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3D printing growing as we speak


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Well, considering that an injection molding machine can pop out a complete kit in mere minutes, and even resin cast bodies can be demolded in 30-45 minutes, it'll take some time for 3D printing to catch up.

But I would agree, 3D printing has come a long way,and likely will continue to advance, perhaps exponentially.

Art

I am sorry, but you cant compare 3D printing with reisn casting, the only thing they have in common is you use them to make something. You forgot to mention the time it takes to create molds for the resin, so I am going to say, add that time, and you are about even with the time it takes for 3D printing But then you have to add the time it takes to create the 3D file to be printed so it is still going to take longer.

Edited by martinfan5
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Here is the future of figure modeling and it's available right now if you have the funds:

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A fellow in France is printing these figures on a high-end Envisiontec printer. Even though you can see some faint grow lines, the quality and detail is just perfect. The grow lines will disappear under paint. What is really absurd about these figures is that they aren't sculpted in 3D-- they are made from 3D scans of real people dressed in period uniforms. Just a couple of years ago, this would be virtually impossible to do on a hobby scale, but the advances in 3D scanning and the software to process the scans has put this kind of quality within reach of hobbyists. The figures still aren't cheap; a typical 1/32 figure is around $23, but that is well within the budget for professional modelers and serious hobbyists. With one stroke, my French friend has made both miniature sculptors and miniature casters redundant. Of course, if you want to model something that doesn't exist in the real world-- a troll warrior for instance-- you'll need a creative person to construct your model.

What does this mean for car modelers? Scanning a person is really, really easy. Scanning a car isn't easy at all, unless you just want a solid model (like the ones Ford recently started offering). But if you have access to the real, original parts, anything can be reproduced in small scale with a high degree of accuracy. The fundamental part of this process is having the real thing sitting in front of you, and secondly, having the money to do it all.

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What does this mean for car modelers? Scanning a person is really, really easy. Scanning a car isn't easy at all, unless you just want a solid model (like the ones Ford recently started offering).

So you're saying those figures don't have skeletons and internal organs? Then what good are they! ;)

IMG_2062-vi.jpgIMG_2063-vi.jpg

When you mentioned the troll warrior.. There was a seminar on 3D printing at GSL and they gave away some samples. I got the above little figure, that was made for gaming folks. It's about an inch tall and has exquisite detail!

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I'm just not as thrilled with this thing, as much as everyone seems to be. It looks like a seperate hobby, that I don't need. Consider that there are still many modellers who after all the years of playing with styrene, still haven't a clue how to even knock out a simple, decent paintjob ( from a can, or airbrush ) , and the ones who think tons of "detail" & photoetch will help improve their poorly built model; but truly doesn't. :unsure: They won't take the time to learn the skills to just do a nice out of the box build, nope .... they'll continue to try to play with the big boys & go out & buy every new gadget & trinket there is ..... seriously, how many guys will educate themselves to make this thing work .... not too many me thinks.....to those who do lay out the bread & give this a try, good luck :)

Edited by Krazy Rick
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Rick, how does your post have anything to so with the theme of this topic? This topic is about the advancement of 3d printing which were covered in both Joseph and Tom's post and nothing about your rant.

Edited by my66s55
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Rick, how does your post have anything to so with the theme of this topic? This topic is about the advancement of 3d printing which were covered in both Joseph and Tom's post and nothing about your rant.

Granted, but who says a rant has to make any sense :) ? ( a rant is a rant, nothing more, nothing less .... it is what it is :unsure: ) , anyways, as far as rants go, this one may not be my finest to date ; but I felt it was fairly solid overall. :rolleyes:

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Interesting thread on 3D printing again, somewhat surprising responses from some people given their posts on other threads for the same subject.

This technology is still moving toward the home user and seems to be picking up speed in terms of lower cost and better product, but that's not the only benefit. I may wind up with one in my home, but not in the near future. (I have started checking the Blender software to see what I can do with it).

For me the best outcome from this will be choice of what's available. Alot of what is on the shelf at the LHS or even online are things that I have no interest in - either by subject or scale. What I do want are things that IM companies cant justify the tooling costs for, or were from resin casters that are gone - like MiniExotics. Some subjects are available in resin from various sources but I can't afford the $200+ price for them.

3D won't replace standard IM any time soon based on production time alone - but that's the point. You don't need the costs of tooling because you're not planning to make thousands of anything. Someone/some company can efficiently produce and sell that CanAm prototype wanted by me and the one or two hundred others world wide that are looking to buy it. At a price we can afford.

Maybe companies like Revell or AMT can use this to appeal to the limited market, but I believe it was AceGarage guy that touched on another potential. How about the local hobby shop offering 3D print services? The machines are coming down in cost to the point where it could make sense from a business perspective.

Edited by djflyer
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My opinion on 3D printing...

First, the original purpose was to make prototypes, not finished products. I saw many types at a local show last year. They are expensive by the time you add in the printer, the computer, the program, the scanner, etc. Will it help this hobby? I don't think so. It may help a few but not the majority. Most people have way more model kits now than they will ever build and their biggest complaint is that 'model kits are too expensive', at about $25-30 a kit :) 3D printing will be a lot more expensive, so I doubt it will be feasible for most people. For example, 1 24/25th scale Chaparral 2C body is about $39/44. Just for a body. They also make an 8th scale body for almost $900! (and you thought Pocher was expensive) The 25th scale Jaguar is nearly $90. Okay, now how realistic is it that the average modeller will buy one? Will the price come down in the future? Sure, but it still won't help the average modeller. Oh, the length of time to print a 25th scale body is several hours, so how long will you wait for a part? :)

It's new and improving technology but it isn't the saviour of the model car hobby.

