Digcom intermodal containers


B

bigB

Active Member
I just built my first 6 53' Ho scale intermodal containers. In think I'll be building more. Takes about 1 hr to print, cut out, and glue 6 together,

Cost:
1. new ink for inkjet printer $22 off eBay
2. 50 sheets high quality photo paper $12
3. PDF file from Digcom $5.95
Total = $39.95 for potential 50 containers

Compare that to retail $35-42 for 3 plastic ones.

I'm impressed with them. In the first picture in the foreground are plastic RTR containers. The Swift ones are the paper printouts.

Here's the site. http://digcomdesigns.wix.com/shop
I couldn't get their catalog to work today, but when I viewed it last week it was great...lots of options.

Brad
 

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Going by your pic, you'd swear the ribs on the containers are raised, how good is it in actual fact?
 
I tried building some of them. The color and detail is great, however, because they are printed on card stock or print paper, the don't hold sharp corners and the surfaces bow outward. I suppose they could be glued to wood blocks to provide a flat surface plus add weight to them.

Here is a web sight were the printable PDF file images are free.
Be patient with the download because they are very detailed which means a somewhat large file for each image.

http://www.igshansa.de/igsdownload.html
 
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Wood cores would be the answer, but cutting to the exact sizes would be a pain without specialised equipment.
 
Tootn,

These images are of very high quality. I think the key to the realism is the slight of hand caused by the shadowing between the ribs of the containers. This gives the viewer the illusion
of depth.

Ken,

I've seen the containers from that other site, and while good, I feel the digcom ones are superior. I've had no problems getting rigid corners and no sagging. And no, I'm not good at oragami. :D
I believe using high quality paper is key with a high quality printer is key for good results going this route. I used Canon Matte MP-101 Photo Paper which has a weight of 170g/m2 (45 lbs).

Brad
 
One of the advantages of paper containers is: if you want to simulate a wreck, the paper containers have a more realistic crush to them. :cool:
 
It's hard to evaluate these things in a picture because it's a 2-dimensional representation of a 3-D object, or in the case of the paper models, it's a 2-D image of something that was basically 2-D to begin with. I mean, it has the basic shape, but the texture is totally missing. If these paper models have ribs which throw "shadows" (actually printed on the surface) then how weird would it look to see two of them side by side, with the "shadows" pointing opposite ways?
 
John,

In these pictures, I changed the rib shadows so they are opposite. The effect is negligible to me. I agree on a flat piece of paper, it's a 2D object. But once you cut it out and fold and glue it, it's 3d just like its plastic counterpart. The visual illusion created by the shadowing is very effective in tricking the eye. Unless you physically pick it up, you can barely tell.

I mean, for $40 you can have what $1500 in plastic containers gets you. To me, there's no debating which way my modeling dollar is going.

Ink ($22)+paper ($12)+PDF file ($6)=$40 paper containers
3x containers ($30) X 16=$480 (insanity, IMHO)image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 
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John P said:
It's hard to evaluate these things in a picture because it's a 2-dimensional representation of a 3-D object, or in the case of the paper models, it's a 2-D image of something that was basically 2-D to begin with. I mean, it has the basic shape, but the texture is totally missing. If these paper models have ribs which throw "shadows" (actually printed on the surface) then how weird would it look to see two of them side by side, with the "shadows" pointing opposite ways?
Click to expand...

Here's a clue: way too nitpicky.
 
It's a bit like wire grabs versus moulded in, on box cars. Unless you're really peering intently at them as they roll by (or even standing still in a yard), very hard to tell apart.
 
I'm using plastic on the rails and filling out the container yard with paper. The paper's slight shortcomings aren't really noticeable amongst the clutter there. But I'm also N-scale, so something can look a bit less realistic and still not be noticeable for all practical purposes. I can tell the difference for sure, but only if I'm looking to see the difference.
 
image.jpg

Built some more Digcom containers today. Now, I need Kato to make some more HO scale 53' Maxi Well cars pronto!

Brad
 
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