A small basic structure (Fun with Resin Printing)

[Djjerme]

Since construction on the garden line has been non-existent, I have moved over to trying to expand my abilities in 3D printing..

I had upgraded my FDM printer to a Tarantula RS that gave me all sorts of fits. Eventually, I'd waste more time trying to get it dialed in, but at the end of last year (as a BF deal), I picked up a Photon Mono X SLA style printer (aka Resin Printing). I ran a few test prints in it and was thoroughly satisfied with it's quality and speed, so I got myself comfortable with TinkerCad and started designing some stuff...

Since my main enjoyment comes not from just trains but building towns/structures, I figured I'd start with a single, small basic building. Something that could be a single print for the main structure, but later on could be modified or kitbashed in to something bigger.

After many evenings I got a basic structure drawn up. Being a n00b with Resin, I designed it all in F scale. Figured that since I don't have a formal layout yet, I can always shrink it to be whatever size I need it to be once I get it into the slicer.



When I said basic and small, I meant basic and small.. The main body is a single object and the roof is another object. It took a few tries to dial in height and proportions (even with using a scale ruler), but the latest test print turned out usable. I shrunk it down to G (1:22.5) Scale for the time being because of all the Bachman cars and Pola buildings I already have.



One lesson learned if you look at the bottom about 7mm up from the lower edge, is if you are printing flat on the build plate, add drain holes, otherwise you can get weird suction anomalies. That caused the last few layers before the model broke the surface to suck inward. Ooops.

I might try to print it one more time on supports or at a 5 degree tilt to stop that from happening, and then paint/weathering.

 

[3 minutes of fame]

It's always better to avoid flat planes, even with drain holes. It's a nice little model all the same. I have an older, smaller Elegoo Mars, so large buildings are beyond its capabilities, but I'm happy with the results in FDM with my Cr3 Pro. I've just finished printing a small station and while painting it, I've set it to print a ruined church. This will be almost 2' tall and very nearly 3' long once completed, so I need good dimensional accuracy to get the parts to fit together.

I tend to use the resin printer for detail parts as it costs twice as much to run as the FDM. I did print a loco body, which turned out pretty well, but people and parts I would otherwise cast seem to be the best use case.

 

[mike]

Nicely done !

 

[Djjerme]

It's always better to avoid flat planes, even with drain holes. It's a nice little model all the same. I have an older, smaller Elegoo Mars, so large buildings are beyond its capabilities, but I'm happy with the results in FDM with my Cr3 Pro. I've just finished printing a small station and while painting it, I've set it to print a ruined church. This will be almost 2' tall and very nearly 3' long once completed, so I need good dimensional accuracy to get the parts to fit together.

I tend to use the resin printer for detail parts as it costs twice as much to run as the FDM. I did print a loco body, which turned out pretty well, but people and parts I would otherwise cast seem to be the best use case.

Ya, I started out with a Monoprice mini several years back and modified the snot out of it and went through so many rolls. But eventually wanted larger capacity and the ability to run ABS filament through it; hence why I originally went with the Tarantula RS (235 x 235 x 250) which I have printed out some larger objects on (under carriages and bowls). But man, just getting a consistent result from it with the Z shifting all over the place has been a hassle. Just when you think you got it dialed in, the bed rollers shift or settle and then you have take it all apart and readjust them. I ordered some bits to (hopefully) stiffen up the axis adjusters cast in aluminum to replace the 3D printed version I have on it currently. That's where the Photon is head and shoulders above the FDM, it just worked out of the box. Outside of just checking the leveling of the build plate after a few prints to make sure it hasn't moved around, it's been pretty much hands off and running as fast as I can come up with designs and pump resin into the vat.

If I get a chance to finish rearranging the garage (where both 3D printers live), I'll pull the FDM out again and work on getting the bugs out of it and move some of the structural and larger projects back to it. For now though, and for designs I plan on ultimately trying to sell, they'll be on the SLA.