a sanity losing task I think. Great idea with the fret though .... anything that makes it slightly easier to handle is good. well done Yorkie.
Very true ..... whilst you sit there in a straight jacket like a gibbering wreck taking the credit .... great idea.
In short yes but it would need to be done as a high quality resin print... FDM is not the best medium for such a visible piece unless the desired finish is akin to looking like a piece of rusty iron dredged up off the seabed.
Think I need to book an appointment at the optometrists, I think the glasses will need upgrading. I've got to equal this what have I let myself in for Paul
You get off lightly Dundee... I've another three of these tiny items to put together. Actually it would be much simpler to fabricate them from Plasticard instead... and a lot quicker.
Both inner bogie frames made up and this is how they look, Delrin sets, 20:1 gearing and 1833 motors with mounts at the ready, wheelsets on their way from Slaters code B7843... should be here mid week. Once wheeled up I can then set the ride height of the loco frame so that the distance from buffer centre to top of rail is 24.5mm and the distance between buffer to buffer centres is 40mm. I shall describe my method of doing this in a later post along with electrical pick ups as that will involve setting the height of the bogie pivot plate and soldering in accordingly. This is what the Gauge O Guild "Bible" says regards setting such standards. "It must be appreciated that, in common with other Guild standards, the dimensions are based on British prototype practice and so will ensure adequate clearance for models of British rolling stock. This will not necessarily be the case for models of overseas prototypes built to a scale of 7mm = 1ft as their overall dimensions are usually greater." Copywrite Gauge O Guild, Part 1 Section 1 Revised Feb 2000. I've included this extract to avoid any potential confusion with our overseas members who may work with products of non British design, anyway here's the job so far.
Steve has sent me some of the stl files First print setup on the print bed 4 x LH sandboxes 4 x RH sandboxes 8 x Axel boxes 8 x Primary Springs 8 x Bolster Spriings Looks like this Away to the printer to fire it up Paul
nuts ...... first failed print, these stuck to the FEP film and not the print base plate Removing the prints from the film damaged the film with a dent in it - time to replace the film. 8 screws hold the steel frame to the aluminum tank, then 24 screws securing the two halves of the steel frame together. Were back in business - new print started Paul
Got to be honest here and say while I appreciate the fine efforts being made I still feel the castings are perfectly adiquate to use. I know the resin cast finish is smoother but given the detail is so small I doubt if in practice it'll improve the kit.
I'm not so sure Steve. Some of these casts have lost a bit definition in the casting process. Your brass etches are fantastic but are being dragged down by the others. It may just be down to the type of printer being used or the way it's been set up. A few tweaks may be all that's required. The files also are good but you are maybe not taking full advantage of their capability through the printing set up process. Maybe the others could add a bit more qualified comment to my suggestion. Toto
As I said, from what Paul has said the files are fine. It's a shame not to get the best from them and all your time invested in the cad work, maximising the finished print. It could make all the difference.
These are the ones done so far - bear in mind I am still having a few issues with the prints sticking to the FEP film part way through the print. Followed Steve's suggestion and reduced the number of prints - no gain Levelled the print bed, I have noticed a difference on the bottom layers on small item vs larger prints, and loading up the head code files printed without issue. Current print test is with modified rafts and supports - support density increased from 20% to 40%, and cure time for the raft increased from 50 sec to 55 sec. If unsuccessful, next test is to up the cure time from 10 sec to 15 sec. I have also downloaded an alternative slicer program But the ones so far Axel boxes Bolster springs Brake cyl Primary Springs Paul
My only comment (and please don't take this as a criticism to your hard work Steve) but regarding the castings a few of them do seem to have lost a certain crispness of detail which is there in the STL file images, so I put this loss down to something affecting what is happening in the making process. Now this is a great loco kit as I've always said and in building it to completion the kit deserves to be at its best, this is something I am enjoying doing but we really only want this new kit to reflect all the hard work gone into making it happen. Yes there are aspects of the build process and some etch items that can be modified, I'll offer a report on completion but for now let us go with these new 3D test pieces and we can all judge how they work when the paint goes on. As I say here is a great new loco kit and one I'm sure will be a complete winner.