3D printed Code 40 Wood Ties Strips - Quick Pics

[freedj]

Here is a quick test piece with C40 rail.  I used some WS ballast and I am not happy with how that turned out but the tie strips worked well.  There is one tight spot in the gauge, so i'll bump it out to 9.15mm or so.  I'll also  make the grain a bit deeper for the next print, and i'll reduce the height of the web to make it hide in the ballast a bit better.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[timwatson]

I'm fine to share, tho the grain pattern on these strips is itself from @timwatson , so he would have to be OK with it too.

Anything is possible, it is just a matter of finding the time to generate the drawings.  Tieplates have to be adapted for the rail base size and to maintain gauge.  For more woodgrain I am messing around with Blender, tho it is a steep curve.  As always specific proto drawings/dimensions always makes things easier.  If you like, PM me and I can send you some samples to try out when I have any (tho I can't make commitments about time frames).

Thanks for all the great comments and feedback!

Cheers,
Ed

This is fine to share they are already available online via tinkercad.
For posting STL files I would recommend printables.com (https://www.printables.com/@wittmason_247677/models) - it's really a great community that will be fed and cared for better than Thingiverse.com

[ednadolski]

A recent change with some variations in tie length and spacing.   I need to take some pics with better lighting.





Ed

[GaryHinshaw]

Awesome.

[timwatson]

Well done @ednadolski - it's pretty cool to have contributed to this in even a small way.
I am redoing my Hon30 track.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[garethashenden]

How are you painting these Ed? Mine don't look nearly as good, even though they're from the same file.

[Erock482]

How are you painting these Ed? Mine don't look nearly as good, even though they're from the same file.

What do you see as not as good in your prints?

What are you using for Machine, resin, and settings? and how are you orienting the print?

[ednadolski]

How are you painting these Ed?

While I don't have a specific set of steps, I start with a spray of Tamiya rattle can grey primer, then it is a matter of adding colors in washes/layers.  Lately I've been using some of the Vallejo Model Color (the brushable kind) acrylics.  You have to find the colors that you like -- my fav used to be the Model Master RR Tie Brown, tho most of my stock has started to congeal on me (IDK if buying more would be much better).  So I look for ones that come close to that.  For drybrush highlighting I'm lately preferring to use colors that have less contrast with the base color.  If there is too much contrast then that seems to my eye to make is start to look sort of plastic-ish.   For the rail color I try to go with a mid-tone grey and then add some warmer umber tones (not trying to let it get too much toward the reddish/rust side).  I also like to go over that with some powder pigments (Bragdon's Old Tuscan is one that I like) but be careful as too much will start to clog up the details.

One other thing I tried on these was scratching in some additional texture into the tie tops with a fine-toothed saw blade, but I don't think it made much difference.  Doing a lot of track that way would take too much time.

<sheepish> I should apologize, as I meant to mention up front: this sample is HO scale with code 70 rail, not N scale.  But for N I would just reduce the scale by 54%. </sheepish>

HTH,
Ed

[Mike C]

  I knew it looked to good to be N scale     lol   But seriously looks great !

[ednadolski]

  I knew it looked to good to be N scale     lol   

Is this one any better?   (Sorry, my tie clip painting got a bit sloppy in spots -- that's what I get for rushing...)



Ed