Darren B Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 (edited) I have been following this technology for a while and did not realize just how cheap it is to buy a printer and make your own model parts. For $500.00 your up and running and the software to design the parts is free, there are three well known programs and google has one of them called sketchup. Just have to start saving up some cash to get one..................http://www.solidoodle.com/?gclid=CJGDmJT86LQCFetDMgodqWsAow It is just totally amazing, what ever you can think up and draw in the program you can print out........ Just my personal opinion, going out on a limb here, I believe someday this will be a tool on the bench of a lot of scratch builders world wide. Its $43.00 for 2lbs of plastic but that can go a long way for miniature tiny little parts....... As soon as I can come up with the coin im gonna try one out myself. Edited January 15, 2013 by Darren B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Just my personal opinion, going out on a limb here, I believe someday this will be a tool on the bench of a lot of scratch builders world wide. Not just your opinion. I've been saying it here for a long time. The day is coming where making your own parts via a 3-D printer is going to be as common as having an X-acto knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren B Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 (edited) Not just your opinion. I've been saying it here for a long time. The day is coming where making your own parts via a 3-D printer is going to be as common as having an X-acto knife. Pretty much, its amazing if there 500.00 now in a few years could be less, and if your good mechanical theres plans on line could build one yourself cheaper, what I liked about this brand is that its all built and ready to go, just learn the software to design the part. This one only builds 6"x6"x6" parts but thats perfect for 1/24th and 1/25th and probably parts up to 1/8th scale. I just find it fascinating, I spent more on a sherline lathe than this machine, and all i can do on the lathe is round parts. This printer can do anything. Edited January 15, 2013 by Darren B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 No doubt that as the technology evolves, the price will drop. Electronics generally follow that pattern. Computers, TVs, VCRs (remember those? ), etc. I have absolutely no doubt that a $100 3-D printer will be sold at every Office Max, Staples, and even Walmart before the decade is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 No doubt that as the technology evolves, the price will drop. Electronics generally follow that pattern. Computers, TVs, VCRs (remember those? ), etc. I have absolutely no doubt that a $100 3-D printer will be sold at every Office Max, Staples, and even Walmart before the decade is over. If not sooner, I cant wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren B Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 If not sooner, I cant wait Yeah hopefully sooner than the end of decade.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Guess we all better get to learning 3D drafting, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Will 2lbs of plastic be enough to say do a body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel-Dan Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) How long before we have the matching 3D scanner as cheap so we can replace lost, copy parts we use most?? Edited January 16, 2013 by Edsel-Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry57 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I can see model kits being sold online in a downloadable file, and printed at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas SCR Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 That 6x6x6 will do a lot of stuff if you think about it that is not normaly done in resin. Now if you want to spend the extra $300 and up grade to a 8x8x8 that will be able to do about any body you like other then a stretch custom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lownslow Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 ill pass on that one, good for big scale items tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAGNUM4342 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 That 6x6x6 will do a lot of stuff if you think about it that is not normaly done in resin. Now if you want to spend the extra $300 and up grade to a 8x8x8 that will be able to do about any body you like other then a stretch custom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I would possibly be interested in one of these if I could see a sample of the quality and precision. I am wondering how it would compare to TDRs products being printed by shapeways. I know that there is different ways to print these parts with different types of printers. But it seems that the prices are becoming more affordable for anyone who would want to purchase one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM485 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Wow, crazy to think of all the things that can be done. It will be interesting to see how this evolves and if the art of scratchbuilding a part is eventualy lost. If you can just draw it on a computer and print it, will it be considered in the same esteem as a scratchbuilt part, or will this open a whole new category of building techniques? I'm sure it is difficult to explain, but it should be interesting to see what the future holds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAGNUM4342 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I agree. I would love to see some test shots myself. This is just about affordable for me. My real hangup is the 3D artwork. I've tried it and just can't get a handle on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lownslow Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Barely. The average model kit body is 81/4 inches long. As Maxwell Smart would say..."Missed it by that much!" print body without front clip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollywood Jim Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I agree. I would love to see some test shots myself. This is just about affordable for me. My real hangup is the 3D artwork. I've tried it and just can't get a handle on it. Yes, your correct. I can now afford the small cost of having some parts printed up in 3D. I have friends that can do it. And I understand Staples is ready to prodive 3D printing. The big problem is doing the CAD drafting required. I'm not sure I want to learn how to do that. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lownslow Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Yes, your correct. I can now afford the small cost of having some parts printed up in 3D. I have friends that can do it. And I understand Staples is ready to prodive 3D printing. The big problem is doing the CAD drafting required. I'm not sure I want to learn how to do that. . . you only need 1 semester of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 There will no doubt be all sorts of easy "do it yourself" 3D software coming, maybe even in a package with the printers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I can see model kits being sold online in a downloadable file, and printed at home. That's exactly where I see this going. There will be a whole new crop of model kit "manufacturers" that will sell you a kit in printable form... all you do is buy the "kit" and print it out. No more injection molding machines, no more tooling, no more factories, no more packaging and distribution. The music industry is almost there. It went from a physical product (first records, then tapes, then CDs) that had to be manufactured and packaged and shipped and warehoused and sold in brick and mortar stores, to where we are now... downloadable electronic files. Every year, CD sales are falling and music downloads are growing. Soon CDs will be relics of the past. I've read that auto manufacturers are already phasing out in-dash CD players. The newspaper industry is going the same way. Every day, a newspaper goes out of business. Why bother with giant printing plants and huge rolls of paper and hundreds of trucks delivering the paper to hundreds of locations when you can do it all online a lot easier and a lot faster, and save a ton of money, too? It's a no-brainer. I see the model car business going exactly the same way. Why bother with machines and factories and packaging and shipping and inventory when you can do it all electronically and eliminate all of that stuff? It's inevitable. The only question is how soon will it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lownslow Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 There will no doubt be all sorts of easy "do it yourself" 3D software coming, maybe even in a package with the printers. Sketchup is probably the best option out, Blender as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel-Dan Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Talk to friends into Paper models, they use Several 3D programs Pepakura, Metasequoia, Blender & Anim8tor are 4 I know of Just "Search" 3D drawing and you will find Many already out there. I Build and Collect Paper Models along side Plastic & diecast, but do not Design they yet. I have a few of the 3d freeware software programs on my PC too. Pep, Anim8tor & Blender are in my Paper Models folder along with a few 2d drawing programs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I wonder if some program can be used to take a picture from a photo CD, and then convert the picture into whatever the printer wants to use? I've tried CAD before, and wanted to throw the computer out the window. The most infuriating thing I ever tried aside from attempting to use one of my friend's so-called "smart" phones. I'm personally waiting for a CAD drafting board that acts like a pencil and paper one. When those come out, I'll give it another try. Charlie Larkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 There will no doubt be all sorts of easy "do it yourself" 3D software coming, maybe even in a package with the printers. I would be more shocked if that did not happen. I know alot of people wont want to agree with this, but this could be a very good thing for the model industry as a whole, how much money they will save, and all that savings can be used , well I was going to say tool up new kits, but rather desgin new kits, frees up more money for licensing cost, and so on The only down side with down-loadable kits, is having plastic tires, I like having rubber tires, so that is one issue I can think of already, I am not going to guess, but I dont think we will see down-loadable kits anytime soon though, I am going to guess, 3D printing is going to have to become just as mainstream as ink printing, so its going to take awhile, but I am just guessing like the rest of us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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