3d printed ideas

[GMD]

Hi all

I thought it might be useful to have a distinct thread on what folk have done with 3d printing to make their modelling easier/better. I’m looking for inspiration and ingenuity!

It could be anything, modelling buildings, signals or platforms, or more technical like printing off buttons or levers to operate points remotely. Just whatever you’ve done to improve your modelling experience.

To start things off I’ve only got a few things myself:

1. A buffer stop, didn’t come out terribly well but will serve the purpose.
2. My first attempt at a low relief house. Reasonably happy with this but got a bit carried away when designing it with detail smaller than my basic printer could handle.
3. Two wedge shaped bases for terraces houses on a sloped road, complete with front pavement and steps. This is my best effort so far. Very simple but very effective for getting the terraced houses levelled off.

Over to you then! What’s been brewing in the mancaves of railway modellers?

GMD

EDIT: Forgot about printing a tunnel mouth as a bridge portal - not my own design but excellent quality.

[ntpntpntp]

A friend and I have been working on designing and printing unusual departmental / track maintenance units. He draws them up as he has the skills, and I print 'em :)

I tend to create small spare parts which are within my CAD skill level - buffers, steps, motor mounts etc. - to replace lost or broken components where they are no longer obtainable or are too expensive, especially parts for my older European N gauge models.

I've printed a few figures found on the internet, to add variety.

I designed an alternative mount for the Peco point motor slide switches, something to "amplify" the throw so the switches work reliably with N gauge points.

[81F]

Hi All,

As I have mentioned previously elsewhere on this site, for some time now eye problems mean that I have difficulty in building things from scratch so have taken to 3D printing to over come this especially if I need multiple identical items.

Unfortunately I have yet to invest in my own 3D printer so have been using the services of a company called Shapeways, who's "local" base is in the Nertherlands. However, they do print in Bronze, Brass and other metals which I could not do at home.

At the moment I am currently working on:

• A Hudswell-Clarke Industrial loco body for a Hornby Toby chassis;
• Replacement bogies for a LIMA Torpedo/Transformer wagon;
• Stanton XXXX Ladle Wagon an internal wagon used in the iron and steel industry (XXXX being awaste product from the iron smelting process beginning with the word "s" which is also used for a colliery waste tip and a derogatory term which is why it is probably banned on this site);

But I have successfully printed the following:

Buildings etc.

• A War Memorial
• Chirk Signal Cabin, Main (up) Station Building and toilet block, Dowen platform building and Goods Shet;

 009 Gauge (1:76 or 00 narrow gauge)

• Three types of Couplings for 009 Locomotives with NEM pockets;
• 009 Couplings for a KATO N gauge chassis;
• 009 GVT Centre Door Saloon body;
• 009 Small Ruston Hornsby Loco Body kit with various parts to enable different variations to be built on a tiny Japanese N gauge chassis;;
• 009 Sentinel Locomotive body kit with various options;
• 009 Hunslet style chimney

