Modelling > Tips, Tools & Techniques
3D Printers
GTX_Admin:
Thanks Frank. I typically play in 1/48 or 1/35 so I wonder how those would go? I also wonder how one would go printing a part, then giving it a primer coat or similar to smooth everything out and then scribe in any finer details?
Frank3k:
--- Quote from: GTX_Admin on December 25, 2011, 07:51:57 AM ---Thanks Frank. I typically play in 1/48 or 1/35 so I wonder how those would go?
--- End quote ---
Nothing at the "home" level would look good for anything under 1:1.... and maybe not even then!
Right now, Shapeways is the best way to go if you want to experiment. They ship worldwide and they're pretty inexpensive (in part because they're backed by Philips) They have a materials samples kit which covers their more common materials. It's $30US but includes a $25 discount coupon.
Based on the samples listed, the Frosted Ultra Detail, White Detail and Black Detail are the only ones worth considering for models. The White Strong and Flexible is a possibility, but it's composed of sintered nylon particles, so no amount of sanding will remove the grain. For this material, you have to coat it in primer (often many applications, since it'll soak up the primer) then sand away.
--- Quote from: GTX_Admin --- I also wonder how one would go printing a part, then giving it a primer coat or similar to smooth everything out and then scribe in any finer details?
--- End quote ---
1 - in a 3D program, make the part, then export the part in a file format that Shaepways will recognize. STL is the standard.
2- use a program like the free version of Netfabb to check your STL file and make sure that your object is water-tight and printable.
3 - Look at the Shapeways materials web page and make sure that you've met or exceeded their minimum design requirements for wall thickness and details. Their design limits are usually well above the limits of the machines; this is done to decrease the printing time (fewer parts that need to be re-printed) and lowering the cost.
4 - upload the part and have them print it in the material of your choice. With luck, it'll pass their checks and after a week or two, you'll get your part.
From experience, the loop between steps 3 & 4 will take up most of your design time. They will reject parts for even tiny deviations from their design rules.
Typically, the white detail can reproduce details down to 0.2mm, so you can include quite a bit of detail. The only problem is that the printing artifacts will require a fair amount of PSR and that'll wipe out some of the finer details.
Just for that, the Frosted Ultra detail parts are the way to go. Not only are details down to 0.1mm, depending on the part, they may only require a minimum amount of sanding and a regular coat of primer will be enough to eliminate the printing artifacts.
Look at the parts samples for Frosted detail and Frosted Ultra Detail: http://www.shapeways.com/materials/frosted_detail
The tracked gear is painted, the truck is unpainted. From the looks of it, I wouldn't bother to do any sanding - it looks ready for painting. The printing artifacts here are the slightly grainy appearance and on the tires and faint lines on the sides.
The main reason why you can't make an exact prediction on the amount of work that these parts will require once you get them back is because the printing orientation is up to Shapeways (they bunch together several orders and print them all in one batch), so the artifacts may be more or less obvious, depending on how the part was printed.
Frank
Jeffry Fontaine:
engadget.com - Solidoodle 4 keeps 3D printing under $1,000 (video)
solidoodle.com web page Out-of-the-box 3D Printing — starting at just $499 for the Solidoodle 2 3D Printer.
Not sure about the material used for creating the objects. I know it is a plastic of some kind but is it compatible with the paints, adhesives and glues that we normally use for model building? Still, a 3D printer for under $1000.00 is certainly attractive but what is the cost of the material needed to create your 3D printed objects? The video below states that the material used is ABS plastic. Not very familiar with that myself but perhaps others have more experience with it. The printing material is $43.00 for a spool that weighs 2.0 pounds. So depending on the project size, your material consumption may impact on the overall cost to create the printed object.
solidoodle.com FaceBook page
Solidoodle 2 3D Printer
Solidoodle 2 3D Printer
jcf:
It's another melted plastic wire build-up machine with moderate resolution,
okay for tchotchkes but you'd need to sand it for plamo purposes, unless
you work the texture into the design.
ABS is the material used in the majority of Plastruct architectural shapes,
it uses strong solvent glues and can be painted. However it's working
properties are quite a bit different from the HIPS (high impact polystyrene)
beloved of plamo folks.
ABS is more rubbery than polystyrene, don't let the styrene in the name fool
ya, styrene monomer is the predecessor of a number of compound, not just
HIPS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylonitrile_butadiene_styrene
Frankly I still don't see 3-D printers as truly useful to the average modeller,
combine the learning curve of proper CADD modeling with the cost of the
equipment and to me it makes more sense to just practice your kit-bashing,
PSR, and simple scratch-building skills. Even if you totally mess up the new
part, what are you out? Maybe a couple of bucks in material and the time you
spent, but, it's your hobby is it not? So the time wasn't wasted and the failure
at least taught you what not to do, so when you start over you are better informed.
GTX_Admin:
Right at the moment my focus is upon such printers that can print Inconel, Titanium, Aluminium etc... ;)
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