Homemade track

This post will detail the printing and assembly of the straight track pieces I designed to be printed at home on a consumer 3D printer.

The files can be found here in .stl format. Printing-wise, I used PLA plastic, with a .15 layer height and 50% infill. I also used CURA as my slicer/gcode generator and make sure you use a >15mm skirt for stability during the print and use support structures everywhere.

Once the models are done printing (around 9hrs on an Ultimaker) they should look like this: 

All of the support structure is still in place, they need tidying up and a little bit of sanding/filing down.

I use readily available tools to do the clean up. Hobby knife, modellers files, sandpaper and side-cut pliers.

Some of the support structure should just snap off but the supports between the track ties needs more gentle removal to avoid breaking the track.

Once the support structure has all been removed, tidy up the joining surfaces with a small file or sand paper. This just means cleaning up any excess plastic and smoothing it over so the parts will fit smartly together.

I used plastic cement to glue it together but superglue works fine. Apply to the indent of the end and fit the second piece inside. Hold it together with small modelling clamps if you don't to wait an hour for it to go off.

Once it is clamped you can repeat the process with the remaining piece.

Once the glue has set. The finishing touch is to sand down the tracks removing any dry glue and smooth through the join lines.

You are all done! Enjoy your very own 3D printed roller coaster track!

Did I mention it fits CoasterDynamix trains?

I'm giving this away for free so I ask just two things. If you show someone this and they think it's cool, point them to my website and, if you print this, take a picture and send it my way, I will be putting it on the blog!

Hope you like it. More to come soon.