Goldilocks and the 4 VGA vans

[bradfordbuffer]

When scouring the Web for 3d stl files to print the other night nearly fell off my chair....one of my fav vans of the 1980s the VGA long wheel base 4 wheel sliding wall van!

 

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/oo-gauge-vga-wagon/similar-designs

 

£7.84 lighter the stl file was on the computer, two files attached on a 4mm pre supported (sprue to airfix generation) and a bare 4mm file I quickly warmed up the printer and re sized the pre supported on the 'lychee' program this slices the file in to segments at a predetermined thickness to build up the model out of uv cured resin in the printer fundelrmentaly  the 'slicer tells the printer via a USB stick the G code to build the model by curing resin with uv light at a predetermined patten as the model grows .25mm at a time just under 3000 layers 17hrs! A far better explanation of design and printing can be found on YouTube and obviously the one and only RMweb

After several hours you can take a peak at developments, when the printer has done it's thing its in to a box of ipa to take as much uncured resin off then into the anycubic wash and cure machine for a good wash ( box of ipa used as first wash as it soon gets murky with resin so it keeps the ipa in anycubic machine cleaner for longer...

Once washed and dried the supports where snipped and cut off as appropriate ... in my hurry shrunk model to 71% so I stupidly resized to 79% to compensate for as I thought incorrect initial drawing...17hs later a model that was 10mm to long?...attempt 3...17hs later model now correct size (75%) but struggling to get 14.2mm wheels between resin w irons...attempt 4 I started from scratch decided to print flat! (Tut tut in 3d printing world) as would tale less suports and less clean up! At same time increased the width by 1.5mm....wheels now slop around! But hight right, but looked too fat next to class 25 locoI revisited attempt 3 And with a sonic saber knife saved the inside of w irons they are now more flimsy but probably stiffen up when they have final uv curing....so No 5 to is built flat...3mm taller and hopefully goldilocks will think its just right!
The only fault with build on the flat roof has layer lines but a swipe with sanding board will sort that out and no detail to loose 
The detail is Brill on the model even with cranked brake handle! Take note Bachmann vga has solid crank!

As for running I imagine in 14.2mm one axle will have to have a inside bearing rocking w iron as we is 88.5mm! 12mm chaps may be ok

Bodies off to be uv cured

At least I've 4 bodies to practice spraying on so not all lost

Over all a highly recommended stl file and I'm proud to say after massaging the designer the first to buy was a 3mmer!

If any one wants the final scaling profile I'll post after attempt No5!....or 6...7....

 

foot note the designer says more designs possible if time allows

G

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by bradfordbuffer

[bradfordbuffer]

More pictures 

[SteveyDee68]

I’m in awe of the expertise on show!

[bradfordbuffer]

5 minutes ago, SteveyDee68 said:

I’m in awe of the expertise on show!

Narr ...just a idiot bumbling his way through.....riding on some one else's drawing skills...

Good journey though!

[TT100 Diesels]

Echo what I said on the 3mm e group, fantastic work.

 

With that awesome TT120 class 50, you "could" rescale as well to 2.5mm, and we re paint green eddy into triple grey 50149, and, and, and.................. 😁😉

 

Cheers

 

TT100 Diesels

 

In a mischievous mood, clearly.....

[bradfordbuffer]

25 minutes ago, TT100 Diesels said:

Echo what I said on the 3mm e group, fantastic work.

 

With that awesome TT120 class 50, you "could" rescale as well to 2.5mm, and we re paint green eddy into triple grey 50149, and, and, and.................. 😁😉

 

Cheers

 

TT100 Diesels

 

In a mischievous mood, clearly.....

My fingers are twitching....

[woodenhead]

And if this doesn't work out, you've four interesting ice cube trays. 🤣

[Locksley]

Hi Graham,

 

These look absolutely excellent! It was after a discussion with a fellow club member about the lack of wagons to go with the Hornby TT 08 that I first thought about drawing this design up. I'm delighted to see they print well in 3mm!

 

I drew the VGA to roughly match the Bachmann model so the main dimensions should match that - with a few improvements here and there. It still baffles me how the Bachmann model is missing the coupling hooks!

 

I'm completely new to TT so I'll try and get my hands on some wheelsets to have a go myself. Are there any off-the-shelf buffers and coupling hooks available in 3mm as there are in 4mm? Are there any that are recommended? I guess if not I may have to draw some up and try a print.

 

Looking forward to seeing these painted up!

 

And thanks again for purchasing the file!

 

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Locksley

[Blefuscu]

These look really nice!

 

I'm going to watch this thread in case you find a good source of wheels.

 

I'm relatively new to railway modelling but TT120 has really peaked my interest. The idea of designing an printing bodies and rolling stock is very appealing.

 

Whilst i work that out, I'm working on a peugeot 504 to get my eye in!

[bradfordbuffer]

On 08/11/2023 at 11:43, Locksley said:

Hi Graham,

 

These look absolutely excellent! It was after a discussion with a fellow club member about the lack of wagons to go with the Hornby TT 08 that I first thought about drawing this design up. I'm delighted to see they print well in 3mm!

 

I drew the VGA to roughly match the Bachmann model so the main dimensions should match that - with a few improvements here and there. It still baffles me how the Bachmann model is missing the coupling hooks!

 

I'm completely new to TT so I'll try and get my hands on some wheelsets to have a go myself. Are there any off-the-shelf buffers and coupling hooks available in 3mm as there are in 4mm? Are there any that are recommended? I guess if not I may have to draw some up and try a print.

 

Looking forward to seeing these painted up!

 

And thanks again for purchasing the file!

 

 

Hi buffers available from thingiverse ironmink design. There are some etched brass hooks in 3mm but they look undernourished so will probably solder 2 together.

Several European manufacturers supply 7.5mm wheels in 12mm gauge....Links already posted in tt120 section very cheap too but don't know about postage

Thanks for designing stl file...

G

[bradfordbuffer]

On 01/11/2023 at 00:11, bradfordbuffer said:

More pictures 

VGA van update

Vans that where incorrectly scaled been to my brothers paint shop sprayed halfords rattle can grey red oxide and white ....grey won

They where then sprayed with vallejo silver in prep for test weathering as walsallrail rail done on YouTube

 

Really good set of how to vidshttps://youtu.be/LGcJvtRdoqw?si=FqWYefbWBE0k5mDu

 

The silver showed some print scaring as shown in pictures that I think down printer needing some tlc! The test vans vans are going to be weathered to see if I can live with scaring as I've printed the 'production' run off already! 

 Production run printing has been done horizontal on print bed as gives less layer lines and less sprue / supports clean up, 1000 layers 6hr print on standard anycubic settings and 3 vans fit on build plate.

 

Decals arrived from railtec....supper service and choice 👌 

 

Lots of home stuff to do for next few weeks and also helping out at blackburn and East lanks model show first weekend in December ( https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/y2023/25904-BlackburnEastLancsModelRailwaySociety_Exhibition )

with the newly extended and refurbished 4mm layout built by the late George woodcock that done the exhibition rounds a few years back... Georegmas junction, it has been extended and extensively refurbished by Spike Taylor it now has a proper junction and branch to Thurso and is going back on the road again and looking good....so my modeling free time in short supply .

G

 

 

Pictures will have to be posted in blocks of a few at a time

[bradfordbuffer]