Guy Rixon's Shapeways shop

[Guy Rixon]

Is that enough? (I'm thinking of spring space, particularly if AG bushes, even the short ones, are used.)

 

 

You don't need the bushes with these prints. The smallest bore that you can see in the sectional view, above, is a running fit on the 0.4mm tail of the buffer ram. The intermediate-size bore is the pocket for the spring and the widest bore takes the 2.5mm ram.

 

The spring pocket ends 6.25mm back from the buffing face. Empirically, I've found that to give reasonably soft springing of the buffer while retaining enough pre-load to get the buffer to return fully. To get the 6.25mm clearance, the buffer pocket extends back into the spigot. 

 

Note, however, that my 6.25mm dimension was established when building buffers with the 0.9mm rams from MJT, whereas these self-contained things need the 2.5mm rams. It's possible that the latter need a different amount of clearance, which I won't be sure of until I get some and measure them.

 

Actually, it's looking like a moot point. Shapeways won't print the buffer as drawn because the walls of the cylindrical bit are too thin. If I shrink the ID to thicken the wall, the 2.5mm rams won't fit. Drilling out the guides to leave ~0.15mm wall thickness is Not A Good Idea in brittle plastic. If I increase the OD, then the buffer won't fit so well on a 9" headstock; I'm not sure how much this would matter in practice. I'm considering printing them with an under-scale bore and and a matching collar to bush up the 0.9mm rams.

[Miss Prism]

Thanks, Guy. Printing that front bore is always going to be problematic with 2.5mm rams, and headstock vertical space is also at a premium with that type of base. I don't know what to suggest. Btw, I mentioned bushes only because, in the context of previous whitemetal and plastic offerings, that usually is the only way of getting bufferhead tails to move on a good axis and to return to a consistent position.

Edited December 22, 2016 by Miss Prism

[Guy Rixon]

Buffer guides for GER coaches are now available: https://www.shapeways.com/product/B3P8ABL24/ger-coach-buffers-x20. These based on measurements taken by me of a preserved coach, at the East Anglian Railway Museum. First-to-try basis for now, but the format is well proven so should be OK.

 

I've released these as my usual set of 20 guides as a taster. The plan, as suggested by Edwardian of this parish, is eventually to provide a print that supplies the buffers, axleboxes, springs, spring mountings and lamp tops for one coach, following the format pioneered by Mike Trice. I have the necessary measurements, and just need to draw up the models, which may take a while. Meanwhile, for anybody needing them in a hurry, buffers...

[Guy Rixon]

New today (first-to-try status): RCH self-contained buffers for wagons to the 1906 drawings. Suitable for PO and LNWR wagons converted from dumb buffers.

[autocoach]

New today (first-to-try status): RCH self-contained buffers for wagons to the 1906 drawings. Suitable for PO and LNWR wagons converted from dumb buffers.

Ordered today.  Have to repay you for your effort. Now if we could get the LSWR buffers sometime in the future.

 

We always wish for a happier new year at this time.

[autocoach]

Guy

 

Just to let you know that in this brave new international world, my order for your RCH buffers was printed in the US by a Shapeways 3D printing plant in Long Island NY. Sent in a huge box for a small product with lots of bubble wrap padding.

 

They arrived today. This will be interesting as it is my first use of 3 D parts. 

[Guy Rixon]

Now available on a first-to-try basis: Pintsch gas-lamps for coaches: https://www.shapeways.com/product/LGP9KVLAC/pintsch-gas-lamps-x20. These suit Metropolitan and some GER coaches and may be right for other stock.

[autocoach]

I was in a rush to try out the new buffers. Did not wash them to eliminate any FUD residue.  But here are the results using Alan Gibson buffer parts. 

Edited January 9, 2017 by autocoach

[Guy Rixon]

Autocoach: thanks vey much for buying and test-fitting these (sorry I did not respond before: I missed your post). Are you happy with them? They may be a little stiff if there are still traces of support material in the bore, and washing might improve that. Also, it looks from your photo that one of the collars - on the RH buffer - is incomplete. Did it come like that or did it break during assembly? There is scope for strengthening this part slightly.

