# 3D coach 64



## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

My 3D coach build started over a year ago, but I've only recently finished enough of it to be shown here. This is my progress from last night. I can't actually print out the whole thing right now. In 1:20.32 scale this coach would be 21 inches long. In SE it would be 31 inches. HO is about the only scale I can print the it out in, but the detail is so small that with todays technology it would not print out things like the railing.
I can print out the railing though in SE and in NG and I can print out the trucks but it would be cost prohibitive to print the trucks.
I currently have a wooden model of coach 64 that I've been working on to close to a decade now. I got stumped by the railing. My soldering skills are just not good enough for that project so I decided to print the railing and it is at shapeways now being printed.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

That will be a beautiful car. I can see why you would not want to solder up those railings.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Looks good mate.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

We did some railings for my EBT coach #20 "Orbisonia" that were laser-cut in styrene. This is the prototype:

http://www.mylargescale.com/1stclas...10/coach20/scan0007-EBT #20 pt 1978-ish-5.jpg

And this is what we got from the cutter, with square brass uprights and brass strip:

http://www.mylargescale.com/1stclass/PeteThornton/photos/Misc2011/IMG_1355-railings-unpainted.jpg

Wish we had 3D printing - though making a 3D image of those railings might have been tricky!

http://www.mylargescale.com/1stclass/PeteThornton/photos/Misc2011/IMG_2017-finished obs end.jpg

(Photos jacked up by Vertical Scope server. Images changed to links, but don't expect to see what is described in the text unless something miraculous happens. - Mod.)


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Nice coach. I think laser cutting works really nicely. Hope my White Strong and Flexible material turns out as good.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I finished building and texturing the trucks. I am going to make a solemn vow never to build a part that I don't texture immediately. It is too arduous of a task to go back and texture that model once you have finished it. As it was the trucks were 90% complete before I textured. 
Right now 3D printing technology can not print out everything on this model. I predict that some time in the future it will be able to print out the whole model and apply the textures and paint I have give it. Till then I will print out the parts I can print out and use them on this project.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Have you thought of using community colleges / university / public library technology hubs? FabLab has a number of collectives around the world. What they offer is low-cost training / usage / familiarisation with 3d printing, laser cutting and CNC to the greater public. 

Some of the people involved in the groups run their own business and offer work for a reduced fee. Not sure about your neck of the woods, but here in Adelaide it's a joint venture between the local city council, TAFE and Adelaide University. One of the guys has done some small scale work for me in the past.

If you're on a tight budget, or want to get some hands on time with the tech it's a great opportunity.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Scott I have looked around. The nearest is 50 miles from my home and requires a membership fee. The cost of the fee and the commute really make it unfeasable. I am better off with Shapeways.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Yup,know about the tyranny of distance and that's perfectable reasonable. 

What about this chain of thought? Instead of 3d print the trucks - have them laser cut from timber or styrene? There is a post on MLS somewhere - someone has done it. 

The supplied link is only a example - http://17d-miniatures.co.uk/ - but it gives an idea of what can be done regardless of scale modelled. 

Only a suggestion.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Scott thanks for the interest and the suggestions. The problem with lazer cuts is they are 2D. What makes these trucks exciting for me are the little details that are tedious and hard to model at these small scales and impossible at smaller scales. The star on the journal box of my first protoype which I later cast in resin took me hours to cut and bevel from styrene. The beading around the journal box housing was wire but still very hard to do. Building the 3D model was like working in 1:1 scale but getting what ever detail I want as long as the technology can print it. 








Have a look at the printed hand rails I got last night for the 1:20 scale coach I am already building. They had to be thickened up a bit so they would print and then the print had to be cleaned a lot, but even though this is only the first sloppy coat of paint they look pretty convincing. I've seen some pretty good scroll work with a lazer cut, but nothing as 3 dimensional as this print can do.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I used 00-90 1/2" bolts to fasten the handrails to the deck.








Albert seems to aprove. The railings are only primed, but then so is Albert. 








The problem with shelfing a project over a long period of time, you forget what you have already done. I was rummaging around in the dusty old box of coach 64 parts when I came across these. I forgot I had already tried to etch the scroll work for the obs deck post trim and it was disastrous. I guess that was also a factor that made me shelf this project. 