 00 Gauge (Standard Gauge)

• Replacement bogie for the Hobbyboss 1:72 scale Krasnaja Zvezda (Soviet Armored railcar) so that it will run on 00 (16.5mm) Gauge track;
• Interiors for the Hornby Short Clerestory Brake (R4914) and All 3rd (R4913) coaches (also used in other liveried versions);
• Camping Coach Interior for the Hornby Short Clerestory R4913
• Spacing Washers to allow Hornby Bogies to be fitted to Lima Coaches;
• Various replacement Buffers for wagons and coaches;
• Motor adaptor to fit a CD motor into the Lima 94XX/J50 chassis;
• GWR Tank Fillers & Tool Boxes;
• GWR “American” Bogies versions to fit Grafar(00)coaches, K’s Siphon F Kit, AIRFIX/MAINLINE/Hornby Siphon G and H; and Lima Siphon G;
• GWR Fish-belly Bogie versions to fit Grafar (00), Hornby, and Kit built coaches;
• GWR 9' Plate Frame Bogie to fit AIRFIX/MAINLINE/Hornby Siphon G;
• GWR Dean 6'4” Bogies with and without footboards with different fixing for various manufacturers coaches including the Hornby Short Clerestories;
• GWR Dean 8'6” Bogies with and without footboards for the Hornby Short Clerestories;
• GWR Dean 10' Bogie with different fixing for various manufacturers coaches,
• GWR Churchward Fish-belly Bogie- fit
• GWR 7' Collett Bogie to fit AIRFIX/MAINLINE/Hornby Siphon G;
• GWR 7’ Collett Bogie to fit Hornby coaches;
• GWR 7’ Collett Bogie for LIMA Siphon G;
• GWR 9’ Collett Bogie for LIMA Siphon G;
• GWR 517 class loco bodies for the Dapol/Hornby 14XX locomotive chassis;
• GWR 517 Smokebox Doors early and later types;
• Pullman 6 Wheel Bogie for the Hornby Railroad Pullmans.
• Parts to convert the Hornby GWR 28XX and 2884 2-8-0, locomotives to Oil burning, this comprises a print for the Oil tank and another containing the pipe and cab shutters;
• The Queens Coach from the GWR Royal Train;
• GWR Diagram S1 Tadpole (Bogie fish wagon);
• GWR Diagram S5 Tadpole A 6 wheeled fish brake wagon;
• GWR Diagram S4 Tadpole A 6 wheeled fish wagon;
• GWR Rectangular Drinking Water Tank Wagon Body;
• GWR Siphon J;
• GWR Collett 8 Wheeled Tender Chassis for DAPOL/Hornby Collett 4000g tender body;
• GWR Cordon gas tank wagon;
• NEM Socket for Ratio wagon bogies;
• GWR Spark Arrester for Bachmann GWR 57XX pannier;
• Replacement Chassis for Triang/Hornby Coke Wagon
• GWR Saddle Tank Body For Std Hornby 0-6-0
• Cowans Balance Weight with lettering for Gornby/Triang R127 hand crane with number 7601;
• Replacement Coal Rails for Bachmann G8
• 6 wheeled chassis to fit Hornby LMS Sausage/Milk Van Chassis;
• 6 wheeled chassis to fit Hornby GWR Sausage Van Chassis;
• GWR Diagram M17 Bullion Van
• GWR Diagram O4 Siphon (Low Roof)
• GWR Diagram O2 Siphon (Low Roof)
• Doors for LMS Diagram 1828 Steel Bodied Van
• GWR Outside Framed 8T Goods Van Body for Dapol Chassis
• GWR N34 Steel Bodied 21t Loco Coal Wagon Body for Dapol 21T Hopper wagon chassis;
• LNER ex GER Steel Bodied 20T Loco Coal Wagon Body for Dapol 21T Hopper wagon chassis;
• GWR N28 21T Mineral Wagon Body for Dapol 21T Hopper wagon chassis;
• GWR N23 21T Mineral Wagon Body for Dapol 21T Hopper wagon chassis;
• LNER 20T Loco Coal Wagon Body for Dapol 21T Hopper wagon chassis;
• GWR Diagram X9 MICA B Body for Dapol 10’ chassis
• GWR Diagram V32 TEVAN Body for Dapol 10’ chassis

and even A replacement key for my Triang-Hornby 00 Clockwork Train set locomotive!

[GMD]

Thats a phenomenal output 81F! Have you uploaded your files anywhere? I’d say others would gladly pay for access to some of these. Well done.

ntp: I like the idea of amplifying the throw of point motors - just the sort of thing that 3d printing is ideal for.

[81F]

@GMD,

As all the models were uploaded to Shapeways for printing, I have made most available for sale through them. Sadly the rules of this forum does not allow me to mention the name of the shop or post a link. joy.

Only thing is since Brexit, it import handling charges included within the delivery charges have increased the prices dramatically.

[What About The Bee]

I'm specifically posting this in the off hours to permit Mods to react.

Mods, if this isn't permissible, just edit it to remove the name. Feel free to delete the post outright. I have no intention of breaking rules.

The rules say no self promotion. It is unclear if I, a third party, am permitted to say the name of 81F's shop on Shapeways. We do mention Lendon's of Cardiff and Peters Spares, me mentioning a shop isn't much different.

In any event, the shop isn't hard to find, 81F's avatar here is a featured model there. Took almost 3 minutes to find 🙂

Stafford Road Model Works

Bee

[LTSR_NSE]

Like @bee I cannot see how 3rd parties posting links to useful collections could possibly be a breach of rules - therefore here is a link to the shapeways collection specifically requested by @GMD.

