Davoski

Eric, that bike is insane - a steampunk boardracer! Fantastic! I can't wait for you to start this. I want to do a model of the World's Fastest Indian which is not dissimilar in some ways and I need to steal some techniques. I also want to try some photoetching and have been reading up on simpler and safer ways with everyday materials. I have seen people using UV fingernail setting machines to expose plates and these machines are only $20! I will post up some links shortly. Keep it up!

Wow, I cant believe I missed this thread! As usual, Eric, you are thinking outside the square! I have been using this same scan/draw/cut technique lately. These are detail parts for a 1/24 Tamiya Vespa: The parts were too small to cut and handle easily so I added "tabs" to bulk them up and to handle them with. I also added two holes in some tabs to take alignment pins to locate them when layering up. I guess this is the equivalent of your positive location points on your rails. The footrests turned out to be too fine to cut so I 3D printed them and they turned pretty well. I can't wait for the rest of this thread and some more great techniques, especially when you get to the bike. I see photoetched spoked wheels in my future.....

Hi Eric, Your build log was an inspiration and showed what is possible with imagination, patience, skill and the right technology. I would love to see the log "patched up" as a resource and reference asset. Watching your build inspired me to buy a cheap 3D printer, Laser cutter and soon a vacuum former. This has encouraged me to try things I would not have contemplated otherwise. But let's cut to the chase: when are we going to be treated to your next project?

Hi 66, Yep, you are right, no comparison in quality. But Ted's initial question was about $200 printers rather than the resin dip style machine which I imagine cost quite a bit more. And I am sure my next printer will also be a laser DLP or whatever the next generation of technology brings. I have tweaked the settings on mine since I printed the example above some weeks ago so I will print it again now and post the result, I know it will be much better. As you know, there are a multitude of combinations of speed and quality settings and it takes some getting used to how and when to apply them. Please understand that I have no interest in getting into a keyboard battle with anyone. For the money, I am very happy with this machine. It was bought as a trial before spending serious money one day and is serving that purpose very well. I have learned so much from my mistakes that I am planning on making many more. I also think that Eric is correct in his comments, but judging by the quality of his work he is some type of advanced alien with standards that most of us will never reach! A budget printer will never keep up with his standards. :-) BTW, what program are you using for CAD? I have been using 123DDesign and am not that happy with it. As for source files, have you guys seen hum3d.com? Go there and drool! (Then read the fine print). Cheers

Yep, that is why I bought it. In particular, I want to be able to make my own 1:24 figures because there does not seem to be much on the market. Fine detail is a relative term. At this pricepoint you need to commit the time to really learn how to tweak the software settings for each job to get the best result. You also need to be prepared to do some post-print cleanup similar to the preparation you would do on a bad kit - some sanding and maybe some surface filling. I need to play with high-fill primers as I suspect they might help, too. Remember, too, that fundamentally the output is only as good as the input so you need to start with a good file. Have a look at my Facebook page and then go to the 3D Printer Album for my journey of discovery. I am not into hours of sanding so anything you see there is straight off the printer :-) Yep, exactly. You can download some amazing stuff but if you get hooked you will want to design your own at some point. I admit that some people will never get their heads around CAD, it is a bit of an acquired taste and requires pretty good spatial awareness and visualisation as well as computer skills. As I said in my earlier post it is helpful to think of the printer (and then the CAD) as a hobby in it's own right. You need to put in that level of commitment. Haha. Patience, grasshopper, one day..... Cheers Davoski

I understand the concept of not buying cheap and nasty, but... I bought an Anet A8 Prusa Clone a few months ago and am VERY happy with it. Check the specs and you will find that Prusa clones match machines many times their price, e.g. 0.1mm layer height. Yes, it is good to print some replacement/upgrade parts for it but this is part of the learning curve. Haha, can your toaster upgrade itself? My advice is to think about your 3D Printer as a hobby in it's own right. Devote some time to it and you might find yourself hooked. They are quite addictive :-) Also, think about where you are going to get the files for what you want to print. Yes, you can download almost anything but at some point you will want to draw your own or edit/modify someone else's file so you will want to commit to learning some form of basic 3D CAD program.This applies to any brand or pricepoint of printer but it is important to consider this or you might not get the best from your purchase. Cheers Davoski

Haha, so you understand the concept that cars are expensive and addictive no matter what the scale! Or, as we say in Australia, "If it's got wheels or t*ts, you're going to have trouble with it".

