CN Woodchip Cars - The End

Almost a decade ago, I started working on CN woodchip cars 3D model to be printed. It was a very long walk through several hardships that made me learn a new trade, new skills and how designing model cars can be an excruciating exercise in compromise...

Now, after all that wait, 8 completed cars are ready to enter service. All of them built and weathered, using my design printed and sold by Kaslo Shops. In that regard, I wish to thank John Whitmore who was always very supportive of the project and made it possible. As I assembled the kits, I found a few things I would like to improve, including the decals. I hope to forward these improvements to John during this summer.

As for the model themselves, I went a like bit further with weathering. No new technique so to speak, but just cranking it up a few notches. Since 3D printed cars have always slight artefacts due to the process, I thought I would use an approach based on Tom Johnson grain hopper weathering techniques mixed with a few armour modeller tricks shared by Martin Kovac at Night Shift on YouTube.

Basically, I faded the paint with a substantial amount of white then added another fade layer to which I also added some light orange to make it even lighter while keeping a warm hue. The real trick was to apply that layer in an irregular and cloudy pattern on flat panels only to replicate the highlights created by distorted steel plate. When combined with regular weathering, it really gave an amazingly realistic look to the cars, replicating that beaten up appearance so characteristic of gondolas.

Once again, I can't help but urge modellers to keep their mind opened, look at what is done outside our hobby and take chances with their models. Modulating colors and hues before applying decals is truly a radical yet easy way to improve drastically your work! Try it!

CN Woodchip Cars - Now Available for Pre-Order at Kaslo

You wanted prototypical Canadian woodchip cars? Were desperate my project would never see the light (I was!)? Well, rejoice because Kaslo will soon release both cars in resin. I’m extremely delighted to announce CN 878000 and 879000 series will soon be available on the market. From the private messages exchanged with many of your, I’m well aware the demand for these ubiquitous cars is insanely high and rightly so.

For those interested, both are now up for pre-order on Kaslo website.

 HK-28 (CN 878000-878299)

HK-28 kit (credit: Kaslo)

HK029 (CN 879250-879749)

HK-29 kit (credit: Kaslo)

Almost a decade ago – on June 29, 2014 to be precise – I started designing a prototypical CN woodchip gondola lettered with the seldom used CN Rail logo after looking at old railfanning pictures I shot back in 1998 in Clermont, QC. At that time, our layout was being rebuilt into a proper rendition of CN Murray Bay Subdivision and these cars would be required in great numbers to replicate the flavour of the line.

 

Back then, no manufacturer seemed to feel compelled in producing one of the most iconic Canadian freight cars, one so ubiquitous that any CN layout covering the 1975 to today needs. I even pitched the idea in an email send to a prominent Canadian manufacturer, but it seems from their reply they felt it would garner very little interest from the customers.

 

After many trials and errors, including revisions done as new accurate data reached me, the cars got more prototypical (thought some details will always stay in the grey zone since I didn’t find the blueprints). For a while, I thought seriously about producing these cars myself under the Ste. Anne’s Car Shop label, but it would be a time consuming and costly endeavour I had very little energy to put into it. I was quite happy to see that John Whitmore at Kaslo was interested in bringing these cars to the general public!

I hope you will like them! It was a long journey that could have been faster, but better late than never! Thanks for your support!

CN Woodchip Car - Assessing Limitations

Reality is 3D printing can be a capricious process, and like any tool, you must learn to harness its power and accept its limits. While 3D printing can provide unprecedented opportunities, they come with a cost. This cost is that what you generally take for granted with plastic injection don't always translate well into printing and vice versa. Change the printing orientation and what used to be a fine 3D model can end up a garbled chunk of resin.

Most amateur 3D designers like myself start with a set of theoretical design guidelines relative to a set of specific printer and printing material. It says "minimal depth is 0.1mm" and we take it for granted. Many details will be drawn to be about 0.2 or 0.3 mm, which translate to about 3/4" or 1" in real life. Great isn't it? You can now print almost everything to scale with very little compromise. It is true in some sense and often, you'll get away with a neat printed part albeit a fragile one. But taken in the context of something that must endure the test of time, it is unimpressive. If you add the fact others will want the model, well, they will expect a minimum of quality and sturdiness.

Thicker ladder rungs and redrawn brake wheel and chain

For this reason, I made several compromises, particularly relative to the underframe. I also designed neat brake wheels and trucks. Then we printed them. Some stuff went well, other did not.  Some details printed well, but were extremely brittle. It was a mixed bag and I did expect such results. Then, enter the real life... once again.