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/stafford_road_model_works?li=pb

[LTSR_NSE]

@81F - just a minor point, the title name for the buffer section of your Ruston & Hornsby loco currently contains a typo - it should read “…Parts 2 & 4” (which is correctly stated in the description!) 😉

[81F]

Many thanks all and especially to LT&ST for pointing out the typo. All corrected now

However, looking at the model again has reminded me I really should get around to making the bonet at some point!

[Rana Temporia]

I have a shapeways print of the G&KER loco ‘Blackpool’. The print is superb in every detail and if i hadn’t known it was a print I would have thought it was a moulding. There is none of the ‘stepping’ I have had in some other 3D prints I’ve bought. However, the plastic is extremely difficult to work with as I had to cut away quite a bit to get the chassis in. Using a razor saw it threads and jams up and using a dremmel disc it melts and jams up. It took ages and a lot of frustration to cut enough away to fit the chassis in properly. At one point I resorted to some tin snips to cut a section of melted plastic out of it. A custom built chassis may have been a better option but I don’t have the time to do that.

My request for 3D prints would be loco bodies to fit proprietary chassis. There have been a few available but they seem to only have a short availability time span. There are a number for free on some of the 3D printing sites but so far I’ve not found anyone to print them for me. I did have someone who offered to print for me at £20 per loco body but he couldn’t get the scaling to work with his printer and then it broke. I now have two of the Hornby/Jouef/Electrotren 0-6-0 chassis with no body to fit to them as the ones I wanted are out of production. Ther is a Yorkshire Diesel shunter body available on eBay that fits a slightly modified ‘Nellie’ chassis and is a very good print. It really does look the part and the mods weren’t too difficult. Plus it has an infinitely repairable chassis and motor.

I think Shapeways have a Hudswell Clarke tank body available to fit the Electrotren chassis, I may have a look at that although I did scratch build a very similar loco years ago.

[Rana Temporia]

I just noticed that Chesterfield models are selling slight misprints of their YEC 0-6-0 designed for the Electrotren chassis for £12. It doesn’t look like a fantastic print but for that price I thought I’d have one. They state that they may have a damaged buffer or slight misprint underneath. I have spare industrial loco buffers and filler so not a problem there.

[GMD]

Thanks RT. Amazing what’s out there.

[Rana Temporia]

Got my Chesterfield Models mis-print and very happy with it. It needs a bit of a rub down with some wet&dry and some excess printing from beneath the footplate filing down. I am also going to replace the horrible moulded handrails and have ordered some knobs as I didn’t know I’d run out.

Test fitted to the Electrotren chassis, the motor will need painting black but that is about it, there are even lugs to take the original screws. I had bought a new smoke box wheel as on the photos they looks pretty poor but the print is actually quite good.

[Rana Temporia]

Here are some more 3D printed bodies on Hornby chassis. The three on the left are all BMR on modern chassis and were ridiculously cheap. They did need quite a bit of work but I am very happy with them. The other one is a Yorkshire Engine Co model on a Modified ‘Nellie’ chassis and is a very nice print. I think the YEC one is still available, not sure about the BMR ones.

[Rana Temporia]

Just had a proper look at the Chesterfield model and the horrible handrails are anything but. They are very finely printed with the handrail knobs and space behind them. At first glance I’d just assumed they were solid.

[Tony57]

I have not got the ability to do 3D printing, I wish I had as I have a number of things I would like to make.

However I am glad that people who 3D print are now making new spare parts for the old Triang and Triang Hornby locos and rolling stock. I have brought parts for a Davy Crockett body and the railings for the old time coach.

I have just brought the ladders and Tank lid for the old R15 UD tanker and some L1 containers for the R340 conflat container carriers. The same person makes Battlespace spares and Transcontinental spares.

I have also just brought some Minic motorway lorry parts for both the flat bed and tanker as my originals have warped over time. I had brought the Shell sign, street lights and pumps for the Minic Motorway Shell filling station x2 which look great.

It is surprising what is available to add to your layout from people who do 3D printing.

[Rana Temporia]

Tony, I know which seller you are referring to and I have had quite a bit of stuff off him too for my old tri-ang stock. The Davy Crockett front cow catcher also fits the clockwork Wild West tank. Now I just need someone to 3D print the funnels and lamps!

