3d printing

[Timonator]

After going to the ACME show in Atlanta last weekend and seeing Bill Cunningham's incredible 3d printed models I have become very curious about this technology. Do you have to learn CAD to 3d print ? Will we be able to download files for parts or complete kits and print them ? Can you  take a full size part or another model part and scan it, resize it to  scale and print it ?

 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Timonator
Spelling

[Ace-Garageguy]

18 minutes ago, Timonator said:

...Do you have to learn CAD to 3d print ? Will we be able to download files for parts or complete kits and print them ? Can you  take a full size part or another model part and scan it, resize it to  scale and print it ?

Yes.

[Timonator]

So, if I want to learn to do this where do I begin ? What do I need?

[Ace-Garageguy]

21 minutes ago, Timonator said:

So, if I want to learn to do this where do I begin ? What do I need?

The wizards I know suggest starting with SketchUp.

EDIT: The free 2017 downloadable version...

https://help.sketchup.com/en/downloading-older-versions

Edited November 14, 2021 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

You have a PM...

[MeatMan]

You have to learn CAD to make your own files but not to 3D print. You can learn how to use a program like Blender to clean up files but full CAD ability isn't necessary for that. It helps but its not for everyone, tho.

I've been practicing CAD for about 6 months and here are some of my designs.

[MeatMan]

Also, I just printed this and it didn't require any knowledge. The file was set up with multiple thicknesses so reducing it didn't cause it to be too thin.

I did it on an FDM printer but it would be smoother on a resin printer but I only print parts on my small resin printer.

 

[Sandboarder]

On 11/14/2021 at 1:12 PM, Timonator said:

 Do you have to learn CAD to 3d print ? Will we be able to download files for parts or complete kits and print them ? Can you  take a full size part or another model part and scan it, resize it to  scale and print it ?

 

 

Actually no. You can buy other people designs and files from a site like Cults and then use them on your printer. 
 

Obviously learning to create drawings and the files will help a lot. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Sandboarder said:

Actually no. You can buy other people designs and files from a site like Cults and then use them on your printer. 
Obviously learning to create drawings and the files will help a lot. 

Yes, while it's true you can print existing files without knowing CAD, like everything else, you'll find it very helpful if you understand how what you're doing actually works...especially if you encounter any problems. 

[Jhedir6]

On 11/13/2021 at 9:42 PM, Timonator said:

After going to the ACME show in Atlanta last weekend and seeing Bill Cunningham's incredible 3d printed models I have become very curious about this technology. Do you have to learn CAD to 3d print ? Will we be able to download files for parts or complete kits and print them ? Can you  take a full size part or another model part and scan it, resize it to  scale and print it ?

 

 

For your first question...No, you do not need to learn CAD to 3D print. There are thousands and thousands of files out there, some for free but most can be bought, and some quite cheap. The question is, what do you want to print? Bodies, parts, wheels, tires, seats. 

Now if you want to design and print your own parts, then yes, you'll need to start learning CAD of some kind. There are lots of options out there, mostly just google it and start researching. Again, what you'll need to learn will depend on what you want to print.

Second question...Yes, you can download files for parts or complete kits. It will just depend on the creator of the file and how much they put into it. For example I just finished printing a 2020 Dodge Ram 3500 dually. It wasn't a complete kit, no engine, no transfer case, no exhaust or drive shafts, but the rest is there. I also 3D printed separate wheels and tires to customize the truck. There are other files out there to detail it further like I could add in a 5th wheel hitch, which I plan on doing, and also a 3D printed trailer to go with it. The possibilities are just about endless.

Third...If you have a scanning tool you could take a 3D scan of say a valve cover then use the software to scale it down and print a copy. Or, you can take a file that is in say 1/10th scale and scale it down to 1/24th scale using the slicing software that comes with your printer. I have a resin 3D printer which will give you better results than an filament printer for smaller items. For very large scale items the filament printers usually are better. The Ghia above is a good example of the layers you'll get with a filament printer. On my resin printer, I'll post some pics up later on, you can almost not even see the layer lines cause I can print down to a fraction of a mm. Currently I'm printing all my stuff at 0.03mm layer height and right out of the printer it's pretty smooth, most of the time there is next to nothing to sand. Generally I use a 600 grit sanding sponge to knock off any edges. 