The solution to my problem is 3D again. Instead of using displacement maps I built these 3D scroll trims for the tops posts using the patterns I had already made for the etchings. The cool thing about the 3D version is that I could also add that 3rd dimension I coulnd't get with the etchings. There are some thin wall warngings for these pieces in NG scale, but Shapeways has this print anyway option which will allow me to at least see if they will print out before I thicken them. I've already thickened them once and I don't want to make them look any more clumsy than they already do, so we shall see.


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

It's not necessary to print the entire project at once. You really can't if it exceeds you print bed. Try using netfabb <netfabb.com> to slice the project into pieces to fit on your printer's bed. The basic program is free for anyone to download. I use netfabb before every print both to correct errors in the file, and to cut it up if necessary.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

The lattice work for the roof / wall decoration looks a little frail. Maybe you could thicken the parts slightly to get a better print and still keep the overall dimensions to fit your coach.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Dick, thanks for the suggestion. I haven't tried Netfab but I have a modler that does slices also. I have no intention of printing this out in slices I'll just make the larger parts out of wood. 
Scott the latest actually quite flexible. I do not want it thicker as it will be too strange looking to me.Above is a progress shot of the wooden model with 3D parts attached temporarily.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Mate, love the effect. They really add to the character of the coach.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Scott, I think it really ties the coach together


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I finished fabricating and installing the railing hardware. Gate hinges, gate latches, and the coupler release bar (cut bar) and the lower bracket and assembly. I haven't done any of thos








This is a close up of the gate latch levers.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Moving along. I have installed the cutbar gear and fabricated and assembled 26 links of 8" chain. Not perfect I'm afraid but very close to the prototype.








While the gear is not totally prototypical in appearance, it is in function. When the lower cutbar handles are pulled out it releases the coupler pin. When the coupler release lever on the deck is turned counter clockwise it releases the coupler. The lever is more for look than function since it will be difficult getting my big hands between two cars and flipping a lever up and then turning it. The lower cut bars will be much easer to operate since they are pulled from the side.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I painted and installed the 3D printed doors.








At this point all the exterior details have been completed. I did not and will not do the interior. I'm more interested in doing a 7/8ths scale version and don't want to spend any more time on the 1:20.32 scale version. It rolls and couples and I think it will look convincing being pulled by my live steam and electic versions of Lanakila along with coach null. So, this project is finished.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

The end result is one top effort mate. As a test subject to practise different aspects and new skills you certainly have ticked all those boxes. Bring on the 7/8's version.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Scott. Before I've already started printing out parts for the 7/8ths build.








I've printed out my rear observation deck railings. As you can see my 1:2032 scale model fits easily in to the 7/8ths railing with plent of room for Alfred and Cy. Not shown in the pick are the scrolled roof brackets.
I decided to avoid a lot of hand work on the trucks this time. The 1:20.32 scale model has cast resin trucks that were cast from molds I struck off of a pair I built from scratch. At the time I built them all I had were photos of the trucks and since that time I have actual good measurements and photos of the each of the truck parts as the trucks were being restored back in the 70s. So based off that new info I built a 3D model of the trucks and printed out the Side frames in White Strong Flexible materials at Shapeways.








The prints are sort of expensive so instead of printing them I decided to make molds from the printed masters and do the same thing I did with the hand made masters and make a simple bolster. The detailed bolsters are really hard to make molds of. 








But the more and more I thought about it, the more and more I decided I did not want to waste all the beautiful detain even though most peopel wouldn't notice it. So I printed out these in 1:20.32 scale (which is much cheaper) to figure out a way to make molds. 








Here are the bolsters and suspension.


















