Anglia105E

Here are my four replicas of cars that I have owned and driven . . . First up is the 1968 Pontiac Parisienne 4-door RHD, then the 1994 Mitsubishi Pajero SWB, then the 1988 Suzuki SJ413 Samurai, and last but not least is the 1960 Ford Anglia 105E . . . All great cars in their own right ! David

Some nice colourisation going on there . . . The second pour should bring satisfying results. David

Thanks Paul . . . Yes, you are right to point this out, and the instructions on the designer's webpage show this 90° angle as being important. Being very much a car person, my knowledge of steam locomotives is somewhat limited, so I would not have got this driving rod setup correct. David

I like the ice effect on the windscreen of this truck Charles . . . I see from the registration number plate that this Scania is a UK vehicle. You have some interesting techniques for icicles and frost effects. This is quite an unusual idea . . . I like it ! Would this be the Italeri 1:24 scale kit that you have used? David

Having 3D printed the 34 parts that I need to get started on the assembly of this steam loco, in 14 days, work has commenced, with good results so far. As you can see from the following photos, the boiler underside part was not fully printed properly, so I measured and cut two pieces of thin styrene sheet to make the part good. The two side frame parts have been joined together using four spacers, for which I used super glue and baking powder. After selecting one wheel and one driving rod, I then applied some red oxide primer by brush to these few parts. For the top coat of paint I have purchased some Satin Black enamel, to be applied by brush over the red primer. The essential first step was to make sure that the frame sides are square, level and straight, so that when the three axles and six wheels are in place, everything will line up on top and this will also determine the track width. It seems the super glue takes a long time to actually ' grab ' the two parts of PLA printed material, but the bond is stronger later. This is one reason why I chose to use the baking powder to increase the overall strength of the join. David

This is just one of the wonders of technology from this year 2022 . . . What might they come up with next ? David

I have just 3D printed 34 parts for my steam locomotive build in 1:43 scale ( O gauge ), which has taken 14 days over the festive period. David

Nicely done family cemetery plot, so just waiting for Santa-zon I guess. David

Here are some recent 3D printed parts for the steam loco in 1:48 scale ( O gauge) . . . I can print two center wheels in 3 hours, then four non center wheels in 6 hours, and the main frame of this loco in 9 hours. David

I like where this is going Paul . . . especially with the chain link fence, which will be realistically ' rusted, bent and sagging ' . It is not often you hear of plaster of paris being used these days . . . good for you ! David

Hi Charles . . . I am currently 3D printing 37 parts for an O gauge steam loco for a diorama, which is 1:43 scale in UK and 1:48 scale in US. Like you, I am more used to working in 1:24 or 1:32 scale. David

The price tag of $250USD is around £206.00 GBP, and I just found one on Ebay for £150.00 GBP ( see this link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/16032576950 David

I picked up this 1:20 scale Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Convertible with V8 engine on Ebay the other day, which is made by Solido of France. This is quite a nice diecast model, but nowhere near as heavy as a 1:24 scale Franklin Mint Silver Cloud I I got this one cheap because it has no Spirit of Ecstasy hood emblem, and it was not boxed. One small bad patch on the paintwork. David

Something like an Ender 3 Pro or an Original Prusa i3 will certainly give you much smoother results than my home built cheapo A8, and this is a case of you get what you pay for . . . As 3D printing was a new technology for me, and I didn't know if I would use it much, I chose to go cheap. Now of course, I find myself wanting an Ender 3 Pro or a similar level Prusa ! David

Yeah, this has been a long running problem with my 3D printing, and I have tried all sorts of tweaks and adjustments to stop these unsightly layer lines, but nothing works. Many A8 users have said that the problem is Z-Wobble with the two upright threaded rods on this printer, so I printed a couple of anti-wobble bushes and fitted them to the top of each rod, but the layer lines continue. I have also tried many different settings in the Ultimaker Cura software in an attempt to produce smoother printed models, but no joy . . . My layers are set to 0.08 mm, and I don't think the nozzle jet can handle smaller than that figure. I also make sure that the print run is going well, before leaving the printer unattended for long periods . . . such as 5 hours 30 minutes for example. This A8 3D printer was assembled by myself from a large box of parts, and it was the cheapest Chinese printer on the market ! David

