Card Kit of the Week

 A different model displayed here every week.

BR(S) Type 13 Signal Box (click for details).

Third Time Lucky? - Battledown Flyover #4

The Flyover is assembled and installed.

It looks the part but is not perfect. There is some distortion evident that may not be noticed by onlookers, including a bit of droop in parts of the handrails.

My verdict on Anycubic Water Washable ABS Like 3.0 Resin is that it is a bit of a stretch to liken it to ABS plastic. Real ABS is much tougher. This resin will take gentle knocks due it its mild pliability but will not withstand a severe knock.

I heard somewhere that whatever the brand of resin it is all made in the same factory or two in China. I tend to believe this because of similarities between resin performance in use. Take the Nova3D Water Washable Mecha Resin which is extremely pliable yet unstable in my model form. It seems whatever chemical is included in its formula that gives it immense pliability is diluted in the Anycubic resin thus giving some stability of form in my model. 

My preference for water washable resin may be a limiting factor in performance. If my model deteriorates over time I'll not be making another.

Note: These resins may be highly suited to other model forms.

Now, see that strange wagon in the bridge photo above. It is my designed model of a 1960s Matisa 3B5 ballast cleaning machine. It is another 3D printed wonder. This is what it looked like having hit a concrete floor when I accidently knocked it off the layout.

It was made using Anycubic Water Washable Resin +. The most brittle resin I have used to date. Surprisingly, some parts were salvageable including the cabin and these joined the newly printed parts made with the ABS like resin.

In a way it is just as well the accident occurred because the long chassis had developed a noticeable droop in the middle. 

The opportunity was taken to revisit the design. Connecting the end decks were two parallel resin beams. I replaced these with rectangular brass tube for strength. The bogies, which were originally printed in PLA plastic on an FDM printer also broke (long story - don't ask). These were remade in resin after installing prototypical rivets in the design.

It was a delight to watch this unique train run around the layout.

END

To Part 1.

To my experience with Nova3D Water Washable Mecha Resin.

In the beginning.

Third Time Lucky? - Battledown Flyover #3

These five parts join together to make the bridge deck. It is nearly one metre long. Longer than the sides because the bridge is skewed. 

All but the smallest exhibit a small bow which can be manipulated straight due to the pliability of the resin. Once the sides are glued to the deck I expect the bows to be eliminated.

A couple of printing errors manifested. One was a delamination of print layers, simply due to insufficient support structures. The affected parts will not be reprinted as the fault is not too noticeable.

The other is a little odd. A rippling warp of a girder web. Odd because it only affected one girder on this part.

Earlier I said that in the design I had increased plate thickness to 0.5 mm. In fact I only did this to the sides of the bridge, not the deck because I could not be bothered and accepted the risk.

Fortunately this piece is hidden in the bridge embankment so can be left as is. Having seen this fault though the design of the centre pieces that are visible were increased in thickness before they were printed and they printed perfectly. This proves to my mind that 0.5mm plate thickness is acceptable when using this Anycubic water washable ABS like 3.0 resin.

To Part 4.

To Part 1.