Garden Railway Forum

That is a superb 3d print of your boiler Trevor, very impressed with it.

Don't think I could attempt to be cutting any holes in mine though mate. Anne would be so upset and I don't like doing that for fear of reprisals...

Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:35 pm I think that the issue is printing in ABS. It is a very unforgiving material to print with. I have had problems doing roofs as well. Probably I should use one of my spare nozzles and get PLA for printing roofs and the like.

Trevor

Wouldn't be a bad shout, PLA is much more forgiving for roof's, not sure I could print an ABS roof

I have most of the model ready to assemble - but I am not satisfied with the gears I have used to provide the drive.

They are rather noisy, perhaps this is the problem with cheap plastic gears.

Anyway the chassis as it stands:
It does run, but it makes an un-prototypical racket!

I have taken to fine tuning my wheels in the lathe. Mounting them on a mandril allows me to turn the tread to exactly the same diameter on each wheel, and clean up the flanges as well. It seems to overcome the occasional problems I was having getting printed wheels to run true. Note that the number of skin layers and infil density I am using is making these almost solid. They seem to turn as if they were solid material!
It is about time I cleaned and oiled the lathe!

Trevor

I have also started to assemble the tender:
You can also see the connecting rods, coupling rods and slide bars ready to attach to the chassis in the background.

I am making a copy of all the components (after I successfully assemble each section) with a view to offering the locomotive as a kit of parts in the for sale section of this forum when I have it completed.

I am currently awaiting a tool to enable me to make my own worms and worm wheels from brass - which I think will solve the noisy gear issue!

Trevor

Looking very good so far Trevor, can't wait to see it complete.

Coming along nicely, Trevor.
I must try printing a roof, Steve, I've fought shy of it up until now.

Just had to replace the nozzle on my cheapo printer - my first major clog. Decided it was to gummed up to manage to clean it up properly. I suppose, after nearly a year, that's not bad.

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 1:41 pm Coming along nicely, Trevor.
I must try printing a roof, Steve, I've fought shy of it up until now.

Just had to replace the nozzle on my cheapo printer - my first major clog. Decided it was to gummed up to manage to clean it up properly. I suppose, after nearly a year, that's not bad.

Rik

Honestly, an upright roof comes out well. If in any doubt you can add a 1mm or 2mm wide support each side that just touches the roof, careful though, if the touching point is too small, it will just build separate structures, ask me how I know, lol.

As for nozzles, I replace mine most times it clogs. If upping the heat doesn't clear it, then it gets replaced there and then.

Trevor will know this one, I assume ABS doesn't clog in the same way as I printed ABS at 205 degrees by accident and although it didn't stick to the base board, it did leave an almighty mess of ABS all over the place overnight, lol.

That is looking very good Trevor.

I assume the tender body is printed as 3 separate sides with the insides flat on the bed? The external surface finish looks excellent from what I can see.

ge_rik wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 1:41 pm
Just had to replace the nozzle on my cheapo printer - my first major clog. Decided it was to gummed up to manage to clean it up properly. I suppose, after nearly a year, that's not bad.

Rik

I haven't had to replace a nozzle since I started using ABS exclusively.

Trevor

philipy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 2:17 pm That is looking very good Trevor.

I assume the tender body is printed as 3 separate sides with the insides flat on the bed? The external surface finish looks excellent from what I can see.

Yes the tender was printed as 3 sides, a curved top, a base upside down on the bed, and two axle box sets. Tha axle boxes are joined by a stretcher so there is one print per side. I did think about making the springs work - but maybe next time!

Trevor

The other comment I would make is that the quality of the surface of the prints is very good - probably the best I have ever had. The only difference is the supply of filament. I have been getting it direct from a company called PolyProps via their website.

Trevor

Cheers.

I have made my own brass worm wheel and stainless worm which I hope will be much more suitable for this model. " Free hobing " the worm wheel using an M8 spiral flute tap:
Of course to fit its I had to disassemble the existing wheels which had been secured to the axles with foaming polyurethane glue. Initially I couldn't move them on the shaft and thought I was going to have to make new wheels. After applying heat from a soldering iron onto the ends of the axles they came free quite easily. So the wheels are re-usable. I have put it back together with the new worm wheel and re quartered the wheels:
I will try it in the morning when the glue has cured.

Trevor

Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 6:12 pm " Free hobing " the worm wheel using an M8 spiral flute tap:

Beyond me I'm afraid but it certainly looks most impressive and I'm full of envy.

Wow!!! This must be a first for the forum. Home made gears.....

Rik

I suppose the locomotive is essentially finished. I am now thinking about finishing touches:
I have created the nameplate, and am printing the handrails for the water tank - and they are not actually printing properly (yet).

In the early photos I can see that the loco has oval plates on the cab sides. I am looking for a photo of the original makers plate - can anyone help with that?

I can see that the second one is probably a Boston Lodge plate stating a rebuild. I wonder what that would have had on it prior to 1900? I have a photo of the current one of those so maybe that is a starting point.

And of course I can see a photo of the rebuilt engine in what looks like a dark brown. I presume that represents a result of research and should be the victorian livery. Of course what I want to find out is what livery would she have carried in the 1880's or 1890's?

Trevor

Hi Trevor, that's looking great!

My book of 7mm FR drawings says that the Englands were probably delivered in a "deep red", which had "changed to a slightly lighter shade, sometimes described as brick red". Lined with a black band, bordered with gold or yellow...

I think I'm right in saying that WP's current livery, although lovely, isn't based on a historic one...

Hope that helps!

Andrew

Coming on well Trevor. Can't help with the details you are looking for but I'd guess that some of our Ffestiniog afficionado's may be abe to.

Ah, it changed again after the last Fairlies arrived in 1879 - more later!

Sorry, was in the middle of a telly programme with the family...

So... "The introduction of the last two Fairlies... heralded a period of more elaborate lining. The black band was edged with fine red, yellow and black lines, and the panels were bordered with a fine red line. It is certain that at this period the base colour of the locomotives was a deep maroon... The maroon lasted until the 1930s."

Sounds like the liveries currently sported by Palmerston and ME?

You'd better get the lining pen out!

Andrew.