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I have a box of MT's 001 10 003 unassembled body mount medium shank couplers, but they seem to have lots of tiny parts and I never assembled them. I just looked at the MT site and many seem to be screwed under the body frame directly. Adding a screw hole - or just drilling the car should be easy. I assumed they needed a rectangle pocket to sit inside of built into the car itself. micro-trains.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=340&search=001+10+003&description=true Which couplers do you use? Can't model what I don't understand or have dimensions for. So at this time I don't, but would like to add them.

Do you mean the kind that seem to screw onto the bottom of the car? I would think they would fit under and the trucks use the same mounts as normal. Did you try the Free Gondola STL to test the designs? cults3d.com/en/creations/free-40-65-n-scale-ore-gondola-for-micro-trains-couplers-a-dozen-plus-diffe What body mounts do you run?

Thanks so much! I plan to publish the design shortly, just got the camera and still working on it, but so far it works very well. Also in landscape.

Even worse, all the trees are plastic... I think they make them into Pipes!

@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 Greta abandoned the chat

Yea, when I caught my tail I realized I needed to build an expansion! Working on the back bridge now.

Not a problem. Message me on Cults. How much wider on each side? Just added three more versions of the 25cm long rerailer. Wider, wider and taller and even wider than that... Let me know if that works!

I know right!?! Wasn't easy to find gold, silver and bronze filament! Also used only 10% infill to save some weight...

I'd go with Javelin or Pole Vault also High Jump. But I'm just competing in design now...

I rebuilt the rerailer ramp from scratch a few months ago. Haven't listed it but I can. What is your ideal length? If you have an ideal height at the tall end let me know as well. Been making lots of freight cars recently. FDM printed - resin is too messy for my lazy anti-cleaning life style...

@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 I use PLA. I would say 10 inches long with one half inch height at the end.

@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 10 inches long and 1/2 inch tall at the far end

10 by 1/2 inches

I'll try to list it in the next few days. I made one 35cm (14") and the 25cm (10").

Is dat wat je bedoelt? cults3d.com/en/creations/n-scale-model-train-track-end-stop-buffer-1 Ik heb ze allemaal ontworpen. th-cam.com/video/iKu5OS01xSQ/w-d-xo.html

Thanks! I do love design and wanted some of every train! Centerbeams and coil cars are some of my favs. Making a covered hopper now... Building the jigs for the tracks is also fun and let's you fit the space with custom turnouts or curves.

Are the wheels using the same pin mounting as mine? I never tried to make body mounts. I did buy a pack of them, but they are in pieces and seem tiny for an older guy, so haven't played with them yet. If it is just a squared pocket into the end, it shouldn't be too hard to make. What body mount coulers do you use?

Thanks so much! Working on a closed hopper now...

Thanks for your thoughts. I made this mainly to make the design. Seemed interesting and I didn't see many of them online. Applying it to my layout came second. I recently added the second layout box and adding a removable bridges between them seemed like a good solution. I plan to start with a simple version since I still need to design the ends and connections to the boxes somehow. But will look to lift the entire bridge since the idea is to have a storage area on a higher shelf. So the raising area needs to be as large as possible. Planning on three tracks on the bridge. Will need a longer scissor since the section will be about 60cm long. The idea at this point is a parabolic type rail bridge in the middle similar to the Muiderspoorbrug which is near me: mgrim.nl/brug/muiderspoorbrug But all of my projects are design projects first since I love design and Sketchup!

That sounds quite handy! Much easier than adding them by hand for sure! Mullticolor is very cool. I've been doing Z Hop multicolor prints as well. Squeezing all I can from a single nozzle simple printer.

Thanks!! This removed an annoying step and has less waste! Win-Win!

It isn't hard to do...

Is also a fun train set if you don't have any at all!

Mine is a CR10 V3 - which printers do you have? Lots of my designs are on my Cults page - also a free N Scale gondola print for Micro-Trains couplers: cults3d.com/en/creations/free-40-65-n-scale-ore-gondola-for-micro-trains-couplers-a-dozen-plus-diffe

@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 I have a Creality 5 pro and a new Bambu carbon. I use fusion 360 for design

Very nice! I'm a Sketchup Make 2017 user still. Do you use Micro-Trains Couplers? I find the holes print more than accurate enough for the pins. I love making my own tracks as well!

@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 I haven’t gotten that far yet. I’ll be watching your videos 😁👍

You know it! Gotta move that freight!

It depends on the length of the cars you are using. It is much smaller for Beercan Shorty Tank cars than for 80' autoracks. That is also why I made trackend stops to limit the track lengths depending on the cars being used.

Thanks! The future is bright! But it may just be on fire...

