This might be interesting.

[9000DOLLAR]

Ever heard of 3D printing? It works by taking a computer model, and turning it into an ABS-plastic model.

I think that it may be a much cheaper way to make model train scenery.

(and an interesting idea for those who already know how to make 3D models)

(also, does anyone know if an O, or HO scale porta-potty would print? [ok, disregard that, that was just a joke] )

 

[whitepass]

Cheaper, no, a 3D printers cost start at around $500US and go up. Also vary slow 150mm/s.

 

[Blutorse4792]

There are companies that print your designs for you and allow you to sell them (Though I'm not sure exactly how it works from a business standpoint)

There's one called Shapeways that has given us nearly all of the North Shore Line's steel cars and a Baldwin DT-6-6-2000 in N scale over the last year.

(I should specify that they produce unpainted shells, you have to power and decorate them yourself)

 

[9000DOLLAR]

Cheaper, no, a 3D printers cost start at around $500US and go up. Also vary slow 150mm/s.

Not when you already have access to one that is at a public place for anyone who knows how to use it.

(also, if you have access to one close by, I think you would know how to use it and make some pretty detailed stuff)

 

[JCitron]

My brother uses one of these service bureaus for his 3d modeling work. He creates cast pewter objects and uses the plastic as prototypes. Their service is not as inexpensive as you think and the quality varies quite variably both from company to company to the ones that run the equipment. The quality has nothing to do with the equipment, but a lot to do with the quality of the operator. There's a lot more than just printing the object out, and these people do not want to take the time to ensure the object is oriented properly for output. If it's oriented the wrong way, the build lines can affect the details and even the smoothness once the part is printed out. The finished product is not as finished as you think either. The output still has to be cleaned up at times, again this depends upon the quality of the printer, operator, and the type of part.

The cost of these printers of course has come down and still the quality varies. The top-of-the-line models cost $30,000 and up while the hobby end ranges from $500 for a kit printer to about $1500 which is a decent hobby-quality printer. I saw a $1500 printer at the Big-E show this past winter. The output was quite nice, but not good enough for my brother's work since he needs a much finer dot-size needed for casting.

Keep in mind that this is still a fairly new field, and like desktop publishing, the quality and cost of these machines is going to change rapidly as the market plays out. Right now with so many numb nuts getting into the output, there will soon be a lot of equipment for sale cheap as they go out of business. While this sounds great, what you don't want to do is purchase some much older, out-of-date, used equipment. Remember these use a deposit system of melted plastic (like melted crayons) that in some higher-end systems is burnished down, and is placed in layers. This can be an issue if the printer was left sitting since the plastic will clog the heads and the lines as the printer has to remain on so the preheater will keep the plastic from clogging everything. I say this from experience while I was at Polaroid. Their DryJet printer used this technology to print printer's ink mixed with a wax on to paper.

John

 

[9000DOLLAR]

Well, the tecnology is interesting, one day, almost anyone will be able to make plastic models cheaply, and it would really come in handy for model railroaders.

After a while, the technology will get more refined, and the costs will go down as it becomes more common.