# 3D Printers Experience



## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Just out of curiousity, have anyone work with the 3D printer to make anything for the layout and cars, etc? 

Any kind of experience had done with the 3D printer, regardless how good or bad it was. I am actually considering this route for many things, including model railroad.


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Hello everyone! Been a while since I had been on this forum. I am back, along with my "new" 3D printer. It is not exact new but not exact old at same time. Actually, I built it from scratch, by buy and reuse materials. Right now, it is working great for me. Just need few fine tuning there and here.

I noticed that nobody reply on this thread, regarding use 3D printers. I just bring it back and see who is out there, working on 3D printers for modeling railroad.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I have an Anycubic Photon, an SLA printer, but I use it mostly for printing miniatures. I'm still playing around with various 3D design software packages to create printable objects. I'm not very good at it yet, so for now I print files created by others.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

i use a variant of a prusa3a, some car bodies and decks for truss rod shorty cars of 1890


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## ncrc5315 (Jan 25, 2014)

I use Shapeways.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

I printed up a few tunnel portals, a rock or cobblestone roller. I tried a crossing signal, but it didn't work, strings all over. ANET A6. I'm just amazed it can run for an entire day printing open loop! Step motors are amazing.


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Lemonhawk said:


> I tried a crossing signal, but it didn't work, strings all over. ANET A6.


Strings all over, it has to do with the retraction settings.

Suggestion: 3D Print Stringing


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## MatroxD (Jan 19, 2018)

Ender3 Pro with a few printed mods and upgraded mainboars

Having tons of fun printing small and large items. I only printed a few containers, and still adding decals. I'm messing with nozzle sizes also, and having a lot of fun (burning up some filament also)..

I am going to try PETG once my new build surface comes in... 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

No. the strings were do to the print being impossible to do with the printer. too much printing in mid air with no support.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

@bluenavigator -- we've actually had several threads on 3D printers since your original post. They've finally hit the price point that just about anyone can get one for their home now, which will hopefully drive innovation even faster.

I also have an Ender 3 pro, printed a lot of mods for it including a direct-drive extruder head which I hope to get mounted soon. I've also been working on a case for my arduino-based DCC controller (DCC++ESP32).

@MatroxD - I have some 0.2mm nozzles and have tried printing people. It's just not quite up to the task of getting any facial details at HO scale, but look for the Cura profile create by SeiPei which will greatly improve your print quality of miniatures.


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Shdwdrgn said:


> @bluenavigator -- we've actually had several threads on 3D printers since your original post. They've finally hit the price point that just about anyone can get one for their home now, which will hopefully drive innovation even faster.


I do agree with ya on this. However, I do not have much money to spend. That's how I end up with my own homemade 3D printer and learned a great deal of how it works, from cut first bar to final print on the glass bed. Worth my time and effort.



Lemonhawk said:


> I tried a crossing signal, but it didn't work, strings all over.





Lemonhawk said:


> No. the strings were do to the print being impossible to do with the printer. too much printing in mid air with no support.


Are you referring to this crossing signal? I do understand that now. Yea, need to have supports to be there. Otherwise, there would be two spaghettis, which isn't good at all.


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## MatroxD (Jan 19, 2018)

Shdwdrgn said:


> @bluenavigator -- we've actually had several threads on 3D printers since your original post. They've finally hit the price point that just about anyone can get one for their home now, which will hopefully drive innovation even faster.
> 
> I also have an Ender 3 pro, printed a lot of mods for it including a direct-drive extruder head which I hope to get mounted soon. I've also been working on a case for my arduino-based DCC controller (DCC++ESP32).
> 
> @MatroxD - I have some 0.2mm nozzles and have tried printing people. It's just not quite up to the task of getting any facial details at HO scale, but look for the Cura profile create by SeiPei which will greatly improve your print quality of miniatures.


Thanks for that tip. I'm actually going to install the curawesome mod for cura a little later today.

And I've been messing around with the slicer a ton lately, along with the nozzles and layer heights. Like you stated, it may not be able to get all of the details the best, but I'm sure going to try. I have only printed one thing with the 0.2 nozzle (a benchy) and the detail was certainly there. One thing that I actually think will help (at least in my case) l is that the majority of my figures are actually O scale. I printed a bobba fet, and he turned out great! He's not quite as small, but I'm hoping(because he isn't a ton larger either). 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

bluenavigator said:


> I do agree with ya on this. However, I do not have much money to spend. That's how I end up with my own homemade 3D printer and learned a great deal of how it works, from cut first bar to final print on the glass bed. Worth my time and effort.


When we got a 3D printer at work I was excited to learn how to use it, but quickly realized that there was no point in getting my own for home until I had some way of creating my own model files. Tinkercad gave me the opening I needed, and while the models aren't the best quality, they do just fine for my needs.

I started looking into 3D printers for home around Christmas, and found a few projects where you could basically print the whole frame on another printer. Unfortunately the controller boards, motors, and other hardware were going to cost nearly $200 by themselves, and I would end up with a printer that had a less-than-ideal frame. For that same cost I could get a ready-made machine with a full aluminum frame, so that seemed like a better deal to me. With the upgrades I've added (plus I sprung for the better model), I've still only put about $300 into my 3D printer. I've put more than that into paper printers!


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Yea, when I started build my 3D printer 2 years ago, I was excited to see it running. Just that I didn't expect that it would take me two years to complete the whole thing. I am glad that I did it and it was worth the experience. Just like working on my train layout, there are a lot of breaks between them. This year, my resolution is to finish one project and not to start new one but return to old project after finishing previous project. So far, it is working! Current project - relearning CAD skills and CURA to slice for my 3D printer.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

It was an HO signal, and yes it needed lots of supports.


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Lemonhawk said:


> It was an HO signal, and yes it needed lots of supports.


The one on Thingiverse, you will print them in pieces then assemble them together. No need to use support. Check it out.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

bluenavigator said:


> The one on Thingiverse, you will print them in pieces then assemble them together. No need to use support. Check it out.


I generally find it's advisable to use some supports all the time. It makes your prints easier to remove from the print bed, if nothing else.


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

The link to the Thingiverse for the crossing signal, it doesn't need support as I had checked it. They are in pieces to be printed flat. Therefore, supports are not needed. 

For my future project, I want to be able to print truss bridges.


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