1:24 3D Printed GE U10b (NZR Dh class)

1:24 3D Printed GE U10b Dh class. Pre-shunters refuge and painted as she came out new. Unsure of her number yet, will have to find out which Dh resided in Whangarei in the 80/90's. For the chassis i'm using a 4 axle power truck, Aristocraft I think. 

Prototype - Photo by R.Bryant, Early 1996 Whangarei Loco - DH2816, DF6127 & 6058, DFT7158

Prototype - Photo by R.Bryant, 1997 Whangarei Yard, DH2816 Shunting.

1:24 3D Printed GE U10b Dh class

Printer - UP PLUS 2

Quality - Fast

Internal honeycomb structure - second smallest size

1 024.5g 01hr 31min Res0.2

2 123.4g 07hr 23min Res0.2

3 136.9g 08hr 06min Res0.2

4 170.5g 10hr 06min Res0.2

5 201.1g 11hr 35min Res0.2

6 024.6g 01hr 31min Res0.2

7 048.8g 02hr 52min Res0.2

Total Print Time 43hr 04min

Material Cost 729.8g (less bogies)

3d printed body glued together n painted in "Satin Granite"

3d printed body glued together n painted in "Satin Granite"

After a lick of red and yellow. I've been using cans purchased from Wynn Fraser paints (Don't tell em your painting trains at night time - really bad idea I found..). The brand is "RUST-OLEUM" paint & primer in one, worth $13 a can normally. For the NZR fruit salad scheme i'm using Satin Granite(grey), Gloss Apple Red & Gloss sun yellow.  For the modern Kiwirail colours i'm using Lemon Yellow, & Gloss Dark Grey. I still haven't found a match for Kiwirail red, which is quite orange in certain light.  

I'm quite keen to do a Da next, in the original scheme. Would look great on the head of a silverstar set!

Printing a Dh in 9mm (1:33.9 scale) for a customer (Centre image), after gluing sections, bogging, sanding & covering with Satin Granite primer/paint it came out quite well. Tempted to print it in 1:64 just to see how the detail might survive..

After adding trucks/bogies, one powered, one dummy.

A wee video of the 1:24 Dh test run, using a similar power block as the dsg, they make a good pair.

After adding decals, handrails, couplers & horn

After adding decals, handrails, couplers & horn

1:24 50ft Car First Class BPX25175 (Neil Wards Design 4 9mm)

Neil Ward kindly let me use his beautifully designed 50ft Carriage 3d files with the purpose of creating a nice rake to run on the future outdoor NZR only layout at portland.

It took just over 1kg of ABS 1.75mm filament for the carriage and details. At least 2 weeks printing & assembling.

The roof needs painting flat black, the rub plates, vestibules & handrails etc still need doing.

1:24 Vestibules folded & glued, Template cut & scored ready to fold. 

Template I made up, I printed Black lines onto black 220gsm paper ($ warehouse stationery 10 pack) using an inkjet printer. Then scored the lines with a razor & metal ruler. Folding & attaching rub plates simple enough.

Vestibules sitting in place, not wanting to fix in place until the roof is finished

Working on the vestibules for the carriage, I've worked the template out on some dodgy card but will pick up something from the stationery shop. The smaller black one is from the old mans scratch built 9mm carriages, about 25 years old.

A long way to go, but still more seats than the Internet Mana party ever had.

First bogie finished, bearings & wheels sitting in place.

Run out of filament with 3 seats to print (not yet attached), an interesting pic before the walls & toilet go in mostly blockiing this view.

Wall partitions printing. All seats in place. I don't think i've seen the man in the pic not using his phone, a sign of the times.

1:24 F & carriage on display for the old man at portland, Roof will be painted flat black when I buy more paint.

And the obligatary topless shot.

A video of the 1:24 Dbr, Di & 50ft Carriage having a short back n forth.

Second 1:24 50ft car body completed

I've spoken to Neil about the possibility of making these beauties to nz120, although by far not his scale. If it could be done & printed locally using Neils Printer I myself would love a set in nz120 :D An exciting future indeed.

2nd Carriage progressing along, 1st batch of people try out the seats, bums need some heavy sanding.

Second 1st 50ft Car creeps forward in progress. Internals all done, Figures all painted by mum. Toilets & fittings added, not to fussed on correctness here as the window will be blanked out. Will look around for 1x2cm mirrors for the toilets, maybe a 2dollar shop will have something. Wheel order arrived in auckland today, so will push 1 or 2 more of these out.