Mainly 3D Printed LNER Locomotives in N gauge

[Atso]

Hi all,

I thought I'd share my latest locomotive build. Having been made redundant at the end of last month, I've taken the opportunity to really work on getting my 3D printer completely calibrated to the level I'd like to see.

My current progress on two J6s is below. Other than removing the printer supports, I've not had to do any further cleanup to these prints...



The coin is a ten pence piece.

[Streaks and Teaks]

Looking nice!
The detail looks great.

[Atso]

Thank you. I've got to build the tenders for these yet!!!

[Atso]

I've been painting the bodies and highlighting some of the rivets. Some very cruel close up pictures, several times actual size...




Please note that for a change I've done no cleanup of the print lines as an experiment to see how these would come out. Tony Wright examined one at the NEC and couldn't see the build lines when viewed at actual size. For reference the J6s are 57mm long!

I've now got CAD for a later BR version of the class. However having had several days of continuous use, the printer now needs some maintenance and recalibration as the prints had dropped noticeably in quality. I hope to have a BR example going through the works later this week with tenders to follow...

[Ex-Pat]

Absolutely stunning. What's cruel about them?

Unfortunately I know nothing about 3D printing - any chance of a J36 in 00 gauge?

[mattmay05]

Nice to see you back Steve, very impressive prints in my view especially in N scale.

I was reading about Tony Wright having a go at a 3D print kit, I don't think he was too impressed think it was Isinglass think he uses an Ultimaker 1, which looks good until paint is put on it and really shows up the lines.
What printer do you use Steve? I think I may recall it was a B9 creator or something along those lines.

[michaelasc]

Fantastic, simply stunning.

Would you be willing to take a commission on building out a couple of these complete with numbers? PM me if you'd be interested.

[Atso]

Fantastic, simply stunning.

Would you be willing to take a commission on building out a couple of these complete with numbers? PM me if you'd be interested.

PM sent Michael.

[Atso]

Nice to see you back Steve, very impressive prints in my view especially in N scale.

I was reading about Tony Wright having a go at a 3D print kit, I don't think he was too impressed think it was Isinglass think he uses an Ultimaker 1, which looks good until paint is put on it and really shows up the lines.
What printer do you use Steve? I think I may recall it was a B9 creator or something along those lines.

Hi Matt,

Thanks, I've just been made redundant and the last eight months or so at work have been hell so not much time for anything modelling wise until recently! How are things with you?

I saw Tony's efforts with the 3D printed Gresley coach kit, in fact the J6 (in primer) made it's way to the NEC on Saturday and made Mr Wright's acquaintance (as did I!) to gain his opinion of the print; which was very favourable.

My printer is indeed a B9 version 1.1 which can print at a best resolution of 50 microns in the xy axis. The J6's seen here have been printed at a 50 micro layer thickness, in theory I could print at 6 micron layers but this is really beyond the ability of the resins available at the moment. I could print in 30 micron layers but there isn't a massively noticeable difference in the quality compared to a heavily increased print time.

[mattmay05]

Sorry to hear that Steve, hope things pick up for you in the future, for me could be better... I will leave it at that.

Yes Indeed, I was watching it develop probably not the best thing to try and impress someone with 3D printing, as there are better processes like yours to show a lot less printing layers, and a bit more buildable, hopefully yours changed his mind a bit, never met him personally or spoke to him.

Ahh thought it was quite impressed with their machine when it came out, and people like yourself and the company that makes figures think it's ModelU3D or something like that shows what it's capable of. And yes in terms of layer height, there is very little visual difference between layer heights some now doing 20/25microns..

[Atso]

Sorry to hear that Steve, hope things pick up for you in the future, for me could be better... I will leave it at that.

Yes Indeed, I was watching it develop probably not the best thing to try and impress someone with 3D printing, as there are better processes like yours to show a lot less printing layers, and a bit more buildable, hopefully yours changed his mind a bit, never met him personally or spoke to him.

Ahh thought it was quite impressed with their machine when it came out, and people like yourself and the company that makes figures think it's ModelU3D or something like that shows what it's capable of. And yes in terms of layer height, there is very little visual difference between layer heights some now doing 20/25microns..

Actually other than the lack of income at the moment, I'm enjoying myself and it's given me the opportunity to finally concentrate on other things (and maybe make a living out of some of them!). I hope your own situation, whatever it is, improves soon.

