3D Printed Block Signals - LED wiring and Connectors Added

they look fabulous if I could see them.

I can see the pictures when I open the thread.  But I will add them again

What do you estimate your cost to be after making a few?

George

Really nice,  are they in scale proportions?

That looks interesting.  I sure would like to see this expanded into an article in OGR.

They look great. Nice work.

I do not know a lot about 3D printing.  What is your source?  A drawing, a CAD file, the real thing?

Ron

The block signals are O Scale and slightly more than 6" tall.  I made measurements on some purchased O Scale block signals and looked a pictures on-line and the UP block signals near where I live.  I then made CAD drawings with Tinkercad for the 3D printer.  The block signal material cost is less than $1.  It takes about 2 hours to print all the parts. I batch print about 8-12 pieces of each part.  In a week I can have parts for 30+ block signals.  I use a "Silk Silver" PLA plastic for the metal parts and black PLA plastic for the face.  The pole is a 4mm diameter white ABS tube.  I am debating if it should be spray painted silver.  It takes 15-30 min to solder and assemble one of the block signals.  I hope to get faster at the assembly.  I should be able to do batch assembly in less than 10 min each.

I have a 3D model of a signal including the pole. I printed a few but they are very delicate.

I may try again using the newest gray resin that is much stronger.

@carl552 posted:

I can see the pictures when I open the thread.  But I will add them again

FYI, you can edit your original post to insert the images so they appear at the start of the thread.   Just hover over the gear symbol at the lower right of any of your posts and the following menu pops up.

Very nice Carl. Let us know if you plan on selling any.

I was modeling these:

These printed but were delicate; The approach you took is better. I should have used a Plastruct tube instead of printing the tube. Like I said I may try these again with a stronger resin.

Attached is the .stl file for the double head signal. The openings for the signal lighting fit 3mm LEDs.

Nice, will you be offering these for sale and can you do subway signals?

Joe

Subway signals are very small. I have a model for those that I printed for 3mm LEDs. Too fragile.

Carl, just wondering where you source the 4 mm ABS tubing? Plastruct? Hobby shop?

Thanks, Rod

Carl

Your signals are outstanding.!!!

Carl

I modeled mine by combining the photos of the real ones with the ones that used to available from Custom Signals who took their designs from the real ones, too.

I shouldn't have tried to model the support tube. It's better to use a stock tube and then attach the signal parts wired as you did

Live and learn.

I bought the ABS tubes on Ebay

Alan,

I love the details in your designs.

One of my challenges was to have room behind the front face for the 5mm LED and PCB board (I only wanted the LEDs to peek out of the face)

When I get home I will post pictures of the PCB board and the wiring.

I also have a designs for "Darth Vader" face plates.  I like the look, but it is harder to see the LEDs.

I also preferred don't to show the wires and didn't know how to do that with the bends in the pipe.

There is also an O-Gauge block signal on Thingiverse but it has a "No Derivatives" License.

Wiring and connectors added to the signals.

The designs are made were done when I was learning to use Rhino, so now I can do better.

Also I have a better printer now.

I was thinking that a better light than an LED would be an SMD

with a clear 3D printed lens fitted into the space; The clear resin can be colored with red, green and yellow resin tints.  It may be way too costly to do this.

Instead, maybe i'd add a red, green and yellow translucent plastic pieces between the SMD and the Lens. Or use SMDs that have a color. Do they make that?

The typical SMD LED on the light strips has a viewing angle of 120 or more degrees, so dispersing the light is already accomplished by the strips.

You can buy any color LED you like, and for larger SMD LED's, you can even buy addressable multi-color LED's that will give you any color of the rainbow!

Are the circuit boards custom made or somewhere off the shelf?  I just received both a filament and a resin printer, and I’m going to start working on some signals.  I can make my own boards, but I’m thinking it would be easier to buy them if they are available

Hi Jeff,

I designed them with Diptrace and PCBWay fabbed them.  PCBway is fast and inexpensive.  I will post the Gerber files tomorrow.  They are on a different computer.

Carl

Thank you!

Hi Jeff,

The Gerber and NC Drill files are zipped together.

Block2LEDv5' (7.0x13.3mm) - 2 aspect (LED) Head

Block3LEDv3 (7.0x21.6mm) - 3 aspect (LED) Head

BlockSignal 1Basev3 (6.4x34.4mm) - Base connector for a single 3 aspect signal

BlockSignal 2Basev2 (11.4x32.4mm) - Base connector for a 3 over 3 or 3 back to back aspect signals

BlockSignal DBasev2 (11.4x18.4mm) - Base connector for a single 2 aspect signal 

BlockSignal SBasev2 (11.4x30.5) - Base connector for a 3 over 2 aspect signal

Carl

@carl552 Any chance of sharing the 3d cad files? I like these signals and I model UP SF and BN so I am used to seeing these in my neck of the woods.

For those interested in this thread...

3D Printed Block Signals - LED wiring and Connectors Added

Admin(s)... please delete Re: Wah Hapun thread ...thank you.

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

For those interested in this thread...

3D Printed Block Signals - LED wiring and Connectors Added

Admin(s)... please delete Re: Wah Hapun thread ...thank you.

Thanks!

Mark

Carl,

Tried to upload your 3d files to third party for printing and it failed due in their words "too many Shells".  Do you have the block signal parts in single shell files.

Thanks,

Tom

@TomNe posted:

Carl,

Tried to upload your 3d files to third party for printing and it failed due in their words "too many Shells".  Do you have the block signal parts in single shell files.

Thanks,

Tom

I printed these just fine you need to find a different person who knows how to use there printer and slicer. What are you wanting quantity and types maybe I we can work something out?? Email is in my profile.

Hi Tom,

I am not familiar with "shells".  I use Tinkercad for the CAD drawing and the Prusa slicer and 3D printer.

I hope you can work something out with Shawn.

Carl

Thanks Carl, have a message in to Shawn .

I did upload the gerber files for the led's, thanks for posting .

Tom

Just curious, are the 3D print ,stl files on our 3D site or did I miss them somehwere in this topic? Really nice work Carl, they really look great!

Rod

Files I downloaded were on OGR 3D site.

Tom

Great thanks Tom!

Rod