[Tony57]

Hi

What style of funnel is it? You could message the guy who sells the Davy Crockett spares and ask him would it be possible to make you a pair of each (may need a photo to show what they are like. I have enquired about the Davy Crockett head lamp.

Urbandancer and Triang buyer are two others I am following as well as Vindaloo all are making spare parts for Triang.

Hornby are missing a market here, they could 3D print peoples spares requirements for any Hornby items made from 2000 here in the UK.

[Rana Temporia]

Tony, I did ask one of them you have named above and he did say it was a possibility for the future. The funnel is a spark arrestor type and the lamp fits on the front, I think it is different to the Davy Crockett one.

I have posted before about Hornby missing a market here. Not just spares but they could sell/share 3D files to fit their RTR chassis. They would then as a minimum sell the chassis or even whole donor locos. Other people seem to managing quite well off Hornby chassis doing exactly this.

[What About The Bee]

Hello Rana

I fully support your idea of making 3D printed components available to purchase. Hornby already have the CAD drawings. If I need a component, getting it 3D printed instead of molded is not going to stop my acquisition.

I do not think Hornby should ever release their intellectual property (the drawings) to the public. There is no control over how many 3D prints are made or control over where that drawing is spread. In my view, the Hornby crown jewels are the drawings of the models, not the models themselves.

Make the parts available? Full support. Sell copies of the IP? Not unless it is a going out of business sale.

Bee

[Rana Temporia]

Bee, just read my post and realised how it read. I wasn’t suggesting Hornby put any of their core models as 3D files but could release additional files for free or nominal cost as others are doing. People would still need to buy the Hornby locomotive for the chassis or other parts. There are 3D files available now, for free on the Internet that require a Hornby loco as chassis donor, and a quick check on eBay shows that People have bought or printed the locos, taken the chassis and are trying to sell the original Hornby body and in some cases the box as well. Other people are selling ready-printed bodies in various levels of quality, I have bought some of them. Hornby could make money here, for example selling a 3D print or the files for a Lambton Railway Cab for their Austerity tank. People would still need the Hornby loco, and may even buy two as one would be slightly different. This would avoid the need for Hornby to produce a completely new model and risk them being stuck in the shops as no new moulding tool would not be needed and the prints could be done on an as needed basis, the only development costs would be a few hours for a 3D CAD technician.

The other big one is spares, Hornby don’t have large stocks but again, just as other people are doing, they could have 3D files for obsolete parts, Lots of options there for Hornby.

[What About The Bee]

Hi RT

I read your post and re-read it again. If anything, it was me not understanding the thrust of the comment, the core concept.

We are in agreement.

There is tremendous opportunity for Hornby to sell spares here. For models done in CAD, they have the shape. All they need do is print the part. A bit of fettling, a dab of paint and the enthusiast's problem is sorted. We would delight in getting a part for a 20 year old loco. The price would be a secondary consideration for an impossible to source part. Set up a technician with 50 3D printers at Margate. That program will pay for itself and likely become a profit center.

Bee

[Tony57]

Hi

An interesting side line would be the designing and making replacement motor mountings for the older locomotives where the electric motor is no longer available.

When Hornby changed from the X04/3 they made a motor holder for the M7 type that fitted the X04/3 designed chassis. With so many different motors used today different holders will / may be required or is the plan one giant landfill for of dead Hornby Locos and others.

Another idea is making new gears and gear sets that Hornby don't make available as spares, I need the intermediate gear for the railroad Hitachi Class 395 this gear is not available as a spare (No part number) only in the complete replacement bogie assembly which may be available when Hornby staff get around to ordering a new batch sometime. The same gear fits the pandolino and the other class 395.

[Rana Temporia]

Tony, just been thinking and a 3D printed cradle to fit an N20 low speed motor and gearbox into a Hornby chassis with a worm to fit the standard shaft would be good. Proper slow shunting speeds! Would also be useful for the cheap 0-4-0 locos.

[atom3624]

Hi RT, I'm sure you'll agree, but I think there's a 'cheeky compromise' in place by Hornby.

There are many points it'll get 'stuck' on, at realistic, smooth, slower speeds, which the incorrect higher speed covers for - unless you link to an innocent-looking other wagon, which also has pickups perhaps?

Al.