Tennessee Pass Models

[sirenwerks]

Has anyone purchased vehicle prints from Tennessee Pass Models on eBay? I'm curious what the quality and service was like.

[KSTXFLID]

Thank you for the question I too am interested in feedback on this seller. Been waiting for some time to pull the trigger on quite a few offerings.

[sirenwerks]

Thank you for the question I too am interested in feedback on this seller. Been waiting for some time to pull the trigger on quite a few offerings.

Yea, he's got a great selection of 60s through contemporary trucks, and trailers, along with a healthy variety of hi-rail vehicles, and a growing selection of passenger vehicles, mostly modern. He has some 1950s stuff too. His photos of N scale models seem to be actual N scale models but some photos show obvious print flaws. I can suppose he was just rushed in getting pics online, but I am wondering what his real quality control is like.

[Mark5]

Thanks for posting this - I see 532 "N Scale" hits.

I pulled the trigger on a '73 Vega https://www.ebay.com/itm/178229722487 (I need a another "project" I guess  )

Like you said, looks a bit rough on the edges - will post pix when it gets here.

[garethashenden]

Thanks for posting this - I see 532 "N Scale" hits.

I pulled the trigger on a '73 Vega https://www.ebay.com/itm/178229722487 (I need a another "project" I guess  )

Like you said, looks a bit rough on the edges - will post pix when it gets here.

My understanding is that Vegas were a bit rough around the edges from the factory, so maybe it will fit right in!

[jpwisc]

I picked up a sampling of their models and was very disappointed. They had taken HO scale files and just scaled them down to N without a proper redesign. Wall thickness was too narrow so parts were heavily warped. Details scales down were brittle and broken. I’d think hard before ordering from them again.

[Scottl]

And the layer lines are quite prominent in the images. 

[KSTXFLID]

I picked up a sampling of their models and was very disappointed. They had taken HO scale files and just scaled them down to N without a proper redesign. Wall thickness was too narrow so parts were heavily warped. Details scales down were brittle and broken. I’d think hard before ordering from them again.

Extremely helpful. Thank you.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Damn that sucks to hear. Some of the stuff sounded really great.

[Mark5]

I pulled the trigger too fast. 

Hopefully, I can make it work as a background model (the Vega).

[sirenwerks]

Thanks Karl and Scott. I still hope MadAboutCars comes back completely. The selection available now is limited. And modeling the Pacific NW I need things like Subarus, Teslas, Toyota Tacomas, etc.

[Scottl]

TPM had a full slate of Subarus.  I was disappointed in the print quality and scaling issues, as my own car model was represented in his offerings.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I bought a few of their fire apparatus and was really disappointed. The rendering files look great, but there are MAJOR problems:
1. Vehicles are printed 10-25% larger than N scale. Nothing was close to scale. Mack CF pumper dwarfed a GHQ ALF 1000, even though the models should be about the same size. They are measurably larger than Japanese (1:150) vehicles.
2. No thought was put into making the prints easy for modelers. They are all one part including handrails, interiors impossible to access, ladders on the damn engine, wheels, etc. These are totally impossible to paint.
3. The details are also smaller than the supports holding them. This results in breaking points on the model and not the supports. All my prints came damaged from the store.

My guess is that this person is using someone else's renderings and just spitting them out without modification. What a frustrating purchase.

[GimpLizard]

Thanks Karl and Scott. I still hope MadAboutCars comes back completely. The selection available now is limited. And modeling the Pacific NW I need things like Subarus, Teslas, Toyota Tacomas, etc.

Showcase is slowly increasing the selection of MadAboutCars vehicles they offer. But given the total number of cars/trucks that MAC had listed at Shapeways, it could take a very long time before they get around to the specific model you're looking for. I would suggest you contact Showcase, directly, and make a request. Obviously, there are no guarantees, but I’ve found that the folks at Showcase are some of the best people in the business to work with and, if Jens already has it, then they might move it up in the queue for you.

[sirenwerks]

Showcase is slowly increasing the selection of MadAboutCars vehicles they offer. But given the total number of cars/trucks that MAC had listed at Shapeways, it could take a very long time before they get around to the specific model you're looking for. I would suggest you contact Showcase, directly, and make a request. Obviously, there are no guarantees, but I’ve found that the folks at Showcase are some of the best people in the business to work with and, if Jens already has it, then they might move it up in the queue for you.

I visited Jens actual site and get the impression he's still designing new vehicles, because his product line featured on his Facebook page has more vehicles than the PDF lists show, like Jeep models and Toyota 4x4s I could use. Short of knowing what the agreement is between Jans and Showcase, Showcase seems to have sole ownership of the line, or at least North American sales rights.
I still have no 3d design or printing experience - maybe it takes file tweaking to get into production. That's understandable if you're taking a model from one scale to another, but Jens seemed to be designing specifically in N scale. If Showcase does own/lease the whole product line it seems printing on an order by order basis would be an option and the whole stock list would be available to order from. But maybe Showcase is buying one product license at a time, doesn't want to jump into the deep end of the pool, or it insists on having stock built up and is limited somehow in that.
It's kinda maddening. Showcase may be sitting on some great stuff. And saying it is "slowly" growing it's product line is an understatement, everyone has "that" vehicle they want (and then they want more). It almost makes me yearn for the hassle that Shapeways was.