My printing progress (WAS: My first print attempt)

[Chris333]

If those flats start to warp you can make a slot under them to insert and glue in 1/16" tungsten welding rods.

[bbussey]

If those flats start to warp you can make a slot under them to insert and glue in 1/16" tungsten welding rods.

They remain perfectly straight. But I’m going to secure them to the MTL underframe with Goo and that will keep them in shape.

[bbussey]

I ran three Erie boxcars overnight, got real good results. Parts are curing now, will get primer on them later today.

Going to work through a bunch of faster prints today to see the results. Roughly 90 minutes per file. So I’ll have reports throughout the day. First up are a group of Strick and Fruehauf trailer bodies, which will be done in about a half hour.

[bbussey]

Progress report for today:  The Erie boxcar looks great.  The end of the body that printed last, that end piece fits in seamlessly.  The end of the body that started the build, there is some slight curl-up at the corners of the roof and the bottom of the sides.  I have to add support there.  But nothing that can't be fixed with some body putty.  Also, the bottom of the sides slightly fanned out, maybe .003"-005" on each side.  Clamping the ends while being cemented in place brings them back in alignment.  I still have to assemble and prime it before smoothing the seams.



Next was a group of Strick and Fruehauf trailers.  I forgot to put cross supports inside the shells to prevent bow-out.  I've added them and they are reprinting now.  But these first prints still look fantastic.  Pictured here are the Strick 35' drop-frame (Stone's variation), which was very common in 1950s New England, and the Strick 32' aluminum trailer in the New Haven configuration.  I primed these so I could see all the detail, and the chain across the rear doors is clearly visible.  Chitubox automatically added a support to the chain on the 32' trailer.  I don't think it's necessary based on how the chain on the 35' trailer printed so I will remove it to make cleaning-up the print easier.







The Fruehauf trailers currently are the same 35' ribbed model but with different railroad configurations.  I have the version with no placards, the New Haven version, and the Boston & Maine version.  The two railroad versions are shown here (NH on top)



Following the trailers was a group print of the CB&Q XM-4 Transco body, the NYC Canstock body, and the PRR G32B gondola body.  Again, bow-out on the boxcar shells which easily is fixed.  Some minor issues with curl-up on the corners of all three bodies due to needed supports.  The Canstock step are very delicate even before curing, so I think etched stirrups would be better.  There also may be some prototypical errors in the XM-4 but that's not a printer-related issue.







I'm almost out of beige resin.  I think I have enough for one more low-height print after the trailers finish, so I may print the G36 gon and ASF A-3 truck frames with journal boxes refitted with roller bearings.

The ABS-resin is delayed and won't arrive until Monday.  I have AnyCubic gray and Elegoo translucent clear on hand, so I can continue to print this weekend.  I ordered Elegoo black and transparent green to experiment with. @SkipGear likes the green and @Chris333 like the black (albeiit the AnyCubic version) so I figured I would try them.

[SkipGear]

I disappear for a while and come back to Bryan going crazy with 3d printing. Pretty impressive, especially using auto supports. I've never had good luck with auto supports and always create them as a "layer" my original drawing. I have had prints that the support placement was the difference between pass and fail without touching anything else on the drawing.

I really need to get back downstairs and finish some projects.

[narrowminded]

You're having too much fun.  

Disclaimer: Not an expert, didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn Express EVER.  But I have done more than a few prints over time.

For detail I have had the best results with Anycubic standard resin, favorites being black and gray.  They are not the most durable.  I have had reasonable print success with mechanical parts using Siraya Tech Fast including with 15% to as much as 30% Tenacious added.  With the addition of Tenacious the detail diminishes relative to the amount added but they are tough.  Fine detail and internal hole dimensions are not as good but generally speaking, it's still not bad.  Fortunately most of those parts don't have many critical detail features.  BUT, I'm still not sure how those pieces will hold up over years as it seems they might be able to creep under tension.  I'm still not absolutely sure about this.

One thing of note that somebody in the biz might know the detailed answer to is, what makes the tough stuff "tougher"?  I've heard that one of the things that makes the material more flexible and shock resistant is the addition of styrene.  I don't know if that's true or if it's across the board in all concoctions.  I do know that you can't wash the flexible stuff (even Siraya Tech Fast) with acetone whereas Anycubic standard resins can be washed with acetone.  That will also allow to use CA glue and if a change is needed the glue can be softened with acetone to dismantle it.  That can't be done with the "tougher" resins, including "Fast".  Check the recommendations for washing any of the Siraya Tech resins. 

