Rabs Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 I asked: Could you perhaps measure your Tower now and come back to it in a few months? Well I reckon now's about a few months. What shape is your Eiffel Tower now? The Nim. Haha, I had my callipers in one hand and the tower in the other when I saw your post! 47.18mm now. That's within the measurement tolerance of my cheap calipers I believe. So no significant change, definitely less than 1%, even with tolerances of my measurement tools accounted for. Nice results on the cattle box, even in the cruel pictures. In some respects it looks better than the shapeways models I have. I'll have to take and post some similar pictures for comparison. Thanks, with a better paint job and some tweaks to the model (for example it does ridges better than grooves, so I would exaggerate the gaps in the planking to get a final result closer to scale) I'd be very happy with it on my layout. I'm still getting some small holes in the roof, I think that my stl may have a face inverted or similar, I need to check in more detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugsley Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 The level of detail that the B9 can achieve is truly astounding: The FAG lettering on the DB type axleboxes (bottom left two) is 0.47mm high and 0.14mm deep! The SKF lettering hasn't come out too well, I've had better in the past, but I'm still wrestling with the settings at the moment. The next batch of trial parts should be nearly perfect, with any luck. The output, I think, is as good as, if not better than, Shapeways FUD. The parts in my image are red, using the standard resin, but I've desaturated the image to show the detail better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Ah, I didn't realise that you are a B9 owner too Pugsley. Happy days. I'm currently in the middle of a reorganisation of my lab at the moment but should get printing again soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 Here is a section of Bath's skew bridge for my layout. Sorry for forgetting to add something for scale. The outer dimension of this print are about 150mm x 20mm x 20mm, and the rivets are 0.5mm across, which is a bit bigger than they should be (0.3mm) Very happy with this though. I need four of these and the supports that I showed on the previous page. It took a bit of tweaking to get this to print. I estimate that this one took about 8 hours work from blank page to successful print. But each of the other three will only be about 1 hour (plus about 18 hours doing other things while the printer runs!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etched Pixels Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Looks really good on the detail. Bet it'll look cracking when its no longer coloured kiddies cheap toy red 8) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 Indeed. I'm going to print and assemble it all before painting though. A bit of uncured resin acts and a UV lamp acts as the perfect glue to join the parts, but only before you put paint on! I'm also going to try some different resins which are no better (lurid yellow and snot green) but might let me print faster and with better detail. It seems that nobody wants to make a primer grey resin yet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Ok, scratch that. I decided to paint it in three sub-assemblies and then do the final assembly in-situ on the layout. Here are the bits after 2 thin coats of primer: Please excuse the appalling photography - I'm not sure what happened there! I'm probably just going to continue this in my layout thread rather than duplicate everything (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72424-bath-spa/page-4&do=findComment&comment=1126813). If something particularly new for the 3D printer comes up I'll put it here. When I get back onto rolling stock I'll also post results here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamphillip Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 looking good Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 NEW JUICE! I've just received some new resin for my B9. This is Spot-HT resin and it's great. I did a first print with it of Richard's beetle van, which has now become my standard test print because I've done so many of them that I now know what to look for. For the first time it came out perfectly, no small holes and all parts present and correct. Previously there were always a couple of minor defects. Also, the detail with this resin is much improved and the resin is much stiffer. I'd now have no hesitation in choosing this as an equal alternative to an injection moulded part. Crisp strap and planking detail: Check! (and note the rivets on the strap in the centre of the image - they are there, just a bit hard to see in yellow) 0.2mm door hinges: Check! 0.15mm rivets and 0.5mm thick roofline: Check! Neat 0.5mm holes for buffers and coupling hooks: Check! The microscope images are at approximately the same magnification as the examples earlier in the thread . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugsley Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Wow, that's some serious detial there! I've been struggling to get small details to come out properly, but I'm coming to the conclusion that its a limitation of the B9 Red resin, rather than the machine. That Spot HT looks the dogs danglies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 It's definitely better. I've also got some extra pigment which might let me trade off slower prints for crisper details. I'll be experimenting with this over the next few weeks. If you're interested in getting some spot-HT then send me a message on the B9 forum because there are a few of us on there looking at doing a group order and hopefully get a discount. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
billbedford Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Can we see a photo of the other end of that van? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 NEW JUICE! I've just received some new resin for my B9. This is Spot-HT resin and it's great. I did a first print with it of Richard's beetle van, which has now become my standard test print because I've done so many of them that I now know what to look for. For the first time it came out perfectly, no small holes and all parts present and correct. Previously there were always a couple of minor defects. Also, the detail with this resin is much improved and the resin is much stiffer. I'd now have no hesitation in choosing this as an equal alternative to an injection moulded part. 2013-08-20 19.02.15.jpg Crisp strap and planking detail: 3.jpg Check! (and note the rivets on the strap in the centre of the image - they are there, just a bit hard to see in yellow) 0.2mm door hinges: 2.jpg Check! 