Promotional Offering at Shapeways - Expires 10.21.2013

I was looking to order some models this evening and was pleasantly surprised to see a promotional offer displayed on the Shapeways website.  I thought I would post this in case anyone was looking to order some things.  Here's a snapshot of their website and the offer with code at the top:

www.shapeways.com/shops/NScaleAddict

Harvest 2013

It seems that I have had a flood of emails recently, and the timing is crazy as I am in the middle of harvest, trying to put in a reasonable effort at the day job, coaching kids sports, and hoping that my key still works when I get home late at night from the field, as I am sure the wife is about ready to find a replacement husband at any moment.

It's interesting how a hobby can sometimes weave itself into other interests and lifelong experiences without me being completely aware.  I've been around trucks and farm equipment my whole life, but it wasn't until my recent 3d printing initiative (addiction) that I started to really appreciate trucks and give them a closer look.

I took a quick photo the other night before the sun went down of our Case IH 2577 combine next to our IH Transtar II straight truck.  The wooden box used to be on a Mack "B" which is the truck I learned to drive when I could reach the pedals.  We also have a Mack "R" with a metal box, that we use to haul out of the field to the bins.  For elevator trips we have an IH conventional and a 43' Wilson grain trailer.  I'll try to get some photos during harvest that I can share.  

We also have an IH 1566 tractor with a 650 bushel grain cart which you can see in the distance.  My goal someday is to make more 3d farm models.  If I could only lock myself in a room for a week and design....

Marias Pass Locomotive Collection is For Sale

Since I no longer own the Marias Pass layout, I decided to thin some of my BNSF loco collection, plus a few other odds and ends.  I simply have too many items in my collection, and they don't get used.  Please take a look at my "For Sale" page and shoot me an email if you see anything of interest.

thanks for looking, Nscale Addict

That's a Bunch of Bull...

My Pete 379 project started out as a short haul, farm truck/tractor, and it didn't take much to add a sleeper, and twin 150 gallon tanks.  I have a few copies of this updated truck, and was able to put the finishing touches on one of them tonight.  Also, I designed a herd bumper specifically for my Pete 379, and even more specifically as a bull hauler version to go with my Wilson 53' livestock trailer.  I am a fan of straight pipes, and this Pete got a set of straight cut stacks.

Of all my models to date, this is probably my favorite, and the one I am most proud of.  I felt that the ventilation holes were a big design risk with 3d printing, but it paid off big.  I plan to offer a bull-nose version of this trailer in the future, which is just a slight change to the angles of the trailer front.

If you haven't seen my video where I show an up close peek at a raw print of this trailer, go have a look.  My newest videos are located on the left hand navigation of this blog.

Anyway, I now have a suitable tractor for my livestock trailer, and they make a great pair.  I have plans to do many more.  And for all of you Kenworth fans out there, I have a 900 coming soon, which will also make a great bull hauler as well.

N Scale Chrome - How To

When painting chrome details in N scale, it is very suitable to use a silver or metallic paint, and the results will be satisfactory.  However, when I started painting my N scale trucks and trailers, I started looking for something that would give me a mirror finish, for things like bumpers, fuel tanks, and possibly even a full polished stainless steel trailer.  I found a product call Spaz Stix, and decided to buy a bottle.  It is somewhat pricey, but wanted to give it a try.  There is a lot of information about this product on the internet, and I found many photos and even videos of its application.  Spaz Stix is commonly used on R/C cars, and is also meant to be airbrushed.  My first test application of this paint was on a small N scale trailer, and it did seem to produce a shiny surface, although I didn't have a good smooth surface to optimize the results.  What I found however was even more impressive.  I use plastic pipets to transfer small amounts of paint from bottle to airbrush, and after dipping a pipet into the Spaz Stix and observing it after it had dried, it looked like shiny chrome.  I wondered to myself if this stuff could be brushed on?

Well, long story short, I have been applying this product on some of my N scale trucks, and I can tell a difference between the silver undercoat and the Spaz Stix top coat.  Using a brush does take some practice, as too many brush strokes simply leaves the surface dull.  I am finding that a single wet brush stroke over a surface yields the best results.  Another technique I am using is dipping my details into the bottle of Spaz Stix if they are small enough to fit.  A good example of this is the exhaust stack on my Mack.

I don't know if this is the best product out there to produce a chrome/mirror finish, but thought it was worth a shot.  I like the results, and it makes details on my trucks really pop.  Try some yourself and let me know how it works.