All part of the service. I have been a rally competitor on and off for over 35 years finishing up with a Subaru WRX STi and currently have a Lancer Evo8 as a road car but I reckon the Lancia type 037 was amongst the most insane of an insane bunch! Until the FIA banned Group B. Turbocharged AND supercharged if I recall. BTW, that hole in the LH seat is not for the crotch-strap, it provides clearance for certain parts of the drivers anatomy! ;-)

Don't beat yourself up, apparently the camera sees things your eye doesn't. I bet this look FANTASTIC in real life. Your paint and decals look really precise. Umm, a question though: are the clutch and accelerator pedals the wrong way around? I would have thought that the long thin pedal would be the throttle and be on the right while the pedal with the cut out would be on the left shaped to clear the wheelwell. I grant you that this car was insane (and Italian!) so I guess anything is possible :-) Cheers Davoski

Or you can print them yourself. 3D printers are now becoming cost effective and are a worthwhile adjunct to our hobby. For example, google prices on the Anet A8 from Gearbest, eBay, Amazon etc. or direct from Anet. They are now AUD$240 so maybe under USD$200? Think of them like any other piece of equipment, maybe like a hobby lathe (or Dremel or airbrush). There is a financial investment, a research task to find the best make/model for your needs, a tedious set-up and calibration process, a steep learning curve in its operation, trying of new methods and materials, the learning of new swear words, etc. Only after this process should you expect decent results. As Peteski says, there are many websites with free downloadable files which you can print yourself. The most well known is probably thingiverse.com but there are many others. Google is your friend. I am not familiar with the materials that Peteski mentioned from Shapeways who use very high end laser machines. The el cheapo printers use PLA or ABS which paint up fine. Then there is a whole other aspect to printing which is the design of the initial CAD file but that requires a whole new investment - time and brain power in this case :-) Also, there are programs like Sculptris which allow you to download and then pose figures as you choose. Here are my first test prints of 1:24 figures while I am still tweaking the various printer settings. These are unmodified files straight off the printer without any clean-up: Here is a link to my printer project 3D Printer Pics and to my diorama of an Aussie Pub using many 3D printed components Aussie Pub WIP I consider having this printer to be a hobby in itself in that you need to make a certain commitment to get the best from it. And, for High Octane, yes it is a wave in the future (and present) and while you have a few years on me I am 56yo and am loving the challenge of this. Age is no barrier, mate, have a crack!!! Cheers Davoski

Hi Guys, I am too much of a klutz to even consider BMF so I have tried about six different "chrome" gel pens instead. They were sort of OK but really just looked like silver paint as opposed to chrome. I heard of the Molotow pens on here and did some internet research which sounded promising so I decided to order one. All I could get here in Sydney, Australia was a 2mm version and whilst I thought it was better it didn't meet the hype. 2mm also felt too big. I then found a stockist in Perth, Western Australia and ordered a 1mm Liquid chrome pen. It seems to be a completely different product and looks (to me) to be fantastic. It is a bit hard to photograph on my iPhone but hopefully you can see the difference compared to other products: Seems to be durable after 24hr drying. This is the link http://www.thebutchershop.com.au/shop_online/art_supplies/markers/molotow/other/liquid_chrome/ It was A$11.95 = US$9.17 plus postage. I imagine they send OS. Apparently refills are coming soon too. The 1mm is well worth a try I reckon :-) Cheers Davoski

Hi Ted, If you do build your own vacuum forming machine would you please consider doing a build post/thread on it, please. I am sure I am not the only one interested in seeing what can be done. And yes, Impalow has a lot to answer for! :-) Cheers

Hi guys, Greetings from sunny Sydney, Australia! 47 Celsius (117F) last weekend. I am a fairly new member and have not gotten around to posting any build threads here yet but will do so one day. Meantime, I recently had a requirement to distribute some pics of my current projects and decided to create a Facebook page for this purpose. I hope it is kosher to put the link here rather than a create some build threads but this will be MUCH quicker for me. The link is: https://www.facebook.com/davidsmodelshowcase/photos/ Then go to Albums and click "See All". There is an Album for each project. Just iPhone pics but you get the idea. It also contains some progress with my new 3D printer and CAD software. I update it regularly at present, I hope this is of interest to some of you. Cheers Davoski

Thanks, Dann. ,The Mini's are underway and the LED's and fibre optic have arrived for the lights. I will do a build post later on.

