North East Victoria Railway

[Andrew]

Looks like fun!

I'm intrigued by the whole mining operation thing - more like Rik's line than the "round and round" stuff that garden railway folk often go in for. Nothing wrong with watching the trains go by of course, but your plans sound like fun...

Cheers,

Andrew.

[FWLR]

Yes, it does look good and all of our gardens/layouts are different, so a new perspective is always welcome, with ideas to pinch.

If the 3d printer keeps churning bits out i might have a few more pieces of rolling stock to show off by the end of the week...

Some details will be welcome when you get that far,please.

I've just run off a couple of sets of my own standard chassis design 3d prints, for some new wagons.

Can we have some photos of your wagons please Phillip....

[ge_rik]

Sounds interesting in terms of operation. Let's face it, a lot of industrial railways weren't particularly scenic. The Bowaters Paper Mills railway ran on a viaduct for a couple of miles in Sittingbourne.

Rik

[Andrew]

... and Snowdonia looks considerably less attractive once you've hacked, bashed and blasted it into a huge slate mine...

[Tropic Blunder]

Hi all, I have a few different kind of wagons but the main type is a "near enough" copy of the wagons used at the Australian Portland cement railway in Geelong. The line boasted 3 Garratts (2 beyer peacocks and G33 one of the infamous "Australian Standard Garratts") along with a fleet of elderly Hudswell clarkes, 2 perrys and 2 extremely stocky Vulcan 0-6-0 Saddle tanks all on 3 foot 6 inch gauge. The pinnacle of motive power at Fyansford was D1 a 67 ton Clyde/EMD G8B model Diesel with dynamic brake which could manage 16 trucks on its own (4700 tons a day). It was sold to the VR when the railway closed and became T413 and still runs tourist trains to this day. I'm lucky enough to have seen most of these locomotives operate at the Bellarine railway in Geelong where I volunteer and so I'm rather fond, if you want to read more the Light railway research society have got some lovely articles online http://www.lrrsa.org.au/LR222_3-10.pdf
https://flic.kr/p/vuuJ2Q
https://flic.kr/p/4TP2ge

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This is a bit of a preview, I need to make the axle boxes bigger and finish designing the doors before I start production printing. It also turned out to be quite large even in 1:24, which is fine as train lengths were extremely short on the prototype anyway because of the long 1:37 grade up through the tunnel from the quarry floor.
The inspiration for trying to have an operating railway comes from this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue1jpITO050
I've been watching that video for years dreaming of something similar so hopefully it works out. The added operation is a lot of fun and it really provides a challenge keeping out of the way of passenger trains etc etc...

[Tropic Blunder]

I'd love to see those wagon frames too, always good to see how other people do it!
This is my wombot Drafter, print dimensions are 250x250x310, I actually have two of these machines but the other one is still being commissioned. I havent had a great experience with these to be quite honest and next time I'd much rather spend my money on an UP or Makerbot.

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Two samples of locomotives ive printed, the top one (a TGR V class) is fairly similar to a UK class 03 but with outside frames.

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Regards
Jake

[philipy]

I'd love to see those wagon frames too, always good to see how other people do it!

Agreed.

Actually, I'd love to know how you manage to get the surface so smooth on your prints, it's something I struggle with in a big way. Looking at the pictures of the hopper and the white loco body, they look almost perfect.

Anyway, here is a pic of my wagon underframe. Printed as the frame, plus 4 axlebox/spring assemblies separately, all the bolt heads and spreader plate are printed as part of the frame print. It wasn't until I put the first one together that I realised I had boobed by not making the buffer beam deeper, but that's easily corrected with some plasticard on these two, and a minor mod to the drawing for the future. The axle boxes on the primered version are only glued on one side, leaving the other loose so that I can remove the wheels until final assembly

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[tom_tom_go]

I really do like the idea of using a 3D printer in this scale but the finish of printed items puts me off.

[FWLR]

I really do like the idea of using a 3D printer in this scale but the finish of printed items puts me off.

So do I Tom. Same has you, the finish is somewhat of an issue with some traders I have dealt with. Don't know if it's the machine or the programs that they run.


I do like your'e frames though Phillip. Do you do commissions.....

[Tropic Blunder]

Hi Phillip, no secrets here! the malcolm moore (4 wheel diesel) got a bit of car body filler on the top of the bonnet otherwise my trusted technique is about 6-10 coats of the cheapest primer I can find. My prints are usually printed at .2mm per layer for stuff like buffer beams, doors etc but lately I've been printing at .3 - .4mm layer height just to cut down on time due to the size of the prints (.1mm less per layer ends up being a 3 hour difference with one of the fyansford hoppers) its all about the application!

Your underframe looks fantastic! I love all the bolt and strap detail you've put into it which is something I really need to work on for my own models. What wheels are you using?

I've gotta say Rod it can be a pretty steep learning curve and a big investment using a 3d printer. It looks quite easy seeing the machine spitting parts out but what people dont see is the countless hours on inventor nutting the drawings out! If you can do some extra classes in engineering at a trade school that'll help you get the basics down and you can do some experimenting to see if it suits what you need otherwise there are companies that'll hire machines or print it for you if you can design it.

[FWLR]

Thanks Jake. Yes I will stick with people who know what they are doing.....

