Printing an SD10 Cab

[kalbert]

Having learned the secret to drawing tiny things in Sketchup (thanks for the help on that one) I set out to try the cab window and number board mods for an SD10. I based all my measurements on a LifeLike SD9 cab and an assortment of spartan cabs in the parts box with some liberties taken as needed to make things fit and look right (to me anyway). It seems that the LifeLike cab and the newer Atlas cabs are very very close in size/shape so this probably would fit on them as well. The part is intended to slip right in where the high hood used to be, thickness should be pretty close to matching the existing cab walls.

The goal:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1569847

The result:




This was drawn with all measurements multiplied by 100. The green layer is for reference only, not part of the part to be printed. I then scaled down by .01 and the end result is a drawing with dimensions that should work. I cleaned up the layers and uploaded a file to Shapeways. According to their preliminary tests it will print, however I'm sure they will reject it as is based on the number board flares being unsupported/protected and possibly any number of other things.

Some of my concerns.... The trim around the windows and number board probably won't render well or at all. The flares on the cab will be insanely fragile. I don't know what to do behind the lights and number boards, I don't like the way it is but I'm not sure what to do about it, or how to light it, or how to get number boards in it. Also, not sure what to do about the windows, maybe just putting a thin piece of acetate behind them and filling them with Kristal Klear.

Anybody got any ideas on this?

[Ike the BN Freak]

How much different are the SD26 cabs by Atlas from the SD10 cab?

[wcfn100]

How much different are the SD26 cabs by Atlas from the SD10 cab?

Besides still needing the homemade number boards (maybe there's another geep that has something close), IIRC, the SD26 cab doesn't extend down as far as the SD7 because it (SD26) has taller battery boxes.  I can check later of someone can correct me if I'm remembering wrong.  You can harvest the windows to put in the SD7 cab, I've done this and it works well.


Jason

[kalbert]

The odd number boards are the sticky part.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1888088

I looked at the SD26 cab, and at a GP35 cab both. Thought perhaps the GP35 cab could be sacrificed for the number boards and the windows that would then be grafted on the SD7/9 cab and the flares made of putty. That will probably be the route I go if printing doesn't turn out to be possible (note: possible is the key, not practical. I really would like to try printing these no matter how impractical it may be). I believe Spookshow built his with GP35 parts.

The real easy way is to just use the GP35 cab in it's entirety and build the wreck rebuild #555.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=217323

I figured I would do that one, but I'd like to have some of the 'normal' kind too.

[tom mann]

Tim Diezmon built one of these years ago and I weathered it:

[kalbert]

I see a glaring error already in the cab lights. I based the shape there on the spartan cab look, but I see now the home made number board doesn't have the curve protruding from the bottom under the lights.

Perhaps the right way to do the light detail is to leave the front solid and flat and use a resin or pot metal headlight casting.

[Wardie]

Besides still needing the homemade number boards (maybe there's another geep that has something close), IIRC, the SD26 cab doesn't extend down as far as the SD7 because it (SD26) has taller battery boxes.  I can check later of someone can correct me if I'm remembering wrong.  You can harvest the windows to put in the SD7 cab, I've done this and it works well.


Jason

I used an SD-26 cab on a GP-7 rebuild I am working on and just used some strip styrene to extend the cab to meet the GP-7 battery boxes.

[kalbert]

Fixed the wrong looking lights and cleaned up the number boards. Still not sure about the configuration there. Fiber optic light pipes jammed in the headlights with an LED behind maybe would work there. For number boards I'm wondering if it would be "good enough" to fill them in with a solid thin wall. A decal or some sticky labels can go over that for the white on black numbers. FUD is not crystal clear, but would pass enough light to light a number board maybe. Seems like I'm saying maybe a lot.

[jmlaboda - RIP]

Hmm... wonder if the numberboard and cab window piece can be modified for a rebuilt ALCO RS3...
D&H 501
D&H 502
D&H 503
GB&W 305
D&M 974
D&M 975
GB&W 306

[soo]

     Both the RS-3 chop nose cab,, and the SD10 would be ultra perfect for me. I could the two GBW units and then do one SD 10 in milwaukee billboard,, and the other SOO bandit,, that would be one kick butt consist.

Wyatt

 

[diezmon]

Tim Diezmon built one of these years ago and I weathered it:

Wow, that sure looks better after you got your hands on it.  lol

[randgust]

Just a suggestion.... rather than assuming that the Atlas-style numberboard has to fit in there, open up a little more  square-sized space in the back to fit in one of the micro-sized Golden White LED's in the light housing.   The Atlas would still fit, but those of us that prefer a headlight-LED right in the board aren't faced with the daunting task of enlarging the headlight area with a dremel to fit it.

Looks to me like it should be printable, but I'm a rookie.

And while FUD is natively translucent, FUD after a Bestine soak is very white.   Best to leave it open in the number boards, you can always break the Atlas boards out from the headlight part and shove those in the holes.

The only thing I've found so far that WON'T print is tiny slots between boards less than 1.5" (full size) wide.   They dissapeared.   Raised surface details as thin as 3/4"  printed fine and did show.

[peteski]

And while FUD is natively translucent, FUD after a Bestine soak is very white.   Best to leave it open in the number boards, you can always break the Atlas boards out from the headlight part and shove those in the holes.

That is not quite accurate.  It is natively translucent.  The wax leftover after the printing process smooths out FUD's rough surface, allowing you to see its actual translucency. When the wax is removed by Bestine, the very rough surface of FUD scatters the light, making it look opaque.  But replacing the smoothing wax layer with a coat of a clear lacquer should permanently smooth out the surface, again showing the translucency of the material.

Think of a FUD printed object as if it was made of frosted glass. When the surface is dry, the object looks opaque. That is because the surface frosting scatters the light. But if you were to wet the surface with water, the object suddenly becomes translucent.  That is because water smooths out the frosted surface allowing the light to go through (rather than scatter).

[kalbert]

Hmmm... So maybe.... I could do the windows and number boards solid. Thin, but solid. Then after cleanup dab a little Future on them? This would probably work great for the number boards, enough light would certainly get through to light them up I imagine. The windows may not be transparent enough to look right though. I'm going to try it out on one of these air filters and see how Future'd FUD looks.

[keeper]

This is a very interesting project.

Besides the cab, what about the nose? Would you use the nose from the SD9 shell and cut it down?

Thomas