# 95% 3D printed Shinkansen 700 Japanese Bullet Train



## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

The powers want me to start a new thread for this, coming over from Toymaker's Shinkansen 500 thread. The project is to model and 3D print 3 passenger cars and 1 motor/passenger unit. The cars are broken into 3 sections, each about 200mm long. Also being printed are the end detail, side frames, the pantograph housing and other small detail parts.

The printers used are:
Ender 3D Pro
PowerSpec I3 Mini
Using PLA+ from Microcenter.

Printers are offline for the next 5 days. My Sister in Law is visiting and staying in the Guest/Man Cave. Each section requires about 40 hours printing time.

I'm using 123 Design from Autodesk for the simple stuff and Fusion 360 for the sculped stuff (next BIG to-do).

Besides ending up with (I hope) a cool running consist, I'm hoping to hone my 3D design skills. It's not very intuitive software.

Hope you enjoy the posts, comments/questions are appreciated!


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Exador,
A word of caution, watch out for any PLA in the heat of the summer sun.
The "heat resistant" PLA that I used for a passenger car began to deform when the temperature reached 40ºC.
Especially in an enclosed coach, the absorbed temperature inside the plastic will get high.
Great looking print.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

You are correct, David. When all the modeling is done, I can print in different filament. I don't have an enclosure for the Ender so I'm limited to PLA. Also, when it's 104° here, I'm in the pool! 😉


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

WOW that looks great!


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Been awhile but here is the passenger car after its first color coat. Sanding has been 80-220-500-1000. Lots of experimentation on this one. I’m going to try using a 1/4 
sheet electric sander one the next one.


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

BTW it’s 26” long


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Looking good, sounds like you spent a fair time getting it nice and smooth.

Is that 4 sections to make the full car?

Greg


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

3 sections at about 200mm each. Then 3 coats primer, 2 coats satin polyurethane and 2 color coats so far. Stupidly, I used grey primer instead of white. Color coverage is weak so far. Krylon rattle cans. Ends and end underbody details are printed and await painting. I just finished modeling hybrid wheel sets. They have the frame and a dummy wheel set on the outside and a provision for rolling wheels inside. I'm not sure if I will motorized or display!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

There are some small spur drive setups (motor, gears and axle) available, I saw a few on GScaleCentral (but they were UK providers).. that should fit... of course you might not run scale speeds ha ha!

Greg


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

I used the FOSMOTOR units from the UK with the smaller wheels for my British HST test unit.
It had plenty of power with four motors and was at about half speed to get to a scale 125mph.
I would be worried about whether the track could take faster speeds.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Nice layout. Thanks for the vid.


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## sd80mac (Apr 12, 2008)

That really looks great! Looks like this version goes together pretty easily. Maybe a bit easier than the aluminum extrusions?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think the aluminum extrusions would be less work to finish, but more work to create, and clearly more cost.

Looking at his finishing steps, it was a lot of work to get that nice finish. Clearly not easy.

Greg


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

I upgraded the motherboard on the printer. The stepper motors now turn out a much smoother print. Finish time has been cut to a 1/3. I have also been making many little file adjustments with what I have learned. The cars are now printed without any protruding details making sanding a breeze. No counting the end caps, there are only 7 body pieces. 4 being small caps on the wheel skirts. The big adventure has been developing my 3D programming chops. Being a graphic designer by trade for 40 years, the transition from 2D to 3D was easier than for most but really anyone with computer smarts can learn it. I’m actually thinking of offering up a kit down the road.


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

This is looking really good


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I was curious about scale, how long is the finished car body?

The prototype is 25,000 mm

Thanks, Greg


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

The current passenger and pantograph cars are 26”. At 1:24 a true scale car would be about 41”. Kind of big for even a big backyard layout. I truncated them down to print in 3 pieces on my machine. They print standing on end. My limit is about 220mm. The windows are out of scale. I was trying to make the cars look bigger with more, smaller windows but it’s amazingly easy to redo details like that. Since the model is presented as a fixed consist, minor details are easier overlooked. It’s liberating to know that if I can visualize it, I can build it.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

So what gauge are you building these for?
Surely they run on standard gauge track (4' 8 ½"), so if you are using 45mm track, they should be 1/32 scale and not 1/24.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

I have all LGB (or USA or something) style track. I was gifted 12 6’ pieces. That’s really what got me started on the outdoor adventure. I first computer modeled a LGB standard wheel set and then modeled the side frames out about an inch. I then modeled interior, round supports to the wheel set and cut in holes that the wheel sets fit into. I then added dummy wheels on these supports out close to the side frames. This way the model can display without the LGB wheels or wheels can be added to track run. I’m not a diehard rivet counter. Heck, just look at the liberties Bachmann takes!


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Looking back at my last post, I realize I didn’t answer David’s question about scale. I modeled the cars to be somewhere around 1/24 scale. This is independent of what track it will run on. I’m my case, I modeled trucks to interface with LGB track. To offset the look of the side frames being inset to the rest of the model, I kept them at the scale position and modeled interior supports to maintain the scale appearance. When creating a physical model, scale is the first thing decided upon. For a computer designed model, scale is just a guide to creation. You have to start somewhere. Scale is a more fluid concept in computer modeling. It represents how the models relate to themselves, not how the model relates to the physical world. I can print a 1:24 scale at 100% and have it be 1:24 in the physical world or print it at 50% and have a O scale model. The important thing is that the model relates to itself as correct. I hope I’m not over analyzing this.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Thanks for answering the scale question.
Well, we all do "our own thing" in hobbies.
So you could just as well print at 75% and end up with the correct looking model to match the track.
But you didn't, so that's fine.
I 'model' all my 3D trains in the computer full size, as that's the way all the drawings and plans that I have show measurements.
That way I don't have to keep translating measurements and end up losing, or adding, a half inch here and there due to rounding up and down.
I just find that easiest and most accurate way to do it.
Then I can scale the final computer model down to any scale afterwards, at printing time.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Exador said:


> I hope I’m not over analyzing this.


