Nice Design Work

Very nice design work. Looking forward to seeing the completed turntable.

Thanks

Thanks, Ken.  Here's a rendering of the turntable, as the drawing stands right now.  I'm trying to decide whether to bite the bullet & buy it or not...

Done

Well, for better or for worse, it's ordered.  Hopefully by mid-January I'll have a new turntable.  If anybody else wants one, let me know.  I'm thinking of making a version without the trestle, and maybe with a full pit wall.

I like it a lot Ken...

...although I don't really have a use for one myself having invested in a Walthers DCC model. One question that probably shows my ignorance about 3D printing.....How hard would it be to offer such a thing in custom diameters and bridge lengths?  Would it be a question of scaling or would every different size of TT require new drawings?

Michael

New drawings needed

Michael,

To do the thing right, I would have to make a new drawing for each different diameter.  However,  Now that I have the rough details and process figured out, I think I could do it in a few hours, provided that I'm allowed to freelance the design.  Matching a prototype, even with drawings and dimensions, is the most time consuming fart of the process.

If I simply scale the current drawing, some of the components would be stretched into odd dimensions.

Wonderful idea.

Printing a turntable is brilliant.  I see on your page you also have printed cabs.  I did not know the detail could be so fine.  I have the capability to make a pit with a router, to have a made-up bridge would be great.

Your original turntable looks similar to one in a photograph, Princeton Junction (New Jersey) in the 1850's  It had piles of split wood here and there around the turntable.

Also, parts - I have in mind a truss bridge with riveted bracing.  The large beams can be created by hand, the fine lacy bracing could only be done by injection molding (very expensive molds), brass etching, or printing.

-Doug

...

You could print all the bracing with holes where a bolt detail goes and insert a casting from Grandt or Kadee or Precision scale.

@delowing

Let's not forget laser cutting for fine lacy details...

Thank you

I actually have the pit in the benchwork already.  What the 3D printed version gives me is a perfect circle of ties, perfectly centered (and with spikes) for the pit rail.  It also gives me an entrance and exit which are perfectly aligned with the pit and table.  Unless the printed part comes out warped, I know I can just drop the parts in place and have them line up properly.

I thought long and hard about ordering a 3D printed turntable and pit.  After all, I know I can build both for next to nothing.  In the end, though, two things swayed my decision.  One was the alignment mentioned above.  The other was the time vs. cost issue.  I can buy it and then spend my time on other projects.  Since my modeling time is limited, that seemed like a smart move.

Design Software

Ken,

Have looked at your site and you've done some great work. May have to order one of your turntables for my son's layout he's currently constructing. What software are you creating your designs in?

Happy New Year

Chris

Thanks for the compliment, Chris

The turntable is available any time, if you want it.  It will need a little work to get complete (mainly installing the 3/8" center post, rails, and some sort of ring rail wheels or wipers).  Remember that it's only 60' long, which is ideal for a 4-6-0 or small 2-8-0, or even (just) a USRA 0-8-0 with tender, but something like the Spectrum 2-8-0 is a little too long for it.

I'm using Sketchup for all my design work.  It has its limitations, but it works fairly well for mechanical things.

@ Ken

If the Morenci Southern had a turn table I would buy your turntable.  It looks well done.

Den

@ Den

Thanks, Den!  If you needed one, I'd redesign it for HOn3 in a hearbeat.

3-D printed turntable

Ken,

As someone who has only recently (this month) acquired the ability to comment and communicate (there was a tech glitch, but Patty of the MRH staff graciously managed to straighten it out for me), I found your 3-D turntable idea fascinating. Since I am, for now, woefully inept at scratchbuilding anything more complicated than a tool shed, I looked around to see what was available. DiamondScale has a lot of turntables, but both their dimensions and their prices were way out of line for me, and I really haven't seen anything else of interest - until your post. One really neat thing for me are the dimensions; my HO layout is small, with some pretty severe radii, and as such, my largest loco just happens to be Bachmann's 10-wheeler 4-6-0, and your tt seems to be the ideal solution. I'm not doing any prototype road, and my main concern is something besides a space-eating wye to turn my steamers, so anything that looks railroady would be fine with me.

I'm a little confused, though; it looks like you design things and then have them done by Shapeways, so how does it work - would you submit a design and have it done, and then receive payment for your design and execution? I noticed you mentioned to Michael that you'd have to make a new drawing for each different diameter. In my case, the ones you already mentioned work out just right for me! Could you please make process a little clearer for me, and anyone else who might be interested? Thanks so much, and kudos to you on the design!

                                           fred1940

                                        Fred Barrett

    C.I.G*, Cumberland Transfer RR

*Chief In Garage, other places, not so much...

I hope you can use it!

Fred,

Shapeways allows me to upload a file and have it printed for myself.  They also allow me to make the file available for sale to the public, adding whatever markup fee I deem appropriate (I typically add 10% to the price, which usual works out to a few dollars).  In the case of this turntable, Both the turntable and pit are available for sale separately, allowing you to use either one alone, or both together.  All you have to do is follow the links below, buy the models through Shapeways just as you would any other online retailer, and they take care of printing and shipping - with a portion of the price sent to me as the designer.

The turntable bridge is at https://www.shapeways.com/product/Q8CXZ6V2Z/stuart-va-60-turntable-ho-scale

The pit and runoff trestle is at https://www.shapeways.com/product/LF9XLK3X3/stuart-va-turntable-pit-39-trestle-ho-scale

I have printed both of these successfully, and will be using them on my layout.  In the case of the turntable bridge, I've made it available in two different materials.  The lower cost option, Frosted Detail, has slightly lower resolution and layer thickness, which will result in a little more visible layering and a little more work to clean it up, compared to Frosted Ultra Detail.  I printed mine in FD, and am perfectly satisfied with the results.

Remember that 3D printing does not always produce parts which are ready to use as-is. They usually need to be cleaned, and I leave the rivets off of all my models - I prefer to add them with rivet decals after sanding the surfaces.  In the case of this turntable, you'll also need to add rails and a 3/8" central pivot.  I am using brass tube, running in a bronze bushing mounted in the layout.  Assuming that the bushing is perfectly square and the layout level, the table should not tilt as it turns.  I am using the central pivot to power one of the bridge rails, and the ring rail (via wipers on the bottom of the bridge) will power the other rail.

3-D turntable

Ken,

I hope this post isn't duplicated (or triplicated!); I must have gone "off-track" somewhere before I submitted it. Anyway, thanks very much for the info. As soon as I see my way clear, I'm going to order both pieces. It's just what I'm looking for, and I'm sure I'll be very happy with them. Incidentally, your "mark-up" is a lot less than some I've seen for a lot more, and for less in return.!

                                             Fred Barrett

C.I.G.*, Cumberland Transfer RR

* Chief In Garage, other places, not so much...

Mark-up

I realized a long time ago that I'm not likely to make a living at model railroading, and I am not likely to get paid what I think I'm worth.  If I were waiting for someone to pay me for my time, none of my models would ever et designed.  I do what I do because I enjoy it, and I am glad to be able to help others in the hobby in some small way.  Of course, the money adds a few dollars to my hobby budget every few months, which I'm not complaining about.  I consider myself fortunate that Joe gave me a deal on advertising rates, which allows me the privilege of sharing and discussing my work here without breaking the bank.