Hayfields 3D printed track workshop

[njee20]

Not sure I really see why if you're just doing 'ready to lay' formations, and paying someone else for them, so realising no cost savings.

[hayfield]

Two months have passed since my last update, the resin printer has not printed anything yet (waiting for James video to be released or revisiting his previous videos. But I have been enjoying a phase of building/finishing two Springside locos

 

On the FDM printer I have been developing my skills. At one end of the spectrum making a template in Templot can be very easy, likewise FDM 3D printing is also very simple. On the other hand making a set of multiple templates into a layout plan can at times be challenging with some formations.

 

Well I have been approached to assist someone with their layout plan they designed. Mostly due to my own understanding of how Templot 3D printing works it been a steep learning curve but also an enjoyable exercise

 

 

Due to the size of the print bed the track plan has to be printed in sections, in Templot 3D these sections are called bricks. This photo is of the second brick and part of a crossover, the two right hand long timbers are each made from 2 partial templates. Unfortunately they are out of register, it is a test print and I stopped it early (error missed during a late night bit of work, plus a small laptop screen.

 

 

Thee revised brick is now printing and as you can see the two long right hand timbers now match each other.

 

As for templot 3D printed track minor updates have been released making the job of printing easier and the risk of poor prints less. Martin is a genius 

 

I have also expermited in increasing the scale to 7mm. The results are very promising

 

Anyway I have hopefully overcome the obstacles that prevented me to print the more demanding bricks and once I have a few more bricks printed I will need some chairs 

 

 

[makeitminiature]

Hi John,

 

It's all looking pretty good.

 

Maybe this video will be of some help.  :)

 

Speak soon,

James

 

Creating Chair Rafts from Templot

 

Edited April 13 by makeitminiature

[hayfield]

James

 

Thanks just what i needed and as always just in time.

[hayfield]

Before I start I must emphasize that in its basic/normal form Both Templot and Templot 3D are very user friendly and easy to use

 

However I have been asked to help someone with their new layout, this started out with assisting with a Templot plan with tidying it up in a 2D format

 

One area I had not paid too much attention is restricting partial Templates plus sometimes pressing save too many times 

 

Anyway after mastering the easy part which was printing basic turnouts and plain track, which is very easy I have been learning how to print a layout with many templates, which involves separating the plan into printable sections, which in Templot are called bricks

 

 

Here are the first three bricks plus a section which will be spliced in, as I made a couple of errors on 2 adjoining bricks. (Quicker and cheaper than printing 2 new bricks).

 

 

Brick 4 is now printing, took no time in making the brick then creating the print file. It took longer for the print bed to warm up. Anyway I can get on with day to day chores in the knowledge that at mid afternoon another brick will be printed.

 

Now to set up the resin printer, just need to recap on setting up the machine, then use the raft of chair file Martin kindly prepared for me (and anyone else) to use

 

 

[hayfield]

The difficulties I have had with some of the Bricks** were totally down to human intervention and not Templot, having drawn up a crossover using Templot automated crossover facility, its only takes slightly more effort to make it 3D printable than producing a brick** for a single turnout .  The main issue is that this project was started as Templot producing a 2D plan and had two people indpendantly working on it over several months plus changing the size of turnouts. Sorry if I seem to be making it look much harder than it should be

 

** Brick(s) is the terminology for each printable section

 

 

Brick 5 under way

[MJI]

This looks easier than building track kits.

 

Do you know when it will be fully ready for use?

 

I have JUST started on the design for a 1960s era layout.

 

Using MINT and WINE.

[KeithHC]

Martin still considered that it is experimental. But it seams to be working. I have a EM gauge B7 and Y turnout in production as well as a trial a trial 60ft panel that has joint timbers at each end with suitable chairs. To see what it takes follow James Walter’s videos on YT . Ideally it is better to have a mini print farm at home but once set up it does not take long to get going. Currently I have the sleeper base for the Y printing and tomorrow I should have all the chairs needed as well. Also you need to have a knowledge of Templot.

 

Keith

[MJI]

Well it will give me time to get good before I get a filament printer.

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, MJI said:

This looks easier than building track kits.

 

Do you know when it will be fully ready for use?

 

I have JUST started on the design for a 1960s era layout.

 

Using MINT and WINE.