Hi Paul . . . No, my 3D printer is not a resin printer, it is an A8 (PLA) type printer. I do get layer lines showing on the Z-axis with my printer, so when parts are placed vertically on edge on the build platform those layer lines are a problem. When the part is in the ' Lay Flat ' position, I get a much smoother finish to my printing, as the X-axis and the Y-axis don't have the layer lines issue. So yes, some sanding and filling will be required ! Well spotted ! David

Both the Silver Cloud build in 1:24 scale and the YouTube video filming have been put on hold for the moment, while I commence work on a separate project. The 1:43 scale Hooper & Co. Acton factory diorama has two roads to the right of the factory building itself, and further to the right of the second road there is a railway line . . . Previously I was toying with the idea of having a railway line as an extension to this diorama, and this is something that is now on the workbench. The locomotive and rolling stock need to be O gauge, which is compatible with 1:43 scale vehicles. Having downloaded 37 files for 3D printing a locomotive, I am working my way through each part individually. This loco is a GWR 9400 Class 0-6-0 Pannier Tank steam locomotive from the late 1950's period, and these 3D print files are in 1:48 scale. A local model builder friend has offered me some rails and sleepers, so that I can make some 1:48 track that will fit this loco model. The idea is to 3D print the loco, then sand, primer and paint the model to run along a 36" length of track over to the right hand side of the factory diorama. This is how it would have looked in 1959 on Western Avenue, Acton, London, England . . . I would like to add some wagons and a brake van as well, or even a couple of passenger coaches if I can afford them. As I understand things, O gauge in UK and Europe is 1:43 scale, while O gauge in the US is 1:48 scale. Here are a few photos to show current progress with the 3D printed loco, and also the real 1:1 loco in the appropriate setting at that time. Thanks for looking guys, David

Maybe that area is a bit too small for a flooded quarry, although a large pond would work. Like you, I tend to lean towards building a structure (no pun intended), but perhaps you do need a water feature of some sort? How about a small caravan site on your farm? I believe you call them trailers. Here is a photo that might help you. David

Such detail and weathering in 1:87 scale Charles . . . Your close up camera work is very good here. I find that my older Kodak M340 digital camera is much better for this type of photography than a modern mobile phone, and you can still pick them up on Ebay for a very reasonable price in UK. The iPad camera is of course really good, just like iPhone, but more expensive ! David

That is a very effective simulation of arc welding Paul . . . . and you got a good price on the LED's too. Well done ! David

Some truly marvellous work going on here Doug . . . Your 3D printing skills are already at a high level. The wheel spokes are impressive, and the 8K printer is clearly a mean machine ! Would that Delahaye be a 1:24 scale model car ? I usually 3D print 1950's Rolls-Royce car models, but currently attempting a 1950's steam locomotive for a diorama of mine. David

Oh I see now Harald . . . I understand that you mix parts from different figures to make the ones that you want. These are 1:35 and 1:32 scale figures of course, but I was talking about 1:24 scale figures that I need. These are much more diifficult to find, although the ICM company in Ukraine do have some really nice figures, such as the Henry Ford set of three figures for example. You have great skills in making these figures, and I admire your work. I do have the French Civilians set by Miniart, and I do like the Miniart products. David

You have more choice of figures in your part of the world Harald . . . and these three latest ones of yours are really good. I wish we had more figures to use for our dioramas here in UK . . . Those two figures outside the Church doorway, and the photographer are so realistic. The figures are painted well, and both the lighting effect and the camera effect work very well with this diorama scene. So interesting ! David

Here is a link to a further test video featuring the Hooper & Co. diorama . . . https://youtu.be/PkgYwmC_V8A The gentleman in the hat is standing at the office desk with his back to the window. At this window there is an intruder . . . preparing to enter the building. The intruder's accomplice is keeping watch at the corner of the building on the ground floor, while upstairs at the second floor window . . . . The carpet is disturbed and broken fragments of the window have fallen to the floor in disarray. David

Nice example of the Porsche model Gary . . . and I didn't know that some Maisto diecasts come from Thailand either ! The proportions of this car are all good. David