Garden Railway Forum

Well, I didn't expect my first post on here for a while to be about 3D printing I must say.
As a user of LASER cutting for the majority of my modelling over the years I've been something of a 3D printing skeptic (it always seemed to me to be a good way of producing a lot of landfill!)

I welcomed LASER cutting when it was first used for kits and the improvement in surface detail it brought with it.
The etched bolt and rivit heads and strap work are better than nothing but I like to see these details in proper releif where possible.
Cambrian plastic rivit and bolt heads are grand for those details but hinges has always given me some bother.

As an undergraduate I started building a pair of 16 mills fishvans about 8 or 9 years ago one Christmas. I've made several other aestetic improvements to them (not for this thread) including one of my favorite pointless details - working doors. Brass strip was cut up and lots of tiny sections of copper tube cut for a load of working hinges. My plan was to solder up the hinges in a slightly more sophisticated way than my earlier models which had brass strip bent around to make the hinges. After 8 or 9 years I managed to make one of the 24 required...

The new workshop at the department has an SLS nylon printer and I thought I'd see what all the 3D printing hype was about.

I designed the straps in inventor and printed them out. My first set were a little too delicate and I hadn't worked out how to do the hasp and staple part across the middle of the doors but the second set seem quite workable.
They are designed to work with a 00 scale track pin as the hinge pin.
The only trouble was the only colour available is grey but, as it turns out, dylon exists... So I died the hinges black and I think they turned out rather well (not the best photo I'm afraid)
Once the van is painted I'll show you the finished result. There is even an inviting hasp and staple which is just crying out for a tiny padlock...

A 3D printing convert perhaps? Certainly the models that have been shown on these pages have made me change my mind!

Firstly, it's good to see you back on-board.
Now, hinges.... At first sight I thought they looked a little strong , but having built one of Dave's 'Fish Vans' myself I know they are small and detailed vehicles, so the hinges would naturally look chunky. All railway stock was built with performance in mind, so material strength had to be the main consideration.
It is also unfair to judge them against the unpainted bodywork so they contrast even more. I think the completed van would look just right, so very well done.

Welcome back, Doc. Not only with a fine bit of modelling as an overture, but also with an admission you have been dabbling with Dark Arts - or should it be that you have finally seen the Light!

Rik

I think Doc saw the light, when he got the laser!


Hat, coat, door..
Phil.P

Hi Zac
Sorry. Only just seen your text message. I've just texted a response. I hope it's not too late

Rik

It has been a while but the fish van has been gently progressing. The hinges use cut down 00 track pins for hinge pins which has worked well. Black on white is a little striking - are these zebra fish vans? A few nuts and bolts from Cambrian finish the look. It'll be weathered too but I think that that discussion should go on in another thread.

Just a working padlock to make now!

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:29 pm Just a working padlock to make now!

You mean all this has been done and theirs no working padlock, I don't know, that's what someone in West Lothian would be referred to as "half a job jock"