Interurban Box Cars CERA type, with rounded ends, N scale

Siemens S70 LRV HO kit available

For a complete motorized Siemens S70 Light Rail Vehicle in HO scale, you need several kits:

• The #87-4001 Car Body kit
• The #87-4601 Floor kit
• The #87-4901 Finishing kit
• One #125158 or 125158F Powering Kit available from Custom Traxx
• Optional: San Diego MTS Decal Set #CN-2052 available for this car from Custom Traxx

See also our part list (pdf).

The #87-4901 Finishing kit is made of machined or hand made parts and contains also all screws needed to build this car; this #87-4901 Finishing kit is provided to all buyers of the two 3D printed kits above.

The price for this Finishing kit is already included in the Shapeways price. Once your Shapeways order placed, please you will be contacted by Interurban Models by email to give your Postal Address, and you will subsequently receive these parts.

Lowering the TomytecTM-TR01 drive for Electromobiles

Tomytec TM-TR drives

Remove the black plastic cover

Some N scale streetcar bodies are too low for Tomytec TM-TR drives (TR01, 04, 05 ...) There is an easy and non-destructive way to lower them one millimeter, enough to place an Electromobile or also a GHB PCC shell. No need for soldering, the drive remains mainly unaltered. 

In front, the unmodified drive

In the middle, the lowered drive

Step 1: remove the black plastic covering the metal contact strips, with a screwdriver or simply with your nails

Step 2: Glue the contact strips with some cyano - few drops are enough. 

Step 3: with a cutting knife, cut down the pins overlooking the contact strips

Glue the contact strips

Cut down the small pins holding the contacts

Liberty Bell Limited in N scale available @Shapewa...

American Gothic House Laser Kit, HO scale

Now available: The American Gothic House. This small house in Eldon, Iowa, is a design in the "Carpenter Gothic Style", with a distinctive upper window. It was the backdrop of the iconic 1930 Grant Wood painting American Gothic.

 
This MDF laser kit is easy to build - assembly requires just a steady hand and some patience. You will need to provide: white glue, paint, some sandpaper, a pin or a toothpick, a cutting knife and tweezers. 

Look for it on eBay, searching "American Gothic House Laser Kit". The kit is manufactured in small batches, regularly reproduced. 

Instructions: https://www.dropbox.com/s/kl13g79ogi072td/AmericanGothicHO_en.pdf?dl=0

Lehigh Valley Transit "Liberty Bell Limited", ex C&LE "Red Devil", in N scale

The  Lehigh Valley Transit "Liberty Bell Limited" cars, former Cincinnati & Lake Erie "Red Devils" will be produced in N scale soon. Three versions are considered:

1/ unpainted 3D printed body with accessoires (truck frames), to order at my Shapeways Shop. Release date early June 2017.

2/ painted 3D printed body with accessoires (truck frames, dummy poles), will be sold in small quantities on eBay for a fixed price.
Release date end of July 2017 (see photos on the right)


3/ painted and lettered 3D printed body with accessoires (truck frames, dummy poles), will be sold in small quantities on eBay for a fixed price
Release date not yet fixed, aimed for September 2017

Due to very recent pricing changes by Shapeways I cannot yet announce the prices, I need some days more to rework the drawings, the prices will be published soon.

The body is snapping over a standard Tomytec TM-TR04 drive, this drive had to be purchased separately

How to clean Shapeways Frosted Ultra Detail (FUD)

Recommendation for cleaning 3D prints made of Shapeway's Fine Detail (FD) or Fine Ultra Detail (FUD) 

Uncleaned FUD is translucent

Frosted Detail and Frosted Ultra Detail are both made of a UV cured acrylic polymer. Both materials are well suited for painting.

They are relatively brittle, especially when features are thin. The material is heat resistant up to 80°C / 176°F degrees.

During printing, Frosted Detail and Frosted Ultra Detail products are supported by a waxy material that is dissolved after printing is complete.

Wax is mostly removed by Shapeways with ultrasonic bathes. But the model remains waxy when shipped.

This wax must be removed before painting. The residual wax makes the plastic translucid. Once cleaned, the model becomes white.

PLEASE NOTICE : Never apply water or air hotter than 50 ° C / 125°F 

Warm water bath with soap

Start with a first bath in warm water, brushing softly with a toothbrush.

I recommend using a plastic bucket when rinsing and brushing. If you broke a part, don't panic, you will not loose it, and could glue it with cyan glue. Glue broken parts only when cleaning is finished.

Then alternate chemical liquids or sprays and warm bathes. Let the model dry between each cleaning cycle.

Chemical liquids successfully tested:
• medical isopropanol (IPA)
• stove cleaning spray
• stain remover for clothing
• acetone free nail polish remove

I use mostly isopropanol and stove cleaning spray.

Household detergents have mostly small effect on wax, but soap helps to rinse the model properly.

After a chemical cleaning  always rinse with water. Then using a low pressure compressed air source to blow out any blocked holes.

Stove cleaning spray is a good wax cleaner

Once cleaned, the print loose its translucent aspect and becomes white. Some dried out wax remains as powder. The powder can be swept away with a soft brush and a needle. Compressed air from a spray can helps also.

Be always careful, because fine parts are very brittle. Rinsing in water is always the last step before painting.

Other products:

US friends have told me that products called Bestine, Goo-Gone or De-Solve are working well. They are not easily available here in Europe.

In this video a modeler use Bleche-White tyre cleaner in a video, but you must be much more careful with the toothbrush than this guy: http://youtu.be/mVYnbsnoB3Q

NOT RECOMMENDED :  

Aceton and Mineral/white spirit dissolves perhaps the wax but also dissolves the plastic leading to breakage and failure. 

Avoid hot water or hot air.