About us
3 Foot 6 Models was founded in 2022 by Lewis Holden to produce New Zealand prototype models, mainly for the NZR model railway fraternity. This website was created to form a new channel for models that had previously been available from Shapeways.
Like many others, Lewis was frustrated at the lack of improvement in the quality of Shapeways prints, and the expensive (and time consuming) production and shipping, so much so that he bought his own 3D printer, an AnyCubic Photon.
Almost all of our models are 3D printed (there’s a few items made using a Cricut cutting machine and etches). More details in the FAQs below.
3 Foot 6 Models Limited is a registered New Zealand company, previously known as Web Social (which was a website business, hence the name!). We are GST registered and pay tax on everything we sell!
FAQs
Why the name 3 Foot 6 Models?
New Zealand’s railways are built to a narrow gauge of 3 foot 6 inches (1067mm in metric measurements!). We are not associated in any way with the former company Three Foot Six Limited, which is no longer operating.
What scales do you produce models in?
Most of our models are produced in NZ120 (1:120 scale, or TT scale internationally) which uses 9mm gauge track (the same as N scale) and N scale mechanisms to represent New Zealand’s narrow-gauge railways. Find out more about NZ120 at the NZ120.org website.
We also produce models in HOnz or 1:87 scale. This is also known as HOn3.5 internationally, that is, HO scale with 12mm gauge track to represent narrow gauge. This scale is becoming increasingly popular in Australia, especially Queensland, which uses the same gauge as New Zealand.
We’re also producing some 3D prints in OO scale (1:76) to fit Frateschi chassis.
What do you use to 3D print?
At the moment, three 4K printers. We’re always on the lookout to expand our fleet with bigger 3D printers, with higher resolution for even better detail.
We use high quality heat resistant resin for all our prints, which we’ve found is the best for making detailed models.
For cleaning and curing we use isopropyl alcohol and water to remove excess resin, and a UV curing lamp and turntable. All prints have 24 hours curing before dispatching to you.
Will you sell the design files so I can print my own?
No. Don’t even bother asking! A number of our designs are produced under license for their designers, and we pay royalties for every copy of any design sold. These designs take many hours of research and valuable modelling time to draw up, check and develop.
Some designs are available on websites such as Thingiverse if you would like to print your own. We can print designs you provide us.
Who do you use to ship models?
We use New Zealand Post’s CourierPost service to ship all our products.
How long will it take for my order to ship?
We generally don’t keep stock, instead we produce models as they are ordered, to help us keep costs down. It can take several days to complete prints on all your items, we will let you know how your order is progressing every step of the way.
Can you print a design I’ve made as a custom print?
Absolutely, we’re happy to help with any project - drop us a line here.
What if I order the wrong thing?
See our terms and conditions - we accept returns, but we charge a restocking fee, so please choose carefully, and if you have any questions, please contact us.
Can I license my designs to 3 Foot 6 to produce?
Yes! We pay royalties to all designers for allowing us to use their designs. For more details on our licensing agreement, please see our licensing agreement page.