A general view of car 879000 new end

Many details need larger cross-section. Some need supports. Trucks had inaccuracies and even if I followed NMRA recommended practices, some adjustment was required. Brake wheels were fine and realistic... but would break the moment you took them of their support. The question remained, how to get a fine scale look with unprototypically thicker cross-section?

Well, it started with an electronic calliper and several plastic freight cars I deemed looking detailed enough to pass my standards. Tichy ladders, Proto 2000 and True Line freight cars, etc. I didn't ventured into Kadee cars... simply because their incredibly small details don't yield good results in resin.

Car 878000 - New ladders, improved brake details

Ladder rungs went from 0.37mm to 0.5mm. Intricate profiles were simplified while retaining some details that could make a difference. I can't say I was happy dumbing down my model has if it was a run-of-the-mill WalthersMainline car, but it had to be done. Stirrups were also significantly thickened. Basically, most small details that didn't print well or weren't sturdy enough were redrawn from scratch.

All that wasn't in vain. While the details are a little bit chunkier than they use to be, the reality it won't be truly noticeable. In fact, I have to ask myself how far I could have gone if I had scratchbuilt the car for a RPM meet. The truth is I couldn't have gone further except with the help of photo-etched brass... Only the underframe could have been better.

Right: original truck, left: improved design

At this point of my journey, both cars 878000 and 879000 have reached a level at which they can be manufactured decently. I also have designed a neat Barber S-2 truck which both look good and runs smoothly as can be. Many compromises have been made since two years ago when I redrawn that project for the first time. Back then, the model would have been cast in resin, provided with plastic trucks and brake wheel, and made use of several photo-etched part. However, change in technology, rise in cost and other factors have made this no longer viable. I'm not that much onboard with 3D printing, but at this point, it is a decent solution that can make this dream come true for me and many others. Maybe it will one day spark the interest of a major manufacturer, who knows.

Meanwhile, another challenge will be securing rights to use the CN logo for the decals. It shouldn't be to hard, but it could be a lengthy process.

CN Woodchip Car - 879 000-series Updated 3D Model

I'm glad to announce CN 879000-series woodchip car model has been redrawn completely for scratch and soon to be ready for a first 3D print test.

Improved design build upon what was learned from 878000-series, meaning a one part complete shell including brake details on the underframe, separately printed car ends with platforms and brake details (housing, chain, rod and fulcrum).

The weight will also be concealed under a 1mm thick styrene floor into a recessed space in the shell. I know this is a compromise, but were aren't building a real 1:1 car which has the correct weight to track well on rails, but a plastic shell that needs additional weight. I've sacrificed the underframe because I believe most people prefer a neatly rendered visible interior in an open car than a perfectly prototypical steel structure under the floor. Certainly, if this car was in O scale instead of HO, that would be another story.

Among various differences from my first model of this series are strengthened car ends. My pre-production model suffered from breakage there and I felt it was a design flaw. Now, the end bottoms are an integral part of the one-part shell, helping to align the ends but also providing more material to support the buffer beams that protrudes.

I also added molded on stirrups. I know they aren't for everybody, but I do believe many will find them easier to work with. However, they can be easily upgraded with metal ones easily.

CN Woodchip Car - A Proof of Concept

Yesterday, a few test prints were made to confirm if printing ladders and brake platform directly on the model was both feasible and satisfactory. A big thanks to Guillaume Pedneault for providing these samples with helping me with the final design.

Car ends with ladders and brake apparatus (credit: Guillaume Pedneault)

Be aware the sample weren't cleaned out and got only a quick coat of red primer to make details pop up. I was quite happy to see most details printed well, including the brake wheel and fulcrum. However, we have serious doubt the small chain would survive under normal circumstances when cleaning the model. This will have to be addressed with some kind of support under the chain itself. I still have to figure how it will be done to stay unnoticeable. I could have omitted this detail altogether as I did on my original pre-production model, but it definitely had a level of realism that should be appreciated by modellers.

As for the trucks, I've yet to figure out a few things about NMRA standards and recommended practices. Their information on journal dimensions seems to be a little bit weird and I tried comparing them to Accurail, Rapido and WalthersProto trucks... none of them matched the standard.

Barber S-2 truck sideframe (credit: Guillaume Pedneault)

That said, the printing went well. I can still see a few areas that could be greatly improved on the trucks. However, the person helping me with the prints gave a few good hints and it paid off. The springs looks good even if the sideframes aren't completely cleaned. The cast on lettering is always surprisingly good. Barely readable, but still there. The big challenge is making these trucks run freely.

