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]

Originally Posted by diburning

Norfolk Southern Admiral Cab

We will start here...