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Fireball Modelworks


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I just got my first order from fireball model works, some wheels and dog dish hubcaps along with some full Pontiac wheel covers and some door handles. Great stuff and I will be ordering more! From what I understand and please correct me if i'm wrong, he uses masters from 3D printing to cast in? The comparison between the kit carb and resin carb shows how much more detail can be acheived in 3D printing versus the injection molded kit carb. To get that kind of detail from a injection molded part might not be impossible but would be very expensive, using minature/micro tooling to cut the mold would require a lot of time, time that a company I'm sure is not willing to invest. There is always talk in my feild of 3D printing taking our jobs etc. I am a machinist but no longer run machines, but the down side of 3D printing currently is it also takes a long time and depending on the machine and media dictates the "smoothness" of the part. I think that in the future these printers will become a lot faster and produce a better finish. I think they will be a huge part of the hobby world in the future.

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Phillip, I do believe you're correct. Joseph makes the molds from 3D printed items and then casts them. And yes, I've been saying for awhile that 3D printing is the next big thing when it comes to our hobby.

Let's face it, many that we know in the cottage industry of making parts are getting up in years (think The Modelhaus) and we can't expect them to be doing that forever. I do believe that the tech will get user friendly enough that your average modeler will be able to do this if they'd like and the resolution in what comes out will get better with time.

As far as speed? Well, I'm a machine operator where I work and there was a part that was needed which did not originally come with the machine. It was something that would make the parts come out better and we had it 3D printed in a matter of no time. The cost couldn't have been more that what the creation time would have been to create the .STL file, materials used, and then it was printed in literally no time at all with the printer we have. The part works as intended and we're getting fewer errors now with what's produced.

Another benefit is in this hobby, there's things that we want that you'll never see the model companies make. I'd LOVE a full detail 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk kit. But unless Moebius takes the ball and runs with it, or I take the time and do a conversion (did one years ago), that is too esoteric a subject to consider mass producing and to the model companies, it would be a dead end.

Enter 3D printing: With the proper files which can be edited and corrected for accuracy, you can make practically anything you want.

Here's an example.............

P1016435.thumb.jpg.bba94d4645d6b8ac7d8a625695bb618d.jpg

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I got this '57 Buick Caballero wagon from a seller on eBay who's doing just that. I posted this on another thread as to show how something as esoteric as this would never see the light of day in the major kit makers catalogs. This was 3D printed and then cast in resin. The fellow that made this got the body lines spot on IMO, and he's got some fantastic stuff that's fetching a pretty penny on the 'Bay at the moment.

I'll just say we've only just hit the tip of the iceberg with the possibilities in 3D printing in this hobby. ;)

Edited by MrObsessive
Posted too soon......had more to say. :)
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That is a nice wagon! Alot of the quality of 3D printing has to do with the machine as expected, I have a friend at work that has a printer he bought and he printed me a few things and they are pretty decent. His does not have a good "step over" in that at his machines best setting its around a .004 or .005 step. and his flat facing has a lot of patterning on it. He told me there are some machines that he looked at that print in a resin that achieve a much better finish than his. As this gets better we may start seeing all kinds of different body styles! The only down side will be that there will be to much stuff to buy!!!

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Just now, fordf-100 said:

As this gets better we may start seeing all kinds of different body styles! The only down side will be that there will be to much stuff to buy!!!

Ain't that the truth!

When I bought this wagon, I already knew that it was just the body and bumpers. He had made that clear in the auction description, so I wasn't surprised about that. I can come up with everything else the car will need such as the chassis, interior, glass, and other bits and pieces. He did say that there are full kits of his cars coming including this one. I got it as this is the ONLY correct version of this wagon I've ever seen. R&R did one years ago, but if you're familiar with any of Ray's castings............they can be a bit "challenging" particularly when it comes to accuracy of body shapes.

The sellers name BTW on eBay is 'modelrob'. He has nothing listed on auction at the moment but if you check here, you'll see what he's had in the past and it's pretty stellar. ;)

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I checked out some of his stuff and he does some different and interesting subject matter! The 1974 Town Car is really cool! When I was around 18 one of my buddys family owned a couple funeral homes and depending on who drove that night he usually had the "old" funeral car which was a 75 Town Car! I never thought about it but that might be a pretty neat build if one comes up again! I didnt think the prices were that crazy but I guess with it being just a body and bumpers it is a little high.

