Are custom train parts going to be this easy to come by?

Interesting, but I find myself curious if the material that can be printed would work for many parts (not al plastic is the same, of course).

Still interesting!

-Dave

would need to see the resolution of parts, I have already made some mounting brackets for sideframes for my Milwaukee Road GP30 project

hello guys an gals......

Only if you like 100% plastic locomotives and cars. 

the woman who loves the S.F.#5021

Tiffany

Already being used in the plastic model field. Most use it to make masters that are then used to make copies in RTV molds with cold set resin. Resolution gets better every month. Right now it is decent to good. The parts will not take to much stress....but as stated can be used to make molds for poured metal parts at a cost a fraction of other methods. It is a big part of the future of all hobbies IMHO. 

 That thing would be great if it could make my grills for my G scale scratch build. I just can't get them perfect. How in the world...... could you go from a picture? Someone to do it in CAD???

 Scott, do you own any G scale???

Not all 3D printing is in plastic.  Some companies have been working on 3D printers that produce laser-sintered metal parts.  And then there are composite materials.  When these machines come on line commercially, any repair part needed will be able to be produced this way.  It wouldn't replace mass production lines any time soon, but you won't ever fear part availability again.

Better brush up on our CAD skills...

Andy

CAD 3D which I attempted to learn on my own and failed.....besides I work in CorelDraw and just upgraded it so I have a full plate with that.  There is some scan and print software out there but can only interpret very simple parts. What kind of grille are you making???

Hope that you don't mind that your parts are made of stacked printer paper.

I think there are more practical 3D printing systems out there than this one.

Anyone contemplating learning basic 3D CAD need not go any farther than downloading SketchUp from Trimble (was previously from Google).  It's free

and is pretty easy to learn the basics.  Then you can simply email your CAD

file to a service than can 3D print your parts.

I think this is an off-shoot of stereo-lithography which has been around for the last 15 years or so.

Anyone ever hear of 'lost wax casting'?  You take those little plastic parts and use them in the METAL casting process and you no longer have little plastic parts!  

The Cube is the cheapest setup so far $1295

http://cubify.com/cube/index.a...TI-bMCFWlxQgod8DwAXg

Russ

Ed Traxxler has been doing this for a while now.  With his help I have started making 3D stuff for my equipment.

very cool.

On the sides at the rear of the SD70ACE is some horizontal and vertical slats that form a grill. It seems easy, but their hard to get perfect. I did some half lap joints that were rough.

On TV I saw an adjustable crescent wrench made in one of those machines and it actually worked i.e. the little thumb wheel and all.

.....

Dennis

The sticking point is coming up with the CAD file to drive the printer.

I think it will be about 10 mores years before it will be perfected for general use but it is exciting technology. It's only the beginning of what is to come.

3d create tyep software called Invent from the folks at Cube and at the staggering price tag of $49 - watch the tutorials, doesn't look like its the rocket science everyones seems to make it out to be! Just my 2 cents wsorth.  Russ

http://cubify.com/products/cub...spx?tb_create_invent