 |
| Posted: Wed Jan 12th, 2022 09:48 pm |
|
1st Post |
Almostretired
Registered
| Joined: | Thu Feb 6th, 2020 |
| Location: | Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 43 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
I tried to search for any answers to my question, but came up empty.
Is there a section for experiences with online vendors ?
I have to get nearly everything online, as the nearest local stores aren't so local,
and the one that is in my hometown told me 3 years ago,
he doesn't carry any scratchbuilding supplies, because "Nobody does that anymore"
Specifically I am looking for anyone with recent experiences with ...
https://www.sanjuancarco.com aka https://sanjuandetails.com/.
Both sites have same physical address and phone numbers at the bottom,
but different product lists.
An email to the first site with a product question has gone unanswered,
but the "contact us" form had a phrase to the effect:
"Don't expect us to get back to you soon, be patient"
Their telephone recording says,
you can talk to them live 3 days a week for 4 hours each day,
but they might have stepped out, so leave a message...
I read a ways back that the company has a history of new owners, etc,
but I thought they were finally reopened for business.
However, I am not sure I want to deal with a concern,
that isn't easy to communicate with.
I see some of their products I am interested in for sale by eBay sellers,
but the shipping eBay sellers are asking is outrageous for tiny parts like this.
For reference to how online can be done:
I have ordered several times from Tichy Train Group,
each time my orders came quickly, at extremely reasonable rates, US Mail.
Several emails were answered within 24 hours,
a phone call during business hours was picked up by a living, breathing, human.
____________________
Mark from Illinois
|
|
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 12th, 2022 10:02 pm |
|
2nd Post |
Don Drew
Registered
| Joined: | Tue Sep 22nd, 2020 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 4 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
I have the same problem.
I live in a very rural area, on the eastern Shore of Virginia (USA),
I finally gave up and bought a 3D-printer for my HO railroad project.
It has been an amazing trip.
After learning to use the 3D-printer, I have created thousands of dollars worth,
of buildings, fences, cars, trucks, people, sinage, telephone poles etc. for pennies.
And it has been a great deal of fun.
If I at 77 years old can learn 3D-printing,
anyone can.
Don
|
|
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 12th, 2022 11:00 pm |
|
3rd Post |
Almostretired
Registered
| Joined: | Thu Feb 6th, 2020 |
| Location: | Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 43 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Thanks for the feedback.
Great to hear of your success with the printer.
I have SolidWorks each year for free thru the EAA, (EAA dues are only $40).
Haven't used it much lately, used it for other off topic projects, never for modeling,
so maybe I'll give 3D-printing a go, as I have some appropriate software.
One of my nephews 3D-scans stuff regularly, with a phone app.
but he has an expensive phone, too.
The public library in my daughter's town,
supposedly has 3D-printers for patrons to use,
you just pay a little for the plastic.
Last year I was looking into 3D-printing classes at my local community college,
that's where I learned SW several years ago.
In my state, tuition and fees were halved for me,
after I broke through the 3 score birthday barrier.
However, having survived this nasty bug once already (I got it after my 2 jabs !),
it has me cooled a bit on another class, at least until things settle.
The figures are what especially appeals to me, I am trying to model in On30.
It seems available O scale figures are all too pricey for my wallet,
nice ones start at $5 a pop and all the really nice ones are $9-10.
Cheap ones look like blobs.
I tried some 1:50 figures that seemed reasonable, but they are too small.
What I don't understand is, that going to other scales,
real nice figures are much more reasonable, especially the 1:35 military figures.
Do you want to post some pictures of your work ?
____________________
Mark from Illinois
|
|
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 12th, 2022 11:28 pm |
|
4th Post |
Don Drew
Registered
| Joined: | Tue Sep 22nd, 2020 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 4 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Hi Almostretired.
My 3D-printer cost $179.00 US Dollars.
The PLA filament is about $24.00 US Dollars.
I just printed a HO water tower for about $0.50 Cents US.
The same water tower sells for $119.00 plus shipping $12.00
I just finished a very accurate O Church for less than $1.00 US,
it cost 59.00 plus shipping.
I have printed over $1000.00 worth,
of accurate, to scale, people, cars, fences, houses of every size.
The cost, less than $40.00
I used free youTube courses,
to help with my learning.
Best Wishes
Don
|
|
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 13th, 2022 02:31 pm |
|
5th Post |
Almostretired
Registered
| Joined: | Thu Feb 6th, 2020 |
| Location: | Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 43 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Thanks again, Don.
Care to share your printer make ?
Evidently, you are very pleased with it so far.
