These have now been painted, and my own transfers have been applied.

3D printing clearly has the potential to expand the choice of subject available to modellers by many factors - my container fleet has been transformed!

John Isherwood.

I know all the 30 degree stuff, don't print parallel to the print bed stuff!!!!  Print time is 2.6 sec per layer.

Any idea's would be gratefully implemented.  

just thought I would share my 3D prints with you.

Started off with a Creality Ender 3 Mk2 (FDM) and had been aching to make a linear point motor mount for a 9g servo.

What you see below is about version 15 or so!

The purple bit at the bottom is a slide mount, so that I can remove the motor mounts without the need for a screwdriver.

And here is a batch ready for installation

Only another 45 or so to make and fit!

Next I tried my hand a making a wagon. I found a generic chassis online, designed my own body on Tinkercad and gave it a go on the FDM printer.

It came out alright, but the layer lines are very distracting.

Then I had a go at an MWA that I downloaded. I had to cut it into pieces on Tinkercad so that I could print it in pieces.

Again with the layer lines and the FDM printer is not that good with fine detail, such as the bogies.

Even so I persisted and made a batch of wagons.

At around this point I decided to get a Resin printer (Elegoo Mars 2 Pro) and have a go at better bogies.

This is with the supplied water washable Resin which is no good for bogies, as it is very brittle and broke when trying to fit the wheels. I then tried Anycubic ABS like resin and this was much better.

Now that I had a decent resin, I tried a bigger wagon. This was download from Thingiverse, bot was a New Zealand Railways wagon, so need a lot of fiddling on Tinkercad to Anglicise it to make it look like a UK wagon. I know we don't have this wagon in the UK, but I liked the look of it and so gave it a go.

So I have reached my 10Mb limit. more soon

Not going to bad I think.

If you're a budding 3D designer that has often wondered about selling some of your designs, but can't be bothered with running a shop, packing orders, dealing with questions etc etc... then maybe we need to chat.

I'm looking for 3 people that have even a couple of designs of small detailing or lineside items to help me test an idea... one that could lead to you earning some money :) 

Please only drop me a DM if:

1. You have already designed some items

2. Have absolute ownership of the designs (you drew them, no AI)

3. You're friendly and easy to chat to!

Thanks all!

If you would like to print your own the files are here; https://www.printables.com/model/1663349-oo-gauge-model-railway-gwr-water-tower

I have designed a selection of 3D printable buildings for my shelf layout, I thought I would share here incase anyone is interested in using the designs.

Brick Engine Shed - https://www.printables.com/model/1646700-brick-engine-shed-for-oo-model-railway

Low Relief Station Building - https://www.printables.com/model/1642374-model-railway-station-building-low-relief

Modular Platforms - https://www.printables.com/model/1637302-modular-model-railway-station-platforms

Modern Pedestrian Bridge - https://www.printables.com/model/785478-model-railway-station-footbridge

For those interested, you can find the files here - https://www.printables.com/model/1658426-gwr-signal-box-type-7

Whenever I see CAD recommendations on here, Freecad tends to get cautious recommendations or mentions of “glitchy”. I think there was a Topology problem with earlier versions, when you went back to change something in a design it could affect the part, however that was sorted in the 1.0 release of a few years ago. Ive never had a problem since.

I think most experienced CAD users are happy with the familiarity of their own chosen CAD package and don’t need to change, however if anyone is thinking of starting 3D CAD you have nothing to lose in downloading  Freecad, its free with no restrictions in use. There is a lot of online help videos. You may even take to it.

I've managed to convert an image into a reasonable 3d model (that's a lie, Meshy has done it for me. I can't quite see what the process is to now turn it into an stl file for 3d printing, starting with downloading it. I can upload it to Sketchfab, but that has created a whole new raft of problems in getting it out of there. 

Is downloading to Sketchfab the only way to do it?

As always an advice is much appreciated.

Update: I've found the download button, of course it's locked and marked pro (subscription). I am not adverse to a subscription if it's any good but want to see what it turns out like before I take that particular plane. Is there no way for a straight download with the free subscription?

the plan is to:

1. replace all bogies

2. add a spud bogie with coreless motor to replace old motor

3. add more surface and underframe detail

4. add lighting

5. flush glassing

so stage 1 is now under way (after finishing a update to old lms 8f, will post that on in a bit)

And i have a draft of the new bogie, dose not need to be over detailed, as dmu is not, so get it to a mid level of detail should be ok, 

NOTE: wrong wheels atm as they need to be ordered (14.1mm 4 hole solid Hornby ones) 

so now to order motor and gears :)

I've been 3d printing for a couple of years and am just now beginning my return to the model railway world after c. 30 years away.