I think that your own 3D prints are very good, as with most things, they just need a bit of paint to show their true potential. Modelu, which is Alan Butler, uses the MK2 machine which can print at a resolution of 30 microns. It's also a lot more expensive as you cannot buy it as a kit anymore. However, there is a bit of playing around with the software to get the machine printing at its best.

Where the thinner layers really help is with complex curves such as smoke box doors. While not noticeable under most conditions (and not picked up but my camera), I feel that this is the weak spot on the J6 and I will be spending a little time cleaning this area up on subsequent prints. I've found a great product called Mr Surfacer which is a putty paint. I'm using the 500 variety which is the thickest and you can paint this on in thin layers to slowly hide blemishes on models. I've not really done much with this on the 3D prints yet but I used it to hide the joints in some cut and shunt kitbashed peco wagons to roughly represent some GNR van diagrams. I think on something like a coach side, where the tumblehome must be a trick area to print, this would be ideal and it's something I'll be trying in the not so distant future.

[Atso]

These J6s seem like they're breeding! However, this one looks like its a little later in it's life than the previous two...



The differences between the 1930's condition J6s previously shown and this BR condition one include:

- Shorter chimney
- BR number plate and repositioned lamp bracket
- Step on the front of the footplate for the piston tail rods is gone
- Different style and location of boiler washout plugs at the back

A cruel close up which shows that these prints still have some print lines - these are almost invisible on this particular model from normal viewing distances and completely unnoticeable on the two that have had a few coats of paint added.

[Atso]

Ok, for those of you who are sick of seeing the various incarnations of the loco end of the J6, I've got a new item...



Hot off the printer, roughly separated from the supports and a quick squirt of primer... Due to the funny angle I had to print at, I think this one will need a couple of spots touching up with some Mr Surfacer filler.

[Atso]

Hi all,

Following a period of deep depression, I've only again turned my attention to some locomotives. I've been suffering from this for eight years now, hence the somewhat random and haphazard nature of my modelling. This is also why I was unable to complete the etched wagons for the competition but these are now pretty much complete and (having been stripped of their original attempt at a brush painted finish) are awaiting a spell under the airbrush once I've got the projects below to a point where I can paint them as well.

There are, believe it or not, currently seven locomotives making their way through my miniature version of Doncaster (or should that be Darlington?) works.

First up is one of two D49s. This particular version is one of the original 'Shires' and will be finished as Lincolnshire as that locomotive was briefly allocated to Kings Cross in 1928/9. I'm undecided whether I'm going to finish this locomotive in pre 1928 livery (i.e. number on the tender and works plate on the cab) or post 1928 - which would be in keeping with my 1930's theme but out of period with when Lincolnshire was at Kings Cross.



The second D49 missed this photo opportunity but is a representation of one of the later 'Hunt' class locomotives. These differed from the Shires in that they used rotary cam valves where the Shires used conventional Walschaerts valve gear. There are also a few differences above the running plate which I have managed to incorporate into the model. This one is being built for a friend and will be finished in late BR mixed traffic livery.

Under the body is a real mishmash of bits. The main chassis is from a Dapol Schools, the bogie is a heavily modified M7 spare fitted with B1 bogie wheels while the tender is off a B17 (with a flared version of the LNER tender top being printed).

Next up are two K3s:



Both these models are based off the same CAD file. However the rear one is one of my earlier incarnations of this locomotive (a Shapeways print) complete with integral buffers and designed to fit on a modified Farish V2 chassis. The red one in the foreground (printed on my own machine) is modified to fit a Farish N class chassis and will be fitted with turned brass buffers. Both represent the K3/3 subclass and, again, one will be finished in LNER livery (lined black) while the other will once again be BR mixed traffic.

You may have noticed that I have taken the plunge and fitted lamp brackets to the above models. This is the first time I've done this and therefore, as I didn't make a complete mess of it, I felt that I had to revisit the trio of J6s to retrofit these.



Following this, as they are already painted, I decided to have a go at making a vacuum pipe (guitar wire and a handrail knob) and adding the coupling hook to the BR version of the trio (the buffers on this loco have been in place for some time).



The vac pipe isn't fix yet as I think it is best to paint it off the model before fixing permanently.

That just about wraps things up for the moment. I'll post the finished wagons on my old competition thread once I finally paint them!

[GWR_fan]

Steve,
it is how we respond to life's challenges that makes up our character. You have obviously not let your 'disability' get the better of you and have achieved some beautiful creations. It is hard to believe that they are 'N' scale. A look at history will show that many famous people that we revere had similar challenges to conquer in their daily lives and they succeeded to greatness.