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Yes, Joseph creates his own cad files, 3d prints and casts them. The resin printers have taken a giant leap over the past 2 years. My current in the works cad files include: 1954-55 scale correct Dodge hemi which I will also create the proper poly heads for an engine to use in the 55 Plymouth that is in the beginning cad file stages. A 1935 LaSalle coupe that will be a compete 100+ pc project that is 60% done. A correct 1935 Delehaye f & f 135 roadster that's also in the cad stage and has the correct back deck, rear fender and fin that Pico missed. A 1938 Buick 4dr sedan that I found on the net and has the complete body the only needs slight mods.

Edited by my66s55
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P1016435.thumb.jpg.bba94d4645d6b8ac7d8a625695bb618d.jpg

The hood doesn't fit right Bill!   :lol:

You are correct that this is the tip of the iceberg.  Printing equipment will get better, fine detail does exist in the medical device world, that technology just needs to come down in price to our level.  There will always be skills involved,  just like having the machining skills to operate a lathe.  It won't be the "scan a photo and a detailed kit comes out the other end" that some folks simplify it to!    Just like with machined parts, I will be pleased to give money to those who master the skills and invest in the equipment.  

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On 11/15/2018 at 5:40 PM, bismarck said:

That is stunning. I can't say enough good things about Chiefs stuff, resin or rubber, decals too. I have ordered from him on several occasions and have LOVED everything! His parts are top self.

Ditto on that! Great to deal with and amazing pieces.

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  • 6 months later...
15 minutes ago, Jordan White said:

Has anyone ordered from Fireball lately? I noticed that Joseph hasn't updated his website/Facebook since last fall, and hasn't been on here since February, and am thinking about ordering some more parts.

Waiting for a delivery any day now from him. I recently have ordered A LOT of his items, mostly Mopar stuff. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I contacted Joseph online . I recently bought a set of Fx70x14 Tires I can make ; Red , Blue or White Lines . Quick turn around time  . How many years have you seen my Posts  ISO these ? ;) Thanx   

Edited by dimaxion
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On 5/20/2019 at 2:02 PM, Jordan White said:

Has anyone ordered from Fireball lately? I noticed that Joseph hasn't updated his website/Facebook since last fall, and hasn't been on here since February, and am thinking about ordering some more parts.

Just got a couple of sets of door handles and several carbs from him a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

Steve

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1 hour ago, Mike Chernecki said:

Joseph made a new product announcement last night.

https://www.facebook.com/fireballmodelworks/

Perfect!!!!!

My next project will likely be a Johan 1968 Olds 442 that I purchased some of Joseph's Rochester Quadrajets for.

The following project will be an AMT 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix that I will need these carbs and manifold for!

I have several old AMT ponchos that I can use the tri-carbs for.

Great news!!

Thanks for the heads up Mike!!

 

 

Steve

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1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Perfect!!!!!

My next project will likely be a Johan 1968 Olds 442 that I purchased some of Joseph's Rochester Quadrajets for.

The following project will be an AMT 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix that I will need these carbs and manifold for!

I have several old AMT ponchos that I can use the tri-carbs for.

Great news!!

Thanks for the heads up Mike!!

 

 

Steve

That was small block Mopar setup he announced, not Pontiac TriPower.

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11 minutes ago, Mike Chernecki said:

That was small block Mopar setup he announced, not Pontiac TriPower.

Well thanks for crushing my dreams Mike!

I didn't read anything.

I don't belong to Face Book so I just glanced at the picture.

I had recently heard from a forum member that Joseph was working on a Pontiac tri-power set up, so I was assuming...........

 

C'mon Joseph!

A little less Mopar and a little more Pontiac!!! ;)

 

 

 

Steve

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1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Well thanks for crushing my dreams Mike!

I didn't read anything.

I don't belong to Face Book so I just glanced at the picture.

I had recently heard from a forum member that Joseph was working on a Pontiac tri-power set up, so I was assuming...........

 

C'mon Joseph!

A little less Mopar and a little more Pontiac!!! ;)

 

 

 

Steve

He is, just not yet. I am waiting too for the Pontiac carbs.

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1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Well, I'm guessing that I won't get a start on my '64 Grand Prix until sometime early next year anyway, so hopefully we can look forward to something by next February or so. ;)

 

 

Steve

Did someone just mention 64 Grand Prix.  A fav of mine waiting to be built

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