And if it can't be washed with acetone, do the solvent based paints with acetone or MEK as an ingredient have any ill effects on the material?  I don't know but on a few pieces I painted with standard spray bombs (Rustoleum, Krylon) it seemed to take a long time to thoroughly dry.  I never had that effect with Anycubic standard resins.  And as far as creep under tension goes I haven't seen that with standard resin but have seen it to some degree with the more flexible resin... I'm pretty sure.  And then, is that an effect of solvent based paints attacking the material or is it a characteristic of the material?  I just don't know... yet.   Hope that helps.

[bbussey]

Last 3D update of the year for me. I added the cross supports in all the trailers and they printed without bowing, but I chipped the lower sill on the Strick drop-frame trailer so I’m printing three more, along with the underframes for the 35’ Strick and Fruehauf trailers. They’ll be finished in an hour. That finished up the Elegoo beige resin, so I switched to the AnyCubic gray resin and then printed the G36 and the ASF A-3 trucks refitted with roller bearings just to see how flexible they would be.

 

I then printed my latest version of the EP4 parts. I need to add some cross bracing inside to correct some distortions. The main truck frames may not be flexible enough to snap over the Kato trucks. The pilot frames look good, but need some extra supports to fix some curling.



The AnyCubic gray is rendering better than I thought it would. More experimenting this weekend. Happy New Year everyone.

[James Costello]

Damn, I knew I always wanted gons with interior corrugation / louvre details. Seeing it a reality is awesome.

[muktown128]

One thing of note that somebody in the biz might know the detailed answer to is, what makes the tough stuff "tougher"?  I've heard that one of the things that makes the material more flexible and shock resistant is the addition of styrene.  I don't know if that's true or if it's across the board in all concoctions. 

Disclaimer -  I have not done any 3D printing, but I work as a chemist for a paint company that makes their own acrylic resins for paint using styrene and have worked with styrene monomer in UV curable paint formulations in the past. 

Styrene monomer is used in acrylic resins for paint to impart hardness, gloss, chemical resistance and reduce cost.  The down sides to styrene monomer in acrylic resins include brittleness and yellowing with UV exposure.  Other monomers are used to provide flexibility in acrylic resins for paint.

Scott

[muktown128]

Bryan,

Your 3D prints look great.  Is there any chance that some of the items or other items in the future could make their way into an ESM product offering (limited runs, perhaps)?

Scott

[bbussey]

There is a series of trailer kits in the plans, both in HO and N.  Resin castings from 3D-printed masters.  It was to be down the road in a year or so, but we may be able to launch the N series this year.  I have to confirm I can get landing gear, boogies, wheels and mud flaps from Trainworx.  I know that I can, rather what I need to know is the cost and lead time.  Also would need to secure a new source for decals, as Microscale while reasonably-priced is not at the caliber they used to be on complex artwork.  Also need to confirm the under-40' trailers will fit in the MTL 40' trailer vacuum nest (I believe they do).  We still have hundreds of the smaller jewel boxes from our special run days back in the 1990s.  So if the starts align, maybe later this year.

First release would be the Strick 35' drop-frame trailer with Stone's markings.  The latest prints in AnyCubic gray came out extremely well.  Just need to add additional supports to eliminate curling and distortion.  The body is just about there.  The underframe is finished but I have to get the arrangement of the supports correct.



Additional trailers in the works or planned are:

• Strick 32' drop frame dual axle (M&M)
• Strick 35' drop frame single axle (Stone's, Yale)
• Strick 35' drop frame dual axle (M&M)
• Strick 35' straight frame (REA, Allen, NetCo)
• Strick 30' Aluminum (M&M)
• Strick 32' Aluminum (M&M, NH)
• Fruehauf 35' ribbed hardtop (NH, B&M, generic)
• Fruehauf 35' ribbed canvas top (NH)

[bbussey]

Still playing to see what’s possible, and what’s possible with some tweaking. The Virginian body came out well, just needs some extra supports here and there. The walkway split in two to print horizontally won’t work, and will need to be printed at 45 degrees.

[Chris333]

Damn order this man a 55 gallon drum of resin quick!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Still playing to see what’s possible, and what’s possible with some tweaking. The Virginian body came out well, just needs some extra supports here and there. The walkway split in two to print horizontally won’t work, and will need to be printed at 45 degrees.

Will your projects come in a subscription service? I'd love to make an E33.

Also - have I introduced you to the MBTA Kawasaki bi-level? 

[bbussey]

Ooh, too modern for me. 

I got my Tony Hines transparent green (AnyCubic) today. That’s next to play with after the AnyCubic gray runs out, which will be soon.



Got a good pair of Santa Fe RPOs. I have extra resin trays and might see how translucent the clear resin is and print the windows.