Pugsley
Western Thunderer
And me makes three!
Thanks for the kind words chaps, I'm also looking forward to turning it into something tangible - this phase of the project seems to have been going on for an awfully long time.
Computer Aided Wagonry
- Thread starter Pugsley
- Start date
And me makes three!
Thanks for the kind words chaps, I'm also looking forward to turning it into something tangible - this phase of the project seems to have been going on for an awfully long time.
Pugsley
Western Thunderer
I've just realised that I haven't updated this thread with pictures of the finished 3D model, so here it is:
Work continues apace (well, sort of) and I'm in the process of sprue-ing up all the parts ready for sending off. The first option will be the Shapeways FUD (Frosted Ultra Detail), which should have the resolution that I need, although there are higher quality options available for some of the smaller parts if it doesn't quite go according to plan. I'm hoping it does though, as those options are a lot more expensive!
The files should be sent off by the weekend, so I should get my goodies within the next two weeks! An update will appear once they arrive. The next job is to start on the etchings, but I think all I'm going to have by the end of September is a lot of parts - nearly a 1,000 of them, in fact!
Work continues apace (well, sort of) and I'm in the process of sprue-ing up all the parts ready for sending off. The first option will be the Shapeways FUD (Frosted Ultra Detail), which should have the resolution that I need, although there are higher quality options available for some of the smaller parts if it doesn't quite go according to plan. I'm hoping it does though, as those options are a lot more expensive!
The files should be sent off by the weekend, so I should get my goodies within the next two weeks! An update will appear once they arrive. The next job is to start on the etchings, but I think all I'm going to have by the end of September is a lot of parts - nearly a 1,000 of them, in fact!
Work continues apace (well, sort of) and I'm in the process of sprue-ing up all the parts ready for sending off. The first option will be the Shapeways FUD (Frosted Ultra Detail), which should have the resolution that I need, although there are higher quality options available for some of the smaller parts if it doesn't quite go according to plan. I'm hoping it does though, as those options are a lot more expensive!
The files should be sent off by the weekend, so I should get my goodies within the next two weeks! An update will appear once they arrive. The next job is to start on the etchings, but I think all I'm going to have by the end of September is a lot of parts - nearly a 1,000 of them, in fact!
Pugsley -
Very Nice Indeed.
If I can ask one question though [and its probably me not reading thoroughly enough!] - what parts will be etched and what parts will be cast [in whatever material]??? Are the roof, main body sides, solebars, ends & end frameworks to be etched?
Regards,
David Parkins
mickoo
Western Thunderer
As a proficient CAD modeller for over ten years, I have to say that is some seriously good accomplished work there, clean, neat and very well executed and I'm more than a tad jealous since I cannot settle on a prototype to attempt follow your example LOL.
I looked at the higher resolutions from shapeways, a 1:32 FUD TRAX cab was in the region of 160Euros, you have to seriously committed to a project to fork out that sort of cash for a cab, though for a TRAX I think I can get away with a plasticard build to make a master but for the Br110/140/150/151 cab then Shapeways is the only real way and that comes out at nearly 200Euros! I will be very interested to see how FUD works out for the larger scales, especially the layering that one can get occasionally.
Kindest
I looked at the higher resolutions from shapeways, a 1:32 FUD TRAX cab was in the region of 160Euros, you have to seriously committed to a project to fork out that sort of cash for a cab, though for a TRAX I think I can get away with a plasticard build to make a master but for the Br110/140/150/151 cab then Shapeways is the only real way and that comes out at nearly 200Euros! I will be very interested to see how FUD works out for the larger scales, especially the layering that one can get occasionally.
Kindest
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
Mick,
To use this stuff as a master pattern for another production method (e.g. resin casting) it actually works out pretty affordable. Even taking the cost/hour to produce the CAD file I suspect it works out cheaper than could be done by traditional means. And I'd hope it's more accurate even if further finishing is required.
Less cost-effective for a one-off perhaps; even then I'm not sure...
Steph
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Steph, yes in the overall big picture the cost is pretty small, but high enough to not warrent it as your main source of components, I.E. you'd be wanting to use the Shapeways parts as masters for resin casting for instance.
The graining does concern me, in the larger scales anything not perfectly smooth will look poor, however FUD does seem to minimize this to a large extent and if you are just printing the main body devoid of lumps and bumps you can soon sand to finish at your end, in other words, use shapeways as part of the process for the component and not all of the process. Having said that, parts like axle boxes and compressors etc can be made almost complete, there fidelity would probably mask and graining you get from the process.
I suppose the only thing to do is to get one printed and see what it's like.
Guv, you might find a railbus complete a little more expensive than that if going for FUD, adding the interior or parts of the interior will push the cost up, its not the size of the model, its the volume that kills the cost, essentially you need to make the walls as thin as possible, but structurally sound, to keep costs down. They say FUD will support walls as thin as 2mm, now I'd be rather hesitant forking out that amount of cost for walls 2mm think and running the risk of collapse or damage, I'm looking at 3mm possible 4mm in high stress areas.
Anyway, not to dilute Pugsley's thread further, I'll take this vein forward in another thread in due course
, his excellent CAD work draws my own CAD interest bubble ever closer in its cyclic orbit LOL, Some BR stuff is all ready to be turned into CAD models, A4 body, Stanier boiler/smokebox/firebox combos, a Peak cab and if I can find accurate dimensions for roofs and tumbleholme curvatures I might attempt a Western cab, though knowing folks here thats a pit of biting vipers I'd be getting into LOL.
