What's on your workbench?

JR59 Jan 29, 2006

  1. Curn

    Curn TrainBoard Member

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    Oh please make those pilots available on Shapeways. I could use a few. Especially if they also fit the GP35.

    I’m working on a TheZMaker SW9. So far it runs well with just 1 powered truck. These things a are tiny.

    728DC928-6AB3-43A2-B9A4-6D5F016EDE90.jpeg

    Matt
     
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  2. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Hi Matt, still have to fine tune the design. Will make these available through shapeways.
    /Frank

    Verstuurd vanaf mijn ANE-LX1 met Tapatalk
     
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  3. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Some more pictures:

    [​IMG]
    The brass coupler interface is approx 3.0 mm wide, 0.8 mm thick and 7.0 mm. It has a 1mm pin and MTL size threaded hole. Glued to the locomotive body.

    [​IMG]
    This way the coupler can always be replaced.

    [​IMG]

    ...works perfectly while switching cars...

    /Frank
     
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  4. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Hi,

    Added some paint and BMLA detail parts which I still had. My 5911 finaly has a proper GP9 face.
    [​IMG]

    Some details how I did install the coupller:
    [​IMG]

    The coupler interface is made out of a piece of brass strip. I made two 1mm holes in it. One is threaded for the MTL screw, the other gets a 1mm pin which fits in the bottom of the locomotive shell. The interface is glued in place when the pilot is glued into locomotive shell.

    /Frank
     
  5. ddechamp71

    ddechamp71 TrainBoard Member

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    Very interresting, thank you for sharing, Frank. Would you consider here giving us a tutorial depicting how you have proceeded ? I mean, which parts with Shapeway's, how to find them, etc..
    Best,
    Dom
     
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  6. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Hi Dam,

    I will eventually make them available. Size of the pilot gap is slightly different for GP35 and GP9. For attachment of the coupler you still need te make the brass 'interface' yourself.

    /Frank

    Verstuurd vanaf mijn ANE-LX1 met Tapatalk
     
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  7. ddechamp71

    ddechamp71 TrainBoard Member

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    OK Frank, thanks. Didn't manage until now to carry out a correct improvement for pilot and coupler on my MTL Geeps. On the opposite of my AZL GP38s. ;)

    Dom
     
  8. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Hi all,

    Worked on some pallets and oil drums 3D printed.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  9. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    With my workbench and laser up, it's time to start on a new model. This time I am drawing up a Northern Pacific 2 Story Depot in Z Scale. The prototype is long gone, and no actual measurements available, but I have been able to scrounge up enough photos and pictures of other peoples models to give it a go, based off what I know about the window and door sizes of NP standards.

    [​IMG]
     
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  10. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Oh, sweeeeeeet-the Lester, Wa depot!!:eek::D(y)
     
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  11. southernnscale

    southernnscale TrainBoard Supporter

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    rray! you can also count the wall boards they were also the same size. I have used that many times. that will also help with the window height and door height! Same with Ladder rungs always space the same! Nice building but to 3D print it! it would cost a lot at Shapeways. better if you had a home printer. but laser cut wood would look much better. thanks for sharing, great project! hope you show progress, would like to see!
     
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  12. drken

    drken TrainBoard Member

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    That's pretty awesome. I just got access to a small laser engraver/cutter myself. I've cut some boxes, but nothing like this. Do you have any resources you can point me to that could help me start laser cutting structures?
     
  13. drken

    drken TrainBoard Member

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    Haven't worked that much on the layout lately, but I have bit the bullet on converting my Shinkansen 500 to DCC using their A059 room decoder. I got the motor car working fine, but I'm having an issue with the end cars. I'm not sure what the issue is, but it may be a bad decoder. I'll have to wait until the rest of them get here as I've ordered the 5-car set with decoders. The middle non-motor cars are the simplest to convert, only needing a board replacement, so most of the hard part is behind me.

    20191029_164458.jpg
    Here is the motor car without the cover. The instructions were not very good, but if you read all the examples, you should be able to piece together how to get this set up. Once I figured it out, it wasn't that hard to convert, with the hardest part being getting the drive train back together again. As you can see, the motor does a great job of attracting the small screws used to hold the car together, preventing them from rolling away, which is pretty useful. Also, the decoder comes with extra springs and screws, which is very useful. I also kept the small "paddle" things on the end of the pickup wires to make the soldering easier, which caused the connections to be bigger than they need to be, blocking some of the light, which is a minor issue so long as the cabin lights up and the car moves (they do).
    20191029_164832.jpg
    Here's the motor car and one of the end cars lit up. The end car only has the room lights hooked up and not the head and tail lights. They're still DC, so both of them light up at the same time, obviously not ideal. Once I figure out what went wrong with the first one I tried to convert, I'll hook them up.

    Overall, it's not quite as easy as the AZL and MTL board replacement conversions, but it's much easier than converting one of ALZ's FS9PHI locos. Plus, the extra screws and springs are very appreciated.
     
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  14. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I'm on my 3rd fitting model now, working on roof parts. I don't know why, but these type of roofs with overhangs are the hardest to get a perfect fit.
    It usually takes about 6 or 7 fit models till I get everything right. I came up with a 55' x 25' size for the model, which translates to 3" x 1.36", but while making everything fit and scribes line up the size comes out to 3.06" x 1.33", using 36" wide doors as my reference.

    As far as tips on how to design laser cut models, I did a clinic on the subject at the last Z Scale convention in Medford, I think it was 2009, but I had a powerpoint presentation on the subject, and I have spent the past couple hours looking for it without success. Since I have been out of the game since 2012, I am rusty, but the funny thing is my hands still remember the keystrokes. I have done things that I don't know what I did to make happen the past few days. I'm less than a week back into it, so I have a learning curve till I can get good at it. Still having problems working roof angles.
    [​IMG]
     
  15. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Wow, looking good!(y)
     
  16. tjdreams

    tjdreams TrainBoard Member

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    Looking Good Will you be selling these when done? if so i want one.
     
  17. John Bartolotto

    John Bartolotto TrainBoard Supporter

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    Frank,

    Where can I purchase your 55 gallon drums and pallets?

    John
     
  18. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Hi John, these are made available at Shapeways ZFRANK

    Verstuurd vanaf mijn ANE-LX1 met Tapatalk
     
  19. John Bartolotto

    John Bartolotto TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks Frank! I just ordered both.

    John
     
  20. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Thx, best to prime them when still at the sprue. Pallets were dry rushed after being primed.

    /Frank

    Verstuurd vanaf mijn ANE-LX1 met Tapatalk
     

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