CN Yellowhead Division

[Ed Kapuscinski]

@samusi01 I'm using Tinkercad (online, free).  It is very simplistic in concept but powerful once you learn how to scale everything accurately.  I could not recommend it for organic designs (not withstanding the new bezier curve feature), but it is ideal for rectilinear designs like freight cars and other manufactured items.

Tinkercad allows copy paste so it makes multi-unit designs very fast.  The C unit of the Trinity set took 20 minutes to build from components from the A B units.

Wait, you're doing these in Tinkercad?!?! You stud!

[Scottl]

@Ed Kapuscinski  TWSS

But honestly, I'm not sure how else I would design in 3D.  I started using Tinkercad in 2016 when I did some tunnel portals and snow sheds and immediately felt like it was an intuitive way to construct a 3D model and it allows precise dimensioning as well. 

[Scottl]

More Tinkercad goodness.  These Thrall 40' 5-unit sets used all the components and experience from my previous designs to come out perfect on version 1.

[GaryHinshaw]

Very nice.  Which resin is this now?  Have you experienced any warpage with any of these prints?

[Scottl]

I have used the Anycubic Plant-based for most of it and found there was no warping of the 40' cars.  The 53' cars needed some brass sills to keep them stable, but the walls were a bit thinner so that might be part of the issue. I would use this resin again, but honestly did not find the smell less offensive than conventional resin.  Every print worked fine, no failures.

I am now using Anycubic water-wash resin and don't like it.  It prints fine but is quite brittle compared to the others. The cars above are printed with the water-wash resin and there has been no warping. I had to reprint a few of the end cars because I broke off the brake wheel stand removing the supports. 

I don't know how this varies from other protocols, but I leave the prints on supports for a few days after curing.  I also minimize the time in alcohol to rinse.  A few good shakes in each of a dirty and clean alcohol bath gets the prints nice and clean.  Soaking resin in solvents for a long time was a big no-no with all the things I did in the lab.  Especially if the solvent has some water in it as they pretty much all do.

Added note:  The Anycubic water-wash resin is very low viscosity, which is good if you are printing in cool conditions.  We had a deep freeze last week and I had some weird artefacts with more viscous resins like the Plant based and ABS like.  The water-wash worked at temps of 14-18 degrees C no problem at all.  So maybe it has a niche use if you can't always keep the print space ideal temperatures.

[tefsom85]

You may have covered this earlier, and if so, I apologize.  But, where did you get your dimensions for these cars?   Measure existing models or ??   I was always curious if one wanted to do a loco shell or carbody or whatever how you would go about gathering the dimensions.
-Will

[Scottl]

I'm scaling from pictures and scatted bits of dimensional data that I have found.  I also confirm dimensions with similar existing models.  There are not any plans that I know of for any of these cars, at least in the wild.

[Scottl]

I've come to the end of my at-home modeling period.  I'll be away on various long trips until September so I have been putting away everything for my absence.  The 3D printer is cleaned up but I was able to design and print my three planned intermodal well car projects.  I now have 19 new cars painted, etches installed and decals started.  They need wheel sets but those will come when I can visit my Montana mailbox in April. 

I had a nice surprise from the LHS.  They tracked down two more sets of the GMM 5-unit Thall walkway etches, so now I have the possibility of doing the 53' Thrall 3-unit sets.  The walkways are not 100% for these longer cars but I am confident I can work around it.  I'll work on the design while I am away and aim to print them in April.

I am also putting the trains away to avoid dust settling on them, but also since I expect I will be printing the last section of backdrop and doing scenic work in the autumn.  Running the trains is always fun and I captured a few pictures at the Snake Indian River scene. 





While I'm away, I can work on some key projects that are computer based:

1.  Remaining backdrop
2.  3D design of 53' Thrall articulated cars
3.  3D Jasper station and related buildings
4.  Decals for containers.  I bought a white toner cartridge for my laser printer and it looks like I can finally do white decals! 

So lots to keep me busy in spare moments.

[NorthWestGN]

Post some updates from “ On the Road” Scott, always following along…

Brent