And the brake assembly front and back view.
I was surprised at how cheap the bolsters were to print out in 1:20.32 scale. I think I may just print out another copy and make molds of the brake assembly then redo the trucks on the 1:20 scale model after I finish the 7/8ths.
I realize though that the only way I can cast this in 7/8ths is to separate the parts out. I'm still working on how I will do that. One idea is to go part by part. I probably will just print the 7/8ths brake assembly out and make molds. That is easy enough. Then I may reengineer how the bolster connects to the framing and just build the framing out of wood and if my budget allows print the bolstere them selfs out of stainless stell. I will also piece out the suspension parts and print those in metal too. I'll update when I figure out how.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Mate I hear you and fully understand the quandries you are having. It may be you might have to design the parts onto a linear sprue - much a like a model airplane or car kit. Then cast from that, it's amazing how they fit so many detailed parts to make a full assembly.


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## BrianTFowler (Sep 20, 2012)

I love the spring details. My question is, how flexible is the material from Shapeways? Do these trucks run stiff without any actual springs in them?


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Brian,
They are only for looks the trucks are not sprung. I was thinking of making them sprung in 7/8ths specifically because the White Strong flexible material is seriously flexible. I would need to cast them in several parts to achieve that and learn how to make steel springs that were actually springy.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Your model's looking really beautiful, Richard.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Since my last post I bought a 3D printer. I decided to print out the entire 7/8ths Coach 64. The image above is my progress on the Trucks. Even the wheels were printed, but only because there are not commercially available wheels in 7/8ths for 24" 2.5" Gauge. 

My signature image shows the 3D coach progress to date, here are some hilights images of the various parts I've printed.







I had to turn the axle from some 3/8ths brass rod. I used thicker rods for an aesthetic reason and a practical one; the prototype axle diameters scales down to 3/8ths and the extra weight helps since the strucks are all PLA parts and very light.







I have printed everything I can on my monoprice Ultimate 3D printer (which is actually a Wanhao Duplicator 6 rebranded) 








Even the roof was printed in sections.







While I'm still working on making the 3D models for the inside paneling, I've made a few.







From the very tiny -like these parts to the brake wheel ...







To the medium and large.







The only shapeways parts on the coach is the rear and front railing.







I even used my new printer to print a couple of Einstein figures in two different heights and still ...







I had time to make progress on my Lanai. I have to say, for 400 bucks I paid for this printer it has paid for itself. The cost of my prints have gone from and average of $3O U.S. to about $3.00 U.S. The cost of my prints so far - not counting the railing from Shapeway - is about $45 U.S. and that total includes the plywood I used to stiffen up walls and platform.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Looking great.
What material have you used?
And what adhesive did you use to join the pieces together?
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

3/8ths" ply for the platform and the wall backers.
PLA for all the prints I did on my machine.
Regular house paint for the body paint
Krylon flat black for the black parts
G5 G-lock blue glue (recommended by others and it does work)
An assortment of 00-80, 00-90 nuts, bolts and washers
Some various sizes of threaded rods and blots I made myself. 

16 gauge wire (steel and brass)
14 gauge steel wire (truck springs)
So far that's it. I still have a ways to go.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Beware of PLA in the heat.
My 3D printed heavyweight was in PLA.
On a hot day for us on the west coast of Canada, I think that it was topping 33ºC, the car was sitting in full sun.
A thermometer laying inside the car showed that the temperature reached the mid 40ºC.
The black roof didn't help!
Anyway, although the PLA used was supposed to be good to the mid 50ºC, thin parts inside the car sagged, as did the whole car as there was no real structural strength in my initial design!
Just a warning in case it helps.
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

My printer prints at 180 cc but I was still concerned. The above image is of the windows. However, the only reason they warped was because of the Blue tape. I know the blue tape was the cause because I previously painted several windows and dried them in the hot California sun and nothing warped.
I introduced the blue tape because I have so many windows to paint. It was much easier to fix them in place and brush on the paint, however once in the sun, the tape shrank and the plastic was warm enough to bend. 








My main concern would be the roof rafters. The signboards are wood and they rest of the plywood backing for the siding, but the I am concerned about the roof, since I'm going to stretch cloth over basswood decking. The decking will attach to the PLA printed rafters and on a really hot day, I think it might actually shrink the cloth enough to warp the rafters. We'll see. 

