Looking to Print a Caboose...

[wm3798]

Be careful out there.  It's been a rough week for a few people close to me.  (not that close.  I've pretty much become a hermit)

Lee

[wm3798]

Okay.  What's the secret to trimming off the support structure. 


A sharp #11 blade and a ham fisted idiot seems to be less than is needed...

Lee

[SkipGear]

That is why I sent two kits.  OOPS. Use a dremel tool to cut the supports off close to the base of the raft. The supports will then break off with your fingers from the caboose. Did you get the instructions I e-mailed you? A knife is not usefull on any of this. You will need some sprue cutters, like the xuron rail nippers but a little sharper.

[wm3798]

Directions...  I've heard that word somewhere before... No idea what it means...



Oh well... I'm sure I can repair it!  Maybe this one will have a plywood patch!  Very authentic!
I do have a set of sprue nippers,  Hopefully the next part of the procedure will go more smoothly.

Lee

[Sokramiketes]

The supports do come off easier before final cure.  Although that would put more work on Tony and make it harder to ship in one piece, I'm sure.

[SkipGear]

The main reason I have left them on the supports is to protect them during shipping and to keep them from warping, especially the floors. I can knock the body and floor off the supports in under a minute with the cutoff wheel and a light touch with a sanding stick if needed.

I've worked with this stuff enough now that I didn't think about the first time I tried the same thing. Honestly I'm glad it happened because it reminded me to add that caution to the instructions. That is why Lee got to be the guinea pig, to catch all the things that I assumed people knew but really didn't.

PS. @wm3798 which body was it, for the narrow or the wide floor, pretty sure I send you one of each? The bodies are different, only in the reliefs cut in the bottom, to clear the different steps. I'll drop another in the mail to you.

[wm3798]

Thanks, Tony.  It's the narrow one that I busted up.  Looks like I'll have a cool little yard office soon... with some junk piled up next to the wall...  When life gives you lemons, make scenery with it!

Lee

[Maletrain]

Regarding the potential for warpage: I am probably not going to be able to start work on these for some time.  Would there be any benefit to gluing (epoxy) the bottom of the build plates to a strong flat surface to make sure they finish curing absolutely flat?  Or would they just stress fracture instead of warping?

[SkipGear]

They should be fine. The floors are the only thing I noticed warping and that can be fixed with very little heat a weight on them over night. I didn't overcook these when curing so they will be a little bit pliable. Doing a full 10 minute UV treatment like everybody recommends make them as brittle as glass it seems. I've been carrying the two I have completed with me dor 2 weeks now, warm house, cold car, showing them off at work and back home with no I'll effects.

[SAH]

I'm trying to do Tony's nice printing work justice, but it has been quite awhile since I took on a wire bending project of this magnitude.  Looks OK so far.  Some decals and weathering should even things out.  Waiting on trucks and couplers.  Given the current shipping situation an ETA is anyone's guess.  Any other progress photos out there?
Steve

[bbunge]

I've only just started. Having read Tony's detailed instructions, but also knowing my ability to control spinning cutting wheels is nothing short of non-existent, I've been using this 0.005-inch thick fine tooth cutting blade.  So far so good.  Tony's packaging and instructions are first rate.



Bob

[SkipGear]

Glad to see some progress on these. You don't have to be too afraid of using the cutoff wheel. The posts are designed to break off of the part and many will as you cut the posts away from the raft. They are not that fragile. I have broken one body from squeezing it to try to cure a bulge on the first ones that didn't fit the floor correctly, never from removing it from the base.

Here is what is next at the request of another member. Still need to set up the supports and run a test print. Did this because it was a quicker project than the I-5 which is still in the works. Getting the angles right on the cupola are proving a challenge.



The real thing did exist.....  http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/boC242.jpg

[brokemoto]

It's the narrow one that I busted up.  Looks like I'll have a cool little yard office soon...

You could actually do the plywood patch, letter it for Laurel Valley and say that it bought the wreck from the B&O and patched it together.  Short lines did not like spending piles of money on cabooses.


My two kits showed up to-day.  They look pretty good.  Thank you to @SkipGear for including an extra set of end railings.  As the directions indicate that these are delicate, I am assuming that the extra set came in case we broke any.  There was only one smokejack, but that is no big deal as I have at least one package of MT caboose smokejacks. I will simply use one of those. 

I did not read anything in the directions about soaking these things in Bestine.  Will that be necessary or do we just prime it and paint it?

I have a trashy pair of Xuron® rail nippers, but, if the directions say to use a sprue cutter, I will have to order one.

I look forward to having these cabooses, as they fit better with the concept of my pike than do the waggontops.  If my pike did actually exist, you would  more likely have seen the wood cabooses than the steel.

[SkipGear]

The other 2 smoke jacks were under a piece of tape. They fell off their sprue during the wash/cure.

You need to do nothing but assemble and paint. There is no waxy residue to remove. The last step the parts see is a wash in denatured alcohol so they are clean and ready to paint.

[wm3798]

That's what I'm planning to do, @peteski .  I was able to glue the big chip reasonably well, but I lost the tiny chip from the corner.  I should be able to fabricate a repair one way or the other!.
I just need work to let up a little so I can monkey with it.
Lee