Welcome to Trainboard Truls. So are you another Jedi knight with your own light saber. We surely want to see some of your project. Just make some avairlable to some us normal people without laser.
Thank you all! I have a ULS laser. I am mostly into Norwegian prototypes in H0 scale, so my first project on the laser was a wood kit of a local (closed) station building in H0. Torsjas modeling in Z scale has inspired me to try that also, but I think I will be focusing on Norwegian prototypes. Nothing is available, so I will have to build it myself. Kims work shows an interesting approach. This is a little off topic, but here are a couple of shots of my first completed project on the laser: -TrulsS Norway
Trulss, Welcome to Trainboard. Your HO scale model looks awesome. to answer your questions, The melting point of Delrin is 172C so it will probably soften at 150C. I was not using Delrin to make a mold which requires the material withstand high temperature for the autoclave process. I used Delrin as the wax replacement which gets burnt out in the oven. Check out this link which gives all the details of how it is done. http://home.onemain.com/~thebackshop/plastics.htm The trucks are Marklin and MTL. I plan to make my own trucks using the same process soon. Kim
Hi TrulsS, you are now the 5th guy on Trainboard's Z Scale forum who has a laser engraver. The laser is quickly becoming a mainstream tool for model railroaders these days. Hey Kim, I got some .015" Modified Acrylic single layer clear plastic in, and this stuff cuts like a dream. Last night I was working on laser speed/power profiles with this stuff, and was able to cut the quad truss centerbeam lace work without melting, and it did not break when I took it off the sheet. Also the truss rods left behind are .013" in diameter and are fairly strong. This is the plastic recommended by Jason Alles. It's fantastic stuff! I had to make a minimum purchase of 10 sheets, so I bought 10 each of the .015" and .010" material. The sheet size is a bit larger than 2 feet by 4 feet. -Robert
Excellent progress. So you can now cut more realistically dimensioned parts than with the thicker wood. How about 3D ? Can you cut the various square and taper edges with it? Between you and Kim and now the FannoCreek (Ngineering Co?) guy in Oregon, it's going to be great to see some better detail flat parts. I'd like to see people start to offer some flat details to compliment BLMA and other photo etched parts suppliers. Not enough flat parts, kits, etc. The nice thing about plastic (and wood) is the greater depth of 3D cutting compared to photo etch. Ultimately, we'll be able to make nice thick round parts, whether cast, laser cut or "printed".
Kim, This is amazing!!!! The ability to create trucks(!)! I can see a nice Pullman lightwight car truck, 6- wheel passenger heavyweight and freight trucks (like the Buckeye), and oddball locomotive truck frames for those interested in Baldwin or F/M prototypes... Even only laminated onto a locomotive truck, they would do nicely! The possibilities are endless! http://kimsartshop.com/sitebuilder/images/DSC01388_Large_-250x187.jpg Wow! That car would have such a low center of gravity, and is 'pre-weighted' already, so it should ride like a dream! Very well-done!
if I understand the process correctly it is converting the part from plastic into brass part (destroying original part in the process). So apart from all the advantages of having metal part instead of plastic one (and there are many) it does not help as means of producing large quantities of new, precise parts. Let me know please if I got this right? thanks Chris
But it should be pretty easy to produce a new master with the laser system when the mold is worn out. Yes?
There is an advantage, that is you make the plastic master 5% bigger, cast it in brass, so now you have a brass part that is 4% bigger, you use the brass to make molds. The reason you use metal to make the molds is because of the molding process requires high temperature and pressure (autoclave). The mold shrinks by 3%. Now you use the mold to make multiple wax investments to cast in brass which shrinks by 1% so you come back to 100% actual size. Longer process but this way you can make multiple of the same parts. This is the plan for the Steam shell except when the brass master is made I could weld some more detail parts together including the cab and make a mold out of it. Kim
that's the whole point - there is no mould... read from the page that Rob is quoting: once your original has vaporised and you cast your metal part, to get it out you have to destroy the mould. It is one time process. Chris
Talking about rounder parts here is something to look at The outer right is brass the others are different thickness and different roundness to give the 3D effect.. One more Kim
Wow, Kim, those are some great looking brakewheels! What material is that sheet? How's the strength? You guys just keep on impressing........ :thumbs_up:
WOW! This is great! Before we know it, 1:220 Z scale is going to be like G scale to you Kim for you will be into Nano Trains!! Those are awesome looking brake wheels. All are uniform. I have yet to produce a full 2"x2" sheet full of brakewheels for Robert that look that good. Brass etches quicker around the edges than in the middle. Awesome! Does this mean Robert will not need anymore of my etched brakewheels? No telling what realm this laser will take you too! Awesome! Hobo Tim lane:
Oh WOW! Those look fantastic and more 3D than etched brass! OK, I got to try that. What did you do, set it to 1200DPI, 1% speed and 5% power? Is that the .020" material or thinner? That ushers in a new era of 3D laser engraving. Excellent work Kim!
Thanks guys, The material is card stock and plastic at different thickness. Since it is so small it is pretty strong. I thought I'll have to soak them in CA to make it strong but the squish test proved otherwise. To make them I rastered at 100% speed and power at 1200 dpi. I tried different DPI's and 600 looked the best to the naked eye but after macro photos 1200 DPI was better looking. Kim