+1 My work in progress...

Hi Impalow, Your work here is outstanding and I am thoroughly enjoying watching your progress. As well as the design aesthetic which is beautiful, I am also fascinated by your use of technology. I have a vinyl cutter, CAD software and recently added a 3D printer and am currently working through the learning curve with the aim of doing things similar to what you have done here. Something about your design struck me this morning. It may be too late to raise it now but, to me, the doors look a little small and their stark, straight lines seem slightly at odds with the gracefulness of the rest of the model. Do you think that something like shown below would be helpful? A little earlier you canvassed opinions on methods of attaching the wheel pods to the body and someone suggested a wing shaped structure to bridge across the gap. I was thinking of something similar which I thought could be awesome. I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with. I can't wait to see what you do with paint!!!

Top Ten Shootout for Pole Position just completed: 1. Ferrari 488 2. BMW M6 3. BMW M6 Corrections from earlier (when I was asleep): Track length is 6.2km not 6.5, Average Speed is now 185kmh and Castrol Chase is actually Caltex Chase. BTW, the elevation change from Pit Straight at the bottom to Skyline at the top is 175m. Fifteen different car manufacturers and 17 driver nationalities. Two out of three people love statistics ;-)

I would encourage you guys to try and watch some of this race or highlights etc. It is a 12hour race for McLaren's, Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Porsche's, Aston Martin's, Bentley's, Ginetta's etc. But, more importantly, it is held at Australia's iconic Mt Panorama circuit at Bathurst, a couple of hours from Sydney. Watch it just for the track! Google the specs! It is possibly unknown to our American friends but is well regarded as one of, if not the best touring/production/endurance tracks in the world. Whilst the outright fastest lap time is held by an F1 car on a promotion day, they cannot race there as the drop off the Mountain at "The Dipper" and "The Esses" is too steep for the usual aero kit ground clearance. It is so steep that you struggle to walk down it! The main straight - Conrod Straight (so named because in the 60's Mini Cooper's would over-rev in top gear and "throw a leg out") - is so fast that a kink (Castrol Chase) had to be added about 10-15 (?) years ago to slow the cars down! Some cars were getting air over one of the crests at 300kmh! They still get through the right hand approach to the Chase flat in top! Whilst the 12 Hour Race is gathering World attention, it is best known as the long-time venue for our premium V8 Supercar race - the Bathurst 1000(among other titles). One thousand kilometres of the 6.5ish km track averaging over 160kmh. And it is a public road when not in use as a race track!!!!!!! I am doing a 1:24 diorama of The Dipper circa 1966/7 with Cortina, Mini Cooper, Renault R8, Isuzu Bellett, Prince Skyline and VW Beetle as raced there in the Gallagher 500, a 500 mile precursor to the current race. But I have been to the 12 Hour a few times and am now considering a second matching diorama with contemporary cars - a sort of before and after 50 years apart. http://bathurst12hour.com.au Have a look, you won't regret it. Cheers Davoski

Hi guys, I have used various Roland vinyl cutters in my former signage business for over 20 years and now have a cheap Chinese 600mm wide cutter at home which I thought could be used for modelling. I have been too frightened to use it to cut styrene due mainly to potential feed problems through the roller and damage to the head mechanism due to additional side loads. Further, for deep cuts requiring multiple passes I am not sure of the accuracy of repeatability of this particular machine including slippage of the feed. Also, what happens to the loose pieces once you cut through? I am concerned that they will float around and jam the job. I would love to hear more about what other peoples experience is. Meanwhile, while contemplating these issues I have been getting around the marking-out issue by using sticky label stock and my laser printer. If you are going to have to do some hand cutting anyway then rather than marking out with the cutter just print the job onto an A4 "one label to a sheet" label and stick that to your styrene, balsa or metal sheet and manually cut along the lines. Regarding decals and spray masks there is good potential to use the cutter here. For masking, don't buy specific spray mask material, it will be too thick to conform to your model, simply use a premium (10+ year) signage vinyl which is nice and thin, warm it when applying and remove it it before the adhesive "ramps up" - say 1-2 days max. You may also require Application Tape to hold the cut vinyl together while applying it. (Check some websites of signmaking suppliers for other tools materials too - e.g.matt clear or textured vinyl overlaminate for diorama surfaces, bulk prices on blades etc.). I, too, am fascinated by Impalalow's project and techniques. Please keep posting :-) I am looking to order a 3d printer in the next week or so and have started looking at vacuum forming machines (cheaper than I expected). Looking forward to more discussion on this topic.