[Guy Rixon]

There is a new product in the shop: axleboxes for LSWR wagons: https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZEQBFJ92V/lswr-panter-axlebox-x20?optionId=61998358. These are the Panter design which was the most common. It's quite a large box by 19th century standards and I believe that it could contain a range of bearings, with both oil and grease lubrication, for different sizes of journals.

 

These boxes would be a possible retrofit for the Cambrian model of a LSWR van (the one sold as D1410 but is actually D1406). This kit is sold with a later pattern of axleboxes.

[Guy Rixon]

Shapeways have just announced a new pricing-structure for FUD and FXD prints. This includes: base fee per print reduced by $2.50; lower charge per unit of model material; new charge for support material; different, more-complex charge for machine space, heavily biased against tall, thin prints. For the items in my shop, which are all sprued arrays of small, flat-ish things, I think this means a reduction in price; but the model is complex and it's hard to be sure.

 

The new charging model starts from 22nd May 2017. Anybody contemplating an order may wish to delay to get the new prices. No promises that they will definitely be lower!

 

After 22nd May, I might rearrange the spruing to reduce the costs further. (Sprues under the parts require more support material; sprues joined to the sides of parts need less.) If the prices actually go up then I will definitely try this, and if they go down I may do it anyway if the savings are sufficient. Therefore, a further delay in ordering after 22nd May might get you a better price still; but again, no promises.

[Guy Rixon]

The LSWR axleboxes are temporarily withdrawn. Shapeways are refusing to print the original model, saying that one of the detail elements is too thin. I'm trying to find a way to redesign it with thicker detail, but without it affecting the appearance too badly. I'll post here when I have a solution.

[Guy Rixon]

LSWR axleboxes are back on sale. I have thickened the problematic detail along the axis parallel to the axle; I think this will not be very visible. I have not test-printed this version, so we still don't know if Shapeways will print it. I will try a test in my next batch of prints.

 

The new prices for FUD and FXD are now in force. My buffers and axleboxes have come down in price by 35-40%.

[Guy Rixon]

A new product: fittings for 6-wheeled coaches of the GER. These have been developed from measurements of preserved vehicles. One set contains springs, axleboxes, buffers and lamps. Ventilators are not included as (a) I couldn't get up on the coach roof to measure them and (b) they're easily got as whitemetal castings.

[Guy Rixon]

Some of the buffers are now available in 7mm scale, bored to suit Slaters' rams and springs. I've done the Emmett LNWR ones so far. I'll adapt others to 7mm scale if asked for specific types.

[autocoach]

Autocoach: thanks vey much for buying and test-fitting these (sorry I did not respond before: I missed your post). Are you happy with them? They may be a little stiff if there are still traces of support material in the bore, and washing might improve that. Also, it looks from your photo that one of the collars - on the RH buffer - is incomplete. Did it come like that or did it break during assembly? There is scope for strengthening this part slightly.

Guy

 

I realize I never got back to you on the use of the buffers. Yes, the RH buffer did crumble a bit on removal from the "sprue".  I was using PBL precision sprue cutting nippers at the time.  For my recent model I used a single edge razor blade and had no crumbling problem.

 

I finally got around to assembling a second Cambrian Diagram 1410 van but did not spring the Alan Gibson buffers this time. They are held in whatever position needed with "Tacky Wax". As my current plank is more of a static diorama for hosting models I build than operating model railway, the need for operating buffers is minimal.  The new LSWR van is not yet ready for photo display on my RMWeb thread or blog. Brake levers need to be attached and I need to find a source or decals or transfers for post 1935 small Southern goods lettering.  I have used up all the small SR's and "10 Ton" load weight signage from several HMRS transfer sets.

Edited September 20, 2017 by autocoach

[Guy Rixon]

On request, I have now produced the LNWR, Emmett, wagon-buffers for 2FS. These are available in the shop, pending a test print. As ever, they are printed without heads and rams, but with a pilot bore of 0.3mm, to be drilled out to 0.5 or 0.6mm for an turned, unsprung ram as available from the 2mm Scale Association. Sorry, Shapeways won't let me print the bore at full diameter. The spigot at the back is 0.8mm diameter, to suit the Association chassis-kits.