Meanwhile, I working on a completely new 3D model of 879000-series woodchip car. The original 3D file was full of artifacts due to me not knowing what I was doing. Fortunately, with a better grasp of my tools, it's far easier. Ditching the millimetric template in SketchUp and learning a few new commands is making the work faster and better.

CN Woodchip Car - Barber S-2 70-Ton Trucks

I've been trying to source parts for my various modern freight car projects, however, these are sometimes hard to find when you look for nice ones or simply hard to source when you want to buy them in bulk. Given the actual precarious conditions and given it would be foolish to count on unreliable sources, I've decided to design my own version of Barber S-2 70-Ton trucks equipped with roller bearings.

Working with photographs, drawings, NMRA standards and recommended practices and a few HO trucks from various manufacturers, it took me about half a day to come up with something both pleasing and, I hope, will be mechanically sound. I wouldn't have never believed there was so much variation with the S-2 truck family. Honestly, it seems none are born identical. For this reason, I tried to reach once again an acceptable compromise by matching my work as close as possible to what what photographed by Justin Babcock on the prototype a few years ago. Bear in mind it is highly possible this wasn't the freight car's original truck or that great discrepancies can be found among the fleet due to 40 years of maintenance and repair. However, what I design should be quite right at capturing the feel of the real thing.

The model will probably require a few adjustments after conducting rolling tests. For this reason, two designs will be tested. The first is made of two sideframes and a bolster that are glued together. The second one is a 1-part complete truck.

CN Woodchip Car - Third Pre-Production Model

The last two weeks have been spend redrawing completely the 878000-series woodchip car to get it right. It was also the perfect occasion to think about how it would be printed, the level of details and how the thing can be assembled by modellers with various skill levels ranging from newcomers to skilled craftsmen.

This new pre-production model will feature 3 main parts: a 1-part body with sides and underframe details and 2 end parts including ladders and brake platform. Gluing them together will provide a complete model.

The modeller will have to add a few grabirons, glue the brake wheel, cement a brake rod and install standard Kadee couple boxes and S-2 Barber trucks. Ladders, brake housing, brake plaform and fullcrum are already printing and don't require assembly. Same thing for underframe brake reservoir, valve and other such things. I've also made the stirrups molded directly on the shell. I'll see if they are sturdy enough to be worth it, but from what I've seen, they should be fine. That said, more detail driven modellers will have the option to remove the stirrups and replace them with metal ones if desired.

As for brake rigging, I've provided none. The reason is simple: most modellers don't care about that while the ones that do care generally prefer to add the details themselves according to their own personal standard. So instead of providing a half-baked solution to both type of modellers, I prefer to offer a decent underframe upon which one can do exactly what he wants. I'll probably provide a brake rigging diagram for guidance. Also, holes in the underframe are provided to install air lines.  

Weight was certainly a problem for these open cars. While a neat underframe is always cool, these cars can be often seen travelling empty on layouts. Thus, I feel the interior should be as accurate as can be. It means I've design a recessed floor in the underframe which can hold a steel weight that brings the car within NMRA standards. The weight is then covered with a 1mm styrene sheet to hide everything and provide a smooth floor like the prototype.

For couplers, I originally designed quite complicated and nice boxes, but the thing is 3D printed resin can be brittle when you drive a screw in very thin-walled parts. Most of them broke on my pair of preivous pre-production models, so I've been advised to simply swith to Kadee. To be honest, the difference is barely noticeable, even under closer inspection.

So now I only need to get the printed version of these new pre-production models. As you can see, I've had to make a few compromises to take advantage of technology instead of fighting against it. In some sense, it has made the model easier to assemble and sturdier, which is a good thing. I know a few people will want many cars in their fleet and assembly should be relatively straightforward. I'm also happy the model can provide a good starting base for a fully detailed model. I took care to have coupler drawbar supports were required for this reason.

CN Woodchip Car - Start From Scratch

I've often wrote about the inability of SketchUp to manage sub-millimetre dimensions. The software is now showing its age, having not been designed to take into account 3D printing back in the early 2000s.

The thing is that as you add parts to your model and merge together shape, small discrepancies creeps here and there. At first, it is unnoticeable. If you enter 0.500mm then you really get 0.500mm, but after a few merges of various components, that becomes 0.498 and some weird angles start to appear. What used to be 90 degrees, will misalign itself on other component. It has been noted by users on SketchUp forums the software have a hard time dealing with very large and very small dimensions.

