Shapeways for PRR Catenary

[Dave V]

For those of you that have had extensive experience with Shapeways products, is there any way Shapeways and FUD would be a viable route toward PRR catenary towers, or is the product too brittle?  In a perfect world, I'd want something with a little give that wouldn't snap if bumped, and that could also host some green Berkshire E-Z Line for dummy trolley wire.

I'm feeling a Pennsy itch again and my three Kato GG1s have been neglected...

[glakedylan]

I 2nd the idea, asking if it is possible....would like to have some of Philly to Harrisburg line to employ my GG1
nothing overhead calls for a lot of imagination.
thanks much
Gary

[bbussey]

Ack!! 

PRR, NH, GN — Etching is absolutely the way to go.  Detail parts such as insulators and the concrete footings probably could be 3D rendered.  But etchings for the towers and the catenary itself is far more practical.

[randgust]

I think the usual FUD stuff is extremely brittle myself in thin cross-sections.   In a truss/tower configuration it might work, but I'm with Bryan, etching all the way, much tougher and a lot cheaper, too.  Etching works great in volume so that the per-unit costs come down, FUD is going to remain completely linear, at least from Shapeways.

I've also had some really funky stuff happen with painting FUD, as well as it getting more brittle with age.  Nothing I can scientifically prove, at least not yet, and it's not particularly consistent, and it may be related to the Bestine soaks rather than the native property of the material.   I both love and hate the stuff.   

[Dave V]

Hmmm...  Kinda the answer I suspected, but figured I'd ask.

[victor miranda]

I have my head in the sand a lot so I'll ask.

is there an etched fret for the PRR overhead towers and cross braces?

victor

[randgust]

Looking out on Shapeways, I found at least one guy that was doing some kind of oddball semi-circular catenary mast (European) with a single-track hanger system, and he was managing to get them out for a little over $5 apiece.    Very odd style, but in the end, somebody is at least trying it.

[nscaleSPF2]

David,
You may or may not know that, as of April 14, Shapeways is introducing a new process called FXD (Fine Extreme Detail).  Here is a link to their announcement:

http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=msg&th=26598&start=0&

True to Shapeways' need for obfuscation, it is not clear if FXD and FUD are the same acrylic material.  You can infer that from the announcement; still they have not said that this is so.  You can also scroll partway down the page for a photo comparison of FUD and FXD for the same part.  Draw your own conclusions, based on the photo.

One issue that I would be concerned about, how stretchy is the Berkshire Line.  Depending on how much force the line places on the towers (whether they are made of plastic or brass) could significantly deform them.  I don't have any experience with this potential issue.  Something to think about.

Jim

[Dave V]

It's super stretchy, but if I pull hard enough, my Atlas line poles flex.



I noticed when I first used the green, it was entirely too green for what I was doing, so I replaced it with black.  However, it's the perfect green for a cat wire.  Obviously, I would not be able to recreate the suspension wire sag, but a single green trolley wire would look better than no wire.

[bbussey]

I have my head in the sand a lot so I'll ask.
is there an etched fret for the PRR overhead towers and cross braces?

Bob (@TrainCat2) was working on NH and I believe PRR cat towers before he suspended operations.

[victor miranda]

Bob (@TrainCat2) was working on NH and I believe PRR cat towers before he suspended operations.

ya kno', Bryan, I was afraid some one was going to mention traincat2...

I need more sand!

its not happening!
*fingers in ears*
lalalalalalalalalalla!

ah.. who am I kidding.... I miss him.
denial will not change anything.

I think I'll order an etching kit from micro mark.

victor

[Dave V]

Bob (@TrainCat2) was working on NH and I believe PRR cat towers before he suspended operations.

He was also working on PRR position light signals with DKS.  I shudder to think of all the badness that befell him, but nevertheless I must assume that Traincat is not a going concern anymore and neither are any of his products that were in development.  I would be as happy as anyone to be proven wrong on that point.

I've neither the tools nor the desire to etch anything, so while I can affect all of the structural shapes via Plastruct, I still need a good source for the insulators.

[peteski]

I still need a good source for the insulators.

http://www.tee-usa.com/store/sommerfeldt-catalog-n-german.html

[nkalanaga]

Most of the GN's wires were supported by simple wooden poles, and the rest seem to have been ordinary H columns on a concrete footer.  No need for anything fancy there.  The GN electrification, except for the insulators, looked more like the MILW's than the Pennsy's.

[randgust]

Victor, the MM is a good 'learning tool' for etching but supremely slow, cumbersome, and messy to use.  And there's a pretty significant size limit on parts.
If you really want one I'll sell you mine for a significant discount, and all the 'modifications' I made to make the system work better, like a vent system and  stirrer.

If you can do the CAD part, and follow some directions, you can use an etching service for much better results, particularly in any volume or size.

I was able to make usable parts though.  It's not like it doesn't work, it just doesn't work when I was trying to make 30 sets of etched handrails for kits.

PM me if you want the one I use.