 

If this works out, I can do other kinds of buffer in 1:152 (and 1:148 if need be), but the kinds with ribs would be challenging.

[Argos]

I confess.....

 

I asked Guy to re-scale these for 2mm which he very kindly did.

I have some on order and will post photos when they arrive.

 

Thanks again Guy.

[HarryP]

A new product: fittings for 6-wheeled coaches of the GER. These have been developed from measurements of preserved vehicles. One set contains springs, axleboxes, buffers and lamps. Ventilators are not included as (a) I couldn't get up on the coach roof to measure them and (b) they're easily got as whitemetal castings.

Guy, are these available in 7mm?

[Guy Rixon]

Guy, are these available in 7mm?

 

 

Not as yet; it's planned. I could upload a 1:43.5 version scaled up exactly from the 1:76.2 original. However, the design for 4mm scale has some compromises with true scale that possibly should be mended for 7mm scale. I plan to have a look at the changes tonight, so there's some prospect of a 7mm-scale product next week.

[Guy Rixon]

The "A" set of GER-coach fittings, with plain shackles on the outer axles, is now available in 7mm scale. I have de-bodged the suspension details and rebored the buffers to take Slaters' rams and springs.

 

The "B" set, with J hangers on the outer axles, is almost done, but has gone slightly wrong in the assembly of the set (used 10-leaf spring instead of 11-leaf for outer axles, doh!) , so will be along later, possibly tomorrow.

[Guy Rixon]

The "B" set of GER-coach fittings is now available in 7mm/ft.

 

The prices for this one have come out rather high relative to the 7mm/ft "A" set of fittings. The extra cost is not my margin, it's Shapeways' charges. I think I may have found an instability in their pricing algorithm. However, there's little or no scope to fix this by tweaking the model. It's on the very edge of what they will print. All the negative space makes the polygon count very high, so much so that I had to reduce the facets-per-cylinder number to get it uploaded at all. Also, the parts had to be re-sprued as the three-long-lines arrangement used for the 4mm model is too long for Shapeways' printer. 

[Guy Rixon]

Ages ago, I designed some springs for some GWR fruit-vans I was building and put them into the shop. I got prints and saw that they looked good, but did not immediately use them. Last month I came to finally fit them to a van and found that they were the wrong springs. I'd misread my notes and made 40" springs where I needed 52", which is very embarrassing. The product in the shop is now the 52" version.

 

Last week, the 52" springs arrived and I fitted them.

 

Here, the axlebox is an MJT product and is filed down at its top. The van has a rocking axleguard at this end, so there is a deliberate gap between the spring buckle and the box.

 

There is still a minor problem with this print in that it's rather hard to get the springs off the sprue without breaking them at the shackles. I got three of four out unbroken and managed to repair the fourth. Because of this fragility, it's also very hard to remove the sprue remnant from the spring hangar, and you can see that the hangars on my van are left too thick where they meet the solebar. This looks bad in close-up photos, and less bad from normal viewing-dstances. One of my jobs over Christmas is to redesign the sprue to fix the problems.

 

Also in development is a kit for the SECR (ex-SER) round-ended wagons. This concentrates on the later builds of "express" wagons that had passenger-style running gear. The express underframe is done, and I have a successful test-print. The body is to do, and will be done as a five-part kit instead of a single piece. This is to work round surface-flatness problems at Shapeways; they always seem to mess up two out of four vertical faces. The five parts will be sprued, therefore ordered as one print to avoid extra charges.

[Guy Rixon]

Recently in the shop are fittings for 4-wheeled coaches of the GER. These "set C" fittings are the same as my "set A" for 6-wheeled coaches, but with the centre-axle fittings removed to reduce the printing cost. They have been printed and approved by a customer.

[HarryP]

Recently in the shop are fittings for 4-wheeled coaches of the GER. These "set C" fittings are the same as my "set A" for 6-wheeled coaches, but with the centre-axle fittings removed to reduce the printing cost. They have been printed and approved by a customer.

Guy, once again, could these me re-scaled for 7mm? I did buy a set of the other GER 6 wheel ones you re-scaled and they were excellent. Thank you. But I also have etches for a 4 wheeled coach, and these would be perfect.

Edited May 25, 2018 by HarryP