Jump to content
 

CMAC's Big news in little trains... 00 Electrostar


Recommended Posts

I may get around to revising the 165/166 units one day so they have 'opened out' windows, but there'll be no more 'new' 3D stuff from me.

Shapeways has become too expensive and I'd rather spend my time doing some actual modelling rather than computing and spending money testing stuff that is unlikely to get used by anyone.

 

Opening them out would use less plastic and make them cheaper, but they're already cheaper than the N-train ones, but then if you open out the windows, where do you stick the vinyls?

 

Cheers,

Paul

 

I for one am very grateful for all your 3D printing efforts- your models were the reason I switched to N gauge, and one day (time and funds permitting) I hope to make a few! Alas my attempt at a 455/8 has not gone so well, courtesy of my ignorance of Sketchup's tempermental nature!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

post-7229-0-75092400-1473078155_thumb.jpg

 

So, what news is there... Well some highs and some signficant lows. The good news is that my latest project, N Gauge S stock, is nearing completion, just pending the air con detail and I need to get to the bottom of some detail variations between the MS and NDM centre cars. Then we'll be into test print land and hopefully general release before the month is up.

 

Now for the bad news, the situation with shapeways rejecting prints is getting worse. i have a pile of models here that have successfully printed without using the "print it anyway" function but... Whenever a customer orders them from shapeways, they are rejected. If anyone knows of a way round this I'd be very interested, otherwise it looks like I will have to move into territory that I didn't want to move into which is that I purchase the 3D prints in bulk and sell them myself. If thats what it takes, it might well end up being the only way forwards.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

attachicon.gifunnamed.jpg

 

So, what news is there... Well some highs and some signficant lows. The good news is that my latest project, N Gauge S stock, is nearing completion, just pending the air con detail and I need to get to the bottom of some detail variations between the MS and NDM centre cars. Then we'll be into test print land and hopefully general release before the month is up.

 

Now for the bad news, the situation with shapeways rejecting prints is getting worse. i have a pile of models here that have successfully printed without using the "print it anyway" function but... Whenever a customer orders them from shapeways, they are rejected. If anyone knows of a way round this I'd be very interested, otherwise it looks like I will have to move into territory that I didn't want to move into which is that I purchase the 3D prints in bulk and sell them myself. If thats what it takes, it might well end up being the only way forwards.

I might have to get a set or two to drag through Banbury with class 20 s each end

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
I have been playing around with a scanner and a 3D printer with the objective of producing cab ends for a set of Glasgow Caledonian Blue Class 303 electric units.  I used to live next to their Hyndland depot.

 

Here is where I have got to.

 

3761-091016201800.jpeg

 

This is an output file from a digital prober.

 

 

3761-091016201925.jpeg

 

And this is the output from a 3D printer.  Note the step sizes are 0.01mm and the fringing effect is due to the printer and will be less at a higher resolution.

 

I have a set of draft vinyl side artworks from Adam Warr and hopefully I might persuade him to resurrect his Class 303 project.  

 

N.B. The ends can be printed in clear plastic

Edited by Snowwolflair
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The orientation does not matter as the lines are circular, like the height line on an OS map.

 

The final versions will be printed at twice this resolution - at 50 micron -  but my resin is old and too thick to do this reliably.  At this point I am using the old resin for tests on the dimension so I can figure out the best coach bodies to use etc.

 

This print is at 50 micron and you can see the improvement in the lines but the print is less distinct with the old resin.  Mind you its the size of a thumb nail and the eye does not see most of what the camera sees.

 

3761-101016123652.jpeg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Adam Warr at Electra Graphics has already prepared a trial set of vinyls for a previous 303 project but could not source the cab ends.  Adam has been laid low but i'm hoping that if I can make the ends available he might resurrect the project at some point.

 

My plan is to make very good masters (no lines and smooth) from which I can create a mold for resin casting.  I am also experimenting with clear 3D printing resin to allow transparent windows, but they are harder to get the surface quality.

 

So yes they might very well be available, but a bit of work to do yet.

 

I want to build some Glasgow "Blue Trains"   :D
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

Hi Matt,

 

Truth be told it has all ended up in a bit of a halfway house. A number of other projects have been completed with test prints ordered and the like but I am not doing particularly well at all of the follow up to these which is the painting, glueing, photographing and putting the details up! New job, house move and various other bits and bobs have meant I havent dedicated the time I wanted to to everything. If I get the chance this weekend I will put up some photos of my latest projects.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Matt,

 

Truth be told it has all ended up in a bit of a halfway house. A number of other projects have been completed with test prints ordered and the like but I am not doing particularly well at all of the follow up to these which is the painting, glueing, photographing and putting the details up! New job, house move and various other bits and bobs have meant I havent dedicated the time I wanted to to everything. If I get the chance this weekend I will put up some photos of my latest projects.

 

Priorities are most important :) Hope everything gets sorted and your new job/house is all working out.

 

Cheers,

Matt

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

At long last, a bit of an update... Since the S stock I've bitten off quite a few project from cars, to buses, 334s, Pendolinos and now 73s.

 

Designed as a straight replacement for the Dapol N gauge 73, this will shortly be hitting shapeways after it has lost a bit of weight around the bottom.

 

post-7229-0-86409900-1506247997_thumb.jpg

 

I have also been experimenting with more N gauge road vehicles, namely a land rover discovery, vauxhall astra/insignia and a citroen C1. Mainly to get a good idea of how much interest there is in them, truth be told for the amount of work required they have turned out to be an almighty pain at times with the citroen C1 still undergoing modifications to make the bleeding thing print.