Thanks so very much! I've bought them direct from Micro-Trains USA - they have 25-35% sales even with import duty etc was reasonable. www.micro-trains.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=63_113&product_id=421 But also from Germany great shop: aat-net.de/product/trucks-w-medium-extension/ Thanks for watching!

@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 Thanks for the reply :)

Thanks so much! Mine aren't perfect but they do work fine so far. For N scale and my tiny layout adding easements was a step too much. Basic switch geometry comes from the curves and your track needs. Real switches like here in Netherlands are much longer than I have space. I used mostly #4 turnout ratios for mine, but the tracks themselves forced the solution. This 9x12 TO is a #6 purely based on track geometry. Draw your centerlines from both paths and work from there! Do you hand lay your tracks already? If not a curve or straight is a great way to start! Staging yards are mostly straight pieces...

@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 My own switches are using fremo jigs and milled pcb sleepers. They are ok, but I want to go further, where the rail clamps/fasteners are visible and the sleepers are profiled to concrete (main track) and steel (switches). Main type of switches I use are EW 190.

Wow I just watched his process, impressive skill! I have health issues and was healing a badly broken shoulder and already broke my wrist 10 years earlier. So I made jigs to help any fiddly tasks like gapping ties. I've seen resin printed sleepers, but my room is very sunny and resin isn't but so durable. Are you a N or HO scaler? I have the optimistic plan of painting and ballasting my tracks which would hide some of those details anyway... Seems resin would be the way to make details on sleepers. I put my resn printer into storage as I didn't like the mess and cleaning up...

I love to design more than anything! From a blank page to holding it in your hands in a few hours time! Rapid Prototype... The trains are just a great reason / challenge to design.

Correct, no weights, no supports. So far I haven't added any weights to any of the freight cars. They seem stable to me, but I've never really run manufactured cars, so have no personal comparison. Some are hollow, others with about 8% infill. The track concept started with FastTracks and uses their Copperhead PC boards - crossover ties are the longest. handlaidtrack.com/product/ch-n-c/?v=796834e7a283 Only the #4 Turnouts were built with a FastTracks jig, the rest are my own 3D printed designs. About to put up my 12x9 Curved Turnout and ties and tools onto Cults...

So far not with 0.6mm (2 layers) max difference in height. For this model the black was still visible with 0.6mm so I doubled the technique for a 1.2mm total cream layer by making the black 0.6mm high and then doing the cream all the way 1.2mm leaving it the same 0.6mm higher. I did the same with white and green, would have seen them smearing if it was hitting. Haven't tried to see just how far it can go though, seemed the 0.6mm or doubled 1.2mm was enough to get the color effect.

@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 ah, ok. I didn’t realize 0.6mm was 2 layers. Prusaslicer, when set up for multi color, single nozzle, will actually print 2 layers at a time to save on color changes. I’m in the middle of building an ERCFv2, but I sort of promised someone I’d print something for them and they’re going to need it soon. So this was a very timely video. Thanks!

Thanks! My earlier tank car design was OK but I always like how the tank isn't supported on most tankcars... This one got that tiny aspect included.

Working on it. Designing is the fun part, putting the rest of the listing and video together is effort... Been busy doing Stand Up Comedy and MC gigs...

Here's the Cults link Gramps! : cults3d.com/en/creations/shorty-beercan-tankcar-n-scale-micro-trains-couplers

Hi and thanks for your interest! I moved the files to Cults for a small fee, mostly to try and inspire myself to design more things. I thought I updated the descriptions with the new link: cults3d.com/en/creations/n-scale-straight-track-jig-and-crosstie-cutter-and-gapping-tools-hand-made-model-train-tracks-by-socrates Just started laying new tracks and added a 40cm bed Max straight jig and tiedbed for 30x30cm printer beds to the set. Most of the curved jigs and tiebeds I made are here: cults3d.com/en/creations/n-scale-model-train-jigs-to-hand-build-curved-train-tracks-at-6-8-1-4-9-10-12-15-inch-radius-with-printed-tiebeds-for-the-8-1-4-9-10-12-curves-by-socrates Just made another curve approx 12.4" (31.5cm) for the new layout also as a 40cm bed max for 30x30cm printers.

Thanks! The trains are mostly a design project started during Covid lockdown. Love the ability to dream something, "draw" it digitally and then a few hours later hold it and find all the design flaws so it can be improved! Rapid iterative design is awesome! Plus these go choo-choo!

@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 I do a lot of my own printing too but I can’t get my head around the more sophisticated packages that would be a lot better. I can handle Tinkercad and that’s about it. I designed most of my stuff in that I have a resin printer too but I can only run it in the summer because it’s too cold in my basement to run during the winter.