I started looking around, and the gaming miniature fans
have loads of nfo on their sites regarding 3D-printing.
____________________
Mark from Illinois
|
|
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 13th, 2022 03:23 pm |
|
6th Post |
Don Drew
Registered
| Joined: | Tue Sep 22nd, 2020 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 4 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Hi Almostretired.
I did a lot of research. I did not know what I was doing,
I did not know if I could even operate one.
I have an engineering degree and computer science degree,
so I figured if it was just computer stuff I may be smart enough (maybe).
So I purchased from AMAZON. I felt like I could trust them (also maybe).
I bought an ANYCUBIC MEGA S for around $200.00 bucks,
and ordered 2 Kilo spools of PLA filament.
All of this seemed to be low end reasonably priced and easy to use.
So as usual I have never had so much fun, been so satisfied.
The 3D-printer is a computer, as with all computers,
they will only do WHAT YOU TELL THEM TO DO.
A lot of people do not realize that.
They only understand 1-2 3-4-5 etc.
They do not understand 1-3-6-8-4.
As I said, I looked at a lot of tutorials on youTube before I purchased,
so many youTubers just like to hear themselves talk and don't say much.
So I looked at quite a few. They were very helpful.
Don
P.S. Are you in the USA ?
|
|
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 13th, 2022 03:31 pm |
|
7th Post |
Don Drew
Registered
| Joined: | Tue Sep 22nd, 2020 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 4 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Hi Almostretired.
I see you are in the USA.
Feel free to call me as our cell phones are free USA.
Also I am an Artist Metal Sculptor for the past 30 years,
check me out at coppercreations.biz
I am director of a ART Show this weekend in Ocean City
Marylanddelmarvaartexpo.com
|
|
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 15th, 2022 04:12 am |
|
8th Post |
Michael M
Registered
|
Mark
Take a look at military figures in 1:48 scale.
Tamiya makes many of them.
You can modify the figures for civilian use.
I use a lot of altered 1:35 scale military figures on my 1:35n2 layout.
I've even used some of the green plastic army men.
____________________
Michael
-------
Nye, Inyo & Esmeralda Railroad
https://www.flickr.com/photos/183715370@N03/albums/72157710477887657/
|
|
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 16th, 2022 05:45 pm |
|
9th Post |
Almostretired
Registered
| Joined: | Thu Feb 6th, 2020 |
| Location: | Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 43 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
No email reply from San Juan about my product questions.
I guess I'll give them a second phone call to see if they pick up,
and if not, put them to the side for now.
I was primarily interested in their On30 archbar truck kits,
they are highly detailed, but I do have some questions before I purchase,
one was simply the diameter of the wheels, for instance.
They also carry a lot of old Grandt Line detail parts I am interested in.
In the meantime, my purchase of Kadee 24" On30 wheel sets arrived,
and I put them into Tichy HO 100 ton heavy archbar truck kits,
and now I have a reasonable looking truck.
The Tichy HO truck scales to about a 3' O gauge wheelbase,
but the enclosed HO wheels scaled at 17.5" in O.
Two years ago, I tried the largest Kadee HO wheel sets I could find at HO 36",
they scaled to O scale 19.5", better than what came with the Tichy trucks,
but still shorter than what I was looking for.
Either they are new, or I didn't dig deep into Kadee's catalog 2 years ago,
but now Kadee markets On30 24" Griffin ribbed back metal wheel sets.
I realize prototype diameters varied a lot,
but with the 3' wheelbase trucks and the small 19" wheels,
the trucks seemed to disappear, even under a narrow 6 1/2' wide car.
I have numerous plans from the Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazettes,
and even though I'm not a stickler for accuracy,
the 18' car I am working on has 22" wheels, as do many of the shorter car plans.
In 1:1 railroading, I get stuck too often at a double rail crossing,
just a mile down the road I live on, so I spend a lot of time looking at freight cars,
and the wheels and trucks seem to be prominent features,
so when model trucks seem to disappear under what I am building, it bothers me.
The best news about this combination of parts,
is that I am in well under $8 for a pair of trucks.
Here's a shot with my new 24" wheels in place under an in-construction frame:
This shot has one HO 36" wheelset in place for comparison:
So, no great loss if San Juan Models keeps silent,
as Kadee and Tichy shipped recent orders fast, well-packaged, at minimal shipping rates.
Both answered email questions about their products within 48 hours, usually less.
Some close up shots in case any rivet counters wish to crawl under the car:
____________________
Mark from Illinois
|
|
|
Current time is 12:22 am | |
|
|
|