So far none of the parts I've painted and dried in the sun have displayed any sign of warping as long as I don't have blue tape on them, so I'm hoping I'll be fine.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Forgot a few more details about my progress. In addition to wood and metal fastners, I also etched a set of builder plates and a safety notice, which appear on a 1914 photo of 64. And I bought some white water transfer paper and printed my own decals. I haven't put the Oahu Land & Railway Company logo on the sign board yet, I'm waiting to finish the roof first.
I








I printed out the threshold plates, but I'm not pleased with them. I will probably etch those too.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

You sure do nice work. I still use some of your figures.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Jerry. That was fun seeing my figures on everyone's layouts. I have a full collection of them myself, in resin of course. I sure miss the resin ones, but it was not cost effective to keep producing them, so I just sell them through shapeways now. Hopefully, one day, they will become more durable and cheaper through that service and everyone will be able to afford them again. One nice thing about SW is that I can provide all the figures in any scale a person wants


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Mate, looks sensational.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I could have printed these mounts out, but I decided to fabricate them from brass.







After cleaning them up and attaching them to the undercarriage, I attached the front deck.







I could have fabricated the expansion reservoir out of brass too, but I remembered that this whole exercise was to print out as much as I could. 








Even though I printed out the straps, they didn't make it. I think they were just too thin, but it didn't help that my filament was dry and brittle and kept snapping. 








I've pretty much got all the major devices attached to the undercarriage, but I decided to hold off on the linkage till I finish the remainder of the reel of filament I have that is drying out. I should have bagged it in November, knowing that I wouldn't be printing anything for at least a month. Between the cold conditions in the basement and exposure to the open air the filament is approaching unsuitability. I will just print things that I need to experiment with or need like...







This buffer equipment. All of OR&L coaches are equipped with these. I plan on making mine functional, and not just eye candy,







It will have to wait until I've finished all the filament. I couldn't resist working on it a little while other prints were processing.







I had to do a little polishing and painting to make sure it slides in and out of the sockets smoothly. Once I finish the reel, I'll get back to installing the brake linkage and then I can move back to completing all the details in the coach it's self.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

The photos at the top of this thread are not the correct photos. The MLS photo server got screwed up, and randomly replaced photos across the site. Nothing we can do about it, and--sadly--little if anything the owners can or will do to remedy it. This has been a problem for years, with no resolution.

The safest way it seems to deal with photos is to do exactly has you have done--upload them as attachments to the post, then embed the URL of the thumbnail photo in the post after they're uploaded. Convoluted, yes, but the best we got.

Oh, and the car is looking great!

Later,

K


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks K. I wish they still had the edit post option. I could fix it easily with that.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I can edit the posts, so if you still have the photos on your computer and want to upload them (attach them as thumbnails to a post) I can edit the posts above with the wrong photos to link to the updated URLs of what you uploaded to take their place.

Later,

K


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

K, 

Does my ability to edit posts have a time limit or something? On permalink #3 I can't see an edit icon anywhere. I can, see one on my last post? If I can't, I'd just like you to just remove permalink #3.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

YEs, there's a time limit--like 72 hours or a week or something. Moderators can edit and delete at any time, so I'll just nuke the post in question. 

Later,

K


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks K


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I uploaded the SE kit to Shapeways and have it listed with various cheap, to expensive materials. If anyone is interested in a 1:20.321 scale kit, let me know. It can only be printed out in FUD in that material, so, that's not really that cheap. The cheaper the material the less likely the printing will show in 7/8ths but the printing will show in FUD in scales from 1:32 and bigger. Note that the triple valve is not attached to anything in the kit, making it easier to configure for other roads. You can find it;


https://www.shapeways.com/product/H9FUZBFPU/se-westinghouse-brake-cylinder-kit-sw?optionId=97723464









Meanwhile, work is progressing on the undercarriage. I ordered some turnbuckles from Ozark Minitures and I'm hopping when they arrive, they will fit. There are no dimensions on that site for anything. I'll need to print out the bolster bearing blocks and attach them and make some chains for the trucks then I can call it a wrap for the undercarriage.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I got a few things done.







I finished the undercarrage and I'm not working on the glassing the windows. Then, I will move to the inside detail. It won't be too much, but I want to wall off the WC and the Galley with the arched passage way. I'm also going to make curtains for the inside which will require some of the Mullion detail.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi,
Very nice, like the fancy work on the back end really a great build.

