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Posted

I have been reading the posts for a while here (always a wise idea before opening one's big mouth and inserting foot!). I'm not sure this thread goes here or in WIP - but here seems more appropriate. I want to make clear I'm not selling anything - and this isn't an after-market pitch - just some observations about 3D printing and our hobby. It seems to me more of us should be taking advantage of this amazing technology to answer several common problems evident in the threads here. Firstly - as we know - truck modelers are largely ignored by the mainstream companies - and the aftermarket, although producing some great things - is really expensive, and often sold out. Buying the tires/wheels for that Michigan trailer will bankrupt your yearly hobby budget!  I am NOT a tech guy, or young computer savvy kid (68 years old), but I bought a 3D printer and began to experiment with it to print stuff for my builds - not as a hobby in itself. I've been amazed. What you see in the next pictures are results ANYBODY can achieve - I'm no pro, I just set up the machine and hit 'PRINT'. These are my actual prints of files obtained online, I didn't write the files - I can't do CAD if my life depended on it. So I stress - if I can do it, ANY of us can do this. If there's an interest, I can share more, including equipment and settings, file sources etc.. If not - thanks for your time in reading. All comments and opinions welcome. 

Below is my print of a Peterbilt 367 (held together with tape) as it comes raw out of the printer with no sanding etc. in 1/25 scale. Time to print is 5 hours, cost is about 5 dollars in resin. There are a wide variety of well detailed cabs available - I'll post some more. This file comes with interior, filters, fuel tanks and "glass". No engine/frame/running gear - need donors for that. 

 

 

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  • Like 2
Posted

Below are my prints of a Peterbilt 386 in 1/25 scale. Want models of new, modern trucks? There's lots! This is only a partial print of the files - not shown are 'glass' , fuel tanks, bumpers, air filters etc. Requires engine and frame/running gear donor. Time to print about 5 hours - cost five dollars in resin. 

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  • Like 2
Posted

Prefer old classics? - here's two. A monster of an HDX logger, and a vintage Hayes cabover (forgive the quality of the cabover - I printed it flat as it was too big for my printer - I have a bigger printer now so I'll re-pop it.) The grey grill on the HDX shows one of the challenges of resin - it can warp while curing - I reprinted leaving the supports in place and cured it like that - problem solved. Note the headlight guard snapped off the grey one - water soluble resin is rather brittle - handle with care!

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Posted

Okay - cool bodies - but how about parts? Well - this is where 3D printing comes into its own. I have collected a binder of thousands of 1/25 scale parts - an amazing resource for my scratch building. Just about anything you can think of is here. 2 hole Buds? - yup. Accurate sidewall truck tires? - yup. Now you can print footwear for dozens of Michigan trailers for pennies (well - a few bucks) - honest! This is from my trailer build I'm doing now. 

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Posted (edited)

Here are some other prints I've used. Glad hands, air horns, flapper valves, pipe bends, mud flap hangers - you name it, there are files of all of them. Many are free, some are a few bucks. My Diamond Reo, in the completed build section of the forum uses a lot of these, if you want to see the "finished product" (couple of photos below). There are tons of cool things to use for cargo - pallets, tiedowns, construction equipment, pipes, cranes - you name it. Most of these I haven't even seen in the after-market. And for those of you who want to tweak the dimensions - 3D printing is super-easy - your slicer software can scale up or down by fractions of a millimeter. I adjusted all of these to the exact dimensions I needed - simple as 1 mouse click. No 'tech-geek' wizardry required. 

So there you have it.  I'm happy to answer any questions - within my own limited skill set. I stress again - if I can do it - you can do it! I hope this gives you some ideas for your builds. And remember - even if you don't want to print, you can get files printed by any number of online printing services (though they aren't cheap). Happy building guys - thanks for looking!

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Edited by Bren
  • Like 2
  • 1 month later...
Posted

What 3D printer did you purchase and where did you find files? Do you use a specific type of resin? Did the slicer come with the printer or is that separate item that you had to purchase? Do you need to purchase a cleaning station? I'm currently in the initial learning stages and appreciate your opinions and experiences.

Posted

I'm not who you asked but I recently started printing so I thought I'd chime in. I bought a Prozen mini S. I bought a small printer so if it was difficult I wouldn't have laid out much money for it. In hindsight I found it very easy and wish I'd bought a bigger printer. So, if you typically pick up on new things pretty easily you might want to buy the biggest printer you can afford. 

I buy files from Cults3d and subscribe to Fireballs Patreon. I use Blender to resize them and make modifications. 

I use Lychee Slicer, it's free and supports my printer. I think it's pretty easy to use, it automates some of the processes like adding supports. You do have to orient the things you're printing on the build plate first though. Sometimes it can be trial and error until you print find the ideal orientation for complex parts.

