Best Of The TP56/TP70 Kitbash thread N scale

[Chris333]

I don't really thing the black HDA needs cleaned, there is no support wax to wash off.

Pics or it didn't happen! 

[u18b]

Awwww!

UPS says mine is due on Thursday!

[Philip H]

Another TRW masterpiece production.

[randgust]

Pics or it didn't happen! 

Just put them up, go back a step...

[u18b]

Randy,

Lookin good.

Did you buy the fuel tank?

[tehachapifan]

Definitely the highest quality and most detailed 3D printed model I've seen! That looks absolutely stunning!

[wcfn100]

Definitely the highest quality and most detailed 3D printed model I've seen! That looks absolutely stunning!

Wait for it...

Jason

[Chris333]

Is it flat though?  One of the things most people don't like about about HDA. At least it looks like all the support nubs were hidden.

[wcfn100]

Is it flat though?

Looks warped even on that tiny frame.

Jason

[randgust]

I did not buy the fuel tank.   I'll make mine out of lead or something heavy.

There's a series of 'bumps' across the bottom edge of the print, in addition to the four lugs that I cut off. Apparently those are where the print supports were in addition to the inside of the hood and cab.   It's not exactly flat across the bottom when I check it with a straightedge, but most of it appears to the due to the irregularity of where the supports were cut off.

Some of what looks like warp is that residual sprue support, some of it is from the motor wires pushing up the nose a bit, and some of it is actual warp - from what I can see so far, about .015 off from the nose to the rear of the cab.  Right now it looks like just running it over a flat file will solve all of it, and if that won't, then cutting the cab wall sides loose from the nose and reattaching them will.   I can see where this could get really out of hand on an 85' car but here it's not all that bad.

I did check my frame with a straightedge and that much is flat!   .040 brass as an anchor plate and a couple 00-90 screws somewhere can't hurt either.

Oh, and because there's really a pretty decent sized cab there, the cab roof looks to be the logical place to hide a decoder, if you're going that way.   My general policy on critters is that you're pushing the edge for contact and traction to begin with so weight takes priority.

[Lemosteam]

@randgust, can you take a clean closeup of the vents or other detailed areas please?

[randgust]

I'm debating whether I'm going to add all the details and handrails and then prime it, or prime just the shell.  I had to deliberately overexpose the shots posted so you could even see the detail.   Would be a lot easier if it was in primer.   But it's fuzz-free, and far, far, better than FUD.

I've had problems with FUD warping on shells post-paint, big time, as well as some documented shrinkage, along with the brittleness, and cleanup issues.   I'm not saying this stuff is perfect, I am saying it's a huge improvement compared to FUD.   You may as well have not even bothered putting on vents and door details on FUD, because by the time you sanded and sealed the sides, detail was gone.   The 25-tonner shell I'm working with is a good example - to get a smooth finish you compromise the heck out of printed detail.   http://www.randgust.com/25tonTU715.jpg 

I worked with David on his first genset shells, and it was pretty frustrating working in FUD.   That's why he went to an etched detail set for the side vents and louvers.  I'd never seen this new material until I got the HTC truck frame, and went....WHOA! Game changer.

[C855B]

It's great this (tiny) shell rendered so well in acrylate... but recall this discussion where anything larger wasn't acceptable in the end. Maybe they've adjusted the process in the several months since we seriously talked about it, but the problems then seemed fundamental to the process.

[up1950s]

They made one a drone ! Now an empty cab is ok . http://customcontrolsinc.com/tp56-locomotive-radio-remote-control/ Click on the photo twice to see it blowed up as big as Ed's head the Sunday after a Rail-B-Q.

[Mod note: political content changed out to something we can all appreciate]

[u18b]

They made one a drone ! Now an empty cab is ok . http://customcontrolsinc.com/tp56-locomotive-radio-remote-control/

Yep.   
That's the demo unit.

It is a little different.   We might call that one a phase 1.
Though I saw somewhere that it might have originally been called a TP1.

But I'll just call it the demo unit. 
It is the one with no visible fuel tank and smaller windows in the back.