 

The first thing is that at the moment its for bullhead trackwork, if you need flatbottom track then at the moment its back to old style track building

 

With the simple to use filing jigs not only is the track easy to build, but also easy to form the rails

 

For turnouts design and output is more or less oven ready and working. Slips and diamonds I think there are workable options with plug track, this is work in progress as are 3 ways. But T can think of some work arounds

 

Very simple, inexpensive and easy to use bespoke filing jigs are up and running, and also would be very useful to those using existing building methods in all gauges for most scales

 

Track bases can either be FDM printed of laser cut

Chairs are resin printed 

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, KeithHC said:

Martin still considered that it is experimental. But it seams to be working. I have a EM gauge B7 and Y turnout in production as well as a trial a trial 60ft panel that has joint timbers at each end with suitable chairs. To see what it takes follow James Walter’s videos on YT . Ideally it is better to have a mini print farm at home but once set up it does not take long to get going. Currently I have the sleeper base for the Y printing and tomorrow I should have all the chairs needed as well. Also you need to have a knowledge of Templot.

 

Keith

 

Keith

 

Interesting idea about a print farm, in reality 2 small printers are required, both taking up less than a square foot each.

 

1 hour ago, MJI said:

Well it will give me time to get good before I get a filament printer.

 

You will also need access to a resin printer, perhaps a friend may have one

[MJI]

7 minutes ago, hayfield said:

 

The first thing is that at the moment its for bullhead trackwork, if you need flatbottom track then at the moment its back to old style track building

 

With the simple to use filing jigs not only is the track easy to build, but also easy to form the rails

 

For turnouts design and output is more or less oven ready and working. Slips and diamonds I think there are workable options with plug track, this is work in progress as are 3 ways. But T can think of some work arounds

 

Very simple, inexpensive and easy to use bespoke filing jigs are up and running, and also would be very useful to those using existing building methods in all gauges for most scales

 

Track bases can either be FDM printed of laser cut

Chairs are resin printed 

 

Flat bottom, no problem, I have a huge pile of it, code 100, mostly from a place in Devon.

4 minutes ago, hayfield said:

 

Keith

 

Interesting idea about a print farm, in reality 2 small printers are required, both taking up less than a square foot each.

 

 

You will also need access to a resin printer, perhaps a friend may have one

[KeithHC]

Ok not a farm in my case more like a small holding. Mine has a Geeetech Alkaid and an Ender 3pro both together in my garage.

 

Keith

[Lacathedrale]

There may be no other way around it given the underlying application, but it seems there are so many sub-menus and steps between having a plan on the trackpad and then having the timbers and chairs printed it feels so far away for from being simple or usable to me, someone who has used Templot for years - let alone a beginner who doesn't know their slide from their snake.

[martin_wynne]

1 hour ago, Lacathedrale said:

There may be no other way around it given the underlying application, but it seems there are so many sub-menus and steps between having a plan on the trackpad and then having the timbers and chairs printed it feels so far away for from being simple or usable to me, someone who has used Templot for years

 

Hi William,

 

It will be simple to use -- when it is finished. The will be one-click buttons to get started with some basic settings and designs. The problem is that folks are jumping ahead of me and using plug track while it is still an experimental project. That's great if you want to join in the experiment, but not if you are expecting a finished working system.

 

We are still at the stage of finding out what works and what doesn't. Also several things are still temporary until I can get back to them and finish them. For example only cast versions of the A crossing chairs are currently available, and temporarily kludged 4-sided outline. They should be 8-sided, and the default should be the slab & bracket design instead. The differences are quite small in 4mm scale, but not in 7mm and Gauge 1. It will all get done in time, along with much else.

 

There has been a short delay in plug track developments while we transition to a fully open-source Templot program. Help would be very welcome, see:

 

 https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/open-source-templot5-now-on-github.969/

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

[hayfield]

6 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

There may be no other way around it given the underlying application, but it seems there are so many sub-menus and steps between having a plan on the trackpad and then having the timbers and chairs printed it feels so far away for from being simple or usable to me, someone who has used Templot for years - let alone a beginner who doesn't know their slide from their snake.

 

William

 

For a start it is very easy to print basic track templates, very little to learn and FDM printing is very forgiving. Once a print file has been created its just a case of letting the printer chatter away in the background for a few hours

 

As for resin printing, there is a bit more to learn on how to make files for the chairs, and of course the printing process (which I am about to experience) is a bit more involved but far quicker than FDM, creating printing bricks (to printing a layout plan rather than a template) is a bit more involved

 

As for skills required for track building, different but no more involved than more traditional methods, some may even say easier than traditional methods

Edited July 23 by hayfield

[hayfield]

I fired up my resin 3D printer yesterday for a test run

 

 

I used a ready to go file and unknown to me and the supplier, an update to the slicing file corrupted the print file. These things happen as they did with the FDM printer

 

 

I knew there was a possibility of an issue, as it took 4 times the normal print time. Initially I thought it was my error in duplicating the slicing, however someone who knows what they are doing saw the issue was created by a software update to the slicing program

 

Not a failure of the actual printing process which in reflection was easy to use and worked 

 

So a good step forward and smashed the fears I had built up over the printing process. 

