Templot Club forums powered for Martin Wynne by XenForo :

TEMPLOT 3D PLUG TRACK - To get up to speed with this experimental project click here.   To watch an introductory video click here.   See the User Guide at Bexhill West.

  • The Plug Track functions are experimental and still being developed. Some of the earlier pages of this topic are now out-of-date.

    For an updated overview of this project see this topic.   For some practical modelling aspects of using Plug Track see Building 3D Track.

    The assumption is that you have your own machines on which to experiment, or helpful friends with machines. Please do not send Templot files to commercial laser cutting or 3D printing firms while this project is still experimental, because the results are unpredictable and possibly wasteful.

    Some pages of this and other topics include contributions from members who are creating and posting their own CAD designs for 3D printing and laser-cutting. Do not confuse them with Templot's own exported CAD files. All files derived from Templot are © Martin Wynne.
  • The Plug Track functions are experimental and still being developed.

    For an updated overview of this project see this topic.   For some practical modelling aspects of using Plug Track see Building 3D Track.

    The assumption is that you have your own machines on which to experiment, or helpful friends with machines. Please do not send Templot files to commercial laser cutting or 3D printing firms while this project is still experimental, because the results are unpredictable and possibly wasteful.

    Some pages of this and other topics include contributions from members who are creating and posting their own CAD designs for 3D printing and laser-cutting. Do not confuse them with Templot's own exported CAD files. All files derived from Templot are © Martin Wynne.

B2B gauge for 00-SF (new idea)

Quick reply >

James

Member
Location
Hampshire, UK
Hi Everyone,

Although I have made and use Martin's suggested method for setting the B2B for 00-SF (the pieces of rail soldered at the correct spacing using the gauges and then lowering the wheelset onto it and making adjustments as necessary as here). What I find is that it still relies on my ability to manually pull or push the wheels with my fingers which doesn't always make them square or central on the axle.

So, I have designed the following and am wondering what others thought:

It should be self-explanatory for any 00-SF modellers. It has three grooves to determine the wheel width and then three gauges to set the appropriate B2B. (as per here)

Screenshot 2022-04-12 at 13.06.35.png


My questions are:

1. Would it be useful and would others use it?

2. Assuming yes, what material would be best to make it out of?

3. Which 3D printing service is best to use that would have the required accuracy (I have looked at Shapeways but can't find an option where the tolerance isn't at least 0.1mm which obviously would defeat the object of the multi-gauge!) ?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

James
 
_______________
message ref: 4066
@James

Hi James,

I like it! :)

But you have got the slots crossed over, they need to be the other way round:

james_gauge.png


It might be better to make a set of 3 separate gauges -- easier to hold and use, and avoids any mistakes.

For 3D printing you need to have the U-slots facing upwards to avoid undercuts. Perhaps putting the gauge on top of the bar.

For accuracy from a resin-printing service, the quoted tolerance will apply to the vertical dimensions as printed. The X-Y accuracy from the UV image is likely to be much better. Sorry, I don't know how you tell a service such as Shapeways which way up you want it printed and how supported.

But for accuracy in 3D printing it might be better to print it yourself -- that way you can keep making adjustments until you get a good result. It would be an ideal project for the little Minibo child's FDM printer:

index.php



There is a backlash correction function for it on the Templot DXF dialog, see:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/another-fdm-printer.340/post-3228

After which it produces results equal to full-size printers:

index.php


An FDM print would be much tougher than a resin print for handling. I suggest the toughened PLA-Plus polymer which I use for the rail filing jigs.

More Minibo info:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/another-fdm-printer.340/

cheers,

Martin.
 
_______________
message ref: 4067
Thanks Martin - very good suggestions. I had originally thought about three separate gauges and only combined them as I thought it would be cheaper to get them printed!

Good point about the undercut. I've redesigned as below (obviously there would be 3, one for each B2B) which hopefully looks better:

Gauge 14.4.png


I confess my knowledge about 3D printing is almost non-existent and I had never thought of buying a printer and printing it myself but for <£90 for the printer (if I've understood it), that might be a cheaper option in the long run.

I'll read through all the post you linked to later to see if it sounds like it's within my capability!
 
_______________
message ref: 4068
@James

Hi James,

Looking good! For easier use on a model it would be better to have the gauge part on top of the bar, rather than on the end of it.

Amazon prices have changed since I posted last year. This link is now cheaper than my original Minibo:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09MCPRNFS

This one is cheaper than that:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09KV7BKYX

and with a larger bed area 120mm x 120mm it would be worth having. Also the Z drive uses a screw instead of a timing belt.

Unfortunately I know nothing about it, other than what's on the Amazon page, so I can't say anything based on my own testing. It might be fine. Or it might be an inferior clone of the EasyThreed product.

Lots of info and help with FDM printing in the Plug Track section:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?forums/plug-track.34/

cheers,

Martin.
 
_______________
message ref: 4069
Back
Top