Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

[spacerunner]

Hello everybody

today, the Main Sprockets have arrived, which should not be printable at first and were rejected by Shapeways because of too small wall thicknesses (< 0,3 mm) were.

When looking at the photos, one has to take into account that FUD/FXD prints do not provide much contrast when unpainted, which makes it difficult to see details.

In the following pictures I have to differentiate between the upright and the flat print orientation, which I wanted to test with regard to the supporting wax problem.

Here one can see the sprockets in FUD (left) and FXD (right), printed in upright standing orientation, whereby one can see the clearer details of the FXD Sprocket.





And now still the FXD Sprocket (left) in flat print orientation comes in addition, in the middle the FUD Sprocket (upright print orientation).



In this picture below the two FXD Sprockets lay side by side, on the left the flat and on the right the upright print orientation. But I have to say, I can not see any differences in the surface roughness between the two variants, which could have been due to the different support wax arrangement.



And here once again the FXD Sprocket (upright orientation) in mounting position,



as well as on four Track shoes that go well together, which I had hoped for.







As matters stand I will probably decide for a Set of 16 (FXD) with flat print orientation, which my friend Joe could have to model now.
From close up, it looks pretty big and clear on those macro shots. But with a little more distance (about 30 cm), the chain is clearly shrinking already,



so that I could probably live well with FUD Sprockets.
Therefore, we first wait for the Set of 16 model and then continue. Maybe in the end SW will throw again their arms in the air ...

[Revell-Fan]

Awesome!!! Congrats!!!

[spacerunner]

Thanks Marcell,
one just has to be patient and stick to one's guns!

[spacerunner]

Hello friends,

in the forum NASASpaceflight.com a friend has remarked critically that the chains have to go around the sprocket about 110°, which one would not be judged by the sprocket I've shown so far with only four shoes, wherewith he is certainly right first.

At first, my only concern was to check that the Sprocket wreath (1,75 mm) would fit into the Pin Lug gap (W1 > W2).

Here's an original photo, where one can see that the Pin Lugs of six Track shoes are in direct both-sided contact with the Sprocket, which corresponds to an angle of about 150°.


Source: NASA

I checked it out and connected eight shoes and put them around the drive wheel.



And as one can see, these eight shoes are in direct contact with the sprocket, which normally does not happen, as the first photo shows.



Therefore, this criterion of the accuracy of fit of the chain is also fulfilled.

[spacerunner]

Hello everybody,

and now back to the Main Sprockets, for which my friend Joe has meanwhile also modeled two variants of a Set of 16.

Here is the set with the flat arrangement of the wheels, although the set is upright in the picture,


Source: arcforums.com (crackerjazz)



and here the set with upright standing wheels.





I mean, he should upload the Flat arrangement, but whereby he has to be careful to select also the Flat print orientation!
Hopefully there is no Déjà vu experience with Shapeways ...

[spacerunner]

Hello everyone,

my friend Joe has uploaded the two Sprocket Sets of 16 faster than expected and also sent me the screenshots of the related Support Material.

Here is the support wax arrangement at the Flat set variant,


Source: shapeways.com (Crackerjazz)

and here at the Upright variant.


Source: shapeways.com (Crackerjazz)

And here one can find both sets at Shapeways.


Source: shapeways.com (Crackerjazz)


Source: shapeways.com (Crackerjazz)

I have now ordered the Set of 16-Flat Ori (FXD), and I'm curious if SW will print it without any trouble, what I expect, or if they will pull themself up again at the wall thicknesses (< 0,3 mm).

[spacerunner]

Hello everybody,

my expectations of SW have been met, the Main Sprocket Set of 16-Flat Ori (FXD) was already let pass without hesitation and is In Production, wherewith also my 3D print projects would have been finished for now.
Why not immediately so!

[spacerunner]

Good morning, friends,
the Main Sprockets are rolling now - Shipped!!!

[spacerunner]

Hello everybody,
today came the Main Sprocket Set of 16-Flat Ori, which I have checked out closer, to see possibly, which side did lay below and therefore on the support wax.



Well, what do you think?



I suspect that in the first picture one looks onto the bottom, which was lying on the wax and seems to be a bit rougher than the top in the second picture.

Under my LED lamp, the difference comes out a little better, therefore the same order of images, here is the view onto the bottom,



and here onto the smoother top.



So well, I'll have to clean everything anyway in the ultrasonic bath, both the Track Shoes and the Sprockets.
That's it now with the 3D printing but first, and I'm very satisfied with the result.

[Revell-Fan]

This looks fabulous! CONGRATS!