Concrete Blocks (and other small industries)

[Cat]

Cleaning Shapeways material isn't easy, they use a very waxy substance as filler instead of many supports, and it doesn't all come off in their own cleaning process.  I haven't tried an ultrasonic cleaner yet.  The best results I've gotten so far was giving the pieces a good soak in a mix of hot water and Simple Green cleaning agent, then scrubbing with a tooth brush, rinsing, and repeating. 

 

I've been meditating on getting an ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight.

[cteno4]

Cat, yes do get one! Handiest little $20 purchase sor train stuff. Perfect for this task as well as cleaning out loco mechs and such or stripping paint off things as it will pop those bits of paint in grooves and such that you can have a devil of a time getting out or ruin details scrubbing or leave in stripping agent too long! Also great to clean airbrush parts very fast or paint out of old paint bottles for reuse and mixing.

 

jeff

[maihama eki]

The ultrasonic cleaner I have is one intended for eyeglasses or jewelry.  It was cheap - from Amazon.  I use warm water and a little dishwashing liquid (Dawn).  You will be amazed to see the cloud of stuff that comes off immediately when you turn on the ultrasonic.

[maihama eki]

12 hours ago, Martijn Meerts said:

Nice!

 

How easy was it to clean them up after cutting them from the sprue? In my tests, I've been trying to avoid adding supports on the long sides since they're so small they're difficult to hold on to.

 

I just used a sharp craft knife to cut them off the sprue.  I cut them off close to the sprue first and them trimmed them progressively closer to the block until they were clean.  I first tried cutting them off up close to the block and chipped one of them, so I adopted the more progressive approach.  I agree that they are small and hard to handle.  It would be easy to send one of them flying off to never been seen again.

Edited June 3, 2020 by maihama eki

[Cat]

Grip-to-release tweezers are your friend in handling tiny pieces.

[cteno4]

The dreaded “ping”!

nice thing is these blocks have two perfect little holes in which to slide sharp tweezer tips!

 

jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

10 hours ago, maihama eki said:

 

I just used a sharp craft knife to cut them off the sprue.  I cut them off close to the sprue first and them trimmed them progressively closer to the block until they were clean.  I first tried cutting them off up close to the block and chipped one of them, so I adopted the more progressive approach.  I agree that they are small and hard to handle.  It would be easy to send one of them flying off to never been seen again.

 

Thanks. Next time I'm 3D printing something, I'll add some cinder blocks with some supports on the sides. At least the cured resin is easy to work with so sanding off what remains of the supports after snapping them off doesn't take much effort at all.

 

[Cat]

Here's a fun set of gasoline alley business discoveries. 

The mystery business Sakuu  _ _ _ _ , and Yes Isaka Motor up the track from Mito Station near the outskirts of town.  Google Maps mislabelled the mystery white building on stilts as Isaka, which is the custom auto body shop next door http://www.isa-car.jp/.

Making something like the white building is an easy kitbash and visually interesting.  It has the looks of a car rental business; could any kanji readers help out please?
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.3694805,140.4929971,3a,90y,324.17h,84.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVs5CzCS9Jfjm-B97omSRPw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

A ways back down Sakumachi-Doto heading back into town is an auto repair place, Nakata Car Maintenance Center.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.3704884,140.4831281,3a,75y,352.23h,107.04t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sxUZ0CwCqUDnpiUhBejzbYA!2e0!5s20171201T000000!7i13312!8i6656

 

GreenMax will be re-releasing their Bus Operations Office which might do for Nakata, although it a larger model:
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10193661

 

 

[Cat]

What I haven't spotted while google-mapping about Mito City are any small gas stations. The ones I've come across all look very much like the Tomix model, but we don't have the available real estate for that size. 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10157025/20/2

 

Do ones with a tiny sales office and a single island with a couple of pumps exist in Japan?

Edited June 9, 2020 by Cat

[Cat]

Shapeways goodies have arrived, Ngineer did a great job on the cement products.  The pallet-loads of cinder blocks have plenty of visibile detail in the raw form, so should clean up and paint well.  The metal moulds for pouring the little half-ton tetrapods are sweet and will be a super addition to the factory yard (bottom sprue and loose bits).  He already had the little tetrapods in production, but it was very nice that he increased the sprue to 30 count.  These tetrapods are aperfect size for a small factory, and for hauling around on small trucks.

 

Also in the order were a sampling of general detailing delights from Kabuto; we'll definitely pick up more in the next Shapeways order.

