anything but I got a general question of interest. Right to business, my partner has been trying to see if he could make a business type thing out of his 3D printing. With my knowledge as a 3D Artist helping along, the question is really, what to make. We've been back and forth on the idea of doing some kind of kits or even just a general thing that model makers either scratch building or kit building might need. I personally would love to try and make a loco/wagon kit that comes in bits which you just put together as normal, which to be fair is what a fair few do already with the advent of Shapeways and their own home printers. My partner enjoys the idea of printing something which everyone has needed at least once when modelling and they then had to do it themselves, but could have saved time buying a kit version/printed version to save the headache. My question is more, is there interest in such a thing? And what could it be. I guess normal stuff like track rerailers, buffers, fences, random generic small buildings but I also thought human figures, in a varianty of Era's to suit the need of what the modeller is making. What about coach/wagon axles and springs? But I know some already exist in resin. What is it that you've wanted when building something, or making something and then gone "HA! That would be handy!" Let me know what ya' think, any thought is a good idea!

Been watching this and it is marvelous! Such a lovely little tank enigne, I need a whole fleet of them