The SketchUp Plymouth DL

[finescalerr]

I guess this is the right place for a very minor announcement: I have resumed work on my AutoCAD drawing of a small Plymouth gas mechanical and, when it is complete, I hope to extrude it in SketchUp and create a 1:32n2 kit for me and a 1:13.7n3 kit for Marty. Yes, I actually have quenched enough of my burnout to resume some hobby activity. When the entire 2-D drawing is complete I'll post an image here ...  and probably start asking for SketchUp assistance. -- Russ

[Bill Gill]

Good going, Russ!

[Ray Dunakin]

Glad to hear that, Russ!

[marc_reusser]

Cool. Look forward to seeing it.

[lab-dad]

Thats GREAT news!
May be now I can help?
One thing though; the BIG one needs to be 1/16n3
(or whatever the heck you call 3/4" to the foot like us "real" modelers model in!) 

-Marty

[TRAINS1941]

Great news Unc has climbed out of his shell!

Maybe the band might even play a few bars!!

Jerry

[mad gerald]

One thing though; the BIG one needs to be 1/16n3
(or whatever the heck you call 3/4" to the foot like us "real" modelers model in!) 

... I second Marty (1/16!) ...

@Marty
What gauge would that (1/16n3) actually run on (in mm)? 57mm?

Cheers

[eTraxx]

I made something similar in 1:48 and had it printed at Shapeways. Some old pics but they give an idea

Sideframe. i wasn't sure about the bolts so I used brass. I have since figured they would have printed ok.


I used those as a master to make a resin copy. The casting was just on the table-top .. not fancy equipment. The flange details on the end cast fine .. just had trouble with filling the little pockets that made up the bolt heads


Here they are after cleaning up. The bearing assembly in the center was also 3D printed and the one you see is the resin copy .. and the bolt details were 3D pritned this time


another look


finished critter. I was happy enough but realized that for really good prints I needed to have a pressure pot to force the resin into the really little details. Still .. was pretty happy with the thing. The 3D printed parts are the front and sides of the chassis .. like the ones you have drawn up and the radiator shell. Everything else is scratched


.. and what happens when a heavy object falls on your critter .. darn it!

[eTraxx]

Here's how I locked the sides and front on mine

[Hydrostat]

The final two show the frame side(s), front and back.

I have questions:

 1. The little stanchions on the front side probably won't print well in 1:32 scale and I suspect, if I do print them, they should be as separate pieces. Comments please.

Do you mean the little plates inside the coupler/buffer? Which diameter do they have?

 2. To ensure the frame goes together correctly I am thinking about creating matching holes on the ends of the frame sides and the rear of the frame ends. A piece of brass rod could fit into the holes to keep the frame square and the sides accurately spaced. Yes? No? Better idea?

I'd suggest to add an extrusion at the buffer block's sides and a corresponding notch at the side frame. Otherwise the edge won't come out crisp.



It is usefull to have all "solid" parts like the buffer hollow/open, which means only with the necessary wall thickness to save material. In 1:32 you even may print the completely assembled frame?

The sides have a lot of detail. Will the nuts and bolts, lettering, and other parts print cleanly in a scale as small as 1:32? I'm open to any and all comments. Thanks!

Russ

This depends much on the chosen material and alignment during the process. And the procedure itself - remember my telephone. For the nuts and bolts: Add a center punch from the backside at the bolts' positions. This allows you to drill them out in case they don't come clear and you need to replace them with screw imitations.

Just my five cents.

Cheers,
Volker

P.S.: Great to see you model something!

[lab-dad]

Why not make it like Plymouth did?
And use pins behind the bolts or make the bolts as puns below the head?

Does FUD tap?
Just wondering in case i do it in a larger scale.

Marty

[Chuck Doan]

I have not tried the extreme detail from Shapeways yet, but it would be worth trying a first print with the bolt heads in place. And I would likely try to do the whole frame as one piece for simplicity and no alignment issues. You can do like Grandt did and let the wheelsets slip up from the bottom and be retained by plates.

I am sure the material will tap, but there would be no strength in the threads-they would easily strip.

[finescalerr]

Thanks to each of you for your help. Chuck's solution is so elegantly simple I'll try that first. If it fails I will revise the parts and print again.

Marty, I'm designing both 2- and 3-foot gauge models. The 3-foot model is for you.

Russ

[lab-dad]

 

I wonder if the frame in 1/16 will exceed the maximum size.

Marty

[mabloodhound]

Shapeways max size      FUD:284 x 184 x 203mm;  FXD:50 x 50 x 200mm