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Blowing Up HO

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 6:54 am
by Bill Yoder
A Swedish producer of 3D HO items, Hakan Nilsson, is selling me his 1:87 six-wheel passenger trucks blown up to 1:16. This will be happening via Shapeways; the price is around $120 US for a single truck frame (one side). I want to make a mold from this plastic casting and cast me enough for four plastic trucks. These fine truck (bogie) frames do not have flat backs on the inside, so it will need to be a two-piece mold. I don’t plan to ride on these cars, so plastic trucks should be no problem. (I already have aluminum wheelsets.) Mr. Nilsson can do the same for the elaborate ends of clerestory passenger car roofs.

Why don’t ¾” modelers try more of this? Why not blow up a SW or Geep body from HO to ¾”? Would that plastic body in 3D run you about $400? And how about the body for a steam loco tender? That would still be significantly cheaper than ordering the same from somewhere in metal.

I have the impression that the times are essentially over for locomotive castings created from 1940s-era molds. They’re not cheap anymore and who still knows how to machine? Not all of us liking ¾” are skilled machinists. I think 1 ½” is doing well primarily due to the availability of RTR, turn-key equipment. Look at all the diesels out there! Would doing the same in ¾” not help insure the scale’s survival? Of course, big-time Gauge 1 is both “non-ride” and turn-key.

Stuart Harrod from Denmark is offering plastic or metal ¾” items on Shapeways. I see no reason why his plastic couplers could not be used on cars not pulling human beings. They’re much cheaper and more accurate than old-style cast metal couplers. The coupler knuckle could be fixed or moveable.

Re: Blowing Up HO

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 7:33 am
by Bill Yoder
A correction: The price for the truck half on Safeways is approx. $95 US. The firm is Eight-Wheeler Models.

Re: Blowing Up HO

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:22 pm
by Bill Yoder
Rev. David Queener from “Cumberland Model Engineering” in Knoxville TN does most of his exquisite work in F-scale, 1:20.32. He confirms that his freight truck (bogie) sideframes can indeed be bumped up to 1:16 scale. He wrote: “Yes, the drawings can be rescaled and the wall thicknesses tweaked to make a viable 3D print.” I note that he also makes 33- and 36-inch wheelsets in F scale. You can find him easily on the Internet via Google.