3D printing a smokebox
Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 6:59 pm
I've been into 3D printing for years. It started as part of my job, but once hobby resin printers became reasonably priced, I set up at home.
During Covid, I print a lot of loco shells for OO, the printers paid for themselves in that respect, and it gave me a decent depth of knowledge with the printers and resin.
One thing I did avoid though, we steam parts. I've done them in the past in polycarbonate on an FDM printer, which are used on my Fred Dibnah KND engine. But I've recently found that my preferred Brand, Siraya Tech, do a high temperature resin that is good to 160degC, making it a potential candidate for smokeboxes and suchlike.
So I lashed up a prototype design, based off the IP Engineering Jane riveted smokebox. Printed in Siraya Tech Fast as a trial before buying the sculpt HT.
Its designed to fit the Mamod/IP boiler, but at a slightly higher pitch. Its also a bigger outside diameter to give an appearance like Dolgoch has with its large dia smokebox.
Plenty of space for pipework and a chuffer pipe, with the base left open to avoid gathering up pools of watery oil.
Other than curing, I've made no attempt to tidy this print up, I just wanted to rough it out to trial it.
Pictured with my Jane. THe smokebox won't be going on this, its own is lovely as it is. The new design is planned for a mamod bash.
Paul.
During Covid, I print a lot of loco shells for OO, the printers paid for themselves in that respect, and it gave me a decent depth of knowledge with the printers and resin.
One thing I did avoid though, we steam parts. I've done them in the past in polycarbonate on an FDM printer, which are used on my Fred Dibnah KND engine. But I've recently found that my preferred Brand, Siraya Tech, do a high temperature resin that is good to 160degC, making it a potential candidate for smokeboxes and suchlike.
So I lashed up a prototype design, based off the IP Engineering Jane riveted smokebox. Printed in Siraya Tech Fast as a trial before buying the sculpt HT.
Its designed to fit the Mamod/IP boiler, but at a slightly higher pitch. Its also a bigger outside diameter to give an appearance like Dolgoch has with its large dia smokebox.
Plenty of space for pipework and a chuffer pipe, with the base left open to avoid gathering up pools of watery oil.
Other than curing, I've made no attempt to tidy this print up, I just wanted to rough it out to trial it.
Pictured with my Jane. THe smokebox won't be going on this, its own is lovely as it is. The new design is planned for a mamod bash.
Paul.