Hi guys, I have just come back to this hobby after many years and I have ambitious plans for some dioramas, all of which require modified 1/24 or 1/35 scale figures. As a start, I have purchased Tamiya Rally Mechanics Sets, Fujimi Driver and Mechanics sets, Tamiya Rally Driver and co-driver in 1/24, and hopefully have Tamiya Campus Friends in transit. Also numerous Tamiya, Masterbox, MiniArt and Verlinden 1/35 extraneous figures (i.e not necessarily soldiers with guns, moreso drivers and mechanics/maintenance guys). I also have various Verlinden head and hand sets. To adjust poses I am guessing I should use a razor saw to partially cut joints like elbows then fill with putty and reshape with a dremel. Also planning to mix and match components as I have purchased multiples of the 1/24 kits. To paint I thinking a limited dark grey wash over the colour, then a matt clear coat and then selectively add gloss or satin clear where required. I am thinking I will standardise on Tamiya acrylics for the kits and cheap artists acrylics and pastels from the $2 shop for the scenery. I have done a TAFE airbrush course but I guess brush is better for figures. My questions are: - what Tamiya colour do you guys suggest for skin tone? - Also black, brown, red, blonde and grey hair? - what Tamiya colours for US Korean uniforms and vehicles? Olive drab for vehicles? With Tamiya Weathering kit? - what clear matt, satin and gloss for the Tamiya top coat? Dullkote? - 1/25 figures seem to be limited in choice and availability. Any ideas other than the above mentioned, especially "civilian" rather than military? - any suggestions for converting short sleeves/trousers to long and vice versa? Or is it just going to be tedious? - does anyone have pics of the modify/paint process? All suggestions gratefully received. Cheers Davoski

Hi guys, I am interested to know if any of you have experience (or opinion) with this style of budget machine: 6-in-1 lathe/mill etc: Or 3D printer: They are both around US$140-$160 so I would not expect miracles but are they worth a try for home modelling or just rubbish? I have not included links as I am not promoting these machines, they are each sold by dozens/hundreds of online stores. Cheers Davoski

G'day mates :-) Newbie here - first post. Definitely not last. Like many, I am revisiting this hobby after many years and am astounded by what is available on the young peoples Interweb thingy these days - all the stuff I wish I had 40 years ago!!!. Anyway, I have ambitious plans for some dioramas in 1/24 and 1/35; some movie/TV scenes and some 50's and 60's Australian culture and motorsport themes among others. By their nature, these projects all require multiple figures and accurate scenery as well as cars. I have purchased many of the cars and figures I will need to get going as well as tools and equipment. My budget is limited and I have sought to buy cheap wherever possible (with a bit of lateral thinking) but understand the need to spend the right money when necessary. I am interested in maximum realism (within my technical capability) and understand the limits of my patience so I am therefore seeking to take advantage of technology wherever possible. Among the many questions I will have for your forum will be some around your experience with budget 3D printers and combination lathe/mill machines. This will be on top of the dumb questions about paint, construction, PE, etc etc. I plan to ask questions like a 5 year old kid! In one of my previous lives I ran my own signmaking business for 20 years so I am OK with CorelDraw for 2D CAD and will share my ideas for using this in visualising dioramas and preparing scale plans and other construction aids. In return for the assistance I will be looking for, I hope I can share a slightly different approach because of my background and I will do my bit to positively contribute to the forum. Cheers and Cooee, cobbers! Davoski