I've been using Sketchup since the begining of my CAD adventure and still use Sketchup Make 2017 free off line for windows with lots of extensions. Hated the mess and trash created with resin. Mine is in storage.

Plus trains are fairly simple CAD drawing esp for FDM printers detail limitations. The hardest part is the coupler mounting holes. So learning to design is a easy next step! Hoping to see more of my trains on people's layouts! Also added printed "wheels" so kids can use the same trains as simple toys and then one day add couplers and put the same toy on rails! cults3d.com/en/creations/free-40-65-n-scale-ore-gondola-for-micro-trains-couplers-a-dozen-plus-diffe

Thanks so much! As if that wasn't enough, I made a free to try my stuff out Gondola with a set of kids printed "wheels" to use it as a basic toy train or N scale model train. With a NW2 locomotive since every train needs a loco! cults3d.com/en/creations/free-40-65-n-scale-ore-gondola-for-micro-trains-couplers-a-dozen-plus-diffe

¡De nada! ¡Alegra oírlo!

4 now 😉

Thanks! And 5 likes total now! Asking why the YT algorithm does... is The existential question of the 2020's.... Working on the third in the series - Z Hop on the Last or Top Layer video next... The side loads on the Centerbeam Flatcar have a top Z Hop set of loads but I didn't add the Z hop explanation to that video. th-cam.com/video/plHWHYVN1vw/w-d-xo.html

Fourth! (Thanks so much!!)

Thanks! I also love one piece articulated hinges! I made a set of printed "wheels" with a one piece hinge printed to use these trains as a kid's toy or a static model. Also nice way to store the trains without the Micro-Trains couplers attached. Going to put it on Cults as a free intro design with a Gondola I saw here in Amsterdam shortly. More work to make a video than design the cars! Here's a bat with some one piece hinges: cults3d.com/en/creations/one-piece-halloween-bat-with-hinged-wings-string-attachments

Was debating putting it on Cults. It is just the 2nd stage of development, I have a hand cranked version which is very similar as well. Is a proof of concept model, the limit switches are adjustable for the top and bottom stops. Works fariy well, there is some slop on the bottom if you push on it, but it seems to stop at the same place.

Mario

Thanks so much! You can also use Z Hop to use multicolor on the first, middle or last layers as well! This is the first layer video: th-cam.com/video/X4vdF8BFs30/w-d-xo.html

Thanks! All my designs. Is more of a design project than a model train layout. Great excuse and problem to solve with design! I made all the jigs to hand lay the tracks and the tiebeds anything printed etc...

Here's my Cults page: cults3d.com/en/users/Socrates-Amsterdam/3d-models

It depends on the speaker I suppose... Here in Netherlands they say SO-crate-es, as a Greek it's SoCRAtes... If you are old enough to remember Bill and Ted then So-Crates it is!

Make sure he also learns to design! The true power of a 3D printer is thinking of a thing you need or want, designing it and then holding it in your hands! Also noticing the flaws and ways to improve it... I use an old free version of Sketchup Make 2017.

I've been planning on making some HO versions. Since I only FDM print the larger scale seems better. What couplers do you use? I wasn't sure what kind of connection or hole to use for HO. I do have some supplies to make some test tracks and plan to do some HO trains. Which types of cars are you most wanting?

@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922 I usually use kadee #5. I would be interested in 50' box cars, tank cars and I believe they are wood chip cars that are used in trash trains. Gondolas also.

Are those body mounted? I need to understand the mounting for the couplers and trucks to model them. I come up with these: www.kadee.com/10-ho-scale-bulk-pack-10-pair-5-no-5-metal-couplers-medium-932-centerset-shank What do you use for trucks?

I ordered some of these, still waiting for them. aat-net.de/product/bettendorf-33-trucks-w-coupler/ So much simpler on N scale!

Yes body mounted. Not sure on the trucks, I guess that I would use whatever is standard for that type of car.@@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922

Never been a problem, maybe because I use a brass nozzle. I use a PEI magnetic bed as well - also no issues with either orientation of the magnets. Is another great way to join parts! Just making a Center beam flatcar, using magnets to hold the loads onto the sides...

no ferrous metals in most printheads they are constructed of copper, brass and aluminum

You're welcome! Hope you have some great trains!

Agreed, if marketing didn't work and matter would McDonalds and Coke still spend billions on ads? Mind you I don't buy either of them... So not always effective.

I had a X1C but it was so loud in my tiny apt and jammed on the 2nd color change, I returned it... Still want a multicolor printer though! Just made a Z hop using the top layers instead of the bottom ones...