The cleaning station is good for bigger parts but kind of wasteful for little stuff. If you use water washable resin it will be much more economical that filling it with alcohol constantly. 

Posted (edited)

Hey Dys,

Brian has the right idea - JUST DO IT! You won't be sorry and there's TONS of cool stuff out there - stuff you can't even buy in the aftermarket. I'm sad that guys are complaining about there being no new truck kits out there, when you can 3D print just about anything you might want to build!

Here's what I think you need to know. Any brand of resin printer will work (not filament (FDM) - that's for bigger stuff and generally gives unsatisfactory results for our type of 1/24 or 1/25 scale models, except in expert hands) . I use Elegoo brand and have found them pretty reliable - for model trucks you will want the Saturn if you can afford it (about 500 dollars Canadian) - I use the Saturn 3 Ultra. Mars Pro would be okay - just a bit small - I use that one too. Definitely go for water washable resin - it's a tad brittle, but the not needing to use isopropyl alcohol is a huge plus - and it doesn't smell as much. I use Elegoo brand resin and have been happy. I haven't been impressed with Anycubic brand printers - I have a Mono 5S too - and they originally sent it out with a non-functional auto-leveling system that had to be corrected later with a modified build plate - at my expense. Zero customer service. Not impressed. Brian mentioned two other things you definitely want - one is a cleaning station, the other is a UV curing station - neither is too expensive. I use the Anycubic Wash and Cure station ($179 Canadian), but don't use the wash function - for that I have found an ultrasonic cleaner works best. This is the one I use: https://phrozen3d.com/products/ultra-sonic-cleaner. ($101 US). You asked if I use a particular type of slicer (the program that translates 3D file, with the .stl suffix to the correct language for your particular printer). Brian uses Lychee - which has a good reputation. I've never used it. I use Chitubox - which comes with all Elegoo printers. I love Chitubox - very intuitive, easy to use. It generates supports very well, and they come away post-printing easily. I tried the Anycubic Photon Workshop slicer which came with my Mono5S - horrible slicer. The supports wrecked most of my prints. Not recommended. So yeah - most printers come with free slicer programs bundled in - and I haven't seen the need to purchase the pro versions.

Where to find the files? That was my main purpose in starting the thread - to show you there are a ton of awesome files out there for truck modelers. All the ones above came from Cults - https://cults3d.com/en . Joining is free. I have found literally thousands of files - you can go to my profile - my screen name is 'Heavyhaul' , and I've made all my downloads public for viewing (https://cults3d.com/en/users/Heavyhaul/downloads ) - so you can peruse the hundreds I've downloaded and click on them if they interest you - many are free. Brian mentioned a designer he likes - you are free to 'follow' any designer you like, and will get email updates when they publish new stuff. I recommend a guy named Alfa Centauri - he does high quality truck files - often 30 or 40 files to a truck. Warning - there's a lot of poor quality files out there. Most designers are NOT scale model builders - and it shows. They publish their model as one lump of a truck - not separate parts - and the details are sketchy at best. Beware of 'content factory' publishers who have thousands of files on display - one for every vehicle ever made. They are usually toy-like at best. You'll learn which designers you can trust. You'll learn what you can get away with in terms of resizing - many truck files are published in 1/14 scale for the RC crowd - these generally scale to 1/25 no problem (set your slicer scale to 56%). Be aware that as you scale down, thin parts get thinner. Some of the 1/14 scale steering wheels are pretty skinny in 1/25! Likewise, scaling up from 1/32 (set your slicer scale to 128%) is doable - but walls start getting pretty thick. Those are the practical limits I've found for detailed parts. Simple shapes scale up or down easier. Brian mentioned Blender to customize a file - that's a step up in complexity - you can use editing programs to slice parts or or change things you want changed. I'm not an expert at that - I've just done simple moves like cutting prints in half that were too big - nothing complex. You don't need to know anything about that to start. 

How do I learn? Youtube has some great beginner videos. This site has literally thousands of 'how-to' articles - and trouble shooting guides  - https://all3dp.com/ , check it out. The main thing is DON'T GET DISCOURAGED! You will have failed prints to start - typical problems are prints not sticking to the build plate, partly formed or distorted prints, failing to print at all. There are tricks to learn, just like model building. How you angle your print in the slicer (I like tilting about 20-30 degrees from the horizontal), how you select your supports (the autosupport function works really well in Chitubox), how you set up your print - (I like to space it about 2-5mm above the build plate) etc. all have an effect on the final product. Start with something simple like a tire file. 

And don't hesitate to ask. If you're running into a problem - post it or DM me - if I can't help somebody else on here surely can. Happy printing!

 

Bren

Edited by Bren
  • 1 month later...
Posted

Bren, you just about have me convinced! One question- I have an elderly Mac laptop… will that work for an Elegoo Saturn if I only want to print downloaded files?