 

[Cat]

Here's a science and research facility that's small enough to get filed under small industries for modelling.  Stumbled on this one because the big radio telescope dish was in the background of a photo posted recently on the Minato Line Cheerleaders' Facebook page.  It's actually being torn down right now, but as we're modelling the mid 2010's it will fit right in.

The Hiraiso Solar Observation Center definitely needs a home on the layout, once I can track down a good sized radio dish or three:
http://naritama.org/report/nict_hiraiso.html

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.3694237,140.6206092,3a,30y,90.63h,89.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1srS98IwVI1lClrMzSJnJZgQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Edit: Did find this dish on Thingiverse:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3265348

Edited June 13, 2020 by Cat

[cteno4]

Cool!

 

found a few that might work as small radio telescope dishes

 

https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-radio-telescope-model-1290496

 

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/radiotelescope

 

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/radio-telescope-model-55f93e6f2fc84643b48494015c01114f
 

https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-model/radio-telescope/
 

many taint cheap!

 

of course getting something like this to print decently would be a challenge! 
 

I am surprised there is not a plastic build model out there of one! I do remeber a number of years ago on one of the usual strolls thru the craft store looking at things that could be used in other ways and seeing something and thinking that would make a cool radio telescope! But for the life of me I can’t remember what it was and I don’t think I bought one...
 

then you might want a little one in your backyard!

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Itty-Bitty-Radio-Telescope-Kit-IS-HERE-IBT-/224004849544?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

 

or supersize it, but it might take a chunk out of the train budget for a few months...

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Radio-Telescope-package-with-3m-antenna-Receiver-controller-software-Tx-Rx-/182231495854?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

 

cheers

 

jeff

 

 

[Cat]

Ouch, those are pricey.  I might have a radar dish off an old Millenium Falcon that could work, and bits to make the supporting structure and tracking arm.  Most likely, I think the path will be Thingiverse and having a friend print them out in resin.  This also allows scaling to the desired sizes.   Kitbashing the pedestal and tracking arm for the main dish seems like a necessary path.

Also found another style dish that works well for the medium and small dishes at Hiraiso, and this file looks like it comes with its own mounting pedestal: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1298229

 

Hmm, backyard one would cut into the trains budget a bit.  I think we would opt for a caboose of our own first.

Edited June 14, 2020 by Cat

[cteno4]

Radio telescope goes on top of the caboose, it can be the observatory.

 

jeff

[Cat]

Ooh, just stumbled upon another great business that is critical to Japan's economy and is both small and fun to model — the vending machine supply company.  This one is right by Higashi-Mito Station on the KRT:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.3618248,140.5160834,3a,75y,340.65h,92.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYtXRBAtCgi4WNntfxI3gvw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[cteno4]

way cool! vending machine hospital! gunna have to model that!

 

theres an outland building to kitbash from

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Outland-Models-Railway-Layout-Modern-City-Building-4-Story-Apartment-N-Scale/391413289136?hash=item5b220cd0b0:g:O2gAAOSwAvJW8rfw

 

or upper floors of 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Outland-Models-Railway-Layout-Modern-City-Building-4-Story-Apartment-N-Scale/391413289136?hash=item5b220cd0b0:g:O2gAAOSwAvJW8rfw

 

jeff

[cteno4]

just stumbled on some like 18' dishes from outland

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Outland-Models-Model-Railroad-Scenery-Parabolic-Antenna-x2-Scale-N-1-150/392237121988?hash=item5b532781c4:g:0bcAAOSwQ45cYpWD

 

jeff

[Cat]

I saw those dishes today too.  I haven't bought any of their 3D printed products, the filament grain looks very coarse.

This is the one I ordered this afternoon for the vending machine sales office.  Take a floor out of the middle, and remove the whole tower side, and presto:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Outland-Models-Railway-Scenery-Layout-City-Apartment-N-Scale/173788438874?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

The prototype just immediately screamed Outland.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Cat

[Cat]

Package of tiny 3D resin-printed goodies from All Scale Miniatures just arrived.

https://www.allscaleminiatures.com/miniature-gallery?category=N

The single cement blocks are beautiful, nice detail on the pallet loads of blocks too.  Also picked up an assortment of pallets, traffic cones, and an air compressor.  In the little plastic tub has an assortment of detailing bits: a floor jack, drill press, fire extinguishers, acetylene torch in a cart.  Very pleased with the quality of everything.

Edited July 7, 2020 by Cat