Chuck


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Been lurking in the background watching this one... Looks fabulous... 

Wonderful job..  Love the detail..


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks, Stan and Chuck. I keep plugging away trying to get as much done as I can before the dry seaon comes and I have to get back to work on the backyard. I completed the undercarriage with some store bought turnbuckles. I should design my own based on the photos I have of coach 64, and perhaps I will in the future, but for now I have too many models to build and I just want to get this project finished so I can move on to other things.







I glassed the bottom windows (my least favorite task) and installed the brake wheel and ...








attached the brake wheel linkage. I printed that braket out on my printer. It is the thinnest piece I have ever printed and I half expected the print to fail. I had to level the printer bed on the fly (don't do that at home kids) to make sure the piece adhered to the printer pad.








I still need to print out the throw bar, but I'm waiting on some brass rod through ace hardware. My local Ace doesn't carry KS products anymore but they will allow me to order it online then ship it to my local store. It should be here by Wednesday.









While I'm waiting I did some work on my couplers. I can't find functional SE couplers online. I'm not saying they're not out there - somewhere - I just can't find them. If I could I doubt they would look exactly like the ones on OR&L equipment, so I designed a pair using dims from a few drawings and photos. They are pretty close, but they looked too big in the 3D application so ...








I printed out a dummy version of the model to test fit it first.








I don't know if the dims are exact (there was a lot of variation between drawings and available diagrams) but they look close enough,








So, I'll get to work on the inner mechanism. I can't do the actual mechanism, it is too darn small and complicated, even in 7/8ths. I'm working on an idea that uses no more than two springs, but I am thinking I might be able to do it with one spring. We'll see


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## BrianTFowler (Sep 20, 2012)

THis project is great! I am working on EBT #5 in 1/32. Would you be willing to share some of your files? I am planning on printing some stuff in SLA this summer.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Brian, no, I don't share them because I sell them on Shapeways. Thanks for asking though. If you need something converted to 1/32 and put up for sell on Shapeways let me know, and I'll convert them.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

The couplers came out much better than I anticipated. I did - however - discover that I didn't plan the deck out as well as I should have. I should have framed it in so that the front and rear couplers could be mounted the same. This is close to prototypical, but also not close. At least the throw bar linkage is correct.







I used two modified springs from discarded 1:20.32 scale Bachmann couplers.







I took some time to redesign the coupler throw arm for the decks. I discovered some inconsistencies in my original design and the available photos, and now have a closer (in appearance at least) model.







They look very convincing once painted, but not to convincing close up because I printed them on my own printer. I could have them done on shapeways in bronze for about 20 bucks, but I got them done cheaper (25 cents) and faster (11 minutes) on my own printer.







These mounts for the coupler yoke are similar to the prototype, but anyone who really knows couplers will spot the flaws. It's not that I didn't have enough information to build exact models, it's that, if I did, they wouldn't work with the materials I'm using or the scale I'm working in. Plus, I only I had to use one spring, which means I have more springs left if I want to build another - more perfect - model.







No one is really going to see underneath anyway, and as long as they work,,, that's all that matters. I'm getting so close now, I can feel it.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm adding details to the interior now.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I cut some signboards from balsa wood this week, painted, lettered and glued them on the roof. I'm moving at a snail's pace, but at least I'm moving


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## Crisolite (Jan 9, 2008)

That is looking impressive.
I like that sink


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

It took me a few years, but I finally bought a printer and printed out my own. Now I own an electric foundry and I'm ready to redo these prints and cast the metal parts. I'm still debating whether or not to use wood for the wooden parts or just print them out. The FLA prints I've done to test fits (see below) are just as strong as the wooden parts, especially if they are reinforced with metal.








The cost of fastners is killing me now. The resin and the filament costs are pennies while all the fasteners are quarters.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

OH, and I'm still wondering what to do with all the test parts I'm generating. 








And that's just for the SE trucks. I've also started printing out a 1:20.32 Coach 64 and the parts are stacking up!








I think I'm just going to assemble the tests and sell them off on Ebay. I'm running out of space to store the buggers.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Mate, awesome.


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