 

post-7229-0-53564800-1506248198.jpg

post-7229-0-62798800-1506248210.jpg

 

A brief diversion back to buses has seen my ADL Enviros joined by the Wright Gemini Family in Gemini 1 & 2 single and double deck flavours. I have painted one of these as a Translink metro bus and I will get a photo up in due course.

 

post-7229-0-86359000-1506248412_thumb.jpg

post-7229-0-29504000-1506248427_thumb.jpg

 

My big project which has taken up a lot of resource but has definitely been worth it has been plugging the age old N gauge Pendolino whole.... Not that one, the 1/160 one. Having enjoyed one of these through the Gottard pass last year, shortly before the base tunnel opened, I was determined to give it a go. Pictures of my attempts to paint one in FrecciaArgento livery will follow later. (Coincidentally, Swiss modellers have seemingly just discovered them and ordered them in bulk over the last week).

 

post-7229-0-99670600-1506248722.jpg

 

I have also dabbled in class 360 replacement cabs (awaiting trial prints), Translink NIR C3000/4000s but I need to get some good prints of them first. Modellers, from the North, I do apologise that whilst I have been working with my modeller and got a large number of done/modified including the class 185 I haven't trialled the 185s they are in my latest shapeways order and I hope to give the full thumbs up shortly.

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

@m0rris

 

I am really liking the Class 73, I wanted a Caledonian Sleeper in N gauge and you seem to have answered my prayers and also saved me the time and effort in designing one. Though I do wish the grilles were left to have etched grilles and also holes for handrails. I suppose the horns are cosmetic? And like Ben I feel the glazing if it could be reused would be great.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Ben,

 

Thanks for your kind words. In short, the air horns will disappear, I hadn't quite nailed the spec down far enough and they were a nice extra that has been added but I have already instructed their removal! Unfortunately it won't take Dapol glazing because of the thicknesses required for FUD to print reliably (it'd need to be ever so slightly thicker internally around the corners which then means that it wouldn't be flush enough), whilst it will fit the chassis, it will not take the glazing. I am dabbling with KrystalKlear at the moment and I have had really good results with my Pendolino so I will post pictures of my trial build in due course.

 

Sarah, the issue I am having with the grills is that I am trying to keep buying/making these as simple as possible and procuring the etched parts is a massive workload, especially since I have no prior experience of etching. What I would be willing to do though is release a version without the grills and put the scale drawings from the model out there so that if someone was willing to put the work in everything to help them is there.

My experience is shaped by a certain unrailway related project that you can see below... My 1/32 Bedford Val14 Harrington Legionnaire involved 4 different suppliers and all of them really stepped up to the plate and were diamonds but, keeping tabs on all of the different streams, keeping everything in stock and dealing with the customers turned out to be an almighty undertaking that I wasn't quite prepared for and with the current extra pressures on my time I am not able to do the multi party dealings at the moment.

 

post-7229-0-25244000-1506256410_thumb.jpg

 

Charlie

Edited by m0rris
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Amazing how time flies when you have a workbench full of 3D prints in varying states of progress! Finally some of my models have made it all the way from 3D designs to prints to projects to working models with a 175 and class 73/9 happily making their way round the test track. The 73 is fitting on a Dapol chassis without much drama and the 175 has pinched a Farish 170s bogies and chassis.

 

DSC_0871.JPG.332e281507020ca3c21f76de5c93314f.JPGDSC_0855.JPG.477f5d78f5e853bac82038e9f54be82b.JPG

 

Also of note at the number of other projects I never put up here including my Woodhead locos

DSC_0866.JPG.3df9cfd15de44515cf6d98884186086a.JPGDSC_0862.JPG.daac29959c2082b2b3eed57979c0788b.JPG

 

And alas progress is slowly getting there on my 180 and ETR610... Just a shame there still another 6 coaches in varying stages of SBBs colours to finish off!

 

DSC_0865.JPG.548f3b43f1753801d8bccd6b2533c0e6.JPGDSC_0861.JPG.a0ec4a03b5a368be7663452838e91348.JPG

 

The workbench remains busy and I need to finish off my LMS 10000 and make a start on my CoBo but thats for another post!

Edited by m0rris
  • Like 4
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Hi Charlie, 

 

I don't claim to understand the intricacies of dealing with shapeways, or with rescaling in your CAD software, but would you be willing to sell the cab fronts for the 158 in OO as you have done with the 185 and 360?

 

Thanks

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the message - the 158 would be possible but might end up being bit impractical, is there a particular detail that you were looking for? The presence of the retooled 158 from Bachmann is likely to affect the viability of doing the work unfortunately.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Unfortunately I haven't been able to get quite as much done of late with my workbench still littered with class 90s, 73s and 387s in need of completion. Luckily though, over the last week I have been able to build the first prototype of the SBB ICN which was a lot easier to paint than the ETR610!

 

DSC_0934.JPG.e048d1489c51da2f71d049f3081146fa.JPG

Edited by m0rris
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 13/11/2019 at 22:01, m0rris said:

Unfortunately I haven't been able to get quite as much done of late with my workbench still littered with class 90s, 73s and 387s in need of completion. Luckily though, over the last week I have been able to build the first prototype of the SBB ICN which was a lot easier to paint than the ETR610!

 

DSC_0934.JPG.e048d1489c51da2f71d049f3081146fa.JPG

 

Count me in for one of these when you have the final version ready!!!!

Awesome!!!

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...