drduncan

Bump

So, having been inspired by many others working in 3D CAD I have decided to have a go... 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

Fantastic work! I hope you enjoyed your wine. You clearly earned it. And put me off buying the BGS tender kit! drduncan

Oh good!

Would a license or product key to protect the stl file and limit the number of downloads/computers it’s saved on be possible? I completely understand and support the need to protect one’s intellectual property, but I too am unimpressed with some of the quality /price issues on shapeways especially compared to using a resin printer of my own. I’m currently drawing up files for my own projects and I’m sure a (very) small minority of lunatics would find them of interest, but without a way to protect my IP it seems that shapeways is the only option... drduncan

Always pleased to see more BG stuff but what is it? I know it’s not Dido or Argo 0-6-0st, or Europa, or a 3521, or a Hawthorn saddle tank....(guess what my build list comprises of....) drduncan

Chaps, Thanks for the replies and advice. My your workbenches overflow with successful projects! Duncan

Thanks for the pm. A price list would be excellent as I’m curious about what the range covered. Regards Duncan

Does anyone have a recent product list for Millholme Models/Stevenson carriages and contact details? drduncan

Excellent and inspiring work! drduncan

I thought (from a demonstrator’s perspective) that it was an excellent day. Lots of chatting to visitors so I only cut one bit of micro strip the entire day. The layouts were excellent too - seeing Westcliff always tops up my inspiration and ambition. drduncan

They are based on the Atkins et all drawing - I've done 15'6", 16' and 18' overall ones. I suppose I should do an 18'6" one to complete the set. Now I just need info from the wagon registers about running numbers and which ones were fitted with oil axleboxes and when...

Chaps, Here are a couple of my first attempts. At the top we have a GWR S7 fish wagon with bars for the sides (I intend to use 0.5mm brass inserted through holes in the print - it is currently printing so I'll find out tomorrow if it worked)...I'm working on the Broad Gauge 6w predecessor of the S7 at the moment but need to redo the solebar as the axleguards/w-irons (only they aren't w shaped) are wrong. I also need to draw up internal bearing units on a 4w truck so as to make a proper chassis that will hopefully enable it to go round corners! Beneath it is one of the 1 planks. They have already been printed but without solebars and went banana shaped while curing. I am hoping the solebars will help limit distortion when they are printed and cured (hopefully tomorrow). Regards Duncan

I hope to print them this week and have them at the EMGS skills day at didcot civic centre this Saturday. It’s free and layouts like Westcliffe will be there as well as demonstrators like me....

Mike, Excellent work! And very inspirational too! Yesterday I completed my first 3D wagon designs: a GWR 1pkank wagon (actually 3 different ones each with different lengths/widths) drduncan

Any new releases of the old nucast/keyser kits. Hoping for the GWR Armstrong goods!!!! drduncan

Absolutely fantastic modelling! Duncan

Absolutely fantastic modelling! Duncan

I’m sure that this isn’t a problem at ExpoEM... it could be a new tag line: ‘The EMGS; finescale hygiene your neighbour will appreciate’. Not being a pee 4 type I couldn’t comment on S4 society cleanliness. But I’m not sure finescale soap can be produced to meet the tolerance they demand....

You do work in Pee 4 after all....

It’s proving difficult to find test subjects to get the empirical evidence for a rigorous article.... unless you’re volunteering to smell of wee!!!

Lovely craftsmanship drduncan

It’s a shame my article on how P4 modellers can get greater comfort and general happiness by swapping the collars and cuffs on their S4 society apparel for EMGS ones isn’t suitable for publication in the MRJ. Such clothing modifications reduces chafing and irritation and thus allows P4 layouts to operate more smoothly and problem free...

Fear, surprise , ruthless efficiency, fanatical devotion to the MRJ and nice EMGS polo shirts...

Lovely work,Dave. The prototype pictures are very interesting and I’ll now have to do a 4mm version to bring my rake of non identical GW 4 plank wagons up to date with this latest find. I’m sure I’ve still got an unmade Coopercraft kit in the stash somewhere! DrDuncan