I am familiar with Fusion 360 and fully intend to eventually start creating my own designs as I build out my first new layout since my early teens, but in the meantime are there any good resources for model rail .stl files to get me started?

I'm familiar with thingiverse, printables etc, and today discovered trackside3d, but wondered if there are any other good sites, particularly for British-pattern scenery and architectural models.  I'm not averse to paying for .stl files, but definitely want .stl rather than manufactured items as I'm going to be working in 1:120 scale.

Thanks in advance,

Overexposed

 I thought I would give it a go so used just the photo attached and the programme created an STL file that I can 3D print or bring into my render of Thame station.

Now there are differences between the photo and the created image, but AI has added feet etc.

I am going to have another play but results in a short time are interesting.

David

Can anyone suggest some basic programmes to start off to see how i get on?

Thought I'd post this in here, as not everyone might see my 'Marsh Lane' thread.  I've had a long held thought of doing a small metro layout, but being a confirmed 7mm modeller, initially thought I'd build a Tyne & Wear Metro example out of laser cut MDF.  The initial prototype worked well until I got the cab, its all angles!  So I worked with a friend of mine to design the cab in full 3D CAD to be 3D printed (rough, early low quality print proof can be seen on my Marsh Lane thread, Page 33, see link in signature).

It came out so good, that I decided learning CAD was the way to go forward, so with a lot of help from a friend of mine, I'm now designing the whole thing in Autocad Fusion 360, which I have to say seems to have the odd annoying habit, but is wonderful for what I want to do.  This is purely a personal project, having never attempted anything like this before, I welcome any comments/suggestions people may have.  I've worked out how to do the electronics on it, and with a centre motor bogie, and pure pick-up bogies underneath each cab end, it will hopefully run ok.  Should the first one work, my plan is to do four or five of them!

A couple of screenshots of where I'm up to at the moment are attached, some others are on the Marsh Lane thread mentioned.  Hope somebody might find it interesting!  If you've never come across the real thing, this is it courtesy of Flickr!

Rich

This is the result which I'm quite pleased with, the actual signal plate is just 0.35mm thick.

As always there were several ulterior motives. First being cash poor, I couldn't commission someone to do the CAD for me.  Also, with a large and very young family, modelling time is at a premium, and often occurs times when sub optimal alertness and concentration levels were to be expected.  Now writing off one's one physical models due to trying to build expensive kits, or do not so straight forward OO to EM RTR conversions, while trying not to fall asleep on the superglue or soldering iron (lets not go there again) is bad enough, but doing it to other peoples that you are building/converting as a favour is far, far worse.  So those friends of mine, including some who I know will be reading this, who are patiently (probably) waiting for locos please read reason 2 and 3.  Second, CAD comes with a back or undo button, so I can avoid destroying hours of work in one careless moment - if only real life where the same!.  Third, my work uses CAD software (even if I don't for my job), so I could do some modelling in my lunch hour without causing snags, even if bringing in DrDuncan's patent portable workshop wasn't possible without a hernia and serious questions about what I thought I was employed for.

So what happened?  

Lets just say the less said about the first attempt the better.   Suffice to say Blender was not the right choice for me!

Fortunately, Mike Oxon was doing great things with Fusion 360 (- which, like Blender, is free -) so I downloaded it and had a go.  

This was much better (although that isn't actually saying much given the abysmal experience of trying to use blender).  I decided that a D0 parallel boiler and belpaire firebox for an Aberdare Goods (and probably one of my Dean Single stash) was a bit ambitious for a first attempt, let alone the Broad Gauge 3521 0-4-4t, Hawthorn class 2-4-0st, and  Vulcan 0-6-0t that I have a hankering for, or the N gauge Great Bear I've promised my boy for next Christmas (if any 2mm f/s chaps have a set of Farish china made GWR Castle wheels going spare do let me know).  So I did a GWR 1 plank wagon.  