Hope this helps a bit. For about $200-300 you can get into 3D printing easily. Prices will vary of course on where you are. My printer was around $250 CDN on sale, add in a UV lamp for curing, resin and other various supplies I was just over $300.  I've spent a few hundred so far on files, but the good thing about that is, I can reuse the files over and over so a set of racing seats that I spent $8 on for the file, gets cheaper and cheaper each time I reprint as I now own the file and can print them as much as needed. 

[peteski]

10 hours ago, Jhedir6 said:

Third...If you have a scanning tool you could take a 3D scan of say a valve cover then use the software to scale it down and print a copy.

Have you personally try that?  As I understand, 3D scans (especially of small items) are really rough and require you (having CAD skills) to clean them up before printing. Often it takes less time to draw the object from scratch than to clean up the 3D scan.

[Ace-Garageguy]

18 hours ago, peteski said:

...As I understand, 3D scans (especially of small items) are really rough and require you (having CAD skills) to clean them up before printing. Often it takes less time to draw the object from scratch than to clean up the 3D scan.

The current ace-number-one-3D-printing-wizard, for my money, is ACME's own Bill Cunningham.

His work is simply spectacular, and has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

Every part he printed for these 1/24 scale models, including 1mm thick body panels, engines, Weber carbs, wire wheels, and even the "tube" frames, was first designed in CAD.

EDIT: According to my current understanding, the smaller parts (not the bodies and frames) can be printed with a liquid-resin / UV-curing machine that can currently be had for about $150. Prices continue to come down as resolution improves.

Results like this take some serious effort and commitment, but in my mind, they're worth every minute spent learning the skills.

Edited November 18, 2021 by Ace-Garageguy

[Timonator]

38 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The current ace-number-one-3D-printing-wizard, for my money, is ACME's own Bill Cunningham.

His work is simply spectacular, and has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

Every part he printed for these 1/24 scale models, including 1mm thick body panels, engines, Weber carbs, wire wheels, and even the "tube" frames, was first designed in CAD.

EDIT: According to my current understanding, the smaller parts (not the bodies and frames) can be printed with a liquid-resin / UV-curing machine that can currently be had for about $150. Prices continue to come down as resolution improves.

Results like this take some serious effort and commitment, but in my mind, they're worth every minute spent learning the skills.

Seeing those models is what made me start this thread.

[Ace-Garageguy]

45 minutes ago, Timonator said:

Seeing those models is what made me start this thread.

Yes sir, and of course those are your photos I copied to this thread, as I don't think most members here fully realize just what can be accomplished with the technology NOW, for reasonable money and some effort.

[peteski]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The current ace-number-one-3D-printing-wizard, for my money, is ACME's own Bill Cunningham.

His work is simply spectacular, and has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

Every part he printed for these 1/24 scale models, including 1mm thick body panels, engines, Weber carbs, wire wheels, and even the "tube" frames, was first designed in CAD.

EDIT: According to my current understanding, the smaller parts (not the bodies and frames) can be printed with a liquid-resin / UV-curing machine that can currently be had for about $150. Prices continue to come down as resolution improves.

Results like this take some serious effort and commitment, but in my mind, they're worth every minute spent learning the skills.

Bill, I don't question the 3D printing technology. I think it is a new amazing, and exciting addition to our hobby. Many model companies use  3D-printed masters for resin and white metal cast kit, and many 3D directly-printed model parts are available in the aftermarket.

I was just stating that 3D scanning technology is not quite ready for someone to place some object on the scanner pad, and the scanning process magically creates a ready-to-print file.  As you mentioned, Bill C. designs his parts in CAD (not by 3D scanning)..

[Ace-Garageguy]

18 minutes ago, peteski said:

...I was just stating that 3D scanning technology is not quite ready for someone to place some object on the scanner pad, and the scanning process magically creates a ready-to-print file...

