My printing progress (WAS: My first print attempt)

[sd45elect2000]

The experimentation continues to see what the limitations and quirks are of this printing process. GMC PD4501 Scenicruisers. Been trying for years to render them in Shapeways and currently it’s decent but requires significant follow up work, and that’s if the ProJets are in perfect calibration. These prints appear to need only some minor sanding on the roof to smooth out the stepping. Some of the supports on the body could be shifted inward, but I should be able to work with these.

Is it within reason to 3D print all of the glass?  It might be. It sure would make it easier in having the curved rear windows and skylights match the body contour.

Looks like a nice color for insulators on codeline crossarms

[peteski]

Looks like a nice color for insulators on codeline crossarms

Yes, Mark W. has suggested that few years ago when Anycubic Photon 3D printers were still new, and someone took on the task. I'll try to find that thread.

Edit:  Here is that post (and later in that thread you can see the results): https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=45869.msg595643#msg595643

[bbussey]

I never finished it. I think someone else did complete theirs (@randgust maybe?) and it looked good. I got as far as removing a few FEET of width and replacing all the fluted areas but gave up when I couldn't locate decals.

@bbussey Will these be available as a kit in the future? Would you be open to other bus projects in the future? We really need RTS commuter buses and 80-90's vintage MCI inter city buses.

My version has been on Shapeways for years in both N and Z under my personal account.  Definitely won't be available through ESM in any form due to GM licensing issues.

Vehicles are very difficult for me due to the complicated sheet metal contours.  Vehicles are much easier in Rhino than SolidWorks, but I don't know it well enough to use it proficiently.  I can fabricate railroad equipment in SolidWorks easily as all of the shapes are very basic.  Most buses and trucks have basic shapes but still not as easy as railroad equipment.

[bbussey]

Some more work tonight.  Finally found some limitations that I can't overcome in the form of a hippo circus wagon with cage bars.  I really didn't expect them to render and they are better suited for steel wire or stainless steel etchings.  Got this from Thingiverse as an O scale model and scaled it down.



Next up was an Erie bay window caboose, fully prototypical as opposed to all previous mass market N scale models.  I forgot to add supports to the corners of the porch overhand, otherwise it looks pretty good.  The floor need more supports as well.



Pennsy G39A and G39B ore cars.  More supports needed along the bottom edges, but all of the delicate detail rendered perfectly.



Virginian battleship gondola.  Same issue as the previous models, more supports needed along the bottom edges.  Also had a weird separation of the resin on the ends, as if the sheet metal was peeled apart.  An anomaly as this is the first time I've seen that.  The green resin is getting low also.

[bbussey]

This Fruehauf 40' corrugated ventilated trailer with side door was printed with the battleship gondola.  It's similar to the recently released Trainworx model, except that it has ventilation doors on the front and rear.  Seaboard Air Line "Razorback" prototype, also used by Florida Tile.  The trailer is perfect, although some of the supports should be moved inward.  The floor has a slight bow.  I'll print it vertically when I try to get a usable piece, this was just to have an initial proof of concept and I didn't want to wait three hours for it to print.

[bbussey]

And finally for tonight, I printed a new set of Youngstown camel doors for a PS-1 50' boxcar that eventually will become a model of the New Haven prototype.  It took a gazillion prints at Shapeways to get a barely-passable part.  Even in the transparent green, I can see that the quality of these pieces is better.  This is the Athearn model, which is the best 50' PS-1 model available currently and it had the proper width door.  The stock plug doors were drilled out and the edges filed smooth.  The new camel doors snap into place.

[Chris333]

That caboose overhang might always get narrower than the rest of the roof no matter how many supports. You may need to make end ends flare out to compensate so it will print straight. This is a FEP thing.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RMi4MijhdpUAU3Q49
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KL9kBdAbTC7qJb7Y7

[bbussey]

I’ll keep that in mind.

[Angus Shops]

Your productivity is crazy considering your first post was Dec 29, not even a month ago!

[wazzou]

Your productivity is crazy considering your first post was Dec 29, not even a month ago!

I’d imagine he’s had a lot of drawings done for some time.

[GonzoCRFan]

Pennsy G39A and G39B ore cars.  More supports needed along the bottom edges, but all of the delicate detail rendered perfectly.

My wallet's sphincter just clenched...

[u18b]

Give Bryan a fish and he can eat for a day.

Give him a 3-D printer..... and he can make almost ANYTHING!

[bbussey]

I’d imagine he’s had a lot of drawings done for some time.

Yup, lots of models that were waiting for technology to catch up.

Started decorating the Stone’s Express trailers, one for display in Springfield at the end of the month. Also have the Fruehauf trailer with ventilation doors to decorate in the SAL Razorback scheme. One of those sat for decades at a container company on Doremus Avenue in Newark, and I always wanted to make a model of it.

[narrowminded]

They look good!  I'll bet you're happy as a kid in a candy store!

[Chris333]

Does the fat kid love cake?