3D Printed Brass?

[tehachapifan]

Is this still a thing? I seem to recall Shapeways doing this. Would love to get some rudimentary loco frames made this way.

[C855B]

It can be, as there are 3D printer "lost wax" resins from several suppliers.

Now whether somebody does that as a service... don't know.

[keeper]

Yes, Shapeways did this with lost wax forms. Worked quite well.

[garethashenden]

While 3d printed metal exists, most of what is available commercially is 3d printed in wax and then made into a lost wax casting. Its mostly aimed at the jewelry trade.

[JeffB]

Yes.

Both Shapeways and I-Materialise offer brass castings from 3D prints (wax). 

I've used both services and was reasonably happy with them.  Surface finish from both wasn't the best, but for the parts I had done, it wasn't really a problem.

There's a few other domestic/foreign online services that offer this as well, but their names escape me at the moment.

I think Chris333 has used one or another of these services for parts.  Chris?

Jeff

[samusi01]

Sculpteo, apparently, and results:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=59520.msg823927#msg823927

[Chris333]

Yep that is who I used. In the past I used Shapeways. I think you still can use SW, but the parts now come from another country?

[Jesse6669]

Yep that is who I used. In the past I used Shapeways. I think you still can use SW, but the parts now come from another country?

Yes, the Netherlands iirc.  So there will be tariffs or upfront fees (not sure how it's all shaken out).
 
I'm currently testing Ponoko for etching, I know they also do 3D printing and machining but no lost wax brass from what I can tell.

[GGNInNScale]

Yes there are many 3D laser-based systems that can print various metals from powder.  The only issue is the process is very expensive and requires a lot of supporting tools and a cleanroom.  When I was a professor, my students had two Hoffmann laser fusion "additive manufacturing" systems for their use.  The small machine would print about 4x6x4inches.  The large machine about a small football.  Most of the work was in superalloys, so I had to work a deal with the metal powder supplier to reduce the cost.  Otherwise, it would have been totally "out of budget" even for a big university.  If you want to have a frame printed, there are people who will do this, but the cost is going to be "exciting".  Good luck!

[Pizzaparty]

If you want to do it in brass a good option is to find some one with a CNC router. The metal is soft enough and a slow speed will do everything you need to make a locomotive frame,

They used to be super cheap on that one website - CNC 3040 I think is the search term

[chessie system fan]

If you want to do it in brass a good option is to find some one with a CNC router. The metal is soft enough and a slow speed will do everything you need to make a locomotive frame,

They used to be super cheap on that one website - CNC 3040 I think is the search term

I've spent this week researching this, actually.  It's not quite that simple if you want to do it right. And as you might expect, you get what you pay for.

[peteski]

The brass loco shells that Thomas Knapp showed s in his recent N-Scale Magazine article look pretty good. No price mentioned.

[tehachapifan]

I've thought about seeing if someone could machine these frames for me, but I would need about 8 or so. I don't know how much that might cost. What I have in mind is really simple though and is not much more than a flat piece with some holes in it. I also forgot or didn't know that Shapeways has been at least somewhat resurrected. Wonder if that might be a good way to go. That said, I tried playing around with a 3D printing design program a while back, but it was so unintuitive I had no idea how to even begin.

[Pizzaparty]

Might be worth googling machine shops in your area. If it’s simple enough you might luck out and find a shop that’s willing to take on a project

Also google “maker spaces” too, there’s members there with lots of knowledge. If they can’t do it I bet they know a person who can