Grain Trailers Anyone?

[jimmo]

A few of you might remember the resin grain trailers I sold a couple of years ago. Production issues made them a challenge to make reliably so they never go into the store as a regular item. When I finally got my pressure pot I learned a hard lesson about hollow masters. This was demonstrated by my grain trailer body imploding whilst attempting to cast a mold under pressure. A small hole drilled into the bottom of the master would have prevented the catastrophe.

Anyway, since becoming a user of TinkerCAD I have been building up a Shapeways store. What took me over a month to scratch build by hand took all of two days to replicate in CAD...

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Philip H]

Those are fabulous Jimmo.

I can see a couple pressed into service hauling sugarcane down a bayou back road . . . ..

[jimmo]

Thanks. They will be available in 28 and 40 foot lengths.

Here is the 28' model:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[basementcalling]

How was TINKER CAD to learn? My efforts so far are Tinker Toy rejects.

[jimmo]

What program are you trying to learn? After watching a short video explaining the basics, I found TinkerCAD to be very intuitive and really fun to build models in.

I usually start outside of TCAD by drawing the orthographic views in a vectored drawing program such as Adobe Illustrator. I the import the parts as 2D flats and extrude most of the pieces. Since I have no experience with any other CAD program (except for a brief stint with SketchUp which left me confused) I had no preconceived notions about how a CAD system is supposed to work. I'm under the distinct impression that this was designed especially for us totally clueless individuals that just wanted to design in 3D.

After a short time I tried to make one of my favorite tiny locos, a Whitcomb 44 tonner:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[nkalanaga]

I wondered why I never seemed to see your grain trailers on layouts.  I have the two beta versions, and with a little work they look fine, but with all of the grain elevators people build, they should have been common. 

I'll have to look into the 3D printed versions.  Not that I need more trucks...  I already have more grain trucks than room to park them!

[jimmo]

I rarely ever see my stuff on layouts. Maybe I don't get out to see layouts very often (like never).

[delamaize]

Oh boy.... you produce those Whitcombs, I'm in for one.p

[victor miranda]

I like the whitcomb.

it will be a challenge to motorize.

victor

[Catt]

Just so Jim can see his stuff on a layout (mine).Both the Dura Stars and the grain trailers are his products.



Jim,what chassis would fit that Whitcomb ?

[Philip H]

I rarely ever see my stuff on layouts. Maybe I don't get out to see layouts very often (like never).

Well my purchases from you aren't finished.  I've dedicated 2015 to finishing projects . . . .

[sirenwerks]

I'm in for a Whitcomb too.  And make a 60s era grain trailer and I'm in for those.  Here's one -



Make the tractor too and I'll be your best friend. 

[jimmo]

Make the tractor too and I'll be your best friend. 

Don't threaten me...

[jimmo]

Just so Jim can see his stuff on a layout (mine).Both the Dura Stars and the grain trailers are his products.

Thanks Catt. The only problem is that medium-duty DuraStar is not an appropriate tractor for those 40 footers--especially with single axles.

Jim,what chassis would fit that Whitcomb ?

None that I'm aware of. What I did for mine (for now) was copy an idea I got from the March/April issue of N Scale Railroading where Mike Pagano wanted to power a short work train that was supposed to be pulled by a crane truck. Since the crane truck was too small and full of metal to power, he took a Kato 11-106 powered chassis and put it under a weighted Kato shorty caboose. I put mine under a modified Roundhouse wooden caboose. The Kato truck wheelbase matches the arch bar truck side frames that came with the Roundhouse kit, so I sanded down the Japanese side frames and attached the arch bars. For the Whitcomb (since it was a test print) it had no underbody detail so I made a chassis out of styrene and borrowed some stand-in trucks from one of my many Japanese powered chassis. I think it was a Tomix or Tomytec.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Because the Whit is not quite finished, you'll have to use your imagination to see the couplers, handrails, underbody detail and correct trucks.

[sirenwerks]

Don't threaten me...

LOL, I think...