monai Posted February 10, 2014 Ben fleskes has updated his page on tracks, see it at http://www.bigbenbricks.com/track/track.html the production technic is 3D printing, it looks well, as regard the metal rails. Sergio Monai Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JopieK Posted February 10, 2014 Very interesting!!! LEGO should be very alert ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spitfire2865 Posted February 10, 2014 Im honestly a little disappointed. As much as the previous design might have been flawed, I did overall like its adaptability. This new one, although the metal looks great, the plastic track just seems like a mod to the existing track. Nothing we havent seen talked about before. No big change like the original design had. And if we are supposed to print all the track ourselves, then that limits the product to those with a 3d printer or access to one. And the rail? Where do you buy just rail? As much as someone will probably come by and accuse me of something as the internet always does, Im a little disappointed at the end result. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frank STENGEL Posted February 10, 2014 The results look quite all right. I for one would love to try printing a wider curve (R56 like the one promised by ME models) in order to have parallel curves.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JopieK Posted February 10, 2014 The concept of a FabLab is a good option for those that don't have a direct access 3D printer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamesed_1971 Posted February 10, 2014 I would be interested in buy the ties if some one was to print the 3d designs and sell them, as for the rails and rail joiners I would use Peco Gauge G-45 Rails and rail joiners as they are code 250 rails and rail IL-9 Peco G-45 Code 250 Nickel Silver rail. £3.50 ( 6 Rails in a pack ) SL-910 Peco G-45 Track: Rail Joiners. £5.98 ( 18 Rail joiners in a pack ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hrw-Amen Posted February 10, 2014 It seems a little sad that you will not be able to buy the plastic rails from him after all this time of waiting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_spock Posted February 10, 2014 It may be ok to design and 3D print your own LEGO tracks. Selling them may get the corporate lawyers on you if your designs are too similar to LEGO's IP and patents. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greenmtvince Posted February 10, 2014 This is full of win. I'm looking forward to having some wide radius curves. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pizzareno Posted February 11, 2014 I would love to buy the ties also. No way I could afford $2k on a printer. If anybody wants to print me some let me know! Using the PECO track to me seems the best idea. I saw in a rail bricks issue some time back an article where a guy used 2 x 8 plates and cut out the two studs one stud in from each end then folded metal joiners through the holes and then threaded track through them. This looks very labour intensive but being able to buy ties at the correct gauge and put the rail on them would be great. 'sigh' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duq Posted February 11, 2014 The story is simple: it's no longer cost-effective to create molds for producing custom Lego train track. The cost-effective way is 3D printing. Unfortunately 3D printing is slow and labour intensive so not suitable for mass-production. The way forward, and that doesn't just apply to custom Lego track, is local production. I've already started investigating local suppliers.... It'll be interesting to see what ME Models are going to do now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ust60 Posted February 11, 2014 Hello Forum Community, you have not the railroad ties all at home? You are missing only the rail? A truly accurate profiles? Perhaps one of aluminum? What accuracy of 0.01 mm (0.000393700787 inches) CNC milled. Quality made ​​in Germany. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monai Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) Ust60, I don't understand the meaning of your intervention, could you explain it better? Sergio Edited February 11, 2014 by monai Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus Posted February 11, 2014 One of the guys at my club just uses Peco Rails and the old gray/blue 12v track ties to make his nice long sweeping bend. Takes a bit of time to make he said but the outcome is very nice on the main club layout. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spitfire2865 Posted February 11, 2014 Ust60, I don't understand the meaning of your intervention, could you explain it better? Sergio Hes hinting at selling a product without actually saying it. Thats how i read it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ust60 Posted February 11, 2014 Hello Forum Community, I have no shop . I have no company. I am a private man, like most here . And I have no money too much as most people here . Only the aluminum rail by ME - Models is a good solution , just not perfect Produced I just have one hobby room downstairs in the basement . A small milling machine. And a small lathe. A Good friend is his own boss . He has a small company with his wife, son and two employees. He produced on CNC lathes and CNC milling. Aluminum parts for model builders. It can also produce rails . But it must be interesting for both sides. I can only convey . Mediating I wanted when I asked: " . What would be your wish If you had one wish" Radii calculated. Photos set . After the radius