N scale auto frame load

[Dave Schneider]

Related to Bob Bufkin's thread about FUD, but I thought it deserved its own thread.

There is a new N scale auto frame load that is now available from Stony Smith using Shapeways.
http://www.shapeways.com/model/272260/automobile_frames___n_scale.html?gid=sg4375

I sent a message to Stony today asking him to consider a revised frame load for use in gondolas and we have already exchanged several messages about this project. Since he already has a good looking frame rendered all he has to do is stack them at an angle. I asked that he eliminate the rectangular rack-like structures at each end. I also sent him the dimensions for the BLMA gondola, which is a bit narrower than the MicroTrains products, and of course, the correct length. I don't know if this is an appropriate load for the ESM gondola or not.

This is what I have in mind for the gondola load:
http://www.rpcycpub.com/v19page61.pdf

Best wishes, Dave

[tom mann]

Awesome.  Remember all those gons loaded with auto frames around the A.O. Smith plant?

[wm3798]

Those are seriously hot.  And at $1.79 a set, a pretty good bargain.  Does he take Pay Pal?  I remember seeing 89' flats loaded up with frames heading out of Enola back in the day.  I'm pretty sure the WM did a pretty brisk business in auto parts via the Alphabet Route, too.

Lee

[sirenwerks]

Any idea on how the material handles paint?

[hnipper]

Lee, the minimum order is $25.00 from the website. Group order?
Henry

[Roger Holmes]

I hope the $1.79 price is for the whole stack shown (though that seems cheap) since that Pennsy gon has 78 frames.  When I was a kid in the 60's tons of these went west on the Milwaukee Road in northern Illinois.  Someone did them once in HO but each frame had to be individually cleaned up and stacked.

[sirenwerks]

Lee, the minimum order is $25.00 from the website. Group order?
Henry

I would think he could sell a 6-pack of ready-to-paint loads that fit a BLMA car or another specific car (including the car floor insert and the end arm device) for around $20-$25 rather than try to get someone to buy enough of those stacks on their own.

[Chris333]

The sample at their site of tank treads was sprayed with testors model master paints so we should be OK.

But seriously I would wait till some one posts detailed and relevant photos of something painted and weathered before I even worried about drawing.

[Dave Schneider]

I have emailing him today with dimensions of the BLMA car. The thought was 4-6 frame loads per car. I asked about painting and asked for photos. Chris, you seem to have some experience with RP products. What do you think about this material?  

Best wishes, Dave

[Chris333]

I have an order in right now for some FUD Nn3 tipper cars. Havn't seen it in person yet and most photos I've seen are of raw clear material. I have some other companies stuff, but the only things I would keep are from M4D. I hope this FUD works, but I wish I knew for sure. Paying $25 to find out.

[DKS]

Paying $25 to find out.

I did the same thing, ordered 3 Z scale hoppers from Stony. They looked really nice, except braces and ladders on the ends of all 3 were broken. The stuff is really delicate.

[Chris333]

So other than the ladders were they good enough?

Here is a close up the shows layering in the FUD:
http://images57.fotki.com/v80/photos/2/1709102/9661644/FirstPrint2-vi.jpg

It is a O scale valve so pretty small, but our stuff is all pretty small too.

[bbussey]

The biggest positive about this Shapeways site by far is the price.  After seeing this thread, I uploaded some STLs to see what the resolution will be.  I'm waiting until the middle of this week before submitting the order so that the parts don't arrive in the middle of the Hershey convention, but I'm already encouraged by the unit prices - for example, only $2.19 for a future New Haven EP3 electric front pilot porch pilot rendered in Detail Black plastic and designed to interface with the Kato GG1 mechanism.  Just $30 for a RP version of one of the X58 pilot models I used for the operations testing, which is 1/5th the cost of my PolyJet versions last year.  Just in pilot model testing alone, for ESM anyway, this is a huge plus.

One additional interesting feature is the ability to render in metal, specifically in Stainless Steel, for a very reasonable price.  Seems to me that rendering new chassis frames for new or kitbashed motive power just got easier to do.

Even if the resolution isn't as fine as what is needed for intricate N scale models, the RPs can still be designed as cores to which etched overlays can be laminated.

[Chris333]

I don't know if they are backed up across the materials board, but when the FUD was introduced they got swamped with orders. So the 10 days turn around might not happen.

I did see photos of stainless RPed bevel gears, they guy said they were $20 a piece though. NWSL can machine them 4 for $25.

[DKS]

So other than the ladders were they good enough?

Oh, yes, they were really good. However, for a model like that, I think the shell should be designed to accept etched metal add-on parts for strength. Yes, it would cost a lot more, but it would be worth it for popular car designs. The trouble is you just look at the stuff cross-eyed and it breaks.

The fineness is really impressive, and it would work for small detail parts, but for rolling stock that needs to be handled, it's just not strong enough.