No, nut I agree with David. Why not print at 24/32 and get a true scale model, perhaps even the correct length!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, if you need to shorten the cars for your curves, I'd go 1:32, which is the exact scale for your track gauge, no more inset trucks, and you will be closer to the scale length... the most noticable thing about passenger cars is when they are shortened, i.e. the "aspect ratio" of height to length. In 1:32, you only need about 30.7 inches to get exact scale length.

The more the length is "compressed" the more toylike they look in general.



















Greg


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

This is fun! I modeled the cars at 1:24 because I used web images, adjusted in Photoshop, and overlayed in Illustrator to draw vector shapes to use as sketches in 123 Design. I find I can create the Bézier curves much more efficiently than sketching in 123. I do sketch in 123 but not as well. The blown up images were about a big as reasonable to see detail. I also like BIG trains. Reminds me of being a kid with my Marx and Lionel. I'm planning on running the last car as is and then playing with the files.


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Greg, Pete, David. Was wondering what program(s) do you model in? I've been attempting to transition to Autodesk Fusion 360.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

I use the old Free Sketchup that I downloaded before they stopped doing that and made it web based.
It does everything that I need to to do.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I also meant to post, I understand you may have shortened the cars to fit your curves, and even if they are not scale length, clearly a unit train of them will look great.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Awesome work. Like yourself I am slowly gravitating to Fusion360 - but still operate the Sketchup Make 2017 edition. I find Sketchup intuitive still while getting to grips with 360.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Fusion 360 for me too, a lot of capability for free..


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

I took David’s advice to heart and have remodeled the train to true gauge 1. All details are as close to scale as possible taking into account 3D printings limitations. I’ve completed printing and assembling 1 car. Today is finishing day for the car.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Very nice looking print.
Well done.
Is this still using PLA?
Cheers,
David


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Yup, still pla. I left the previous car out In the sun while we have been having a heat wave. 100° or so for the last week. The car is fine today. No warping.


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## justme igor (Aug 9, 2020)

About pla in the sun it is not really about wrapping, more a shrinking issue.
Pla can shrink up to 10% of its original size/design.
Can become quite soft in the sun also.
Btw it will take MANY years to let pla deteriorate, many years, even in the best conditions for composting.

To counter this problem there where some hobbyist that where experimenting with pla, they made the print 10% bigger and put it into a oven on 60C for one hour(after the heater turned off ofcourse) they call it curing.
I had some "satisfying" results....

ABS is not hard to print, just follow these golden rules:
#1 ABSOLUTELY no air flow......don't even breath when you are with your printer...no home heating system can be on, not even a full sun during the day(for prints that are longer than 20 hours) both are known for there thermal air movement.
Thats why most successful ABS printers have a enclosure.
#2 First layer not to high or to low from the print bed.
#3/#4 Get your printbed temp AND your nozzle temp in order, every printer has his own good temp for a certain filament.

I can tell you my settings but it will do you no good for your printer, sorry.
Start with your paper, lower 0.1mm or higher than your paper.
Start with 90c on bed temp, print something small, increse with 5c every time.
Same for your nozzle start with 210c.
Download a temp tower from thingyverse.

Pla will shrink within a year even stored in a shed, track width/gauge 45mm will be 41mm sooner or later.
It will remain true longer in a colder climate than in a warmer climate.
My two cent, best Igor

Ps your work looks great! you can pull this off with ABS i have no doubt you can.
Looking forward to see more


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## justme igor (Aug 9, 2020)

Ps 2
I use (in my opion) one of the most underestimated programs there is: 3d builder.


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Can you surface model i.e. move around sketch points in the 3D environment?


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Well, as I said before, I have not had good results from PLA in the heat of the day, glad to hear that you have.
What brand are you using?
Today is the first really hot day we have had this year so I put out two identical parts (sides of British HST cars), one in Heat Resistant PLA (supposedly good to 75ºC although the manufacturer did say in thick sections) and the other in PETG.
Well the PLA certainly didn't like the heat off the track bed.
So, I will stay with PETG as I didn't like the fumes from ABS.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada




  








hot pla1.jpg




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David Leech


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Jun 21, 2021











  








hot pla2.jpg




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David Leech


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Jun 21, 2021


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That is indeed most people's experiences with PLA... years back when people were first getting printers and making locomotives, and posting here, the sun killed a lot of locos!

Since then most people have changed. Maybe the sun is different with Igor is?


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

I have created essentially a tube which I imagine is much more rigid than a flat panel. I'm going to order some PETG and give it a try. Microcenter ships filament with free shipping, that's nice.


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## justme igor (Aug 9, 2020)

read better greg.
If curing is done in a oven at 60c and you are printing in a 30c room


Greg Elmassian said:


> Since then most people have changed. Maybe the sun is different with Igor is?


And i live in a rather cold climate compared to yours? and thus my printing room is also pretty "cold"...
When printing in a room at 40c will not give you the same shrinkage as printing in a room with 15c....but it will shrink.
This is simple knowledge to printing


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