Weekend Update 2/23/25

[John]

How about ditching the 3D logs and using actual small  twigs as logs?  I have found  some twigs which have pretty realistic looking bark.

Yea .. I was kind of kidding about the 3d file .. for the raw wood in the log pond I would use natural twigs -- for the debarked ones, balsa sticks sanded down ..and left in their natural wood color ..

Some things just dont need to be printed .. on the other hand, tree stumps and similar artifacts are perfect for 3d


https://media.cgtrader.com/variants/rm9CqeUdfXSdYoJFUnAJPiyD/f9640a09a2583bb05b1ebddd09a7cae546a6e32c4fdaa9155fd7860bc46528c6/Schermafbeelding%202022-09-29%20om%2011.22.00.jpg[/img]

[Lemosteam]

How about ditching the 3D logs and using actual small  twigs as logs?  I have found  some twigs which have pretty realistic looking bark.

Now THIS is where a low-cost 3d scanner could come in handy.  Scan a 3 or 4" tree trunk, scale the file down and convert to .stl format.  The surface fidelity is actually conducive to natural surfaces.

[OldEastRR]

So the key to all this is buy a 3D printer and everything needed to operate it, including supplies, then learn how to use it correctly. And either draw up in a program the object you want, or find them somewhere on line, transfer the plans to the printer and get going.
Just like that.

[Chris333]

First learn how to draw it.

[wazzou]

Interesting, how is that used?  So you got to visit during some of the years when they were still partially operating on steam  .

Sumner

In the day to day, I deal mostly in heavy timber construction, Railroads, Railroad Contractors, Timber Frame Home builders, etc.
Yes, I was their many times during that period.

[chessie system fan]

We definitely need a scenery thread on these trees.  This just might be the answer for those illusive Southern Pines!

[dem34]

See, I knew about Supertrees as a product and that it can easily generate the trees I need. But it is also a rather pricey program and I'm still iffy on whether Resin trees are more durable than properly prepped SuperTrees.

That said. If somebody started selling species accurate trees out of Resin. I would atleast try a few. Since it seems the standard methods of making Southern and Pitch Pine is a pain the  .

[chessie system fan]

With regular resin, these will be very brittle and fragile.  But with the newer flexible ABS-like resins, there's a chance it's durable (to be confirmed with testing!).

[Sokramiketes]

With regular resin, these will be very brittle and fragile.  But with the newer flexible ABS-like resins, there's a chance it's durable (to be confirmed with testing!).

I'm using Elegoo ABS-like resin, and yes, they are quite flexible. 

[CNR5529]

We definitely need a scenery thread on these trees.  This just might be the answer for those illusive Southern Pines!

How about windswept trees? (Just an initial test, branch spacing needs to be adjusted to be more realistic, but very promissing indeed!)

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[C855B]

How about windswept trees? (Just an initial test, branch spacing needs to be adjusted to be more realistic, but very promissing indeed!)

Does a "Wind Effect" of 1.000 - Cat 5 hurricane - snap it off at the base? I think I'll give it a go. 

EDIT: I guess not. It should. Isn't bending the trunk, either.

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[Sokramiketes]

Ok, tree talk moved to aisle 4:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=59259.0

[vermonter_railfan]

I also continued my work on the sleepers for my Milwaukee Road Pioneer Limited.

Two 16-4 duplex sleepers and an 8-6-4 duplex sleeper.

Union Station Products sides on a combination of Union Station and American Limited core kits.

American Limited trucks with Kato wheelsets.

How are those USP Core kits? I heard mixed reactions about them a while ago but I have 3 cars that I would like to do. Guessing you use the old ALM for the underbody details?

[robert3985]

With regular resin, these will be very brittle and fragile.  But with the newer flexible ABS-like resins, there's a chance it's durable (to be confirmed with testing!).

I can confirm that ABS-Like Resin IS much more durable than "regular" resin.  I'm using Anycubic ABS-Like Resin Pro 2 on most of my N-scale detail parts, with some cross-sections being 0.008" in thickness (although rectangular) and being robust enough to be difficult to break...although not impossible...remaining flexible until multiple mishandlings finally breaks them during testing.  These were tested with six "mounting legs" of this thickness and the ABS-Like Resin Pro 2 by Anycubic both handled the bolt-head details as well as the durability.

For a couple of other parts that have a single tiny cross-section of 0.0094" round diameter, I went with Anycubic Tough Resin 2.0, which is much more flexible, but still allows excellent detailing.  Yes, the part will still break, but isn't what I would consider "fragile" or "brittle" at all, and with normal handling should last very well.

ALL plastic parts will break with ham-handed handling, but the state-of-the-art 3D resins are at least as robust as engineering plastic now...with some being more durable, but harder to work with because of their viscosity and the high printing temperature required.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[jpwisc]

Adding lights to the depot project
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