I've redrawn the model 3 times in the last few days, often from scratch, but always ended up with the same discrepancies. I've worked with CAD softwares for decades now and I now I'm a precision-oriented kind of maniac in this regard. I can't stand odd numbers when dealing with plans and I know, after controlling several parameters, I wasn't the main source of discrepancies.

Most people would think it isn't relevant because most of these errors are several orders of magnitude smaller than what a 3D printer resolution could manage. That's true. However, it becomes a real problem when you try to merge elements together. SketchUp works with faces instead of volumes, so if "parallel" faces aren't really parallel, you can no longer deal with coplanar geometry. In my case, it made it almost impossible to merge together the underframe and walls. This is a big problem because drawing the model using independent components then merging them together later as you go along allows you to manage parts easier instead of fighting with a single part.

Main shell - Almost completed

My first reaction was simply to model the prototype by making it 100 time bigger. That way, I wouldn't have to deal with sub-millimetre dimensions. yet the same issues. Thus, I tried this morning to draw the model in meters. Each millimetre became a meter. In fact, 1.5mm is now 150m. By setting the drawing template to meter eliminates SketchUp inadequacy to address small dimensions. While the idea to enlarge the model was a good one, it only worked when I switched to the metric template (of feet if you draw in imperial units). Thus, the problem isn't about absolute numbers, but related to unit. If you draw 15000mm, you'll get discrepancies. But if you draw 15m, you get absolutely none. Lesson learned! Hope it will help peoples out there using SketchUp! And yes, I know several new intuitive 3D modelling softwares are out there. I'm just trying to make the best of what I have.

Main shell showing the floor depression hiding the metal weight.

That said, redoing the model several times was a good way to improve the design and I'm glad I did. I've reach the point I can redraw almost from memory. Many things have been simplified and I found a way to hide the weight in a way that will look nice when the car is empty while not scrapping all the underframe details. As much as I can, I feel this car must be as straightforward to assemble with being easy to superdetail for modellers wishing it. Maybe I'm wrong to try catering to two different crowds, but this is something worth trying to achieve.

In the next blog about this car, I'll explain how the model will be assembled using - I hope - cool graphics to demonstrate the design.

CN Woodchip Car - Toward Production

Last time I wrote about the CN woodchip car project, it was back in early February when the pre-production models were unveiled during an informal RPM meet in Ontario kindly organized by Hunter Hughson. Since then, COVID-19 happened and my professional workload skyrocketed due to a new exciting heritage project. However, some readers have contacted me about the cars, asking when they would be available. I feel I have a moral obligation to stand by my words and thus decided to make a last push to see this project reach a satisfying conclusion.

However, the  delay isn't a bad thing because it helped me to get access to better technology while addressing issues raised by the pre-production model. With the help of some people in Quebec City area with good 3D printing knowledge it will make developing the project both faster and better. Also, doing thing locally helps me to keep an eye on quality and reduce costs to some extend.

That said, let's address the issues and flaws found in the pre-production models:

First, the underframe small I-beams were extremely brittle. I tried to make them as close to scale as I could and it was a mistake. A few people with knowledge in 3D printing told me to make them rectangular to make them sturdier and easier to print (no reliance on too many supports). I know it is a trade off, but it's the underframe and I know most people won't care as much as a few ones about that. If I was producing a resin craftsman kit, be assured no shortcut would be taken, but it's not the case. I'll live with this decision, knowing it makes the product easier to sell.

Second, I know have access to a larger 3D printer that can print a full car as a single part body. This is a great news because it removes a lot of assembly steps that were a little bit tricky. Assembling an open car from flat panels may be not that great for many people. Also, it makes the car sturdier once again. With that said, I'm experimenting with a shell on which ladders, platforms, stirrups and other details like brake chain and fulcrum are molded on. If it works, I'll go that route, if it don't, nothing loss and I revert to my original option with separate parts.

I've got to be pragmatic because people don't want to assemble models and most people interested in operating these woodchip cars aren't the craftsman crowd. That said, I've taken great care so most details visible are accurate, making it possible for modellers with higher standards to improve by adding additional separate details like brake rigging under the car.

I should have a second pre-production model to show soon. And honestly, I'd like to have everything ready for production starting this September.

I'm also working on CN 156000 series 65ft gondolas. The 3D model is ready for pre-production and decals are made. However, that will happen after the woodchip cars are done once for all.

