Large Scale Central

Joe Douglass

Modeling
#81

And another thought on 3D printing and our hobby. Let’s face it, at 51 I am a youngster in this hobby. The youth (30 and under) have no interest in the “traditional” hobbies. Does that make them wrong or somehow less creative? Heck no. My kid was making some impressive buildings and other structures at 10 years old playing Roblox on the computer. We would take trips and while we were seeing the sites he was taking mental notes on architectural details and then recreating them on the computer. He was a modeler just as much as I am just in a different media.

So what does that have to do with model railroading. With a technology driven society, I think its where our hobby is going to go. We are already seeing the commercial market place dry up. The cottage details industry is struggling to hold on by the few people not willing to let it die. Let’s face it, if we want to keep playing with our trains into the next 20 or 30 years we had better embrace this new tech and the kids of today will be more likely to play with us if they are using cutting edge technology like 3D printing and Bluetooth enabled controllers.

I say if we can’t beat them the. We had better join them or we will be a dying breed.

Thats my Large Scale Soap Box. And I have had to do an about face on this 3D printing nonsense because of it.

#82

Very well said, Devon.

#83

Devon,

As an “age peer,” I couldn’t agree more. I would add that the computer and printer take up a lot less space than other options, which could enable scratchbuilding for those without spare rooms or garages, which is where I know I found myself for about 15 years!

What I find curious, however, is why big commercial suppliers have yet to adopt the practice of some long running video games that simply release the code or part of the code for the game after a certain time period. The practice can keep a game socially relevant long after it has become “obsolete” in that industry, guide the development of follow-on versions of the game, and serve as “free advertising” for the series between versions. I cannot imagine there is much profit margin on replacement whistles and such, and, of course, there is only a limited subset of modelers with these machines, and an even smaller subset willing to dither with the base code, anyway.

I suspect that someday I will move in the direction of 3D printing, if only because I hate paying $12 on shipping for a $5 part. Just not now!

Eric

1 Like
#84

Eric, you inspire me for an entirely different reason. I love how you have embraced your kids within a hobby. Not that you have included your kids in your hobby. There’s a difference. You don’t force your kids into your hobby. You instead are letting your kids shape your hobby. Thats special. I got back into the train hobby to include my kids as you have. But I do look forward to my grand kids enjoying it. Their parents are already encouraging it. Nieces and daughters are already calling me “papa train” so I hope that I can learn from you and let them influence at least in part the direction my hobby goes

2 Likes
#85

I think the hole in Devon’s Head is a USB port … :rofl:
My 4yr old grandson loves the trains, his brother ( 6months ) will see them this spring … The stuff has to be given to some one… I’ll be happy to see were this goes…

1 Like
#86

Me too. I am glad that even though my kids and my niece didn’t care for the train they do see the value in it and are encouraging me to encourage their children. I hope the train I am giving my grand nephews starts a passion.

As for the hole being a USB port, that’s a damn good idea. I will speak to the surgeon next go around and maybe he can install one.

1 Like
#87

I did a little more on the tender area today, starting with gluing together and fitting up the new underside plate. I had to thicken it slightly (using a different acrylic thickness combination, and recut those pieces, to mount a Kadee coupler. But before all that I wanted to tackle the lurking matter of the trailing truck.

Long story short, here’s the assembled plate and truck.

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And a bottom view.

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Lots of trial and erroring, sanding and grinding this and that until all 6 wheels were on the rails. I’ll probably rework the truck part to thicken the pivot area and get rid of some shims. (Washers courtesy of Bruce Chandler, thanks Bruce).

I didn’t want the truck to flop all over the place, so there are pockets in it and the plate for a spring to keep it centered. BTW, the wheels came from a loco junk-part box (again courtesy of B.C.).

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The truck pivot is a sex bolt. Uh, it’s used in leather goods.

And Rooster, if that isn’t a setup for a jump shot I don’t know what is. :innocent:

No where near done, but getting closer. Before this afternoon she was poppin’ a wheelie! And during most of the afternoon her rear drivers were in the air. But she’s on all 6 wheels now.

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OK, so let the record show that I didn’t mention 3d printing once in this thread! :crazy_face:

Oops…

Since we’re talking about 3d printing now, I’ll probably have to reprint the pilot. I’ve got about 1/32 clearance with the railhead (if that), and that’s after sanding a 1/6th off.

1 Like
#88

No wheelie videos? I’m deeply disappointed!

#89

Wheelie videos are so old hat

#90

Please note that the “Rooster” ends up repairing all of these “foreign” cars…

#91

I messed with the tender truck, after reprinting its arm-bar-thingy. Then put the heat-sink inserts in for the coupler.

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I was relieved when the coupler was finally installed, and at the proper height!

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Here’s how Joe’s looking after more fitup work.

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5 Likes
#92

Glad we are all sticking to official railroad terminology.

:smiley:

Looking really good, Cliff!

#93

I thought that was wrestling terminology :wink:. Looks great, Cliff.

#94

Looks nice, Cliff. But why does a coupler need a heat sink?

#95

Just in case you weren’t being facetious:
https://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n%3A17290526011&brr=1&rd=1

1 Like
#96

Yea, why a heat sink in a coupler, and speaking of couplers, loose those hangy down things on the bottom of them :smiley.

Great work by the way, will this be battry RC?

#97

Nope, a genuine question…I see you reference some heat-SET pieces. My question was for heat-SINK.

#98

To dissipate the heat from the loco’s running around poppin’ a wheelie?

Right, heat-set in order to sink it into the plastic. My dyslexia showing.

#99

Right you are Steve. I used the 4-40’s with a modified weller iron to set them.

#100

I can just see that loco poppin’ a wheelie! :face_with_hand_over_mouth: Those are a neat idea.