ianmaccormac

I have jus been printing a Stroudley roof in 7mm at a new orientation as a discussion on the Facebook group. Placing the models at particular angles in accordance with the layer thickness makes the best smoothness. These two roofs were both printed at 0.035mm layer thickness. The left one flat and the right n at 36 degrees to the horizontal. The difference is quite astonishing! Rather difficult to photograph though! Hope you can see what I mean! Cheers Ian

Thanks Linny As for the grab handles, I drew this in 7mm where I drew the shape on a plane at 45 degrees. This was then extruded 0.4mm thickness and had a fillet modify applied on all four corners of 0.12mm. After drawing the whole thing, I scaled it to 4mm on the modify, scale setting of 0.5714. So the actual printed grabrail came out at 0.23mm diameter which is about the minimum I have found I can print successfully. The fact that they are no good is because they sag as they are not supported at all. I have also noticed there is a slight sagging to the ventilator as this was hollow and not supported. I will make some more modifications and try again. I have also increased the thickness of the 4mm side by 0.4mm and this has given a better, more stable thickness. I will try one in 7mm as well once I have the 4mm one printing well. Cheers Ian

Hi Linny, I would agree with what has been said about the handrails etc. I have just printed this 4mm version of the Dia 81 horsebox to see how the machine handled larger objects. I have included everything on the side that is visible. The handle and handrail need removing and the side to be made thicker so it is less fragile, probably with a rebated edge for where the end will sit. It was printed at 0.035 with a 20 degree slope from the horizontal. I did print the other side as well and now need to draw and print the ends. An etched chassis I think! I will have to experiment on using different angles to the horizontal to get a better finish as well, but also need to understand why one of the supports have come right through and appears by the lower door hinge on the left hand side. Weird! Anyway, absolutely astonished at how quickly you can draw things and how do you get them rendered or is that in another programme? Cheers Ian

Well Corbs, it is free on a years recurring license. Something to do with being a 'hobbyist'. There is stuff to see, just google. The Warwick tutorials got me started quickly - I had used PTC ProDesktop before but that was 20 years ago when I was a D&T teacher and no longer available. It seems to do most of what I am trying to achieve so far but I haven't tried adding bits together yet. Cheers Ian

Quite basic, but got me around the menus and shortcuts and positioning. Good to have videos as well as written. Hope you find them of use. Cheers Ian in Blackpool

Hi Gary A good broadcast last night , quality of the stream really good! Nice to chat with you and all as well! Thanks for your time and effort, brilliant. Cheers Ian in Blackpool

Hi Linny I started using Fusion a few weeks ago and found the Warwick university tutorials excellent to get me started. See https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/about/outreach/3d_design_printing/fusion_tutorials/ Cheers Ian in Blackpool

I use a 1.8cm diameter smooth metal bar like a rolling pin, with the carriage side mouldings face down on a soft mouse mat. I apply gentle pressure whilst rolling and the side gradually takes on the necessary shape. Whatever you use to apply the curve, it must have a smaller diameter than the actual curve wanted, as the brass will spring back slightly. Just take it carefully whatever method you try. Cheers Ian in Blackpool

No, if anything this smells hardly at all! Just used the black as well and same. I am finding I need two different lots of IPA, one for an initial rinse that I filter to get rid of most f the muck to use it again, and then a newer batch to give a final wash. Seems to clear all the remaining resin much better, and then under the UV for setting. Cheers Ian

The photos are from using the white. Excellent result! Cheers Ian

Hi, I have been trying out some cheaper resin that Amazon are selling at £15.26 per 500ml. Elegoo LCD UV Rapid Resin. It's just increased in price to £17.49! The holes in the top of the sides of the lamp top are 0.2mm and the handle on the top of the bung is 0.4mm diameter, still using the 0.035 layers and the settings as Mike above. Surprisingly strong once UV Cured! All sorts of possibilities are being thought about for this development, not enough hours in the days to properly learn the software to draw and then print it all!! I have some carriages now with all the castings sorted and am making steady progress on some locos. More when I have them completed. Cheers Ian

Yes that works for me! Keep at it, looking good! Cheers Ian in Blackpool

Many thanks Andy, I will go gold then at a later date when I can work out the end date of my current Pocketmags subscription! Aha! Found it - November, so a while to wait! Cheers

Anyone know if you can print the pages from the back issues? Useful for plans etc. Thanks - will probably go gold when my Pocketmags subscription completes.

Learning the Fusion360 software and a Anycubic Photon printer by playing! Not quite correct as I forgot the slots for the safety valve levers but what fun! Cheers Ian

Well I am continually amazed at what this printer is capable of. I have a love of the early LB&SCR and have a blog of various things I have designed but never really completed because of a lack of fittings. see http://ianmaccormacmodels.blogspot.com/ This situation is now becoming fixed with the aid of the Fusion 360 and this machine. I am getting quite excited about what is possible! The photo shows 7mm parts at left and front and 4mm parts to the back right. The smallest parts are the smokebox lubricators, whistle and clack valves in 4mm. Right, more! Cheers and thanks for all the encouragement! Ian

Second print so tried a few options such as 7mm and 4mm parts. I may even get some Craven LB&SCR locos finished at this rate! I now need to learn how to reposition supports as they ended up aligning around parts where I didn't really want them.

I found the video tutorials very useful and a quick way to get started with the basics, cheers Ian

Hi Mike Thanks for posting all your trials etc. I have tried drawing with Fusion 360 using the following tutorials which were very clear: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/about/outreach/3d_design_printing/fusion_tutorials/ I have then drawn a couple of 7mm LB&SCR buffer castings, the second one is this Craven Loco bottle shaped one trying to be like the one in the photo: So I followed your simple work flow but with 360 at the start and used the green resin that came with the machine and used 0.035 on the z-axis and as per your timings, added the auto supports after lifting the model 3mm above the table and I am very pleased with the result! The base of the casting is 8.6mm square and the width of the ribs either side of the nut are 0.2mm. I now need to spend some time drawing more parts! Thanks again Ian - ex Amesway member now in Blackpool

This looks to be a very good rendition of my favourite loco. After reading through the above critiques, can I just mention a couple of other points that I would like to see sorted out on the Boxhill model? The first two photos are of Boxhill as preserved at the NRM. The boiler cladding sheet sits on top of the recessed tank top and is painted in the IEG colour, along with the bolt heads, also the angle along the front of the cab. The other colour photo of Boxhill shows the end of the LHS handrail ending in a brass casting. The other two photos are showing Boxhill when in service, one before and one after conversion to a 2-4-0T for motor train working, and after the recylinder that removed the condensing pipes but clearly shows the device at the end of the RHS handrail, being an even larger diameter brass casting. I hope these corrections can be incorporated. Along with the other points made by others, I am very much looking forward to receiving this model. Well done Rails! Cheers Ian in Blackpool

Amazon have a deal on this today, £58 off, for the next 9 hours. Even cheaper! I have been looking at this for a while and just read your posts Mike and then saw the deal so an absolute no-brainer. Just need to get back to the 3D CAD again. Not done that for a number of years! Cheers Ian in Blackpool

http://www.mjwsjw.co.uk/transfers_page_2.html Are these what you are after? See the home page of EBModels for my contact details Cheers Ian

Well done! Thanks for all hard work, looks really 'fresh'. Messages working well. Cheers Ian in Blackpool

HMRS Southern Style vol 2 London Brighton and South Coast Railway book covers liveries. Published quite recently by Peter Wisdom with the Brighton Circle assistance. Cheers Ian in Blackpool

Missing the tank front lining on Stepney, but otherwise looking good!