A 3D printing virgin

Andy,

Paul suggested 5% for the number plate so I drew the number plate then scaled it up by a factor of 1.05.
I also created the impression slightly differently. I drew an outline of the plate 2mm off the sole bar, then extruded with cut option 2.25mm from the inside surface of the off set plate. That neatly created the location impression, I then deleted the oversize plate, but I have yet to print a new body to check the viability of this process.

I would have though .25mm would be sufficient for any object, after all your only trying to leave a location impression.

Mossy

 

Andy,

I don't see why round objects would be any different to square or any other shapes. I guess a small test print would prove/disprove it.

Mossy

 

No longer a Virgin?

A slightly provocative title, but I feel apt. I need to firstly to acknowledge the enormous amount of help and support Paul Lancaster, Rob Pulham and Andy Sollis have provided over the last 6-8 weeks I am sure progress wouldn’t have been anywhere near as much without them, thanks gents.

Over that period I have been fiddling about with four separate projects each of which is at a different stage of development, so in summary.

NER D1 or D2 Bolster Wagon. Chosen because of its simplicity as my first steps on the road. Well, it’s done all bar one small problem. Whatever I do I can’t get the geometry of the brake lever for a 7’ 6” wheelbase right. I think I have the 3d design equivalent of writer block currently, so its parked but nagging away at me.



Fitted out as a D1 with fixed bolster.




Fitted out as a D2 with swing plate and revised bolster.

The obvious recess on the corners is the seating for corner plates - not yet fitted.

NER D4 Twin Bolster. Pretty much in the same state as the D1. It has an 8’ 6” wheelbase and until I crack the 7’ 6” lever I am not even trying to sort this one out.
Still to have its first test print.

NER Bouch Brake Van. This one is the reason I am passing out. Two full sets of components and bodies have been printed, one is sat behind me waiting assembly, the second is with Rob, a real expert.

NER V1/2 Brake. One of those odd balls that the pre-grouping companies came up with. Almost identical to the V1/1 and V1/3, but outside frame and other oddities built in Shildon reusing almost entirely of old components and standard 3' wagon wheels. Body and chassis completed, brake gear to do and just for show an alternate side and roof were also done. I have designs of both the standard and the variant vans first test print was this afternoon and frankly its been a disaster, perhaps I am still a virgin.

Through out this period, Paul Lancaster’s words keep coming back to me “Buy a Mono X”, well finances didn’t allow it, I bought a Mono and its build plate limitations have rapidly become apparent. I am restricted to wagons roughly of a 13 – 14 ft length over head stocks. To reiterate Paul’s advice for anyone starting from scratch – buy a Mono X not a Mono.

So on to project 5. I am fiddling about with an NER double bolster D10, 25 ft over headstocks, it will need to be printed in two halves. I’m currently playing with the chassis, trying to see if when printed in two halves, it can then be finished and disguised to look like a single body.

Mossy

 

Paul,

My brake shoe was made from 3 extruded circles, cropped to size and then rivets and the operating rods added.



The brake lever, I extruded a solid block, then extruded the side profile and kept the intersection. I then extruded the plan view and again kept the intersection to get this:



The problem is getting the gap for the axle box in the right place, I got it wrong a couple of times, but changing two sketches while trying to keep them in sync was/is a pain in the &%$*()& Honestly my drawing skills have improved vastly since I did it and I really just need to get back to it.

Mossy

 

Yesterday's disaster. I decided to do a test print of the V1/2 brake body, which given it's to big to print on the diagonal has to be done vertically. I thought it would be nice to print the interior with it and remembering Andys warnings on pump action a quick look showed up 3 closed boxes, but since each was under internal seating, I decided to cut relief hole in the floor under all 3. Well this was the result (should say uncleaned not cured and fished out of the bin):



So why I initially couldn't figure out what was wrong but then realised there was a fourth closed box - between the floor and two chassis cross members. There was no way to cut a relief hole as with the doors open it would be in full view, so earlier today I remove the interior and floor and reworked the results and set a print run going. This is the result:



Andy - pump action lesson well and truly learned.

 

Hi Andy,

It's a bit difficult to think this lady had burned her vitals. Each chassis leg had alternating heavy and medium supports down the centre line with a myriad of lights along each edge. The 3 floor sections had 3 rows of medium supports the first as close to the chassis as I could get them, rows 2 and 3 edged out 2-3 mm then an infill of rows of light supports. Frankly the bottom looked like a plague of zits, school boy acne eat your heart out. That's why I put it down to a pressure blowout but I'm happy to be wrong.

A quick update. The second and successful print used exactly the same support system on all the chassis legs as the blown version.

Mossy.