Kindest
The graining does concern me, in the larger scales anything not perfectly smooth will look poor, however FUD does seem to minimize this to a large extent and if you are just printing the main body devoid of lumps and bumps you can soon sand to finish at your end, in other words, use shapeways as part of the process for the component and not all of the process. Having said that, parts like axle boxes and compressors etc can be made almost complete, there fidelity would probably mask and graining you get from the process.
I suppose the only thing to do is to get one printed and see what it's like.
Guv, you might find a railbus complete a little more expensive than that if going for FUD, adding the interior or parts of the interior will push the cost up, its not the size of the model, its the volume that kills the cost, essentially you need to make the walls as thin as possible, but structurally sound, to keep costs down. They say FUD will support walls as thin as 2mm, now I'd be rather hesitant forking out that amount of cost for walls 2mm think and running the risk of collapse or damage, I'm looking at 3mm possible 4mm in high stress areas.
Anyway, not to dilute Pugsley's thread further, I'll take this vein forward in another thread in due course
, his excellent CAD work draws my own CAD interest bubble ever closer in its cyclic orbit LOL, Some BR stuff is all ready to be turned into CAD models, A4 body, Stanier boiler/smokebox/firebox combos, a Peak cab and if I can find accurate dimensions for roofs and tumbleholme curvatures I might attempt a Western cab, though knowing folks here thats a pit of biting vipers I'd be getting into LOL.Kindest
28ten
Guv'nor
I have most of the dimensions for a western cab, and I know a man who could help with accessSteph, yes in the overall big picture the cost is pretty small, but high enough to not warrent it as your main source of components, I.E. you'd be wanting to use the Shapeways parts as masters for resin casting for instance.
The graining does concern me, in the larger scales anything not perfectly smooth will look poor, however FUD does seem to minimize this to a large extent and if you are just printing the main body devoid of lumps and bumps you can soon sand to finish at your end, in other words, use shapeways as part of the process for the component and not all of the process. Having said that, parts like axle boxes and compressors etc can be made almost complete, there fidelity would probably mask and graining you get from the process.
I suppose the only thing to do is to get one printed and see what it's like.
Guv, you might find a railbus complete a little more expensive than that if going for FUD, adding the interior or parts of the interior will push the cost up, its not the size of the model, its the volume that kills the cost, essentially you need to make the walls as thin as possible, but structurally sound, to keep costs down. They say FUD will support walls as thin as 2mm, now I'd be rather hesitant forking out that amount of cost for walls 2mm think and running the risk of collapse or damage, I'm looking at 3mm possible 4mm in high stress areas.
Anyway, not to dilute Pugsley's thread further, I'll take this vein forward in another thread in due course
Kindest
I meant interior as in recess for glazing and inner sides I would laser most of the rest. any slight graining could be sanded smooth on a railbus as there is no riveted detail to worry about, of course I sill need 36 hour days to get it done...
mickoo
Western Thunderer
I'd certainly like a look at the cab info please, a decent set of drawings and dims really helps with CAD work. Agree with smooth exteriors add detail later and yes, recesses for windows is mandatory.I have most of the dimensions for a western cab, and I know a man who could help with access
I meant interior as in recess for glazing and inner sides I would laser most of the rest. any slight graining could be sanded smooth on a railbus as there is no riveted detail to worry about, of course I sill need 36 hour days to get it done...
Kindest
Pugsley
Western Thunderer
Thanks David, that is praise indeed!
All of the main body, including the roof, sides,solebars, etc is going to be formed from etched parts, only the detail parts will be castings, where appropriate. Everything apart from the buffers and axleboxes will be cast in whitemetal, those parts will be cast in lost wax brass.
Pugsley
Western Thunderer
Again, I'm going to take that as a petty big compliment
Thanks Mick, that's nice to know.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Credit where credit is due!Again, I'm going to take that as a petty big compliment
Please post up how you get on with white metal and brass casting, I'd be most interested in knowing how you get on, I've kept away from that and planned to use resin castings, though the basis of my locos is not brass etch, but brass etch for detailed overlays like vents and window frames etc.
Kindest
Pugsley
Western Thunderer
Work on this project continues (I hesitate to use the word apace!). The parts for Shapeways have all been sprued up and checked in Netfabb, here they all are:
I've also started to get all of the patterns ready for combining into the etch sheets, I think it will be two sheets for practicality reasons, as one sheet with all the bits on will be too big. Doing this has uncovered a weakness with Alibre - it's not very useful for amending drawings after creating them, so I'll be using Solid Edge 2D to draw up the sheet. I would have used CorelDraw, but it doesn't seem to cope with the DXF conversion very well.
Here's most of the parts before tinkering:
I'm hoping to have all of the etch artwork ready to go by the end of the weekend - fingers crossed!
I've also started to get all of the patterns ready for combining into the etch sheets, I think it will be two sheets for practicality reasons, as one sheet with all the bits on will be too big. Doing this has uncovered a weakness with Alibre - it's not very useful for amending drawings after creating them, so I'll be using Solid Edge 2D to draw up the sheet. I would have used CorelDraw, but it doesn't seem to cope with the DXF conversion very well.
Here's most of the parts before tinkering:
I'm hoping to have all of the etch artwork ready to go by the end of the weekend - fingers crossed!
lancer1027
Western Thunderer
Hi Pugs,
That looks FANTASTIC.
Very very impressive.
Rob
That looks FANTASTIC.
Very very impressive.Rob
28ten
Guv'nor
Do you once you have sent them to a drawing? in theory all the adjustment takes place in the 3d environment and the drawings update automatically. Personally I export everything to a dxf and do all the fine adjustments in Draftsight or autocad, the problem with this is that the 3d then becomes a legacy file that does not reflect the amendments, which doesnt really matter for a single user but it is generally considered bad practice.