3D printing services

[Geoff Nicholls]

I've just sent some bits off to Chris Ward at CWRAILWAYS to be printed.  If you let him make your patterns available on his website, for every 10th one sold you get the value of one for free (I think he basically means credit off your next job).
seems a reasonable idea to me to have a repository of patterns available for printing, possibly re-scaled as required
Chris uses a "3D Printer Stratasys EDEN for your Projects 16 micron layers" which I believe is more expensive than most new family cars.

[Peaky 556]

When you say "bits" Geoff, do you mean you have sent 3-D CAD files to him, or physical models that you want copying in plastic? I'd be interested in the viability against other methods (eg resin casting) and cost-effectiveness, so please keep us all posted on how you get along.
Cheers, Tim

[Geoff Nicholls]

sorry, I mean CAD files with the .stl suffix. I create them as solid objects in turbocad and save them as stl files and email off to him.  like most of these services Chris will produce the files from paper drawings, but that takes time and time is money.
the printed result is in ABS plastic. (I don't know of anyone doing it cheaply in metal yet) The plastic is a bit fragile, I'll be getting a Westinghouse brake pipe for my J65 printed, but using that as a pattern for a brass casting, but when I get the cylinder printed I might not bother to get it recast, it's not in a vulnerable position and won't have sticking out parts to get broken off.
PS
if the Westinghouse brake parts are satisfactory, I'll be inviting others to join me in a bulk casting order.

[Sleeper Agent]

G3 has been skipped past but imagine the designs could be resized from between their G1 and 3.5" options. Anyone heard of this firm or seen their products up close?
https://3dprollingstock.com

[AshleyW]

the video is at brighouse model engineers, perhaps if a few of us (or loads) contact them about gauge 3 they may consider it. £1100.00 for a 3.5" 03 shunter is a good price,so worth chasing up. ash

[AshleyW]

just got a call back from the guy who's doing these models. he's going to price up what a gauge 3 version of the 03 shunter would be and also give the spec. the 3.5" version comes with r.c, so seems like a complete kit. the video and sample loco has 3-d printed wheels but the production one is hoping to be cast or slater's wheels.

[Sleeper Agent]

Sounds promising He's got back to my inquiry about re-scaling the salt van as well saying re-scaling it is a possibility, will post again if this goes anywhere. Steve