ctruss53

I am running into enough situations where the 3D printed part I need is not made by anyone. So I am going to start making my own parts. However, my 3D modeling experience is mainly in Solidworks, Inventor, and Siemens NX. And I am struggling to use these programs to create the parts I need. Parts with complex surfaces are not really what these programs excel at. So I am teaching myself Blender. Now Blender works differently enough from those professional design platforms I am comfortable with, so I wanted to download a few 3D printer files to play with in Blender so I can get trained in on it. I have tried Thingiverse and Cults3D but the search tool on both of those websites is horrific. Everyone tells me those sites have any file I might be looking for. But I can't for the life of me find anything good. So. Where do you fine your 3D files? Free, or pay, I don't care. I just want to find quality scale model car parts, so I can use them as "start parts" to make what I really want. Thanks

I am building a mk3 GTI and I want to detail it out. The kit is the Golf III CL/GL from Fujimi. I have a VR6 engine, but I would love to get a mk3 engine bay. And I am still trying to hunt down a transmission for this VR6. I am striking out on the transmission, so I am probably going to create my own file and get a friend to try printing it for me. I am also in the process of converting it to a 3 door hatch instead of a 5 door. Nobody makes a 3 door mk3 kit so I have to do it myself.

I keep a couple cans of Tamiya TS-30 Silver Leaf on hand at all times for this colored plastic issue. It mutes loud colors and also works on black plastic if you want to paint the car a much lighter color.

Strip it ans start over. And since the body is molded in a "loud" color like red. Apply silver paint as your primer. I can't explain why, but silver paint does a great job at "muting" loud colored plastic. Just apply like two very light coats of silver paint to kill the plastic color. You can apply primer over the silver paint if you want, but I have found that if you sand the silver paint lightly with 1000 grit, it acts just fine as a primer.

A lot of 3D print sellers sell the tires and wheels seperately to prevent this as well. Iceman, for example, prints hollow tires, but he prints the tire seperate from the wheels so it can vent out through the opening where the wheel would be.

Interesting. I have experienced exactly the opposite. When I order from Amazon I often receive things in boxes that could have been shipped in a bubble wrap pouch. Packaging is often dramatically oversized.

Yeah, Tamiya products just work. Their only problem is they have a somewhat limited selection of colors compared to other brands. I'm not sure what your second paragraph is asking, but I will answer what I think you are asking. Compounds meaning how you polish out the paint? With Tamiya paints I always apply a clearcoat. I prefer the Mr Super Clear Gloss UV Cut from Mr Hobby, but Tamiya makes a good TS series gloss clear as well. Apply your primer in light coats. 2-3 coats. 3-4 minutes between coats. Just enough to get even coverage. Then a few hours later you can apply your Tamiya color coats. Again, apply the paint light. Keep the spray can moving and apply the paint light. 2-4 coats of paint should do it. Wait 5-7 minutes between coats. Apply as little paint as possible until you get even color. Then let the paint cure for at least a day. I like to wait 2 or 3 days, but you can apply clear as soon as a day later. Then with clear, build it up light like the paint. Apply 2-3 very light coats. 5-7 minutes between these light coats of clear. Just build it up and coat as evenly as possible. But then once you have the clear foundation built up a bit, then apply 1-2 wet coats. Not so wet the paint runs, but slow down a little and apply the paint a little heavier so it is visibly wet and smooth. And wait 10-12 minutes between these wet coats. Then once you have applied the clear, let your model sit for a week before you polish it out. The longer you let it sit, the harder the finish will be. Then to polish it out start with 3000 grit and wet sand it. Use lots of water and do not use force. Sand very lightly and let the paper do the work. Then use 8000 grit. Again, use lots of water, and very little pressure. Let the paper do the work. Then use a rubbing compound or a scratch remover. This might also translate to a medium model polishing compound. Maybe the coarse stuff. I'm not sure. This might be worth testing on a spare part. Then use a polishing compound. This might translate to medium or fine modeling compound. Again, I am not sure. But this is the last step before wax, so maybe this would be the fine compound. And again at all steps, don't apply much pressure. Let the paper or compound do the work. NOTE: This is how I do it. Other people will have different techniques. But this process works consistently for me.

There are no stupid questions. Tamiya TS spray paints and primers are lacquers. They might throw around the term acrylic, but they are lacquers. Having said that Tamiya primers and TS series spray paints are designed specifically for use on plastic model kits. They will work with your classic model kit, I have no doubts. Tamiya products are the most stable, easiest to use products. I have never had any issues with their products. This post is not sponsored by Tamiya. I only know that they are the most versatile products. They just work. Always.

"acrylic" No, automotive paints are not usually acrylic. They are almost always a lacquer of some sort. And because of this I don't like using the term acrylic unless a paint is truly water-based.

