Prusatrain

Here is my first real multiple parts design. EVERYTHING is designed by me. It is still a work in progress to add a motor and proper drive rods, however here is what I have for the contest.

It's not the best looking, i know, however this was a real test at my abilities of CAD work. I hope you can look past the "issues" and see something in it.

This print consists of the cardboard tube from the MK3s kit, and a filament box and the end cap from the cardboard tube.

Please understand, this is my first real multi-part assembly. And I was on empty with each color spool I have, hence the multicolors on the assembly.

The front of the boiler and plow rotate up to reveal a storage space for SUPER SSECRET STORAGE

Print instructions

This build requires 2 LEDS, (red and white for me, any color for you), some glue, your 3D printer, M2, M3, and M4 screws.

These instructions will correspond to the file names of each part you will print.

Step 1: To start, make sure you have 2 prusament spools, the wheel bearings (front and rear), and M4 screws, and the two couplers you printed. Take the two rear wheel bearings and the 2-holed coupler and two M4 screws. The back of the bearing will have two holes. Screw the M4 through the coupler and into the bearing. NOTICE ORIENTATION OF THE BEARING

There will be a 4- holed coupler as well. Grab the two halves of the front bearing and the bigger coupler and orient the coupler so that all 4 holes line up. Take the M4 screws and screw them through the coupler and into the bearing. This will attach the front and rear bearings together. (add some super glue for better strength).

step2: Next, take the boiler bed you printed, and slide it into the front bearing. There are 4 holes through the front bearing and bed that should line up. Take M4 screws and bolt the pieces together.

Step3: Grab the Bulkhead and two cylinders. Line up the cylinders to the boiler bed as shown and then the bulkhead as shown. Tighten together with 4 M4 screws.

Step 4: Cut the cardboard tube (LENGTH), and try to center on the cylinder. Hold it on until glue sets. Take the cylinder cap and press on the front of the tube as shown. You can glue if you want to. (look at the picture)

Step 5: Take M4 screws and the guide wheels. Press the screws into the guide wheels and press on one spacer behind each wheel. Screw the wheels into the bulkhead as shown.

CONGRATS YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE FRAME OF THE TRAIN, GO CHOO CHOO ON A SNACK, YOU DESERVE IT!

Step 5.5 (optional): THIS IS IF YOU ARE USING A MOTOR! take a grub pulley (just like the ones on the printer and screw it down onto the shaft of the motor. Solder on the wires BEFORE attaching motor into the frame. The wires should be long enough to reach the back of the frame. Hot glue in the motor (or super glue), into the orientation shown in the picture. Use a rubber band around the pulley and the middle of the spool.

Step6; Take the Boiler mounts and orient them as shown in the picture. Check the picture for the holes. Make sure to use a long M4 bolt. Screw the bolts into the bottom of the bearing and into the boiler mount. You can use glue to add extra strength for the rear bearing frame.

Step 6.5: Solder wires onto the red LED for the firebox and press-fit the red LED into the rear boiler cap. (See picture)

Step 7: Take the three boiler sections and glue them together with superglue, and onto the boiler mount. If you are using a motor for moving the train, drill two 4mm holes above the hole in the front bearing for the motor and snake them into the boiler.

step 8: Take your 2 LEDs, and solder on the wires onto the leads. (remember, the flat side of the LED is the Negative lead).

Step9: Drill a 3/16 inch (or 5 mm) hole into the plug of the cardboard tube and press in the LED.

Step 10: press the tube cap into the boiler cap with the LED.

Step 11: Take the boiler cap assembly, and an M2 bolt, and bolt in the cap into the boiler so it has a hinge. snake the wires into the boiler to bring the wires into the back of the train.

Step 12: When all your wires are at the back of the boiler, solder all the positives together and negatives together. Next, take a switch (i am using a three-prong but you can use whatever you'd like as long as it turns you on), and solder the positive lead to the end prong and solder a lead to the middle prong.

Step 12.5 for your motor leads, wire the same way as you did for the LEDs, and set your switch in the cab. I did not do this because my prototype was too tight for wheel rotation.

Step 13: take the positive lead coming from the switch and connect to a battery port. I sadly didn't have one, so I attached to a power supply (just for this demonstration). (this is not the safest but it worked for me). next, connect the negative wires to the negative side of the battery port.

Step 14: TEST YOUR LIGHTS.

Step 15: Hot glue your switch and battery port into the cab area of the train as shown in the picture for easy access. and press-fit the rear boiler cap into the boiler. Take your cab corners and hot glue them onto the rear bearing as seen in the picture. MAKE SURE YOUR ORIENTATION IS CORRECT!

Step 16: Creating the Cab: take your filament box and cut to fit into the cab corners along the width of the rear bearing. Hot glue the cardboard into the smaller slot.

Step17: take glue (hot glue or super) and the cab corners and attach the corners into the rear bearing as shown. then glue in the cab as shown.

Step 18: take your plow, and line it up as shown in the picture to the front of the train, making sure the holes line up. take an M2 screw and carefully screw it on the hinge. (in the bulkhead is basically a "secret" drawer for anything you want!)

Step 17: set your filament spools on the bearings, and your train should now be standing on its own!

Step 18; glue on your smokestack, as you see fit! (left mine off to fit on my shelf)

Step 19: take your drive rods using 2 M4 bolts each, and bolt them to the Spools.

CONGRATS, YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR PRUSA TRAIN!

I am continuing to improve this model, as this is my first true assembly model. Please let me know how i can improve and any suggestions you have!
Thank you,

Happy Printing!