required. Answer switches . I asked : And now the mother of all questions , the Tiresome topic , money . What do you think . How much is worth to you, your dream bend ? And why not more ? And why not less? Answers ? ? ? Not an answer , not one ! I 'm not going to pre-finance . I am a private man . My friend needs to know if he can cover its costs . I have the same interests as you. Good looking rails. I can pay for. Best regards Udo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hankdelsi Posted February 11, 2014 I was fortunate to pick up some of the ME models straights before they went out of stock. I have plenty of extra curves so I have no need other than maybe the different radius concepts. So for me it's straights, double length straights, and hey why not half length straights. Also maybe something like the double switch plastic rail, although not sure about electrical current flow for that one. The ME models stuff worked for me so I've been waiting patiently/hopefully for another release. Their price point was in my range and you can never have enough straights in my mind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monai Posted February 12, 2014 The Big Ben Bricks system is rather different from ME one: the ties are the fundamental piece, the rails could be at custom choice, but let me say that the vignole profile is another thing (much better). There are plenty of self build tracks but the concept of BBB is to give a tool, the ties in differnt radius and the possibility to combine them in any way, to project and realize almost ANY layout design. Obviously the open problem are the switches. Ben Fleskes has said (one year ago) that the project is still open to give a complete system but till now there is nothing about it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted February 12, 2014 Time to sell one of my kidneys so I can buy a 3-D printer! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_spock Posted February 12, 2014 Time to sell one of my kidneys so I can buy a 3-D printer! They are coming down in price. There is even one that can print carbon fiber in the works for $5000 US. There are companies that will print your design for you. You upload your file to them and you get your object printed in return. One of the guys in a local LUG made his own 3D printer. It's pretty cruel output but it might be good enough for train tracks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nagyzee Posted February 14, 2014 This is a bit of a disappointment. The concept is nice but not everyone has access to a 3D printer. The texture of the 3D printed parts on the example pictures is also somewhat distracting. Looks a bit odd among Lego pieces. But the main problem is that so far this concept doesn't offer a solution for the biggest flaw of LEGO's own track design: the switches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tedbeard Posted February 14, 2014 The story is simple: it's no longer cost-effective to create molds for producing custom Lego train track. The cost-effective way is 3D printing. Unfortunately 3D printing is slow and labour intensive so not suitable for mass-production. You do see that the two ideas contradict each other? If it is not suitable for mass-production then it is not cost-effective. Perhaps what you meant to say was the the market for these rails is not large enought to warrant the investment required for track molds. As. Brickarms and others have shown, molds for custom elements are still the way to go for mass production in general. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zephyr1934 Posted February 14, 2014 I too was frustrated by the tantalizing promises of wide radius curves that never came through. I even contemplated 3D printed curves, but the price was insane. Never mind the cost of the printer, I think it was a few hundred dollars just to print a complete circle. I would imagine in a few years the prices will come down, but not quite there today. I am working on an approach to assemble wide radius curves using lego tiles, third party ABS rail stock, and glue. Still labor intensive, but the material costs winds up being cheaper than lego straight track. I've built a 1/4 turn so far and will post pictures in another thread as soon as I have time to take them. Meanwhile, do not be upset with BBB or ME. They were trying to develop products to serve our needs. Both attempts encountered unforeseen difficulties. I am still very grateful that they made the investment to try to bring these to market. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamesed_1971 Posted February 14, 2014 I've decided to make my own track by using 2x4 Plates with Peco Gauge 1 Rails and rail Joiners, as I dont have a 3D Printer which in the UK costs £900 to over a £1000, plus the cost of the plastic ingredients I would need, the cost of making my own custom Lego Train track will cost £50 per 9 foot of track, I still have work out the cost of making points Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spitfire2865 Posted February 14, 2014 Maybe someone with access to molding machines could create something like BBB original design. It was a good design from the varied track idea. Maybe if the metal rails were designed to use railjoiners and flexible rail, we would have a varied track design with only 4 or 5 different molds for the normal rails which could be placed in one overall mould? Though switches are still an issue. Using flexible metal rail and rail joiners would resolve Bens original reason to scrap the first design? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
