1/12th Honda VFR750F
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1/12th Honda VFR750F
In another thread I am discussing the 3D printing involved in more detail, but I will try to confine this thread to specifics about the actual build.
I'm working on scratchbuilding a 1/12th Honda VFR750F - not the Tamiya RC30. So far the front end is taking shape:
3D printed wheel, fork lowers and yokes. Tamiya Blackbird tyre.
My macro photography is pretty merciless but they look quite reasonable in real life. Obviously I'm about 1% into the journey and there is a lot more learning to come. I think this will be pretty slow, but I am determined to get there!
I'm working on scratchbuilding a 1/12th Honda VFR750F - not the Tamiya RC30. So far the front end is taking shape:
3D printed wheel, fork lowers and yokes. Tamiya Blackbird tyre.
My macro photography is pretty merciless but they look quite reasonable in real life. Obviously I'm about 1% into the journey and there is a lot more learning to come. I think this will be pretty slow, but I am determined to get there!
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
nice looking forks and wheel, i know nothing of 3d printing but i imagine there is a lot of drawing involved i don`t envy you with this task but i am looking forward to watching your build
- montessa315
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
Looking good so far.
I know the drawing side can be very time consuming.
Alan........
I know the drawing side can be very time consuming.
Alan........
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If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.
If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
I'm another who knows nothing about 3-D printing and it's very interesting to see the technique being used on a forum build. I am, however, familiar with the VFR750F which IMHO is one of the best all-round motorcycles ever made.
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Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
Thanks for the kind words and encouraging feedback!
Progress will continue to be glacial but remains deeply engaging. I posted more detail about the process of generating the mudguard in the Small Talk thread, but here is an early attempt at understanding how easy/difficult it will be to generate credible styling parts.
I gave it some Tamiya primer and while the results are not final quality, I am pretty encouraged that with the right finishing products and enough patience it will be OK.
Preach it, brother!
Progress will continue to be glacial but remains deeply engaging. I posted more detail about the process of generating the mudguard in the Small Talk thread, but here is an early attempt at understanding how easy/difficult it will be to generate credible styling parts.
I gave it some Tamiya primer and while the results are not final quality, I am pretty encouraged that with the right finishing products and enough patience it will be OK.
It's definitely that. But the purpose of a hobby is to consume time, so I'm not sad!
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
Practice makes perfect as they say, Damian and to me your initial results here do look very promising.
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
It's not dead, but it has been sleeping for a long time.
I mentioned in the corresponding Small Talk thread that I was struggling with the quality from the filament printer for some of the smaller components.
I've swapped to a resin printer and that is making a world of difference. I'm still learning what it wants from me but I am getting the bit back between my teeth again.
3D CAD is proceeding slowly but basically well.
I've learned a bunch about my bike, including that no matter how many times and different ways you measure it, the rake is always 29 degrees and not the published 27 degrees. Even the original Honda publicity photographs show it at 29 degrees when you measure the pictures. I can't really work that out, but it is what it is.
I started again with a "master skeleton" model that has all the fundamental geometry in a sketch and then include that master skeleton model as a live link in the components I draw. This means they get drawn in the right place and it seems to significantly improve my chances of things fitting together.
I now have a frame, forks, all the front spindle hardware (including a ridiculously small speedomoeter drive), front brake discs and calipers, one of the caliper hangers (they are asymmetric because of the anti-dive valving in the forks), both yokes (triple clamps in the US), both wheels, both tyres and the handlebar grips.
See the Small Talk thread for a conversation around printing the rubber parts.
I've done a test print of the frame (dry fitted with the previous forks and yokes in the photo above) to assess how well the detail would print. There is a lot of detail on the frame and I am reproducing most of it, but not all. It will probably get a separate post shortly. The frame has some small slots on it that are modelled as 3mm wide at full scale, so 0.25mm in 1/12th. They come out really crisply in the print, which I find faintly shocking.
I mentioned in the corresponding Small Talk thread that I was struggling with the quality from the filament printer for some of the smaller components.
I've swapped to a resin printer and that is making a world of difference. I'm still learning what it wants from me but I am getting the bit back between my teeth again.
3D CAD is proceeding slowly but basically well.
I've learned a bunch about my bike, including that no matter how many times and different ways you measure it, the rake is always 29 degrees and not the published 27 degrees. Even the original Honda publicity photographs show it at 29 degrees when you measure the pictures. I can't really work that out, but it is what it is.
I started again with a "master skeleton" model that has all the fundamental geometry in a sketch and then include that master skeleton model as a live link in the components I draw. This means they get drawn in the right place and it seems to significantly improve my chances of things fitting together.
I now have a frame, forks, all the front spindle hardware (including a ridiculously small speedomoeter drive), front brake discs and calipers, one of the caliper hangers (they are asymmetric because of the anti-dive valving in the forks), both yokes (triple clamps in the US), both wheels, both tyres and the handlebar grips.
See the Small Talk thread for a conversation around printing the rubber parts.
I've done a test print of the frame (dry fitted with the previous forks and yokes in the photo above) to assess how well the detail would print. There is a lot of detail on the frame and I am reproducing most of it, but not all. It will probably get a separate post shortly. The frame has some small slots on it that are modelled as 3mm wide at full scale, so 0.25mm in 1/12th. They come out really crisply in the print, which I find faintly shocking.
- Clashcityrocker
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
Awesome printed parts Damian.
Nigel
Nigel
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
Indeed, your printed parts look the business. The original VFR750F was such a great all-round motorcyle, but outside of my price range when Honda first released them.
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
- flakmonkey
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
One of my favourite ever bikes. My cousin (who is now head floozy of Alamo Racing) raced its close relative, a VFR750R (ex Ray Stringer) back in ooooh I dunno, 1987 or so. Possibly the most crashed bike in British proddy racing history. Don't tell him I said that.
This is really looking great. I wish I had the patience for a 3D printer.
This is really looking great. I wish I had the patience for a 3D printer.
Would ya like to learn to fly? Would ya? Would you like to see me try?
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
Think the very first VFRs had a different steering rake to later models to improve the handling.
IIRC they also lengthened the swinging arm by about 20-25mm to improve straight line stability.
IIRC they also lengthened the swinging arm by about 20-25mm to improve straight line stability.
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- JamesPerrin
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
It does indeed, but getting them off the supports looks like a nightmare.
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
(2024 A:B 5:2) (2023 13:8:7) (2022 21:11) (2021 15:8) (2020 8:4:4)
(2024 A:B 5:2) (2023 13:8:7) (2022 21:11) (2021 15:8) (2020 8:4:4)
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Re: 1/12th Honda VFR750F
Each individual support is just like the one of the gates in a normal kit. I just cut near the part, then break it off at the bottom. I work around the outside of the part and then start on the next layer in. A small amount patience is all it takes - I took about 7 minutes to get it off the supports, and I will probably use about the same again tidying with a scalpel. I use sprue cutters and it comes off without a whimper.JamesPerrin wrote: ↑June 2nd, 2023, 2:39 pm It does indeed, but getting them off the supports looks like a nightmare.
Getting it off the build plate in the printer is the more difficult part.