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Printing Loco Wheels

Started by 753, Feb 08 2022 09:49

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753

Feb 08 2022 09:49
John

As you are now skilled with 3D printing, what do you think of printing loco wheels. In an earlier post Mike W mentioned that some think Slaters wheels have short comings, do you think you could print a more accurate wheel?

Mike

cabbage

#1
Feb 08 2022 13:26
I have two printers. I have two lathes. I think that I was the first member of the G3S to buy and build a reprap. The new printer a tronxy pro, *could* print a spoke wheel centre in Nylon. I have tried printing at high resolution with "facets" set to the thousands on the reprap, but, it still needed truing up on the lathe. I really should try again with the tronxy.

Regards

Ralph

John Candy

#2
Feb 08 2022 17:52
Mike,

At present, I have no need for loco wheels, since Slaters have already provided the wheels for my next 3 locos.

I have printed large circular objects (e.g. the 2,000 gallon cylindrical LNWR water tank) and they have come out perfectly round.

I suspect (as Ralph has said) that a wheel centre would need truing-up in the lathe but of more concern would be the long-term stability of the material.
Many of the plastics used in FDM printers come with warnings about moisture content (hygroscopic properties) as well as stability when subjected to heat.
Making a pattern from which to cast in metal is one route but that is not what you are asking.

Slaters use a glass core in their wheels, which provides additional stability.

Regards,
John.



My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

MikeWilliams

#3
Feb 09 2022 21:22
Not what's being discussed here but .... I think for wagon wheels a solid printed centre used as a pattern for casting in brass, soldered into a custom-turned tyre, mounted in the lathe and bored, then pressed onto a custom-turned axle, should produce a really nice and fine wheel.  Spokes would be the right shape, tyre half as thick as Slaters and tapered axles(!).  May as well include securing bolts (why not?).  All for maybe two or three times the price of a Slaters.  Not for everyone, probably not for most, but an option for those that do.

But too may other projects at the moment to think about this for a few months at least!

Mike

cabbage

#4
Feb 09 2022 23:24
Rather than Brass... What would be wrong with Aluminium? This could be melted in a simple pot forge and cast in a plaster mould.

Regards

Ralph

MikeWilliams

#5
Feb 10 2022 10:53
Good point Ralph.
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