Scale EOT

Here was my very first attempt which I was not happy with at all. But it happened, so I guess it’s part of the story.

Pretty nice. However, even though that EOT is much more scale looking as compared to previous offerings, that coupler and draft gear sure don't look "scale".

@Hot Water posted:

Pretty nice. However, even though that EOT is much more scale looking as compared to previous offerings, that coupler and draft gear sure don't look "scale".

In the first post or second? I posted backwards so the second post Is the first attempt in a MTH lobster claw coupler. First post is where I am now which is the same size as a Kadee. Thank you though and absolutely open to suggestions.

Here’s a coupler size comparison.

Ahhhh, MUCH better!

@Hot Water posted:

Ahhhh, MUCH better!

Yea, the pictures of the current design look huge without anything for reference and in my excitement of progress I posted my progress in reverse. Thanks.

Cool, for lighting it would be nice to have something like what the MTH model does, it has a cool strobe effect.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Cool, for lighting it would be nice to have something like what the MTH model does, it has a cool strobe effect.

I bought 3mm red chip LEDs from Evans design. One second on and one second off. As we talked about, they have no capacitor so shouldn’t hurt DCS signal. Biggest problem currently is light “bleed”. I’m sure I can solive that though.

I  bought these 3D printed EOTs.  They are a little smaller than the MTH models, but do not light up.  The size is a little more prototypical. https://macrailproducts.com/sh...--end-of-train-items

Here is one in HO by Ring Engineering:

The only problem that I found with this type (MTH and Lionel ones also) was that the flash rate is dependent om the track voltage; the higher the voltage, the faster the flash rate. The Ring one almost became a steady burn when on 14 or so volts DC.

EDIT: One idea I had was to remove the flasher from track power and connect it to an internal rechargeable battery pack of suitable voltage; maybe a 9 volt rechargeable battery.

@PRRMP54 posted:

Here is one in HO by Ring Engineering:

The only problem that I found with this type (MTH and Lionel ones also) was that the flash rate is dependent om the track voltage; the higher the voltage, the faster the flash rate. The Ring one almost became a steady burn when on 14 or so volts DC.

EDIT: One idea I had was to remove the flasher from track power and connect it to an internal rechargeable battery pack of suitable voltage; maybe a 9 volt rechargeable battery.

The LEDs I got from evandesigns seem to have a steady flash from 9 all the way up to 18 volts.

Never noticed a variable flash rate with the MTH FRED, probably because I run command and it always has 18 VAC.

I’m sure for the 3d printing experts, this would be easy. For me, not so much.

Made some progress though and getting it closer to what I want. Still not in fine quality, and I need to shorten the coupler shank. Also thinking I may shrink the EOT even smaller but I’m not really sure yet.

@David K. Simpson posted:

...snip...  Also thinking I may shrink the EOT even smaller but I’m not really sure yet.

Shrink the coupler to scale size while you are at it. After all, nothing will be coupled to it and it will look so much better.

@PRRMP54 posted:

Shrink the coupler to scale size while you are at it. After all, nothing will be coupled to it and it will look so much better.

It’s already at “kadee” size. I know the shank is way too long but the coupler head isn’t as bad as it looks. I can shrink it though and may try that tomorrow. Thanks.

You might also print it using black material and then just paint the E.O.T. the correct color.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

You might also print it using black material and then just paint the E.O.T. the correct color.

I thought about that but yellow over black is pretty difficult to do without a lot of coats. Could do silver first and then yellow over that.

Still in the developmental stages, but I now have proof of concept. Better LEDs are on the way.

Lookin' good.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Lookin' good.

Thanks. Still a work in progress, however it’s not getting all the attention it deserves with the end of train “season” being right around the corner. Have lots of projects I’m trying to wrap up.

So I have a real one for comparison and quickly figured out making it truly scale size would not only be difficult, I think it would just be too small and not even be noticed. True 1:48 dimensions would put it at 10x3x3mm. I will probably make some that size just to see but that seems tiny.

@David K. Simpson posted:

So I have a real one for comparison and quickly figured out making it truly scale size would not only be difficult, I think it would just be too small and not even be noticed. True 1:48 dimensions would put it at 10x3x3mm. I will probably make some that size just to see but that seems tiny.

I agree with with you, I can't imagine that being a useful size, and I suspect it would be a challenge to light it, though it is possible I guess.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I agree with with you, I can't imagine that being a useful size, and I suspect it would be a challenge to light it, though it is possible I guess.

I think my plan will be to make it look proportional to the couplers I made and leave it at that.

I like the idea of making it as part of the printed coupler, it'll be more robust.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I like the idea of making it as part of the printed coupler, it'll be more robust.

Absolutely. I initially experimented with it being separate but it just wasn’t worth the trouble and would never hold up.

Slow progress, but progress nonetheless. I couldn’t get the painted version to look the way I wanted so I changed directions and made it 2 pieces. I put a 2mm hole in the knuckle and a 2mm pin on the EOT. A little plastic weld solvent and it feels nearly as strong as the one piece unit. I now have a real UP EOT device in my possession so I will also be changing the EOT and will then decide which I like better. Another small change was ditching the round light hole and making it rectangular.

Ok, getting closer to a finished product. After acquiring a real EOT and modeling it, I think I like it better that the first one I used. I still need to fine tune the detail of the print, but I think I’m happy with where it’s at. It’s quite amazing how many defects the camera shows that you can’t see in real life. Anyways, here’s where I’m at…..

Pretty happy with where it ended up. I’ll probably print them in finer detail but I’m happy with the design.

Very cool, I like it!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Very cool, I like it!

Thank you. I never intended to make them, but the only MTH ones available are $50 each when you can find them and that just seems crazy. I probably have $6 in each of them (if you don’t count the hundreds in development and labor). Haha.

I hear you about development time.  I have a shelf of projects that never saw the light of day.  If you ever get going printing them, I'd like to get some of them from you, it's a cool way to terminate a modern freight train.  I think I'd probably come up with a tiny board that has a cool flash action and just stick it in a freight truck with a collector roller.