Hello. I’m 3d printing upper retaining walls or borders or whatever you want to call them to be at the top of “concrete” walls. I can’t decide if they should be concrete as well or if I should print them dark brown to look like wood beams. Here’s what I’m printing and where they will go. I like concrete for the construction “consistency” but like the dark wood for contrast. 
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I believe printing brown for wood would look the best, as your design says wood beams, not concrete to me.
If I decided to go brown, I would try to add three "bolt heads" in the vertical member, one bolt head for each horizontal beam. Simulates bolts holding the wood to your concrete wall.
I like them, but I think they would fit better if they were brown.
you want it brown? paint it
I’m actually somewhat torn on this one. I agree with other members that the brown would look good however, concrete denotes a more permanent structure - wood will rot, decay etc and will require eventual replacement - a RR labor project I don’t see happening.
Capping of a concrete or stone wall is usually formed concrete. Safety railings mounted on the capping is usually metal uprights and railing.
A unique detail item may be temporary wood forming of a masonry capping while being poured. Your wood product is nicely done.
Wood as shown would occasionally be seen on coal chutes. Could never imagine temporary wood capping on forever masonry.
So the masses are just as torn as me. I think maybe I'll print some in brown and see what i think.
Just my 5c,what I see is with the current color (that I realize is simply the color of the material), it kind of looks blah positioned over the wall (which appears to be "rough concrete"). Brown gives it contrast and makes it stand out.
My thought is to create a concrete color that stands out. You could paint it a very light brownish white to simulate new concrete , newly poured (maybe replacement?), or you could simulate weathered concrete, with rust stains and the like and maybe with pieces 'missing'
I agree with others, unless you are simulating wood cribbing used when pouring concrete, that retaining cap would be made of concrete IRL for durability reasons.
If you look at wood outside in the elements it will weather and turn grayish,ex. barns. You could let it that way but put you own wreathing like rust where fasteners were used to make a good piece. Just my opinion but something to consider. Nice piece though.
Looking at your pic reminds me of a concrete culvert here on the CSX main line where years ago they used old railroad ties stacked on top of it to hold the ballast from falling.
Looks like you have them already scaled to tie size. I'd do them in brown and weather them. I'll try and get a pic of that culvert and post it later.
Doug
@trnluvr posted:Looking at your pic reminds me of a concrete culvert here on the CSX main line where years ago they used old railroad ties stacked on top of it to hold the ballast from falling.
Looks like you have them already scaled to tie size. I'd do them in brown and weather them. I'll try and get a pic of that culvert and post it later.
Doug
That's kind of what i was going after. A retaining wall for ballast.
Thank you.
Do them up a rusty brown color. If people ask. You can tell one crowd it's wood while telling the other crowd it's rusted metal railing.
I ordered some dark brown PLA. They are easy enough to print so if I dislike the brown I can swap for the grey. I’ll temporarily attach them since this “season” is almost over for us anyways. Thanks for all the input.
Laz57, how about paying Whistle Stop Wednesday here. Love the pumpkin engine that you showcased today. You could paint a pumpkin face on the front and divert the smoke to come out of it’s mouth.
david, im sure you know this but pla takes acrylic paint very well. you could just paint whatever color u want. for me the pla has too much sheen so i paint everything even if it is close to the pla color. plus paint helps hide any visible print lines.
@stubbygda posted:david, im sure you know this but pla takes acrylic paint very well. you could just paint whatever color u want. for me the pla has too much sheen so i paint everything even if it is close to the pla color. plus paint helps hide any visible print lines.
Actually didn’t know that but assumed it could be painted. I agree on the sheen finish and may paint them in the end. To be honest, I like sitting and watching the process so it doesn’t bother me to print stuff. Haha. Maybe if I like the color I could shoot them with a matte clear or something. Also plan on glueing them together piece by piece as they go in and didn’t figure paint and glue would get along.
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