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Nigel

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  1. Nigel

    Nigel

  2. What I want to know is, what kind of a clutch is in those giant trucks? How do you get that lot moving from standing?
  3. ...Ah sure gwan in. Ah no. Ah gwan, gwan, gwan. Ah no Mrs. Doyle. GWANNN!!!
  4. And in full CIE uniform, too...
  5. Lovely subtle weathering on the blue and cream bus. Subtle is the key. Another thing caught my eye, the conductor standing with his back to the windscreen on the green bus. Very typical of these buses in service. Well done!
  6. Just another quick update. I have left the Shapeways models on the website for now. However, I checked in today, and I see that since Oct 7th, there has been another price increase. A massive increase, which appears to be in the region of 20-25%! Given the unwieldy and unfriendly format of the Shapeways website, I find it difficult to find out exactly what the increase was, or how to fix the price I want to sell them at. I have absorbed a little of the increase, but now it looks like 33 seat schoolbuses will be in the region of €50, and 45 seat schoolbuses and U buses over €60. I thought Shapeways policy was to keep 3D printing cheap and affordable, and that's why their production methods were so rigid, but these increases defy that. I need to get back to my other manufacturer, I-materialise, in the US, and see where their prices are at, although I imagine their prices will keep pace with the market too. I will post back here again. Finally, as an aside, I did look at that 3D printing shop in Rathmines, but they took one of my expensive prototypes and either lost it or dumped it. Very strange people in that shop. I'd keep well away from them.
  7. Hi, I don't check in here very often. SS class schoolbuses are still available from Shapeways, but the whole project has been stalled this year, as I am away constantly, and just far too busy. The grey prime material comes from a US-based company called I-materialise, and is far preferable to the rough and tough white material from Shapeways. At twice the price, it is too expensive for most modellers, which is why I left the Shapeways models as they are. I will eventually make the grey prime material available too, for those that want to stretch to the far superior material. However, the SS class schoolbuses need an update before I-materialise will accept the drawings, which is why I cannot make them available right now. I am considering a bodyshell only option, which would make them more affordable, or a grey prime bodyshell with a cheaper Shapeways chassis and floor. But, as I say, the drawings need some updates first. The 3D drawings are very complex indeed. The UTA Royal Tiger has not been shelved, it is still on my Mac, and is well under way, but I simply never get to sit down to finish it. If anyone is particularly interested in progress, see me at the three day model railway show in Raheny. Finally, if any benevolent person wants to bequeath me a large sum of money, I can retire, and concentrate on finishing all these projects... In the meantime, progress will be maintained very slowly.
  8. The location of that lorry photograph is on the viaduct outside Broadstone, formerly the Fosters Aqueduct in the late 1800s, when it carried a branch of the Royal Canal across the main road to a harbour where Phibsboro bus garage is now. The original stone aqueduct dating from about 1796... The aqueduct was later replaced by an iron bridge and road...
  9. Quite a few people have been enquiring about the erstwhile Shapeways model buses, the CIE SS class schoolbus and the U class Royal Tiger. I have returned the 1:76 scale models to the Shapeways website - look for Irish Model Buses. Be aware that there is an additional delivery charge, Shapeways don't mention this until you order and go to your checkout page, and *poop* there it is! It was 8 or 9 euro when I last checked. I'd rather they put that up front with the pricing, but there you are. I have one more bus under development at the moment, slowly, and I hope to get back and develop the whole project more, when I can. Pressure of other commitments has it all on the back burner at the moment. As some modellers know, this 3D printed nylon material is very hard and unforgiving. It is porous and slightly rough textured, so will definitely need a sealing coat of something like Klear polish or filling primer before painting, and probably three coats of paint in order to get a smooth finish. With a bit of work, they are strong and accurate models. Vac formed windscreens are available for the U bus. PM for details.
  10. Here's one for you... Nice models btw...
  11. The last picture compares with the Shapeways model, though you really need to see the models close up and feel the difference. The main difference is that the I-materialise model can be sanded with ease, while the Shapeways nylon material is a very hard plastic which cannot be sanded easily.
  12. I haven't been on the board with my own 3D projects for a while, as driving real buses on tour all summer takes priority. I am getting an odd slow bit of progress when I can. I must say though that I found the gray prime material offered by I-materialise infinitely superior to the Shapeways product, and that is definitely my own preference going forward at the moment. However, it is dearer, so may not be too popular with other modellers working to a tight budget. I will bring the I-materialise model along to the October model show if anyone wants to see it, and compare it to the Shapeways model. If you are interested in trying the 1:76 Bedford schoolbus on your Ultimaker, I would be delighted for you to 'borrow' the bodyshell drawing, as an experiment. I reconstructed the bodyshell to 1mm minimum thicknesses for I-materialise, although the floor unit still has thicknesses of 0.7mm, and is unsuitable for I-materialise until I amend it. I don't need a print, as I have everything I need from I-materialise. But if you think it will further your development of your own machine, I will let you use it for yourself, and would be interested to know how you got on. PM me if you want to follow that up, no problem if you feel it is unsuitable.
  13. I have just received a 3D printed schoolbus bodyshell from I-materialise. This is in their grey prime material, which is not available from Shapeways, and far superior to anything Shapeways offer. Four photos here show the fine detail of the print. Very fine printing lines are visible, but these are smooth enough to be negligible, and the big difference between the grey prime material and the old WSF, is that grey prime can be cut and sanded with ease. It is a resin based material, similar to resin kits, whereas the WSF material from Shapeways was a hard nylon based plastic, that could not be sanded or smoothed. The grey prime is not as porous as WSF, and so should be far easier to paint. I will report when I have tried mine. And now the bad news. You get what you pay for. This print worked out about €25 or €30 dearer than the equivalent Shapeways print in WSF. That means that at best, these models would retail 60%-75% dearer, or more, than Shapeways. The short wheelbase SS schoolbus would work out at over €80. That is very damned expensive. But the quality is much better. Typically, the more common bus types will continue to be made available as resin kits, and this 3D printed medium will be the reserve of more exclusive, one-off types, that would not merit a minimum run of 50 resin castings. It may be possible to reduce the cost somewhat, by reducing the shipping costs on bulk orders, and possibly by offering a 'bodyshell only' offer, with floors, wheels and seats at the modeller's own discretion. At this point I am open to any and all comments on this. What would modellers be looking for, based on the apparent pricing costs of 3D printing, and the quality issues with the cheaper materials? I may continue to make the models available in WSF through Shapeways, but I cannot give any guarantees about what you will get from them. Individual quality of prints varies widely, and Shapeways appear quite content for quality to be a lottery, depending on who prints your model. This grey prime material from I-materialise appears to be far better quality, but you pay for it, unfortunately.
  14. The KD is ideal. The smaller HO wheels will suit the KD, and the narrower track of a HO chassis wont be as noticeable. All you need now is the bouncy suspension...
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