CN Woodchip Cars - Official Unveiling

I'm pleased to announce both pre-production models of CN 878000 and 879000 series are now painted, lettered and dullcoted. It was a marathon to complete them during the last few weeks including a last minute reprinting of custom decals, but it is done.

I'm quite pleased with the finished result even thought assembly and sanding was a little bit sloppy on my part. Several points will need to be addressed, but overall, the end result is quite close to what I hope to put on the market.

At this point, you must wonder why I share no picture. Simply because the models will be officially unveiled in Toronto next Saturday at the invitation of fellow modeller Hunter Hughson. It will be a good occasion to get feedback from a few well-known modellers before moving forward into production.

As for the next steps, I'm slowly but steadily working on a second set of models with improvement. Minor changes include thickening the floor and sides from 1mm to 1.2mm to limit warping, improving the locating tabs, adding locating pins on detail parts such as ladders and finding a way to provide easy to install brake rod and chain.

Many questions still need answers at this point, particularly due to production constrains. I hope to find some of them during the weekend. Building the pre-production models changed my perspective on many things, including how the assembly process should be streamlined to ensure most modellers can build these cars in a reasonable amount of time.

Saty tuned!

CN Woodchip Car - Pre-Production Models

As my schedule will be busy in 2020 due to various commitments, I'm going forward with the project right now before I can do nothing for months. The goal is to have the models in production as soon as possible with a release date in early summer or early fall. These are all tentative dates and you know how these have a tendency to move as time goes on!

With that said, I'm pleased to announce the actual painted prototypes will be on public display during an open house at our club layout on Saturday (January 17th) and latter in Toronto in early February. I hope these events will raise interest in the product.

So far, production will be handled by Jeff Briggs of Briggs Models. Due to improvement in 3D printing capacities and cost related to photo etching, it has been decided most parts would be printed, in the same fashion the first batch of prototype was done. I'm confident it will improve ease of assembly will providing a great detail level and for most modellers, the kit shouldn't be over complicated and similar to what was to expect from a Branchline boxcar kit in the days.

Even if costs are not all known, I can confidently say the kit should not cost more than $50 per car, including decals, trucks and metal wheels. Given the price of decals and trucks, this is on par with what you would expect from such a similar car. No weight will be provided to save on shipping cost and because most people have their own preference and standard practices in this regard.

It must be noted pre-production models of each car type are actually in the making. It should take a few weeks, as some final design decisions are being made and models improved accordingly. Once these pre-production models are printed to my satisfaction and running well in real layout operating session, real production will be launched. The production schedule is unknown at this point, but release date will be dealt with according to demand. Given 3D printing process, it will be easy to adjust the number of cars produced and provide models according to demand.

Bear in mind this is all new to me and I still have a lot of work in front of me to manage this new venture.

Once again, a heartfel thanks to all the people that have provided assistance to this project and others that have supported it over the years. I hope your efforts and hopes will shine through the finished product!

CN Woodchip Car - Update on Printed Prototypes

I know many people were eager to get more news about the CN woodchip cars project. It took me a while to start assembling the prototypes 3D printed by Bruce Barney last year due to lack of time, unforeseen professional projects and procrastination. However, I’m glad to announce the cars have been assembled, detailed, primed and painted over the last few years.

This assembly is not only a way to show people how the models will look, but also to seek arising issues and find ways to address them so the final product is, as possible as I can, flawless, sturdy and easy to assemble.

While the assembling procedure was quite smooth, I found out a few things that I’d rather change if I were to sell the models to others who want to build a fleet. I see a significant difference between what we can live with when scratchbuilding a single model for ourselves and what we find intolerable when trying to work with a “commercial” kit.

Issues I found are various but not deal-breaking. They will be easy to fix and yet provide a great finished model. I must admit once painted, these two cars could pass easily for good quality RTR models.

From a purely technical perspective, I’ll probably add some thickness to the parts, going from 1mm to 1.2 mm to lessen risk of warping. Straightening resin or 3D printed parts is an easy process, but it can be tedious and I quickly found myself annoyed. It must be improved. Also, while trying to keep the underframe structural members within prototypical dimensions and minimum 3D print design guidelines, I feel they must be sturdier. No a lot, but just enough to make sure breaking is unlikely under normal handling conditions.

In terms of assembly, I felt the grooves and tongues I designed to make for easy alignment of parts are inadequate. First, they are too shallow. Second, they lack tabs to make sure everything is perfectly square and aligned together. It shouldn’t have a major impact on the model, but expect some kind of tabs under the car. I’ve yet to figure out how to do it but it must be done.

