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Reply to "Continuing Saga …"

Mark, I have nothing if not perseverance. I have much more of that than patience.

Today was a good example of why whenever I need to print one of something, I print as many as will fit in the machine. One curb cut was perfect, the other was non-existent. It broke loose early in the print so it was just a flat blob stuck to the FEP that required emptying the vat and popping it off. With the EPAX film I'm using, these stick-ons generally don't wreck the film and I can put it back in use.

Here's the one that was perfect.

Idaho Parking Lot Curb Cut As Printed

After pulling off all the supports I hardened it. Then I sanding the surfaces that had the supports. I traced the part onto the parking surface. I started to cut it out with the scroll saw, but it pinched and broke the blade. I finished it up with the saber saw.

I tried the part in the slot. I had to sacrifice some of the under structure in the cutting and I added it back so the curb would be complete underneath and along side the curb cut part.

Idaho Parking Curb Cut FittingIdaho Parking Curb Cutting

I used some of the same MDF, some thick CA and strategic sanding and it was all fit. I used more thick CA to fill some gaps, then some Bondic and finally some Tamiya fine filler. I trial fit it again into its spot.

Idaho Parking Curb Cut Trial

After I took this pic I finished sanded the whole deal and it's ready for paint tomorrow.

Idaho Parking Curb Cut Filling

I think it's going to need a fence between the lot and the railroad tracks. I could do another chain link since I'm pretty good at that, but I'm thinking a wooden fence might add some variety, a place for some right-of-way trash, maybe some graffiti even. Brennan's has a pretty good wood fence… I'll check it out. Just checked it out. The kit is $25 for 48" of wood fence. I just measured the curved edge and it was exactly 48". That's not good since it would mean no room for failure. Furthermore, most of the run is all curve. Wood fences are hard to build on curves. Even a chain link fence is challenging on a continuous curve since ever junction would need to be angular. I've done this for the refinery and engine house fences, but they weren't all curve like this. I could laminate a ply wall and make it poured concrete, but I won't do it like I did for the gas station. A strathmore double layer wall with wooden spacers in between could work. I'll have to think on this.

After printing the curb cut I print another run of the modified billboard light fixtures. These came out okay, the LED space is a little tight, but I'll make it work and the hole size is dead on. Some didn't come out, but I only need two so far. I've cleaned up four so far and ran out of time. I'm going to make a fairly gaudy "Parking Lot" sign that I want illuminated on both sides. With some of these small complex parts, the failure rate can exceed 50%.

Billboard Lights Print

Here's a closer shot. Looking at the way the Chinese street lights were wired showed me another way to do it. To save space, they have the negative lead soldered across the back of the LED with just a tiny bit of un-insulated wire exposed to solder. The positive lead also heads out the same direction so both wires run parallel and don't need any 180° bends which take room. I haven't designed the sign yet, but that won't take long.

Billboard Light SMLED Fitting

I don't know about you, but for me and my family, today was a happy day. Democracy worked! There were those that tried to stop it, and they almost did, but they failed. Instead, they just behaved like a bunch of mindless vandals. We're better than that. Some TV stations, instead of celebrating were continuing with the BS. Maybe they should get over it. My wife and I killed a bottle of Prosecco and it was good!

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Images (7)
  • Idaho Parking Lot Curb Cut As Printed
  • Idaho Parking Curb Cut Fitting
  • Idaho Parking Curb Cutting
  • Idaho Parking Curb Cut Trial
  • Idaho Parking Curb Cut Filling
  • Billboard Lights Print
  • Billboard Light SMLED Fitting
Last edited by Trainman2001

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