Actually, I did three: an 18ft one, a 16ft and a 15ft 6 inch one.  Printing them was another steep learning curve.  I did the first set without solebars out of laziness and a desire to get printing.  Having admired the lovely banana shape that occurred, I redid them with solebars - which almost worked; certainly Kipford liked the version with solebars enough to prof one at the EMGS skills day just before the Covid 19 lock down for some ghastly LNWR purpose.  But there was still a slight bend so I thickened the solebars up (there's plenty of space) and they are awaiting their turn in the printer queue.

While I was waiting for a couple of lifetimes to get time to sneak away to the printer and then for the 1 planks to print I finished off the CADs for a Broad Gauge 6 wheels fish truck with barred sides, and then its standard gauge successor.

Here is the BG version.  CAD was a success - eventually (and I've just noticed I forgot the bolt heads on the inside of the doors) - but the print was a disaster as it warped in every direction and those middle posts for the bars are ****ing fragile.  A redesign to incorporate underfloor strengthening is in order.  That said I'm rather pleased with it so far and can't wait to see it on the wharf side of Nampara.  

At the same time, I did the S7 (below) and had exactly the same problems with warping when I printed out both it and the BG version at the same time.  The S7 has been doctored since and hopefully the next print will be satisfactory.  Now my eldest (6 year old) son is the proud owner of an N gauge train set and is after Daddy to make some wagons for him...the S7 might be shrunk down to N/2mm if I think I can make the brass bars work at 0.3mm diameter and not break the print.   

(See I remembered the bolt heads this time)

Since then (the middle of March) the following have reached the point where I think they are ready for the printer:

A BG fish truck with guards box to osL182

A BG fish truck without the guards box to osL182, showing the strengthening and fixing points for the as yet unfinished cleminson chassis and cosmetic solebars/axle irons (which due to very careful choosing of the prototypes will work for all the BG 6 w stock so far.

A BG fish truck to osL343.  It might look like the osL182, but the doors are smaller and in a different position, and the ends are different!

Finally, there is a BG 4 plank open wagon.  This will use etched normal w -irons (as will the S7).  Why 3d something that exists and is probably better material wise? - (and I've got quite a few in my bits box...)

.

In the works are the cleminson bits, a BG 3 plank wagon (which I'm hacking about the 4 plank CAD to do and making a mess of it the moment), a Cornwall Mineral Railways china clay tippler wagon and (gulps) a T51 brake 3rd 6 wheel coach... and of course all those lovely locos and boilers!

Thanks for looking - all advice and comments gratefully received!

DrDuncan

Part of that would involve chassis. Some of the models I'd like to make are 3D printed shells that never really had a proper chassis. I'm talking specifically about the ones sold on Sparkshot Custom Creations - the creator did make chassis, but they were available only in the crappy-ish WSF from Shapeways. Seeing as Shapeways is long gone, besides bashing an RTR chassis (which I'd rather not do!) the only other option is to design a chassis.

I do have an FDM printer, but I'd like to look into designing an etched solution just to have something a bit nicer. I understand that it'd be more expensive, but I'm willing to bite that cost.

A few questions:

1) How exactly do I proceed with learning how to make the files for etching? Do I start with a 3D model and make SVGs or whatever filetype you use out of that, or just draft it from the start?

2) Would a nickel silver chassis weigh more than a PLA or PETG chassis with some weights? This is my main reason for considering designing it.

3) How much more on average would a custom etch be as compared to just FDM printing something?

4) Would it be beneficial for me to build a pre-designed etched kit first before designing anything of my own to get a feel for nickel silver and/or brass?

As for software, I'm seriously considering shifting over to FreeCAD. The UI looks like hieroglyphics, but if it means I don't have to have Autodesk hovering over my every model, that's fine by me!

https://share.google/OZrKZzJgbkySYEzr3

I've seen a few modellers on Youtube using similar machines but they look to be of such poor quality (and variable price) that I'm almost minded to build my own vacuum box to attach to the domestic vacuum cleaner and use either a hot air gun or the grill as heat source or try some home drape moulding.

The component to be made is as ever the bane of most vehicle and multiple unit modellers, the compound curve windscreen (note that the divider wouldn't be formed, just a reminder to me as I'm drawing up the parts).

PETG was used with FDM process, really hasnt turned out as i hoped

I'm looking for recommendations and experience of which machines people have used, as well as things to look for and things to beware of please.

Thanks in advance

Andi

Would this be possible?

Thanks

Trev