thanks randy. it was a pretty good day. it was my day off too, so i spent it with my son and #1 (and only) grand daugther (16 mos.). spent the afternoon in colorado springs (REI mostly) and as soon as i pulled in the drive remembered that i was going to get chenille bumps for making trees! no bumps in my town! don't know when i'll get to "the springs" again. but a good day overall. thanks again, dave f.
Exquisite looking hoppers Eric, they are simply beautiful. You blow the competition (AZL) completely out of the water. The process by which you created them. I think you called it CNC. Could you explain it. Man if you got those beautiful results, I think we should all be aware of that process.
Thanks all! Harold, The process I use, isn't really much different compared to injection mold makers. First I use drawings or pics of a model, and create 3D model in CAD. From the CAD data, I create a CNC program, then transfer it to my machine to cut the part. I use a mini CNC (Computer Numberical Control) end milling machine to machine a positive master out of a special machinable wax. I then use silicone rubber to create a negative mold, and then proceed to cast resin parts. I can hold about a .001" tolorance in the X, Y, Z planes. Now machining a machinable wax, which is the texture of a candle wax but isn't sticky, is much easier than machining die steel that you would use for high production injection molding dies. Sometimes aluminum is used for low production molds, but this has its own issues as aluminum is "gummy", and chip control and chip whip can be an issue. Most detail is created through a process called EDM or Electrical Discharge Machining. This is beyond what I can do in house and can afford, so I will leave that up to the big guys. Although prices in China are appealing! It involves machining a piece of carbon with the detail, and "burning" it into the steel. So the main difference of what I do verses the big dogs is, I machine a positive in wax, they machine a negative in steel. My process takes anywhere from 10 hours to 36 hours of machining time per part. When I say part, I mean, a top, a bottom, a side, or end. I use .010" and .015" micro end mill bits, to put that into persective a piece of plain copy paper is typically .004" thick. So needless to say, I only remove a very small amount of material every pass, this takes time, but improves detail, and lowers the chance a breaking an expensive bit! As for everyone doing this, it is an investment of a few thousand dollars for the machine and tooling to get started. And you also have to know CAD or have someone create the CAD 3D models for you. Then there is the photo-etch design, decal design, research for paint colors and roadnames and numbers, packaging design, instruction sheet design, website and advertising, all while working a (another) full time job! Fortunately, I have over 15 years of CAD experience, along with exposure to machining and manufacturing. Hope this helps shed some light on why our little plastic models can cost so much! It's a big investment of time and materials to create a mold. Kind Regards,
CNC process Thanks Eric for explaining the CNC process. Much respect, much respect. Eric if you can do a ACF centerflow like you have. You know what the next model should be, a Pullman Standard 3 bay grain hopper like the one FR produces. How bout it? In our hobby it seems you can't go wrong manufacturing a hopper, especially grain and coal hoppers. they fly off the shelves.
PS Hoppers Already on it!!! :tb-wink: No where near ready for production, but in the pipeline. Besides, I need something to go with my rather generous-sized grain elevator project... Stay tuned...
PS hoppers Eric, very innovative, very forward thinking. You know the pulse of the Z community. I love those PS grain hoppers. Eric how many people make up your organization? Can we buy shares into your outfit?. (just kidding). I see a hell of a lotta growth in your outfit? Persevere and charter the course. the future looks very bright.
Eric, I hope you dont do a PS2 exactly like Haralds. How about a four bay one. We dont have four bay hopper in z. Well, except the ones that Robert Ray custom made, and I dont think he is selling those.
Know if you could only make those fabulous #6, 8 and 10 turnouts (or, just the tie beds for us to kit our own rail with). .
Rabbit Hash As you guys may know, Torsja and I are working on a small ZMOD Module for the Trainshow in Oslo next month. The Module is only 40cm deep and 60cm wide but we want a lot of details on that little piece. We have the Nails Brother, Dorothey, Rabbit Hash, a burnt Building from Lionel, a Märklin Laserkit (ED's Garage) etc. I'm working on website to show you guys the whole progress. Yesterday I've finished the Rabbit Hash Store. It still needs some weathering and more details but I think it's OK for a Background Model.
It's great looking, and not even for background. I am looking forward to Ed's garage, still sleeping in my shelf.
Thanks for the nice words guys. Rob it's maybe because it's a pain to assemble it. Many missing Parts and nothing fit well. My hairs turn gray. OK to tell the truth, some of them where gray before.
Jurg, That looks nice, I like the looks of the roof. Hope you folks can do some live streaming. If you are streaming video just request of larger bandwidth for the days of the shows a few weeks in advance, so many folks can login at the same time. Kim
My Rabbit Hash is still under construction too. As Juerg I'm missing some important parts and wait for replacement (for 3 month now or so....)
He promised me at the Detroit show this past summer to send my missing parts. That was probably my last purchase ever from him as SEVERAL of my kits were missing parts. He nicely blamed his wife for the problems. ...don
