Building rolling stock using a 3D printer

[FurkaSOCal]

I use a UP Mini 2 printer which is portable and has worked very well for me. I do all my own drawings using Autocad 123D Design. This program is an upgrade of Tinkercad which adds extrusion, fillets, chamfers, etc which are very useful for rolling stock. A couple of my locos are attached.

My suggestions are:

1. Use ready to run mechanisms whenever possible.
2. Don't blindly use 3D printing for everything. If you have flat surfaces such as diesel cab sides or steam tenders then build them in styrene or get them laser cut in mdf or acrylic. If you have a non-tapered boiler then find a piece of plastic pipe.
3. The orientation of the model on the printer is very important and can save a lot of rubbing down and cleaning up. The most visible surfaces should be vertical.

I find that time spent drawing a model is very pleasant after a days work and a great alternative to watching TV.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound
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What types of paint do you use for G scale prints? Most of the information I have found on the internet pertains more to indoor modeling.

 

[Moonraker]

I use spray paints from the local automobile shop. Before painting I often apply spray putty (also from the auto shop) and rub it down with emery cloth to smooth out the print lines.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound

 

[dunnyrail]

What types of paint do you use for G scale prints? Most of the information I have found on the internet pertains more to indoor modeling.

As Peter says, matt black, red (a browny colour), white and grey automotive undercoats are your starting friends. I find these work just fine for most of my European freight stock. Varying other colours will be a little shiny but can be dulled down by varying weathering processes. I find indoor processes and materials work just as well if you are not leaving your rolling stock out all weathers. If you do then nature will take care of the softening of a shiny paint job.

 

[PhilP]

I worry about the longevity of all the new techniques?

We all know plywood and MDF will fail in time. - especially if water gets to it.

what about UV stability. Hot sun. Life of plasticisers (sp) in the plastics, and resins that are used?

 

[JimmyB]

Let's be honest everything will fail sometime, it's just a matter of how long, most adhesives have a limited life once used, so having glued your model together which will go first the plastics or the glue!!

 

[FurkaSOCal]

As Peter says, matt black, red (a browny colour), white and grey automotive undercoats are your starting friends. I find these work just fine for most of my European freight stock. Varying other colours will be a little shiny but can be dulled down by varying weathering processes. I find indoor processes and materials work just as well if you are not leaving your rolling stock out all weathers. If you do then nature will take care of the softening of a shiny paint job.

How do you think Testors or other enamel paints would hold up on scenery items like ticket machines, animals, benches and such?

 

[JimmyB]

Testers are normally acrylic, and I would not think they would hold up well outside, however as with any finish the preparation work counts, along with primer and undercoats, especially outside.

 

[dunnyrail]

How do you think Testors or other enamel paints would hold up on scenery items like ticket machines, animals, benches and such?

Well I have used some Humbrol Enamel outside and got a lot of years, a building where I painted the window frames green back in 1984 or so pretty well gave up the ghost wood wise last year, but you could still see that it had been painted green. Thing is with differing makes it is all a bit of a suck it and see. Some may only last a couple of years before a repaint depending on you. If you are happy to let colours fade you should get 5-6 years I would have though. However your climate will be a factor, dryer than hear but greater effect of sun.

I have also used acrylic on some Pottery Buildings from back in 1984 and only felt the need to repaint them last year.

 

[musket the dog]

I worry about the longevity of all the new techniques?

We all know plywood and MDF will fail in time. - especially if water gets to it.

what about UV stability. Hot sun. Life of plasticisers (sp) in the plastics, and resins that are used?

I wouldn't be too worried. UV and Ozone exposure will have an effect on plastics but the main short term affect is discolouration. I think the most common material would be ABS, with ASA and Nylon (PA6) filaments also availible.

ABS is what almost all plastic painted automotive body panels are made from, think bumpers, wing mirrors and the like. The natural colour will fade in UV, but a good coating of a quality automotive paint should protect it sufficiently for the lifetime of our models (or 100,000 miles).

