This is a SketchUp Model of a Baldwin Mikado 2-8-2 of 1917. The all white model of the body of the engine is the beginning preparation for a 3D printing. My understanding is that all surfaces on the outside must be changed to white. I have also been working on making sure all have thickness and not just planes. I’m open for all advice and suggestions.
Thanks ahead of time for viewing and comments.
Nice job so far. I think the biggest concern I would have is the size of the print vs the size of the details you are modeling. The rivet heads and the railings may be too small to print depending on your print resolution. Same thing with wall thickness.
In traditional model railroad kits the railings are often secondary parts of the assembly. You could save yourself a lot of support structure cleanup by building them separately. If your printer resolution leaves visible layer lines you might consider optimizing each segment of the model (boiler cylinder, cabin box, etc) to minimize or exploit those artifacts and assemble the model at the end.
Regardless, nice model and level of detail.
Robert, thanks for the information. I have all parts as components, so they could be produced as separate parts. Would you suggest some additional brake down? I’m totally new to 3d printing.
Well depending on the scale of the final print, since you’re new to it, you will learn a lot just by trying to print one small part and go from there. It’s a complex model and at HO scale many details may be too fine for a consumer FDM printer to duplicate cleanly. At larger scales it could be a very long print that you want to be more confident in before committing the print time. You’re off to a great start. Keep going.
Robert, thanks again. I’d like the final model to be about 12" in length. I’d like it to be a display model. I have a vague idea of time to print and cost of materials. I live in a small town and would like this model to be an inspirational model to get others to get interested in 3d printing.
I have some advice that might seem rude or unpopular, but really I only wish to help: Don’t use SketchUp. It was never designed to be a CAD tool and is really bad at it. Switch to a real CAD software and after the initial learning pains you won’t be able to imagine how you ever liked SketchUp.