Speaking of underframe, I 3D printed the brake apparatus (valve, reservoir, etc.) directly on the underframe. They look good, but I’ve yet to decide if it is a good decision. I feel it works well for most modellers and that it can be upgraded with pipes, wire and other such for prototype modellers. I’ve yet to decide on the level of details. Should I locate brackets and levers? I don’t know and I’m not sure if it matters. I feel the ones who will want these details are better equipped than I am to model these and I suspect a large share of modellers won’t care. However, I think the model must have provision for people wanting to go to the next step. It means, I’ll try to provide holes in the underframe to insert air lines. I’m not interested in cast-on details that can be seen from a normal point of view. They will be of no consequence for casual modellers and be a hindrance for people with high standards.

In terms of details, I found out some parts are better 3D printed while others should be photo-etched. Brakewheel platforms and end of car platforms should all be photo-etched for the sake of sturdiness. They can be printed in great details and be strong enough, but they are still fragile and can be broken during assembly. Photo-etched parts would be easier and faster to install while surviving nicely normal handling condition and providing a great level of detail.

As for ladders, I thought the 3D printed versions would be flimsy and they are not. Better, they look like the real thing, are easy to glue and the profiles are quite close the prototype. I believe using photo-etched ladder would remove a level of detail while performing minimally better.

I also plan to include a notch in the fulcrum so the brake rigging can be easily cemented and stay in place.

Another point is related to performance and NMRA standard. I design the car using correct model truck dimension and Kadee coupler pockets. On one car, I kind of tweaked the bolster height to fit the truck and it seems I made a mistake. To get the coupler at the correct height, I must add 3 Kadee red washers. This means my first bolster version was the right one. I’ll go back to it. The other car only requires 1 red washer, meaning the bolster height is quite right. I’m reluctant to make a change because I know various trucks may have different height due to manufacturer’s preference. At this point, better leave the fine tuning to the end user, like we all do with most of our RTR cars.

Another thing I found out was the height on the coupler pocket hole is slightly too high. About 0.2mm at most… It may seem trivial, but it causes the coupler to drop instead of being perfectly horizontal, impeding coupling performances. It will be addressed.

Finally, the screw holes for the couplers and trucks are not right. Trucks have pegs too thick and need to be sanded to accept a standard truck. On the other hand, the coupler pegs are too small, inducing unwanted wiggling and exaggerating the drop I mentioned before. All these are easy fix.

Other than that, I figured out one could easily assemble the model in an afternoon when all parts are cleaned and prepped. Doing an assembly line would significantly speed up the process, particularly if the locating pins and tabs are better designed.

I tested the car on the layout yesterday and they are sturdy and track well. Weight can be added between the underframe members or inside the cars if one is not afraid of seeing steel or lead from the top.

As for availability, I can pronunce myself on a date. I will have to address the few issues and print a new pair of "final" prototype before launching production and taking order. I've yet to figure out details about sale and distribution. All that with an extremely busy professional schedule in the upcoming months. Stay tuned!

CN Woodchip Car - Live & Learn

Designing 3D printed product with a goal toward semi-commercial replication isn't something that can be done seamlessly. The learning curve is indeed steep and I had to master 3D modelling in a way I wasn't accustomed to.

Modelling 3D architecture is one thing, but creating solids that will print correctly is another thing. When I ventured into this project, I certainly didn't know the subtle differences between both type of 3D models. In my mind, 3D was 3D. But STL files and 3D printer were quick to teach me otherwise.

It’s not my goal to detail all the problems I encounter, but it was a good occasion to learn about my own ignorance on the subject. I also came to appreciate how 3D modelling isn’t that different from scratchbuilding. Basically, it’s the same process of looking at something, trying to figure out how it is made and then proceeding to create complex assemblies using basic shapes.

Another pitfall for a while was my use of SketchUp. This free software is well-known for its ease of use, but we dealing with solids, it can be tricky. I quickly found out it wasn’t wise to draw to HO scale. The software has a hard time dealing with very small complex shapes. Thus, it is required to work on a larger scale (let’s say 10 times 1:87) to ensure a trouble free experience. I also had to learn using software extensions that made some process easier.

Had I known all that from the start, my life you have been easier and I suspect design time would have been decreased by a fact 4. But you’ve got to start somewhere anyway and I feel this project was simple enough to be tackled yet providing substantial challenges to improve my skills.

With that said, I hope to get some printed parts in my hand by the end of May as promised.