ASA and PA6 are used bare for the black textured panels that are very common on modern vehicles. The colour will be a bit longer lasting, but still will be fine under paint.

I think LGB's plastic is Luran-S. Which is a brand name for a particular type of ASA.

 

[Moonraker]

I worry about the longevity of all the new techniques?

We all know plywood and MDF will fail in time. - especially if water gets to it.

what about UV stability. Hot sun. Life of plasticisers (sp) in the plastics, and resins that are used?

I do all my 3D printing in ABS which (I'm told) is what Lego use. Have you ever seen a life expired Lego brick?

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound

 

[dunnyrail]

I do all my 3D printing in ABS which (I'm told) is what Lego use. Have you ever seen a life expired Lego brick?

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound

Yes they do pop up all over the place, it surprises me that the environmental activists are not winging about them while they are on about other plastics. Apparently 20 billion yes billion Lego Bricks are made a year. That is an awful lot for poor long suffering dads to walk on every day. Having said that I have and use Lego bricks for my Resin Casting as dams for mould making.

 

[Paul M]

Well no one can say that Lego bricks are single use! Like 90% of people who had lLego as kids have still got it lurking somewhere, waiting for Grandchildren and even Great Grandchildren

 

[LGB-Sid]

Not 3D printed Rolling stock, but I have printed signals, gates, parts of buildings and bridges etc, all printed in ABS and painted with car paints , the oldest has been outside permanently now for two years and looks the same as the day it was put outside. I have also printed some bits in PTEG and these have been outside for two years again no noticeable change in the parts printed. Some of the things printed do get full sun in the summer, and again they don't look to have been effected, but I have not tried to see if it has effected the strength of them
Full sunshine has effected some of the thinner Resin printed things I have printed, that have warped in the full sun.

 

[PhilP]

Full sunshine has effected some of the thinner Resin printed things I have printed, that have warped in the full sun.

Thanks for the input Sid..

I am led to believe (for casting) there are a couple of different resins that can be used..

Is there only one (chemical-base) type that is available for resin-printers?

Thanks.
PhilP.

 

[LGB-Sid]

Thanks for the input Sid..

I am led to believe (for casting) there are a couple of different resins that can be used..

Is there only one (chemical-base) type that is available for resin-printers?

Thanks.
PhilP.

Not actually investigated what UV resins are available yet for the Printer and what properties they have. at the moment it was basically wall signes that have warped in the heat so I have nade newer ones thnker which has cured the problem with the smaller signs, but I am sure large flatish printed things like wagon sides etc, would probally warp with the resin I currently use if left in full sun.

 

[FurkaSOCal]

I do all my 3D printing in ABS which (I'm told) is what Lego use. Have you ever seen a life expired Lego brick?

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound

What techniques do you use to prevent warping when printing with ABS? Do you use a slurry? Also do you print on glass? I am using my friends printer for now until I buy my own and he mostly prints PLA.

 

[LGB-Sid]

What techniques do you use to prevent warping when printing with ABS? Do you use a slurry? Also do you print on glass? I am using my friends printer for now until I buy my own and he mostly prints PLA.

I put my Printer inside a home made cabinet to maintain the heat around the print and to exclude drafts, the printer an anycubic I3 has a heated bed and I use the Blue painters tape on it so ABS sticks perfect to it with out the mess of slurry, apart from controlling the temperatures, the design of parts also plays a factor when printing with ABS to stop the warping. There is more than one way to skin a cat as they say so others will use different methods

 

[Moonraker]

What techniques do you use to prevent warping when printing with ABS? Do you use a slurry? Also do you print on glass? I am using my friends printer for now until I buy my own and he mostly prints PLA.

I am using a UP Mini 2 in its enclosed box. Warping is nowhere near the issue it was on previous printers. The only time I get ABS warping is when my model is too close to the edge of the platform.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound