Bill Bedford HR 4 plank wagon

[Ian R. Weeks]

A few weeks ago I ordered a couple of these 3d printed wagons . When they arrived I was quite frankly amazed at the detail and quality.I have some years ago assembled Bills earlier Highland resin mineral wagon with etched sprung underframe and this was what I was expecting. However this kit comes with printed bearing carriers, sprung buffers and couplings. All beautifully printed. However a dry run has highlighted some problems. I would greatly appreciate someone who has assembled such a wagon giving a blow by blow account on assembling the bearing carriers and spring wire. The "instructions"only detail how to assemble a a fixed ridged chassis and assume one is fully conversant with the new design. I am sure it is mainly my fault in that I am not seeing the wood for the trees. Specifically are waisted bearings used ? The spring wire is much finer than I remember and is it glued in place or merely held in situ by pressure. Like wise does the bearing carrier merely sit with the wire in it's fine grove . Any help would be appreciated

         Kind regards Ian

P.S. the printed sprung buffers look well thought out and I look forward to assembling them

 

 

[Compound2632]

41 minutes ago, Ian R. Weeks said:

A few weeks ago I ordered a couple of these 3d printed wagons . When they arrived I was quite frankly amazed at the detail and quality.I have some years ago assembled Bills earlier Highland resin mineral wagon with etched sprung underframe and this was what I was expecting. However this kit comes with printed bearing carriers, sprung buffers and couplings. All beautifully printed. However a dry run has highlighted some problems. I would greatly appreciate someone who has assembled such a wagon giving a blow by blow account on assembling the bearing carriers and spring wire. The "instructions"only detail how to assemble a a fixed ridged chassis and assume one is fully conversant with the new design. I am sure it is mainly my fault in that I am not seeing the wood for the trees. Specifically are waisted bearings used ? The spring wire is much finer than I remember and is it glued in place or merely held in situ by pressure. Like wise does the bearing carrier merely sit with the wire in it's fine grove . Any help would be appreciated

         Kind regards Ian

P.S. the printed sprung buffers look well thought out and I look forward to assembling them

 

I have several wagons of this type half-built at the moment - in other words I haven't yet tackled the bearing carriers! I shall certainly be using waisted bearings, as on previous wagons with etched bearing carriers. I use the MJT waisted bearings, having had a bad experience with others that weren't deep enough, leading to axleguard splay.

[billbedford]

The bearing carriers are reversible. For a fixed suspension, there is a pip on one side that locates and is glued into a hollow in the solebar. For a sprung suspension, the carriers are reversed, and the grove in the top rests on the spring wire. You may feel the need to glue the spring wire into the round support, if so I would suggest using a "soft" glue rather than cyano. 

[Ian R. Weeks]

Thank you gentlemen. I have last night had a good look at both the kit and several internet sites. One was helpful in showing a copy of their instructions ( in a silmilar style to mine ) showing the wire/ bearing carrier differently and answering my query .

 That site also suggested using blue tack as a "soft glue" to locate the wire.

    Waisted bearings it shall be.

 As an aside every time I look at the kit I am amazed at the detail and fineness.

    If the buffers prove to be as  robust as I suspect then surely etched  kits are on the way out.

     Also  I can not wait to see someone take on the production of a highland coach in this medium, no more burnt fingertips!

   ..Thanks again Ian

[Roddy Angus]

33 minutes ago, Ian R. Weeks said:

Thank you gentlemen. I have last night had a good look at both the kit and several internet sites.

Hi Ian

 

Could you possibly provide links or names for these internet sites?  I've   got a few of these kits and any advice on assembling them would be helpful.

Thanks

Roddy

[Ian R. Weeks]

Dear Roddy,

             Sorry for the delay in replying. The useful site was a single posting on Western Thunder which came up on a search for' Bill bedford  3d printed wagon. I have been playing a little more and have the bearing carriers ready . I thought I would attempt to assemble the buffers. To do this I measured the buffer shank as it appeared the buffer housing needed opening out as the shank would not enter the buffer housing. I thought I would not hold the housing in a vice as I feared I would crush it . I measured the shank at 0.63mm . I chose 3 steps of micro drill in pin vices and hand held the housing. I managed to drill suscessfully 1 of the 4 buffers. On the other 3 the printed spring broke. This may be due to my heavy handedness, I might have been better holding the housing in the microdrill vice and gently drilling at high speed. However they may be more easily drilled if supplied still on their printing sprue??

      They can be easily replaced with sprung buffers of the style supplied some years ago by Mr. Bedford but I still think there is mileage in the printed buffers if only I can master the technique. I will probably see if Mousa Models will sell me some others to practice on.

     Again I am still impressed with the kits and have actually supplied my offspring with Mousa's details when the asked for suggetions for Xmas pressies.

             If you have any success with the buffers please let me know.

                                                                      regards Ian

[Roddy Angus]

Thanks Ian, that is really helpful advice.  I'll let you know how I get on with the buffers, I suspect that my fall back position will be to use Lanarkshire Models and Supplies bufferheads and shanks.  However, that will depend on whether there is sufficient meat on the buffer housings to allow for a cylinder to hold the springs to be drilled.   I have found that 3D printed items can be very prone to shattering, like resin.

 

Thanks once again.

 

Roddy

[billbedford]

53 minutes ago, Ian R. Weeks said:

Dear Roddy,

             Sorry for the delay in replying. The useful site was a single posting on Western Thunder which came up on a search for' Bill bedford  3d printed wagon.

 

I couldn't find this posting. Are there any further clues?

 

Quote

I have been playing a little more and have the bearing carriers ready . I thought I would attempt to assemble the buffers. To do this I measured the buffer shank as it appeared the buffer housing needed opening out as the shank would not enter the buffer housing. I thought I would not hold the housing in a vice as I feared I would crush it . I measured the shank at 0.63mm . I chose 3 steps of micro drill in pin vices and hand held the housing. I managed to drill suscessfully 1 of the 4 buffers. On the other 3 the printed spring broke. This may be due to my heavy handedness, I might have been better holding the housing in the microdrill vice and gently drilling at high speed.

 

Usually, a single pass with a 1mm drill in a pin vice will clear the blockage, but some are too deep. 

 

There has been a whole saga about how printing parameters can be updated and "improved" and make some things like buffers impossible to print. 

 

I've just printed a new batch of Jones buffers so I'll put some in the post for you. 

 

Quote

However, they may be more easily drilled if supplied still on their printing sprue??

 

Definitely not. 

[Ian R. Weeks]

Thank you Bill,this a a comparatively new medium to me . I have only had experience of my son printing some simple windows I drew.

   I still feel that if I persevere this is the way forward

 Found the page on western thunder it was a thread on construction of a LNWR Open dia 84 posted by a chap called Adam on 17/11/22.

    Kind regards Ian