 

I just need to learn how to create the files to print chairs 

[KeithHC]

John follow Jameses videos it all becomes clear. I find I have to do it a couple of times but use the preview before going on to saving, repairing and slicing.

 

Keith

[hayfield]

4 hours ago, KeithHC said:

John follow Jameses videos it all becomes clear. I find I have to do it a couple of times but use the preview before going on to saving, repairing and slicing.

 

Keith

 

Keith

 

Thank you for the advice and encouragement. and I think for the file which is now on my memory stick

 

With things I don't understand I like to take things in single steps. Its a way I learn things

 

Anyway after loading up both files I tried printing the first file. After a couple of mins the machine seemed to go into overdrive, 32 mins later I have a print which looks much better

 

 

After a good wash using Martins method I took the prints outside and gave them a good spray with water from a pressurized garden spray, a few plugs washed off but I found all of them and everything is drying outside. They will get a UV blast later. I will give your file a go either later or tomorrow

 

Next up will be making my own rafts, watching James on the desk top and copying on the laptop

 

 

[hayfield]

The first set of rafts are now well on the way to be cured I decided to see how the loose jaws fitted their chairs

 

 

A cruel close up photo, as you see a raft of loose jaw chairs, bottom right chair has a loose jaw fitted

 

 

A second set of rafts which the file was sent to me. Now drying off in the sunlight. Comprising of 60 S1 chairs and 30 S1J chairs

 

Both sets of rafts were well under 40p to print.

 

Next jobs are to learn how to make my own raft print files and once the chairs are fully cured make some track.

 

Thanks to Martin Wynn and Keith for all your help

[hayfield]

A bit of a mile stone day today, last night I made 2 files to allow me to print chairs and loose jaws for a 1-7 common crossing

 

  Raft for a left handed 1-7 common crossing

 

   The loose jaws for the 1-7 chairs

 

For those used to making build files I guess they say so what, for me its the first resin print files I have made, thanks to James Walters video, Martin Wynn and KeithHC

 

Next up to make the switch print files, but that will be over the weekend

 

 

[Ian_H]

Are people using 3D Printed Track for S&C only or also for plain track? Of course, I recognise that you're not going to be able to print in yard lengths but is 4mm scale 60' panels a possibility? The reason for my question is that I am particularly interested in modelling Southern Region third rail and if I am not mistaken every fourth or fifth sleeper is extended for the third rail support or would it just be easier to replace every fourth sleeper in a length of flexi track but, my thought are, if you're going to invest a sizable chunck of money in a laser cutter, you may as well use it for the plain track also!

[martin_wynne]

54 minutes ago, Ian_H said:

Are people using 3D Printed Track for S&C only or also for plain track? Of course, I recognise that you're not going to be able to print in yard lengths but is 4mm scale 60' panels a possibility? The reason for my question is that I am particularly interested in modelling Southern Region third rail and if I am not mistaken every fourth or fifth sleeper is extended for the third rail support or would it just be easier to replace every fourth sleeper in a length of flexi track but, my thought are, if you're going to invest a sizable chunck of money in a laser cutter, you may as well use it for the plain track also!

 

Hi Ian,

 

Some confusion there? You can't do 3D printing with a laser cutter?

 

But a 60ft panel will fit easily on most home FDM 3D printers if you rotate it diagonally across the build plate. This fits in 200mm square, most home FDM printers allow 225mm square:

 

 

That's 60ft and 24 sleepers. Sleepers easily extended in Templot if wanted. Can be straight, curved, or flexi.

 

You could also cut them out in plywood using a laser-cutter, but that's a lot more expensive than an FDM 3D printer.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

Edited Friday at 17:52 by martin_wynne

[KeithHC]

I have printed out a 60ft track panel on my Ender 3pro and as Martin said it was rotated by 45 degrees. Also the panel I have is set up to be flexible rather than just a straight panel.

 

Keithtest piece of EM.

[Ian_H]

30 minutes ago, martin_wynne said:

 

Some confusion there? You can't do 3D printing with a laser cutter?

 

 

You've got to laugh!

 

My son is interested in a laser cutter for other projects and I seem to remember somebody cutting track bases out of mdf or ply with holes for the 3d printed chairs, but considering what you have said which way is producing the best results 3d printed bases or laser cut? I assume that time would also be factor along with cost of materials.

 

Thanks

Ian