From what I've read resin is 100% the way to go for N scale, and Elegoo's resin printers are very solid. But right now 3D printers are in the same boat PCs were 20 years ago, with exponential increases in performance every year. Basically, the Mars Pro is a 486 in the modern Pentium II world
Resin carries fine detail better for car bodies and smaller parts. Filament is superior for terrain and pieces that require more durability. And like @jwaldo said, the improvements in both are progressing quickly. FDMs are turning out detail now that was unheard of 3-4 years ago.
I remember when our mechanical engineers started rendering assembly mockups with resin 3d prints. They were awesome for verifying our electrical harness/flex-print placement (bending, anchoring, connector mate/de-mate space, tool access to fasteners, etc.) Really sped things up!
With new resin in hand, I have made Progress! Only 3 out of 8 prints failed, and the parts are recognizably detail parts instead of blobs. There's also more shrinkage than I expected; the parts are noticeably smaller than their Sunrise/scratchbuilt counterparts. But I am cautiously optimistic that once I dial in the scaling, exposure time, and support placement even the Mars Pro will print useable detail parts!
Test run number three stayed 100% attached to the supports, AND everything but the very tiniest details printed. I feel confident enough that I've ordered a UV light so I don't have to cure parts by setting them outside in the sun
I think if you add more side supports (should be in your Elegoo software somewhere), you will be successful. Good luck.
The supports are there: increasing the number and optimizing the placement of suports made all the difference in not losing half the prints like the previous run. The main problem now is just how darned small the parts are. On the air dryers you can see where the support bases for the mounting brackets mostly printed, but the brackets themselves are so small that the supports just fizzled out: A newer 8k printer with 20-micron pixels and a monochrome LCD could probably print this part just fine. But for the Mars Pro these parts are a real stress test. I think I can turn up the exposure a little more so that the smallest supports actually print.
Hi I corrected my note to "more side supports" to be more clear. I printed a whole bunch of fire hydrants in my Mono2 without a problem- really tiny. Printed at 30um steps. I just use the basic gray resin. Seems to work well in the heat here.
Today was make sawdust day at the Cascade Southern shops. A friend wanted a couple T-Trak modules built and I couldn’t day no to that. Here are some XL end caps. This is the front. Here is the back. Note the little hole, that’s for the 2x2 powerpole socket that I make goes. And all of that makes this with track added. The owner of the module wanted to have power to the module even though it’s an end cap. This is a double with a depressed center for a river scene. I also made 2 regular doubles but you all have seen me make those before so I didn’t bore you with the pics.
the framework is 1/2” and the top is 5mm cabinet ply. It makes a really strong and lightweight module. They are all glued and stapled together for extra strength.
Very nice work! I like the river module, with lots of options for a wide river or a meandering creek, depending on how the owner fills in the middle. Or even a lowered, urban highway, with a variety of vehicles running underneath the railroad overpass.
I made a section of layout a while ago using a similar process and found the thin top layer created somewhat of a speaker effect and magnified the sound when running trains (Kato track as well) over it. How do you deaden the sound on this, or is it even an issue? Also, based on your bottom picture I am guessing the top right is the head end of the module?
The same effect as a hollow-core door... You could glue a 1/2" layer (or thinner, if you can find it) of foam insulation board to the underside of it (except on the depressed center module, but then, the track isn't directly on the center section either).
Hi to all Looking for some help ID-ing this frame. It is Atlas, maybe Kato or Roco? I picked this up a few months ago, and getting around to putting ESU LokSound and an OWS speaker. I have about 20+ Atlas engines of different ages (a couple date to the late 90s), but I have never seen a motor like this, nor a frame with the sill extension plate. The motor is held with two structured plastic rings with small points that fit into slots in the frame halves. See the pictures. The trucks have metal insides, with plastic outer frames. Power routes from the axles into the interior frames then to the main side frames at the pivot. Any help would be useful. Thanks. BTW I checked Spookshow, the Atlas archives and Trovestar, and some random wandering on the internet, but no match so far.
So before the scenery gets added to the modules they are very loud, but once everything gets added the sound levels decrease quite a bit. The cut out section is the audience facing side. The last river module I made the recipient wanted both ends cut out, so I did, this one was requested only the front so, I only did the front.
I know, it's the exact same macro shot of the exact same detail parts for like the fifth time in a week, but I'm making everyone learn 3D printing along with me, want to or not . And this is a notable change. I'd hit a wall quality-wise with the software settings, but today I replaced the fogged and wrinkled old FEP bottom of the resin tank with a fresh sheet. Despite the limited resolution of the Mars Pro the quality of the parts still went up substantially with no major changes to print settings. The supports for the air dryers actually printed, and I don't even need to hold a magnifying glass to the phone camera to get a recognizable picture. If anything, I think my software settings are over-exposing now due to the old FEP and washing out the detail. I'm nowhere near up to par with Sunrise's casting quality yet, but I'm going to keep trying my damnedest. Sixth time's the charm, maybe.
To all that helped on the Atlas U-frame and motor- Thanks!!! I had a brain-fart, and missed the frame numbers cast into the sides, oh, maybe 10 times!... Sheesh. So, in the immortal words of Roseanne Rosannadana... Never mind!
Can you find the resin manufacture's settings for your printer? Maybe all of them don't do that? I'm using Siraya Tech and they do. I used them on my first printer and then the AnyCubic Photon M3 and they were spot on for both on the first test print of.... ... the AmeraLabs Town Test shown above. A good place to start. I've never had to mess with the settings at all. What is the smallest detail you are trying to print? I find that going below .007"/.18mm...... .... like the bandsaw blade shown above or... .... the fans above is about as small as I try to go. Much below that with my printer doesn't print well enough to see and even if one can will they be able to see it in most situations. That is 1 N scale inch or 1/2" in HO. I've been able to print that with the first printer that also cost about $200 and it is a couple generations behind now. Maybe about what you are using. I've mentioned this before on here and will probably mention it in the future but the only resin I'm using now for 'everything' is Siraya Tech's 'Build' Sonic grey. Prints great detail, is strong and somewhat flexible. You can bend that bandsaw blade without it breaking and you can drill and tap it without it breaking into pieces. It costs a little more but if you aren't loosing prints with it and it prints great for about anything you want to print it can be a good deal. Sumner