Posted

Hi Ron,

I'm a PC guy - but the actual downloading of 3D files takes almost no computing power (i.e. RAM, fast processor) - just hard drive space. Which is cheap these days. It is the designing of 3D files in various CAD programs that chews up processing. Since you just want to print 'em - not make 'em - you should be fine. Note - if you're not in a hurry the Saturn 3 Ultra is just about to be replaced by the Saturn 4 - with some nice features - like a tilting FEP tank to ease the print in not sticking to the FEP film - a problem you'll find with (solid) fuel tanks. You might want to wait. Meanwhile check out my profile on Cults3D - I'm 'Heavyhaul' there - and click on downloads. I've been combing that site for the last 2 years+ and found most of the files a model truck builder would be interested in. Can't say they are all keepers - but lots of good stuff there. The rest of the advice I already gave to Dys in my comment above. I hope you do it - you'll have lots of fun!

Posted

Hi Bren - lots of great info.  Biggest thing I have a hard time finding, in regular supply, are Top Studio hose fittings (pipe to hose, 45’s, 90’s).  Just back to hobby recently with an ongoing WIP thread, and do lots of scratch building.  It sure would be nice to have other makes of cabs available.  Maybe this is something I need to pursue further.  Haven’t figured how to manage my hobby environment to accommodate a toxic production process - if I did make the jump, it would be to resin, not filament printing.  Lots to digest

Posted
5 hours ago, BK9300 said:

Haven’t figured how to manage my hobby environment to accommodate a toxic production process 

That’s going to be my problem too. My wife is severely allergic to any kind of chemical odors, and I honestly don’t know where in my house I can set up a 3D printing operation.

Posted

It sure is Brian! Firstly - welcome back - we need every truck modeller we can muster! As a relative newcomer to 3D printing, I fully acknowledge it isn’t for everyone - but the rewards are worth it - I feel like a kid in a candy shop - able to print how ever many of something I want, to any size, and access unavailable subjects - like new (or classic) trucks. I feel parts are the most useful for this technology. Absolutely- filament printing is not that great for us - heavy print lines, not enough detail, persnickety to master - however, good for big stuff like trailers. As far as smell - the water based resins are not too bad - and there are filter fans which drop the smell still further. The problem is similar to paint fumes - an outside exhaust fan like in paint booths could easily be rigged. Printers are about the size of a blender - so they can be enclosed in a fume hood structure and vented to the outside. You might want to check out Karl at Global Scale Models - he sells 1/25 prints of a popular 3D designer. He is on this forum. Check out his website. And do go to Cults3D.com. That’s where most of the scale modellers live. My profile is ‘Heavyhaul’ and I have several thousand files I’ve downloaded that are truck-relevant - and made them public access so you are free to scroll through them at your leisure. Have fun - and if I can help in any way just drop me a line. 

Posted
6 hours ago, Bren said:

It sure is Brian! Firstly - welcome back - we need every truck modeller we can muster! As a relative newcomer to 3D printing, I fully acknowledge it isn’t for everyone - but the rewards are worth it - I feel like a kid in a candy shop - able to print how ever many of something I want, to any size, and access unavailable subjects - like new (or classic) trucks. I feel parts are the most useful for this technology. Absolutely- filament printing is not that great for us - heavy print lines, not enough detail, persnickety to master - however, good for big stuff like trailers. As far as smell - the water based resins are not too bad - and there are filter fans which drop the smell still further. The problem is similar to paint fumes - an outside exhaust fan like in paint booths could easily be rigged. Printers are about the size of a blender - so they can be enclosed in a fume hood structure and vented to the outside. You might want to check out Karl at Global Scale Models - he sells 1/25 prints of a popular 3D designer. He is on this forum. Check out his website. And do go to Cults3D.com. That’s where most of the scale modellers live. My profile is ‘Heavyhaul’ and I have several thousand files I’ve downloaded that are truck-relevant - and made them public access so you are free to scroll through them at your leisure. Have fun - and if I can help in any way just drop me a line. 

 

Have you come across a file for a 1/24, 2010 (ish) Western Star 4900 FA cab and hood?  I see a few 6900's and some 4700's, but no 4900 FA's in particular.  Also, much of what I do see online seems to have very thick cabs and or hoods - the ones you show in your pics above seem thinner.  Is that a function of some adjustment you make prior to printing the file?

