Hi-Cube Hobbies

[thaddeusthudpucker]

I think it is time to tell you guys about this side project I have been working on. We are trying to get a business going in custom detail parts (we also have a certain locomotive project coming up) that are unique enough to be overlooked by the major manufacturers but there is just enough demand for piecemeal stuff...

Enter Hi-Cube Hobbies

How it works: You submit what it is that you need, whatever it may be, and we model it in 3D and print it out. This works best when we can sell a few of them, whether it be side skirts for an Amtrak NPCU or a certain time-traveling Phone Box for a spoof item for your layout.

We print through a company called Shapeways, and pricing is based on the volume of material used for the actual printed item, plus a small markup to us so that we can continue to roll out new models. This is just a start, if you can imagine it (this is great for custom parts) we can make it!

Let us know what you think!

 

[NYSW F45]

OMG, sooooo tempting. Does someone just send you a picture or do you need dimensions also?

 

[thaddeusthudpucker]

Whatever you have, we need. Drawings, dimensions, photos. The more the better to bring a quality final product...

 

[diburning]

I can think of a few popular items already....

BQ23-7 cab
Norfolk Southern Dash 9 cab
Norfolk Southern Admiral cab
Norfolk Southern SD60E cab
Flared radiator sections for SD70 series
Round roofs for rebuilt heavyweight passenger cars

 

[catt]

What diburning said,but in Z,N,& HO scales.

 

[thaddeusthudpucker]

We love this idea. We will get going on the different cabs and keep you posted in this thread.

That is the other beautiful thing about a computer generated model and this process is that we can scale it with a couple of button presses. The difference in cost is that the larger scales use a little more material.

 

[LoudMusic]

I think this could work for you, but I have concerns about the ability to reliably produce quality models in HO scale, let-alone N scale. Do you have photos of the N scale Tardis or woodchip gondola?

 

[NYSW F45]

I can get photo's. I don know if i've ever seen blueprint drawings of the 2 engines i'de like to do. Photo's are the easy part.

 

[thaddeusthudpucker]

I am currently working on getting Tardis photos. Models actually come out pretty consistently. Each piece is made to-order.

 

[thaddeusthudpucker]

Norfolk Southern Admiral Cab

We will start here...

 

[diburning]

Awesome! Will there be provisions for headlights? You might sell quite a few of them if they are a simple drop in replacement for the Athearn or Kato model.

 

[bradyracing]

How about an E25B, a GM6C, or a GF6C?

 

[thaddeusthudpucker]

There will be a Kato drop in version and an Athearn RTR drop in version. As for headlights, that will be up to the modeler. I would just use a couple of surface mount LED's glued in, or a yeloglo.

As for other full locomotives, there is a P30CH in the works, but we want to get these cabs done first. A GF6C is probably a strong likeylhood after the current list gets finished.

 

[diburning]

What I meant when I said provision for headlights is.... Will there be holes, or will the modeler have to drill them out?

Will the cabs be made to order, or will they be a limited run? Or made in batches as needed?

 

[thaddeusthudpucker]

Cabs will be made to-order. Anynody that wants a cab will get one once everything id
s refined.

As for the headlights, I need to ask, but I think they will come out better if the modeler drills them out (we will provide divots). This is still a work in progress, after all.

 

[PEIR]

Any idea on when the cabs will be available?

 

[thaddeusthudpucker]

I talked to the design man, headlight holes will be left for the modeler to drill out.

As for an ETA on the final product, I am going to ask for your guys' help. We need to acquire an Athearn RTR SD40-2 and a Kato SD40-2. In return for letting us borrow (and I mean they will be returned) them, we will provide you a cab or two for free. This will ensure the cab fits perfectly and all the window glass fits and there are no issues. Otherwise, I need to track each of these down, which is a mite difficult to so as I am a truck driver and have very little time. Don't worry, the design man is hard at work on the cab, I'm just the idea and money man.

In short, as little as a month if someone is willing to help (pm me) or 3-6 months if I have to track down everything. This project literally started two weeks ago...

I apologize if this sounds amatuer, bit it sort of is. We are modelers like you, and we have no wish to turn a giant profit, we just want people to have the trains they want. This is the beginning, imagine where we could be a year from now...

 

[PEIR]

I can supply a Athearn RTR SD40-2 for fitment.

 

[thaddeusthudpucker]

Sent you a pm, thank you!

 

[diburning]

I have both.