We are excited to announce a new, online-only feature for our registered users: High-tech modeling for garden railroaders! Contributor Steve Berneberg will guide you through using 3D printing, whether you own a 3D printer or not.
Please post your comments and questions here. We welcome your feedback.
We are excited to announce a new, online-only feature for our registered users: High-tech modeling for garden railroaders! Contributor Steve Berneberg will guide you through using 3D printing, whether you own a 3D printer or not.
Please post your comments and questions here. We welcome your feedback.
Welcome all to the High Tech modeling. I have been 3D printing for years, own my own printer, and have used a wide variety of others. The price is coming down quickly on some quality printers. It is still not as easy as hooking up your typical printer. If you have questions, I will be happy to answer; if I can. If not, I know plenty of people in the industry that probably can answer the most difficult question. Probably the hardest part is making the model. Hopefully in the next few articles I can show you modeling programs (free for downloading) and how to use them.
I also used many other tools like laser cutters, 3D scanners, cnc mills, cnc lathes and other fancy tools. I am also build robots for fun and industrial applications. Perhaps later I will show you how I applied what I know about Robots to my G and 1/5 scale layouts.
If anyone has anything to add, I am always interested in others solve problems that face the rail yard.
Thanks very much for your help to get us oldtimers into 21st century modeling. I have successfully launched some very simple signs on Shapeways but have totally failed in several attempts to do anything more complex, even the attached window. Do you have a suggestion on how I might get a Shapeways compatible file made of this window?
You will need to find someone with a ‘solid modeling package’ like SketchUp http://www.sketchup.com/download to develop a solid model, then convert it to an STL file. With a little download time and practice, you could do this on your own. There are plenty of ‘How-To’ videos on YouTube to aid in your learning.
There are also some folks who can do the entire process for you - generat the model, generate the STL, and produce the 3D printed part. These folks will most likely charge for their services though.
The commenter is correct. You can do this in sketchup or if you want I would be more than happy to do it for you. I do however, use SolidWorks which will not transfer to sketchup, or openSCAD or TinkerCAD…I could go on. There are several intermediate files that people use to transfer between CAD programs; sometimes they work, sometimes they do not.
I use SolidWorks because I have used it for years. Does not mean there are better modeling programs out there; just that I am familiar with it and can get the model done really fast using the programs that I know. I could do it in openSCAD but that would take about a day. In SolidWorks I can do this in about fifteen minutes. So if you like, I would be more than happy to do it for you. By the way, I am currently modeling a TP56 locomotive using SolidWorks and using a laser cutter to cut it out. Got the base done. Would be more than happy to share it with the world.
I am looking at your drawing and I do not know the exact location of the 2.4"R. I am sure it is in the middle of the width of the window, but not sure how “high” it is inside the window.
Also the cross member inside the window: that is going to need support material when it is printed which is possible, but if you drop the member down to meet the bottom of the frame it will be easier to printer. No support material is needed and cleanup is easier. I usually glue my window glass to the back frame so I do not need a piece of glass that is perfectly sized.
Another 3D program that doesn’t get much mention but is very powerful is Blender. This is a free solid modeling program that I personally use to do 3D people figures for printing with, but it will do almost anything. It does have a bit of a learning curve but is very well supported in terms of tutorials and Youtube videos. You might want to check it out-
Thanks to all for your comments. Steven, I am looking forward to the sample window. And yes, I would be very interested in a thread on your TP56 locomotive. Far beyond my skill level (and patience level) but always fascinating to follow a project like that. David
Part 5 is now live and has been added to the list. If you have a topic you’d like to see covered, please let us know. Author Steve Berneberg checks this thread and can reply.
You might look at “Tinkercad.com” for quick and easy design of 3D projects for your garden railway. It is on the web, free, and designed for today’s 4th grade reading level, so old folks like us can (usually) figure it out. I’ve been making garden rr stuff for a little over a year, including doors, windows, signs (really easy with Tinkercad beta), car loads, draw bars, fire hydrants, and so on. 3D may not be THE wave of the future, but it certainly is A wave of the future.
Tinkercad is a very good program. I know lots of people using it and you are correct, the younger generation latches right on to it. While 3D printing is not a fad, it is just a tool that one can use. I find somethings are better made with a laser cutter, bandsaw or just a plain old utility knife. Pick the right tool for the job. I hope you are finding this useful.
I am enjoying the 3D printing series, just read Number 8. I still doubt that I will get my own printer but knowing more about the process will help with future designs. Also, I need to apologize to you and the group for not following up on the RBRBB industrial building window project.
Not only did you do a great job on the 30 plus windows I needed, but I appreciate you driving from California to central Indiana to see how they looked. [8D] It was an excellent visit chatting and running trains on a perfect September afternoon.
Here is a partially finished 3D print of a craftsman bungalow. I designed it in Tinkercad, divided it into buildable parts (my printer can’t print anything this big). Pictures are on SVGRS Facebook page.
Here is a partially finished 3D print of a craftsman bungalow. I designed it in Tinkercad, divided it into buildable parts (my printer can’t print anything this big). Pictures are on SVGRS Facebook page.
Building looks good. I have not attempted full buildings, just the windows doors and accessories.