You are, of course, correct, sir.

But I wasn't so much responding to your comment as reinforcing it for the benefit of those who seem to think this tech is (or should be) "point and shoot", with very little effort or even knowledge on the part of the modeler.

In my own experience, everything worth doing has in fact taken a considerable amount of work to master.

3D printing is, in the end, probably no different.    

[bbowser]

Amazing how far the tech has come in just a short time.  I believe we are closer to printing our kits at home than we think.  The models shown by Bill C. are incredible.

[Sandboarder]

33 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

But I wasn't so much responding to your comment as reinforcing it for the benefit of those who seem to think this tech is (or should be) "point and shoot", with very little effort or even knowledge on the part of the modeler.

I was only saying it’s possible to buy everything including the file and start printing. 
 

With those skills the prints will speak for themselves and you would quickly want to learn to scale and CAD your own files. 
 

I have seen plenty of builders who have great understanding of the technology and choose to only buy files and print miniatures to paint and game with. I also know people who spend the time to draw up their own unique files and upload them for sale, not for profit but to ensure they can keep doing CAD designs as that’s the part they enjoy. When your printing and testing your own creations for the perfect print there will be reject prints involved and they cost money. 

 

[Rick L]

On 11/14/2021 at 1:50 PM, MeatMan said:

Also, I just printed this and it didn't require any knowledge. The file was set up with multiple thicknesses so reducing it didn't cause it to be too thin.

I did it on an FDM printer but it would be smoother on a resin printer but I only print parts on my small resin printer.

 

I assume your resin printer is SLA. My experience with SLA technology was that the resin was very hygroscopic resulting in slight warpage and growth of the casting over time. That was quite a few years ago in its infancy. Have you experienced this or are the resins more stable today?

Edited November 19, 2021 by Rick L
Left key word out.

[Jhedir6]

On 11/17/2021 at 9:42 PM, peteski said:

Have you personally try that?  As I understand, 3D scans (especially of small items) are really rough and require you (having CAD skills) to clean them up before printing. Often it takes less time to draw the object from scratch than to clean up the 3D scan.

Peter, no I personally haven't tried to scan and object then make a file out of it then print it. I know it can be done, but how "good" it is, no idea. I was just answering the question, could it be done. From the few videos I've seen, mostly scanning a person and making a file of them to print, it wasn't what I'd call super realistic, but again, things in this field are changing daily.

23 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The current ace-number-one-3D-printing-wizard, for my money, is ACME's own Bill Cunningham.

His work is simply spectacular, and has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

Every part he printed for these 1/24 scale models, including 1mm thick body panels, engines, Weber carbs, wire wheels, and even the "tube" frames, was first designed in CAD.

EDIT: According to my current understanding, the smaller parts (not the bodies and frames) can be printed with a liquid-resin / UV-curing machine that can currently be had for about $150. Prices continue to come down as resolution improves.

Results like this take some serious effort and commitment, but in my mind, they're worth every minute spent learning the skills.

Bill, do you know if the files for those cars are for sale or where the other Bill go them? I'd love to print both of those cars. 

[MeatMan]

7 hours ago, Rick L said:

 

I've only had my printer for about 6 months, which isn't "long term", but no warpage, shrinkage, etc.

Also, I and many others use a curing station, so most of the time its cured as much as it is going to before we even use it.

Lots of folks have been printing bodies for a couple of years though and I've never heard of that issue coming up.

I do know that both resins and FDM filament have undergone big changes in formulation over the years.

[Ace-Garageguy]

21 hours ago, Jhedir6 said:

Bill, do you know if the files for those cars are for sale or where the other Bill go them? I'd love to print both of those cars. 

Mr. Cunningham did all the CAD work on those himself, starting from scratch.

I'll ask if the files will be available.

[Mattilacken]

Just for your information, Autodesk Fusion 360 is free, for personal use, cad program that also should work good if you want to alter models or make your own. You will learn quickly.