Using a 3D printer to make the building 'Shell'

[friscomike]

Howdy Jim,

The whole facility looks fantastic, but the pickle tanks are amazing.  The detail is incredible.  It's a shame that it is hidden in the structure.

Have fun,
mike

[Rick]

Jim, it's amazing what can be made by 3D printing.
Great looking models.

[Jim Donovan]

Thanks Mike and Rick;

So today I was able to complete the electric lighting. I designed the posts hollow so that the wall lighting would run inside the posts. I draped the wiring on the ceiling lights as it would look. in 1912. The outer parts of the buildings are done except for detailing and signage. So here is how the structures look put together and with the interior in front and buildings behind. I still need to complete the interior for the packing room (middle) and a little more for the office building. Interior signage also needed for all three. Looks like only one building has a light leak easy to fix. Next up all the plumbing and platforms needed for when the train arrives!

Jim

[deemery]

That looks good!

dave

[Jerry]

Jim that is some really great modeling.

Jerry

[deemery]

I assembled the little hexagonal shed I cut on the laser:

The triangle pieces are for the peaked roof.  There was sanding on the edges to add the correct angle for the walls and roof pieces.  Not visible are the two hexagonal shaped floor and ceiling pieces.  

Today I'll move the laser from its temporary home in the garage down to the basement. 

dave

[Jim Donovan]

Hi Dave;

I suspect you did not mean to drop your post here but your results are looking great. I've had a laser cutter for a couple of years now and frankly don't know what I would do without it. I am going to load a photo I took showing 3 x 12 strip wood I stained and then cut for use on making the pickle tanks. In you can see the circle cut outs which become the tops. You can also see where my laziness knows no bounds. I am making a transfer platform across the back for unloading of pickle cars. Instead of individual cutting out the 3 x 12 x 3 feet planks I put this slightly used sheet of strip wood. Attached together by masking tape and then cardstock, the laser in one pass cut out all the top boards, exactly 3 feet wide. Another amazing tool that allows for details and precision not available before.

[deemery]

Jim, you're right!  Sorry about that!  (I didn't like how the roof came out, so today I'll try cutting new roof panels, from a different material.  And then I'll post the results to the CORRECT thread.)

dave

[Jim Donovan]

Well Betty's Pickles is done. It ended up being the most complex and detailed project I ever attempted. It would not have been possible without the resin printer and the 3D resin printer. I even needed AI to help me with the signs. So I will post and explain how these new tools aided in the construction. Currently the model is on a platform as I took it to the recent NMRA Sunshine Regional Convention to get it judged for the AP merit certificate. I only needed one more build to complete the requirements so even though I had not completed all interior 'stuff' I figured it would pass. It did with a 110. I was dinged points for the small amount of description I provided. No matter, it passed. So some photos show it on the layout but on its platform, still it gets you the idea.

[Jim Donovan]

Here is one of the outside holding tanks. They are HO scale of real Heinz tanks standing 12 feet tall. Using AI I  figured out what the tapering of the 2 x 10 x 12 would be (they actually made the boards about 12 feet 4 inches long). In HO scale it determined given the diameter of the bottom, I told it I use a .1 kerf for the laser with the basswood board already scaled 2 inches so it told me to have the laser cutter make the shape of each board 1.85mm at the top and 2.15mm at the bottom with the height of 39 mm. 60 boards would be needed to make the tank. AI then told me I would need a total of seven hoops with cinches. It provided the diameters for each circle so that I could push them down to the correct level to impart the realistic look of wood tanks held with hoops. The actual boards were super glued to a mandrel pushing the wood boards flush with each other. The resin printed mandrel was designed using Tinkercad following the taper used in the photo I had of a real tank. It took into account the thickness of the boards being glued. First picture is a screenshot of the CAD for both mandrel and hoops, second is the resin printed mandrel, third the tank with the side boards all glued in place and the hoops being placed. While 60 boards would have been perfect if you look close you will see the sieve I had to make to fill a slight gap when the last two boards met up. I had this issue with all the tanks. Once in place the top boards were located to make it look like heavy boards are holding down the planks, keeping the brine and pickles safe under cover. The brine does a number on the wood so the tanks show significant weathering.

So that is an example of how I used AI, CAD, resin printer and laser cutter to produce something in a manner pretty close to looking like the real thing. 

[Jim Donovan]

I will show other parts of the final complex and how the resin printer and laser cutter improved my ability to produce this scene. But time is short today so I hope you enjoy the photos.