Searail engine shells

minzemaennchen Apr 1, 2009

  1. minzemaennchen

    minzemaennchen TrainBoard Member

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    Hi everyone,
    has somebody already bought/received one of the new Sealrail engine shells? A very good idea to utilize the MTL GP35 chassis. Before I go ahead and try it myself I wonder what the surface quality is? Always a bit of a problem with rapid prototyping parts. So, has somebody already experience?

    http://www.searails.com/railroadmodels/engineshells.html
     
  2. DPSTRIPE

    DPSTRIPE TrainBoard Supporter

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    Gerd,
    They aren't scheduled to ship until the second week of april, so I don't think that anyone has seen a production version, yet.
    Dan S.
     
  3. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Gerd, I am not interested. The surface is rough, and it takes a lot of work to get it smooth. I just wish MK4D start making shells. His stuff is top shelf.
     
  4. david f.

    david f. TrainBoard Supporter

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    well, i don't know. he said he is going to get the same finish as is on his cars. the ones that i have of his are fairly smooth -- not like make my models finish. looking now at the picture on the searails site, they do look rough.

    he also emailed me (for i had reserved one of the RS3 offerings) to say he was "skinnying" the shell so it was not so wide and misproportioned. it may be a mistake to buy one, but then, it may not. until they are delivered it will be hard to judge. but i figured having the basic parts would at least give me a start on a kitbash, if it is not good enough to begin with.

    fyi. dave f.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 1, 2009
  5. BNSF Dash 9

    BNSF Dash 9 TrainBoard Member

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    They sorta look like "Make My Models" stuff. :tb-wacky:

    Could somebody post large photos of theirs so I could see?

    Shame they have some really nice stuff in the works. Shark nose, U-18 and bay window caboose to name a few.
     
  6. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    The photo's are small, but not too small to show a bit rough shell.

    I hope the shells are printed on and Objet printer, as that one makes smooth shells.

    I could not see any pictures of the fuel tanks, truck sideframes, or handrails either. Are those included or even available?

    Where's Fred? :D I want shells!
     
  7. SJ Z-man

    SJ Z-man TrainBoard Member

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    The pix may be more prototype and his SLA process for the prodcution parts may be much better than the photo. Won't know until he posts quality pix of the final versions or someone buys one and does the same.

    The printers are getting better, some are very good in one plane but not the other. We'll see soon.
    .
     
  8. Loren

    Loren TrainBoard Supporter

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    Joe D has one. Ask him about quality.
    Loren
     
  9. david f.

    david f. TrainBoard Supporter

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    alco trucks can be added from the Hallmark UP Turbine ornament. this is what i did on one of my kitbashes. think the MTL sideframes and make them smooth, then thin the Alco sideframe and glue on the MTL (i used Pliobond).

    looks like fuel tanks are molded into the sides.

    handrails are another matter. maybe they expect us to use the MTL ones ... somehow. ?????

    dave f.
     
  10. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Have you seen it Loren? What did Joe tell You about them when you asked, because nobody in their right or wrong mind for that matter would not ask how they looked after someone told you they had one? :D Huh? Huh? We want to know! :D
     
  11. BNSF Dash 9

    BNSF Dash 9 TrainBoard Member

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    Looks like you can get handrails right off their site.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 3, 2009
  12. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Yes, I have one of the Hallmark Turbines stuck on my monitor base in front of me. I plan on using it to make an RS1 some day, but an RS3 would work too!

    I will be at least getting one of these shells to use as a basis. If the sides are rough, I can sand them smooth, then raster some .004" peel & stick sign plastic sides.
    The best case situation would be if they come out smooth and cherry to start with, like the orange Objet RP material that Mark4 uses.
     
  13. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Can you "Right Click" Copy Shortcut (internet explorer) or "Right Click" Copy Link Location (firefox) the link and post here?


    I have scoured the Searails site looking for info on the handrails and trucks and can only find hearsay they are available, but no solid links that those items exist?

    Thanks, :D
     
  14. Robbman

    Robbman TrainBoard Member

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    Not Objet...
     
  15. kimvellore

    kimvellore TrainBoard Member

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    Ha... if it is the same material as the other models you will be happy if it makes it through shipping without breaking...

    Kim
     
  16. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Thanks for LOTS of clarifying information there Robbman!

    I'll Clarify then:
    The best case situation would be if they come out smooth and cherry to start with, like the orange AND CLEAR Objet RP material SIMILAR TO that Mark4 uses from his Envisiontec Perfactory RP machine.

    The point line being, there are FAR batter RP machines out now, with FAR better finishes than we have been seeing so far in Z Scale RP models. The same STL data files can used for these other machines, so let's send the files to whoever has the best machines! Price should be comparable, or adjust as needed. :D
     
  17. Fred Ladd

    Fred Ladd TrainBoard Member

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    Searails mentioned they have a new machine and are using a different material. I certainly hope so. The little lumber saws and donkey are very detailed and nice additions--. Hope these shells come out well.
    Fred
     
  18. david f.

    david f. TrainBoard Supporter

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    my concern is that if these shells ARE good and i HAVEN'T ordered one, i will be out of luck when the run ends.

    ... on the other hand, if they are not "up to snuff" and i order one i will have blown $50. it's a roll of the dice, in some ways.

    i elected to reserve and i've have made my purchase for a shell. i sure hope they're good.

    i think jim is listening to the feedback and will do his best to deliver a good product. in case you have forgotten, these shells were asked of him years ago, and he elected then NOT to do them because of the very concerns mentioned. that he looked again at the project and forged ahead, tells me a lot about and his attentiveness to public demand. He then listened to feedback and improved them more.

    so i am believing they will be good. if he would confirm for us that the shells will be of the higher quality process, then that will insure his success for this and other future Searails offerings.
    if, on the other hand, the shells are junk, he'll have a hard time selling much of ANYthing any more.
    dave f.
     
  19. jlundy46

    jlundy46 TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hi Eddie,
    Like Robert, I looked all over the site and could not find anything about handrails and trucks other than a brief mention they are available separately. Did you find specific details and a way to order them?

    Thanks,
    John
     
  20. Loren

    Loren TrainBoard Supporter

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    Robert,
    I better let Joe tell anyone who wants to know what he has in hand and his opinion.
    I don't know if it is the older material or something new.

    Let Joe tell you directly and I'm sure he will be glad to relate his feelings to anyone who asks.

    No, I have not seen it, but if it is made from the older material, then it is too fragile to sneeze on......
     

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