Milwaukee Raod SW2100 Fuel Tank.

[wcfn100]

I got my Shapeways tank today.



Hopefully will get some time to harvest the air tanks from stock.  I have a jig to bend the wire for the piping, but I'm still undecided on how to mount it to the air tank.  I'm hoping seeing the air tank on the fuel tank will light a bulb for me.


Jason

[peteski]

Looks like it fits well. I'm curious as to why you didn't 3D print the air tank also (either attached to the fuel tank or as a separate piece)?  That way the original fuel/air tank assembly could be used elsewhere (or sold, or given away to other modelers who might need it).

[wcfn100]

Looks like it fits well. I'm curious as to why you didn't 3D print the air tank also (either attached to the fuel tank or as a separate piece)?  That way the original fuel/air tank assembly could be used elsewhere (or sold, or given away to other modelers who might need it).

My general mentality towards 3D printing is to design and print the things that aren't available elsewhere.  That's why I haven't drawn any freight car brake components for any of my freight car designs (except the for the express car which is much different).  I get those from existing sources.   Besides that, any printed part would look awful compared to the nice injection molded parts.  There's also the fine piping on this stock air tank that I'm trying to keep that would be much more work if I had to add it.  The same goes for the fuel filler.  A printed part would be a blob compared to what's on the stock tank.


Jason

[peteski]

True, a 3D printed tank's surface would be much rougher than the injection molded one.

[milw12]

Looks good so far, I'll be following this closely since I'll be doing my own before too long. Thanks for taking the time to do this and document it!

-Lucas

[wcfn100]

So it turns out that the tanks will pop off the old tank which makes it pretty easy to mount to the new tank.  I may redesign the SW file to make this step super simple.



I can document this a bit better when I get all the steps figured out.  I'm actually supposed to be working on a different project this weekend so I should probably get back to that. 

I do have a plan for trying to mount the piping.  Hopefully can get to that in a day or to.  Probably look at a TSC conversion while I'm at it.

Jason

[milw12]

Sounds good Jason. Everyone knows the projects you want to do are much more fun than the ones you should be doing 

When you get around to it, can you show a picture of the piping jig? I've got a plan of my own but would like to compare.

Thanks Lucas

[wazzou]

Looking good Jason.  You could consider adding some MILW spark arrestors to the same sprue?

[wcfn100]

Looking good Jason.  You could consider adding some MILW spark arrestors to the same sprue?

I am unless there's something readily available.  For some reason I thought the large silver arrestors were something from the 70's, but I see that they are from the mid-60's.  I personally don't like them, especially how the whole top of the hood got painted in silver overspray, but the pictures don't lie.

The downside to this project is I've seen that the paint on my unit is for the 50's  .  I think I'll pick up one of the newer runs with the later paint.

Jason

[wcfn100]

When you get around to it, can you show a picture of the piping jig? I've got a plan of my own but would like to compare.

Right now it's just two pins in a piece of styrene, but your post gave me an idea to deal with curving the pipe around the air tank.

Jason

[milw12]

Heh, at least I could help in some way

Bummer about the paint, I was ready to pick an old one up and start tinkering. At a passing glance I didn't catch it either:

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/20717/

The orange is higher and less ornate numbers- I'll dig deep for some patience to last until the release 

-Lucas

[Lemosteam]

@wcfn100 , I developed a bending tool and gauge for my kit using a 3D model of the finished wire.  I was able to print 0.25mm holes in my design that match the gauge. In short, if the bent part drops in the groove, it will fit the holes in the model.

You could do this with the pipe.  I even provided bending shapes in the FUD so the tool can be used to bend the parts too.

Hope you can see the image below:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[wazzou]

@wcfn100 ,

Hope you can see the image below:

I cannot.

[wcfn100]

I did see the picture and it may be a bit more than I need just to bend wire back on itself.  Once I get one done, I'll re-evaluate.  And now that my other project is completed, I'm hoping to get to this in the next few days.

Jason

[Wutter]

I am unless there's something readily available.  For some reason I thought the large silver arrestors were something from the 70's, but I see that they are from the mid-60's.  I personally don't like them, especially how the whole top of the hood got painted in silver overspray, but the pictures don't lie.

Don't want to derail the thread but I have some designed already if you are interested:



4X -  http://shpws.me/MXU8
8X -  http://shpws.me/MXYE