I'm new to model railroading.
My wife has a nice size Cristmas Village display (about 8'x5') and seems like every other year we buy a cheap toy train to put on it but end up disappointed because there's no layout variation, engines are battery powered and scale is terrible.This year we're biting the bullet and picking up a RTR O-scale set and starting to transition accessories and figures over to o-scale or close.
I went to a couple of local shops and all suggest a RTR set vs trying to buy used parts to piece together a set.
Staying on topic...
Since I have a 3d printer I would like to try to 3d print a lot of the o-scale accessories to keep costs down a bit (at least initially). I've found a few houses I'm in the process of printing but I am having an impossible time finding figures.
I did a quick test using a human model I found to work out scale.
While I wouldn't mind buying some O-scale figures here and there, it seems most available figures are not appropriate for winter scenes like the ones you can buy from say Lemax or Dept 56 which are way too large for O-scale.
Would anyone happen to know of a source for 3d models like this? (or any free/low-cost model railroad 3d model sources?)
Here is my test print alongside an unknown brand O-scale teenager and trash can.
I used this model...
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:33179
to the forum. It doesn't look like you post attracted much attention. Sometimes it gets pushed down on the list by new posts.
The are not a lot of people on the forum doing 3D printing. One person, I think Mel, has bought figures from shapeways and figured out how do do resin casts of those. That's not quite what you had in mind, but it cheaper than buying from Shapeways.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Hi Keith:
Welcome to the forums!!
Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I hope you haven't given up on us.
Here is a link to Shapeways current offering of O scale figures. There are a total of 1330 (but once you take out the nude women the number goes down significantly).
https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace/miniatures/figurines/?q=&sort=&facet%5BpdcId%5D%5B0%5D=111&facet%5BpdcId%5D%5B1%5D=348&facet%5Bprice%5D%5Bmin%5D=1&facet%5Bprice%5D%5Bmax%5D=2500&facet%5Bprice%5D%5Bfrom%5D=1&facet%5Bprice%5D%5Bto%5D=2500&s=52#more-products
I only went through the first few pages but I did find a few that could pass as being dressed for colder weather.
My suggestion would be to buy a few different figures and then copy them. If you are using them for your own purposes I don't think you would be breaking any laws. Then you can take the figures and modify them by repositioning arms and turning heads, or removing hats if they have them. You could even add your own overcoats by using modelling putty. Brief cases can be cut off. You could modify an arm so that it is holding presents. The presents would be easy to make. Etc. etc.
Have fun
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
BigDaddy One person, I think Mel, has bought figures from shapeways and figured out how do do resin casts of those. That's not quite what you had in mind, but it cheaper than buying from Shapeways.
One person, I think Mel, has bought figures from shapeways and figured out how do do resin casts of those. That's not quite what you had in mind, but it cheaper than buying from Shapeways.
Those are really nice figures Mel!