0.15mm rivets and 0.5mm thick roofline: 4.jpg Check! Neat 0.5mm holes for buffers and coupling hooks: 2013-08-20 19.02.25.jpg Check! The microscope images are at approximately the same magnification as the examples earlier in the thread . Excuse me while I put my eyes back in my head. There is some sagging of apertures obvious in the third image that I'm sure would be less obvious once fettled and finished as a model. Has the model slumped a bit or is there some image distortion in the first picture? Have you checked the long length with a straight edge? It is definitely better than Shapeways managed with (almost) the same file. (The file I sent you has different - later style - ends). Like Bill I would be interested to see the other end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 Here you go: The strapping is good. The rivets aren't quite as good at this end, but they're not bad. There are a couple of patches needing some repair where the supports were attached. I'm currently printing a different arrangement of supports which should make this easier in future. There is a tiny bit of curvature on the edge of the window but the poor lens quality in my microscope makes it look much worse in the photo than it does in the flesh. Now that I've finally had a complete success with this model, would you like me to send you one Richard? If yes PM me your address. I've not tried painting this yellow resin yet but I don't expect it to be any more difficult than the red. I've got some nice bits of Julia's Foden lorry printing at the moment and they seem to be coming out well... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bern4472 Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Stunning stuff Rabs. Having seen the actual items at the club last night I can confirm that they really are mighty impressive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
-missy- Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Hello Rabs. I have to agree with puglesy on this. That is some of the best 3D printed stuff I have seen for a while and it definately puts shapeways to shame. I am looking forward to seeing the results of the foden and if that turns out as impressive I have plenty more for you to try out! Missy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamphillip Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 If only the printer was large enough for OO Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
-missy- Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 If only the printer was large enough for OO And you had £2000+ spare! M. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugsley Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 If only the printer was large enough for OOif you use a bit of imagination, it is! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 22, 2013 Author Share Posted August 22, 2013 Some more bits. Here are the cab and chassis for Julia's Foden lorry: It nearly managed it perfectly, only the rear cart springs didn't quite make it. I wasn't sure if the wheelarches would come out (0.3mm thick walls), but as you can see they were no problem. The walls on this are so thin though that the part is not very strong. On my models I think that I'll try to include a bit more reinforcement to make it less likely to be damaged by handling. There are a couple of 'pips' on the surface from where the supports were attached, these will need to be carefully removed. And this one I particularly like: That figure is 10mm tall in total, and her arms are approximately 0.3mm thick. It did actually print correctly, but butterfingers here managed to break her left hand and right foot off in the process of removing the supports. You can't tell in this photo with the yellow resin, but some of her facial features have come out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 I hate to rain on your parade, but do you consider the cab print useful as a scale model part? The stepping is quite visible, and it will take a lot of sanding and/or filler to make it smooth. Make no mistake, I am really enthusiastic about the potential of 3D printing, especially relatively cheap machines like the B9Creator. But the picture of the lorry cab is to me more proof of what can not be done, rather than what can be done. On a more positive note, the print of Richard's beetle van looks impressive. Would love to see the print painted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 22, 2013 Author Share Posted August 22, 2013 You did see the penny right? The close up images are taken on a microscope at 20x magnification. The steps are about 30 microns high. I have very good eyesight and I still have to bring the models within 15cm of my face to be able to see any stepping - not exactly normal viewing distance! In the photos taken with a 1x lens from about 10cm away I certainly can't see any stepping. I absolutely think that these are suitable for scale models but you are, of course, welcome to disagree (although it might be better to see a part in the flesh before making your mind up completely). Also, it looks better when painted. The shiny surface of the resin means that surface texture shows up under direct light, such as from my microscope's ring light. Once it's got a coat of matt paint on these becomes much less visible. Compare the before and after painting pictures of the bridge truss above to see the difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted August 22, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 22, 2013 Have to agree with rabs here, I saw the bridge on Tuesday, and in the flesh with some paint on it is quite something. As for the Foden cab....it's less than 13mm wide and seen from a viewing distance of say 2-3ft with some paint on you are not going to see any of the "steps" but a model with a good level of detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 You did see the penny right? The close up images are taken on a microscope at 20x magnification. The steps are about 30 microns high. I have very good eyesight and I still have to bring the models within 15cm of my face to be able to see any stepping - not exactly normal viewing distance! In the photos taken with a 1x lens from about 10cm away I certainly can't see any stepping. I absolutely think that these are suitable for scale models but you are, of course, welcome to disagree (although it might be better to see a part in the flesh before making your mind up completely). Also, it looks better when painted. The shiny surface of the resin means that surface texture shows up under direct light, such as from my microscope's ring light. Once it's got a coat of matt paint on these becomes much less visible. Compare the before and after painting pictures of the bridge truss above to see the difference. I guess it depends on how you expect your models to be viewed. I build models with photography in mind, because maybe 99% of those that see my models will only see them in pictures and not in real life. I enjoy taking macro pictures of the finished models, and set my standards accordingly. And in real life the models should stand up to beeing examined from even closer than 15cm. Feel free to call me crazy, but this 3X3 mm part is not quite good enough: (This is a Shapeways FUD part, by the way) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etched Pixels Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Hawk - absolutely, all the bolts lined up exactly the same angle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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