[IanC]

I can see and understand the benefits of 3D printing, but for me it is too big an expense and learning curve as I don't have an engineering, drawing or technical background. I too have issues over the quality and durability of the finished product. Perhaps I am just being a Philistine?

[philipy]

Hi Phillip, no secrets here! the malcolm moore (4 wheel diesel) got a bit of car body filler on the top of the bonnet otherwise my trusted technique is about 6-10 coats of the cheapest primer I can find. My prints are usually printed at .2mm per layer for stuff like buffer beams, doors etc but lately I've been printing at .3 - .4mm layer height just to cut down on time due to the size of the prints (.1mm less per layer ends up being a 3 hour difference with one of the fyansford hoppers) its all about the application!

Your underframe looks fantastic! I love all the bolt and strap detail you've put into it which is something I really need to work on for my own models. What wheels are you using?

Hi Jake,
I tend to print at 0.18mm layers for pretty much everything. I know it takes longer but needs much less fettling afterwards. It's also the solution to the fine detail which you commented on - the curved strapping plates and the bolt heads are simply sticking out from the side of the frames by 1mm and at 0.18 the printer copes quite happily with a quick sideways flick as it goes past that point, no need for support. The thing to bare in mind though, is that the more surface detail you add, the harder it is to smooth the surrounding surface, especially if you are going to blast it with half a dozen layers of primer!
Part of the time problem can be solved with lower infill density, I usually set it at 20%, although on very small/ thin parts its more or less 100% anyway by the time its printed the top and bottom layers and both side walls! However 20%, or even 15%, does make a big time difference on larger items, saves on filament too!

The wheels are Swift16 with 3mm axles cut from silver steel rod from ebay.

[philipy]

I too have issues over the quality and durability of the finished product. Perhaps I am just being a Philistine?

I think it's important not to think of quality in terms of, say, a 2D colour Laser Printer, unless you are a professional with a super quality machine.

It's also important to be aware that it isn't necessarily the right tool for every job. If you followed my previous ramblings, you'll know that I have tried to do everything with it, whilst I was learning, but in reality its quicker and more satisfying to build a wagon body, with strapping, etc, from scratch rather than messing about trying to draw and print fine detail.

As for durability, ABS is ABS so that shouldn't be an issue, and although I haven't felt the need to try, nylon and various other durable filaments are available, although how you stick Nylon is another question!

[FWLR]

Thanks Jake. Yes I will stick with people who know what they are doing.....

Although I do have an engineering background and it was in CNC programming as well as the setting and making side of it and I have loads of time on my hands, I may consider looking at a course and see how it works....it's about X Y Z isn't it.

Our should I still buy from experienced people who have more to do with them....decisions, decisions.....

[IanC]

I too have issues over the quality and durability of the finished product. Perhaps I am just being a Philistine?

I think it's important not to think of quality in terms of, say, a 2D colour Laser Printer, unless you are a professional with a super quality machine.

It's also important to be aware that it isn't necessarily the right tool for every job. If you followed my previous ramblings, you'll know that I have tried to do everything with it, whilst I was learning, but in reality its quicker and more satisfying to build a wagon body, with strapping, etc, from scratch rather than messing about trying to draw and print fine detail.

As for durability, ABS is ABS so that shouldn't be an issue, and although I haven't felt the need to try, nylon and various other durable filaments are available, although how you stick Nylon is another question!

Thanks Philip, I do tend to stick to what I know! I'll continue to read your posts on the subject as I do find it interesting.

[FWLR]

I think it's important not to think of quality in terms of, say, a 2D colour Laser Printer, unless you are a professional with a super quality machine.

It's also important to be aware that it isn't necessarily the right tool for every job. If you followed my previous ramblings, you'll know that I have tried to do everything with it, whilst I was learning, but in reality its quicker and more satisfying to build a wagon body, with strapping, etc, from scratch rather than messing about trying to draw and print fine detail.

As for durability, ABS is ABS so that shouldn't be an issue, and although I haven't felt the need to try, nylon and various other durable filaments are available, although how you stick Nylon is another question!

This may help Phillip.

https://www.3dnatives.com/en/nylon-used ... 110420174/

Although you may already know about it. I had dealing with working with Nylon on a machine I was setting up for a company that made bicycle lights. I can tell you it was very hard wearing I know !, because we had to put it through all kinds of tests..

[Tropic Blunder]

While I've never tried ABS I cant say I've ever had any issues with PLA durability wise. If I'm worried about a particular piece I just make the wall thickness bigger. I tend to use the printer to bulk out large pieces in a rough resolution and then add the detail parts on as separately printed items. Just like a kit really. I've ordered some XTC-3d to see if it makes the finishing process easier.

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Whats that in the background?

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A bit more of a teaser although i think at this point its fairly obvious what it is!

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I modified the axleboxes and the underframe and this week the first Fyansford hopper broke cover. Unfortunately I've just discovered how they tipped and so its back to the drawing board for a redesign

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On its first test run hauled by D1, no problems were observed so it'll return back to the workshop for fitment of doors and a paintjob ready to be accepted into traffic.

[philipy]

All look good Jake.
Let us know how you get on with the XTC-3d please.

[Tropic Blunder]

Lots has been happening here but you'll have to wait a few days to hear about that!

In the meantime heres some photos from my local miniature railway. We had our last runday of the year today and in typical Melbourne fashion it absolutely bucketed (despite it being summer!) The track isnt normally surrounded by water btw thats just how bad the rain was!

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