One big reason those saws bind is as you are cutting the plastic warms up and gets a little sticky. I have found that if you wet the saw as you work, it binds less.

I haven't used photo etched saws yet. I don't know why. I have a few fine tooth saws from Micro Mark and Xacto. They have served me well for 30 years now.

Don't you just love how you can't share anything on here without someone arguing with you? You used the stuff. You know how it went on. But yet they are telling you that you did it a different way than you actually did it.

Finally!!!! I was starting to think I was the only one that could see the truth.

Moot, not mute. And I never said files should be free. All I am saying is Shapeways sellers should not be asking as much for their files as 3D parts sellers are asking for their parts. Because then when you go through Shapeways you are paying way more. But nobody seems to understand this, including the 3D printer guy. I feel like I am trying to explain economics to gold fish.

Holy *bad word* dude. I am not telling you how to run your business. I am talking about how Shapeways is a rip off and we should all buy parts from people like you. But you continue to argue with me. HAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAAA And I really fully understand CAD. I use it for a living.

I know CAD software. I use it all day, every day at work. I don't like the printing aspect. Thats why I pay for 3D printed parts from sellers like Texas 3D and Iceman.

Texas 3D. Don't take offence to this, but stop talking. I am against Shapeways, and supporting businesses like you. Why do you keep arguing with me? Yes, you take the time to design your parts. But if it takes 4 hours to design a part, you and I both know you can't charge that 4 hours to each and every part you sell. You have to divide it out. You have to be smart and spend time designing something that will sell over and over, so you can make that money back. Then you have the cost of printing. Now this you can charge on each and every part, because a part costs what it costs and thats a fixed thing. But you can reduce cost by printing several things at the same time. For example, if it costs you $3 to make one of those $3 transmissions, you can reduce the cost by making several of them in the same amount of print time. The only extra cost is the resin. I fully support what businesses like you do. You can justify your prices. $3 for a transmissione, $25 for an engine. It is all justified. That money actually buys me a part, or set of parts. But if I go on Shapeways, I am paying someone that same $3 for a transmission, or $25 for an engine, that I would pay you. Only on Shapeways that price only bought the design. Then I have to pay Shapeways again to get it printed out. And I have to pay even more if I want it faster than a month. So why on earth does anyone shop on Shapeways? They can buy the parts from someone like you for 1/3 or 1/4 the price. This is why Shapeways is a rip off.

You are clueless as well. The programs are free. Paying for a modeling program is optional. There are free programs. They are not spending time printing. They come up with a design once and thats it. There is no overhead. If I go to Texas 3D or Iceman, they spent the time designing. AND they print it. But they cost many times LESS than Shapeways. Why can't anyone else see this rip off?

Hiroboy, Spotmodel, Grand Prix Hobbies, are all great european online retailers. These sources have kits not everyone else has, but they are full retail price. Hobby Link Japan is a great resource for japanese kits. Prices are cheap, but shipping can cost a lot so bundle up purchases. All of these options take some time to ship to the US. I don't know where they are located, but do not ever use Internet Hobbies. They have a very deceptive practice where they list all the models they can get but they do not clearly tell you if they are in stock or not. Then you place an order, they take your money, and then you wait while they replenish their stock before they send you your kits.

Since you are a Shapeways seller, I can't understand why you don't get what I am talking about. Texas 3D is selling a transmission for $3. He did all of your steps above. $3 and I get a transmission. If I go on Shapeways I pay someone $6 for the design. Then I pay again for Shapeways to print it. I can buy 6 of Texas 3D's transmissions for the price of one on Shapeways. Since you don't have any of the printing overhead, The design should cost much less. But none of you seem to get it, so I'll stop here. It is pointless.

I do get it. That is why it is a rip off. Why should I pay someone for the design and the cost of printing, and then pay Shapeways for the cost of printing again?

Real example Texas 3D: You charge $3 for a Muncie transmission. I found one on Shapeways for $6. But after all their fees the part is $19. Why would I buy on Shapeways???

You obviously don't get it. You sell printed parts for lets say $10. And you ship them to me for another $8. $18 Ok, follow me here. Now why should I pay someone on Shapeways that same $10 for the part, and then pay Shapeways $14 to print it and even more to ship it? But you can keep on blabbering. I am not saying your prices are too high. I am saying that on Shapeways I am basically paying for a part twice.

Yes, I know this. Which makes it that much more of a rip off. Example: If I go on Shapeways I have to pay someone $8 for a part. Then I have to pay $14 in fees and shipping for Shapeways to print it. When I could just buy the part from you, if you have it, for that same $8. So really, since these people are just designing, the part should be like $0.50 and then I pay Shapeways for the printing. It's a rip off. By the way, Texas 3D dude. I need a FWD transmission. Do you have any?

error, let me reply differently.