Posted

Sure thing Brian. Check out these: https://cults3d.com/en/search?q=Western+star

there are some 4900s in there. Now…a word of warning. Not all 3D files are equal in terms of detail - some are churned out by mass-content creators and the quality is iffy - but if that’s all you have to work with as a base - and are willing to scratch build detail to get to where you want - these could work. My printed truck bodies you like (above) are designed by a guy named Alfa Centauri. He’s on Cults too - and most of his stuff is available printed by Global Scale Models - they are here on the forum. The issue of wall thickness is tricky. Most of Alfa’s files are 1 /14- which I print at 56% scaled down in my slicer program (Chitubox). That makes the walls acceptably thin. Some of his files are 1/32 - and when I scale them up to 1/24 the walls get pretty thick. Still acceptable - but thick. For individual parts - think tread plate or mesh - the X, Y and Z thickness can all be individually selected in the slicer - and thin parts are easy to produce. For complex shapes like a truck body, this trick won’t work. There are some guys on here with a lot of CAD experience that might be able to edit the file to thin out the body or various parts - but that’s way out of my league. Designers tend to frown on guys editing their files - but my view is you bought it - you can do what you want with it as long as it is for your own use only. If you are interested in a particular file of the ones I pointed you towards, let me know, and I can print it and see how it actually comes out. 
 

Bren

Posted (edited)
On 8/21/2024 at 9:27 PM, Bren said:

Sure thing Brian. Check out these: https://cults3d.com/en/search?q=Western+star

there are some 4900s in there. Now…a word of warning. Not all 3D files are equal in terms of detail - some are churned out by mass-content creators and the quality is iffy - but if that’s all you have to work with as a base - and are willing to scratch build detail to get to where you want - these could work. My printed truck bodies you like (above) are designed by a guy named Alfa Centauri. He’s on Cults too - and most of his stuff is available printed by Global Scale Models - they are here on the forum. The issue of wall thickness is tricky. Most of Alfa’s files are 1 /14- which I print at 56% scaled down in my slicer program (Chitubox). That makes the walls acceptably thin. Some of his files are 1/32 - and when I scale them up to 1/24 the walls get pretty thick. Still acceptable - but thick. For individual parts - think tread plate or mesh - the X, Y and Z thickness can all be individually selected in the slicer - and thin parts are easy to produce. For complex shapes like a truck body, this trick won’t work. There are some guys on here with a lot of CAD experience that might be able to edit the file to thin out the body or various parts - but that’s way out of my league. Designers tend to frown on guys editing their files - but my view is you bought it - you can do what you want with it as long as it is for your own use only. If you are interested in a particular file of the ones I pointed you towards, let me know, and I can print it and see how it actually comes out. 
 

Bren

Hi again - none are quite the WS model I was hoping for - thanks for checking.

I understand there is a lot to learn about 3D printing.  I'm certain if I made the leap it would be to resin printing.  I also understand that there are printers with higher resolution and that software programs exist, proprietary to the printer or not, that can manipulate files to enhance the final product.  For the build I'm currently doing, I first modeled it in Sketchup, but didn't pay proper attention to making "solid" groups, necessary for proper export to STL files and printing, so I don't think I have anything that you could test print for me (thanks for the offer!).  That said, I am still using projection views to print out templates that I use to cut up plastic sheet to make the part I need.

Below is a screen shot from Sketchup for one part of the truck (forms the front bumper of my plow truck), and a picture of what I actually modeled from styrene.  Based on what you've learned, do you think any part of the small Sketchup model could have been resin printed at resolutions similar to the cabs you printed?

Sketchup -

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actual

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Edited by BK9300
  • Like 1
Posted

I'm going to hazard a guess and say no Brian. That is very beautiful detail fabrication you've done there - and nothing beats brass and nut/bolt hardware. I print at .05mm resolution - very standard - and some of the latest printers go down to .02mm - but many .stl files are coarser than that - so the point has been made that greater resolution for these files accomplishes nothing. The other challenge is that, as 3D surfaces get thinner (the brass braces above) or narrower (the long bolts on your hydraulic cylinder), they tend to warp or simply fall apart. Things like rear view mirror braces are best done in brass rod. Use 3D printing to pop the mirrors,  but use brass for the thin/strong stuff like mirror mounts. As with all tech (and being enthusiastic as I am about 3D print possibilities) one has to recognize that "just because you can doesn't mean you should". There is much that other techniques are better suited for in modelling. I like 3D for small parts (rubber hood latches, air horns, air relays, hoses etc.) or truck bodies/trailers - curved parts that are difficult to fabricate. Detailed sub assemblies like you've got above would be very difficult to make look any good in 3D. Hope this helps. Can you post a photo if a 1:1 Western Star that represents what you're looking for?

  • Like 1
Posted
10 hours ago, Bren said:

I'm going to hazard a guess and say no Brian. 

I appreciate all the great info.  I don't have great pictures of the hood I need to create.  I'm using the cab from the WS Constellation kit and using a hood from the Alaskan Hauler kit that, after some rebuilding, will closely resemble the hood of the real truck.  Below is a pic of the real truck's front end - for now, I'll just press on with modifying my existing hood.  Thanks again, Bren.

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