Issue 215 was our first 3-D printing issue. Three modelers with extensive experience in 3-D printing discussed the state of the technology, and how it was relevant to model car builders. In that discussion, they mentioned multiple vendors, and services. We’ve gathered links to those companies so you won’t have to search for them yourself.
Printers
At the present time, resin printers are the preferred printer for model car applications. There are a lot of printers available. We have first hand experience with the ones below.
3-D Models
- Instagram – Good source for inspiration, and a bit of random catalog browsing.
- Cults3D – This site has 3-D models for sale. There’s a large selection of model car stuff. Image loading is outlandishly slow, and you will need to register to shop.
- Thingiverse – An online marketplace for all kinds of items.
- CG Trader – Another site with 3-D models for sale. Prices are all over the place, but prices for model car parts seem fairly reasonable.
Software
- Sketchup – This is arguably the most popular 3-D software around. The free version is somewhat limited but plenty useful. The full featured version is only available on a subscription basis.
- Fusion360 – This is a more fully featured CAD program.
- Freecad – This program executes instructions to generate 3D models.
- Chitubox – This software takes a 3-D model, and creates the instructions that tell your 3-D printer how to print it. It creates the slices, and adds supports where necessary. The free version is plenty for most hobbyists.
- Blender – Blender is a full-featured 3-D modeling program. It has enough power to do most everything you want. However, the learning curve is considerable.
Model Files
We also discussed an actual 3-D project, a Maserati Birdcage. Bill Cunningham was kind enough to offer his 3-D models for non-commercial use. Click this to download a zip archive of the project files.