A Whole Lotta Nothin'

For those of you that have been scanning the obituary lately looking for "N Scale Addict", I apologize for the lack of communication in the past several weeks.  Summer has gotten in the way, and I guess you could call it somewhat of a "detox" from n scale.  While I have a passion for the scale, even I find that an extended break from time to time provides a fresh start to the intense projects that I seem to find myself undertaking.  I have many other activities that demand my time, and other interests (addictions) that steer my focus, time, and energy.

Anyway, recently, the n scale addiction has begun to creep up on me again, and I find myself at least thinking about the highs that I get when I'm drawing in Sketchup, putting a coat of paint on a new model, or designing a new layout.  It almost makes me want to snort some lightweight rock casting hydrocal, or smoke some woodlands scenics static grass.  Kidding of course.

The only updates I can provide tonight are that my Pete 389 and Kenworth K100 are available for sale on Shapeways.  I have been meaning to finish a model myself and take pictures, but obviously that hasn't happened yet.  So if you feel the urge to add a new truck model to your fleet, please don't let me stand in your way.  I also made my Fontaine drop deck and East dump trailer available as well.

www.shapeways.com/shops/NScaleAddict

Go Big Red - Pete 379 & Friends

I have been waiting for my new Pete 389 design to arrive from Shapeways, and thought it would be a great time to finish a 379 that has been in the works for awhile now.  I experimented with aluminum foil tape, the kind used for HVAC applications, and it makes nice shiny surfaces.  The mirror tape that I have was simply to rigid to go around details like a fuel tank or air cleaners, but worked well on the KW 900 visors.  I also was able to finish a trio of livestock trailers so I now have a larger set.  I have a couple triple axle versions that need my attention now.

Here it is sporting a coat of red paint and straight pipes.  The mirrors are custom, made from brass wire for brackets and styrene for the mirror.  Looks pretty good on the cattle pot.

UPS 28' Pup Trailer - Swing and a Miss

Ok, so I had a 28' pup trailer in primer, and was feeling good about my latest 3d print results.  Then I decided to compare my 28' pup with a Trainworx 28' drop frame pup.  I guess size does matter.  I had to go back to my design file and found that I did cheat myself by 6 inches on the trailer height.  Sigh.

Oh well, that is an easy fix, and I can have another one ordered soon.  Anyone need a 13' high UPS trailer?

Overall the quality is great, and the details turned out very well.  I think this design is a winner despite my incorrect dimensions.  The only downside to this trailer is that it is a pricey print.  I made the walls a little thicker to avoid warping, and it increases the cost of the print.  The top is one piece, while the frame is separate much like the Trainworx version.  Since I have to revise my design anyway, I will reduce the wall thickness to see if I can still get a solid model but less volume and cost.  Now that I know I can successfully print a van trailer, a 53' reefer is in the works.  Stay tuned.

I took some photos to illustrate my results:

Ready to Print - Pete 389 with Unibilt Sleeper

Here is my 389 Pete ready to print.  I chose to model a pre-DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) version, so you won't see the extra tank on this model.  Although a minor detail, this could offer yet another variation of this modern truck.