That's my opinion :)

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There's some guys here in the UK, replicating model car bodies, ready to put onto a chassis.

I've recently looked at a few at a local electronics shop, they start at £500 and go up to £2,500!

They have a trial printer in the shop and show how to replicate various small items.

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... their biggest complaint is that 'model kits are too expensive'

I've always perceived the biggest complaint to be "why isn't XYZ available?" or possibly, "I wish there were a better XYZ available." 3D-based manufacturing goes a long way to solving both those problems. We are still years away from replacing mass-marketed kits with printing your own 3D-derived models at home. The 3D technology available now allows manufacturers (small and large) to more bring better quality models to the market in a shorter amount of time than ever before. It also opens up a whole new avenue of creativity to those people who are willing to take a risk. Some model builders are content to just build whatever is on the shelf at the local Hobby Lobby, but I've never been that kind of modeler.

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Joseph is right on with his entire post. The wish lists abound on this forum. My wish list has become my to do build list. There's so many things that can be done on a 3d printer. David, you sound like me. I have over 300 models, but my interests are in what's not available. I'm showing the 35 LaSalle build as an information thread and a possible answer to those who want something different. If I can do it, anyone who puts there mind to it can.

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... their biggest complaint is that 'model kits are too expensive'

Where I throw my arms in the air are the threads where people are asked what kits need to be produced... guys then answer with a list of ten or more off the wall subjects, showing they didn't put much thought into it...

then someone points out that the subject has been available in the past or is currently available in resin. Their reply? Oh, I'm not paying for an old collector kit or resin prices! I want a company to come out with it as a kit...

So you want a company to gamble $300,000 on an odd subject just so you can buy one for $25 ??? And probably want to use a Hobby Lobby coupon on it too!

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Where I throw my arms in the air are the threads where people are asked what kits need to be produced... guys then answer with a list of ten or more off the wall subjects, showing they didn't put much thought into it...

then someone points out that the subject has been available in the past or is currently available in resin. Their reply? Oh, I'm not paying for an old collector kit or resin prices! I want a company to come out with it as a kit...

So you want a company to gamble $300,000 on an odd subject just so you can buy one for $25 ??? And probably want to use a Hobby Lobby coupon on it too!

Don't confuse the issue by bringing intelligence into the picture. Edited by sjordan2
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I was talking to a friend at one of the model manufacturers a couple of years ago and he told me about some of the requests they get, such as...I have a 1951 Ford station wagon. Can you make a model kit if it? I need two for next week...I have a 1958 Bonneville convertible with the Tri-power. Can you make it in blue to match mine?' I recently chatted about adding resin engines or parts to the kits and he said it wasn't feasible. The same might be said for using 3D printing to make a model, 'not feasible'. Sure, if you are a computer genius and won the lottery and wanted to make a set of 3D blueprints for every part, then spend countless hours finishing them, sure you can have a 3D printed model :) I know someone who recently did an 8th scale hot rod with 3D printing and he sort of admitted to spending over $3000 on it! My feeling is that he spent a lot more! Where do you draw the line? :(

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"The same might be said for using 3D printing to make a model, 'not feasible'. Sure, if you are a computer genius and won the lottery and wanted to make a set of 3D blueprints for every part, then spend countless hours finishing them, sure you can have a 3D printed model". Howard. Go to the - on the work bench section just below this one. Open it up and look for the thread- 1935 LaSalle convertible coupe- 3d printed at home. Read it and learn. Your statement is far from true and I'm proving it.

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Doug - you are not the average modeller since you seem to have the ability to make your own 3D printer. I still say that 3D printing is not feasible for the average modeller the same as resin casting is not for the average modeller nor is home made photo-etch nor home printed decals :)

Edited by Howard Cohen
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No Howard, I am just an average modeler. What I am is someone with a desire to do something to make happen my dreams of model car building cars that the model companies don't produce. I am also an optimist, not a pessimist. I have watched the development of 3d printing in the open source community since 2010. When Josef Prusa introduced his v3 in 2012, I watched and waited for the build instruction to come on line and others were building it. There were instructions, step by step, pictured. If I ran into a problem, which I did, I went on the forums and asked. The forums are just like here. Builders helping other builders achieve. there goal. When the dlp printers first came out, I followed the same type procedure. Computer wiz, deep pockets above average abilities? Not required.

Only requirements, desire and knowing where to go to succeed. Add to that, the positive attitude and an "I can do this if they can" approach. High def dlp printers are a very simple machine.

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Doug, I think Howard's point is that you have started a second hobby, seeming to be very involved in the 3D modeling and printing community. So you have some skin in that game, as well as in automotive modeling.

It's not like you bought a microwave oven and merely use it.

In threads on this board I've put 3D printing in the same realm as owning a mill or lathe. When Augie Hiscano made the rounds to shows on behalf of Sherline, they sold a lot of lathes! The problem was that a lot of these guys didn't understand the skill commitment to being successful with these machines. So a lot of them just made metal shavings for awhile and gave up. And those who made the time investment in learning the skills were successful. And 3D modeling and printing will go that same route. A small percentage of auto modelers will put the skin in the game to be successful. And guys like me and Howard will buy things from them!

Edited by Tom Geiger
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No Tom, I haven't started a second hobby. 3d printing for some is a hobby. They enjoy the build process and the search for ways to make it better. For others such as myself, it is a tool to use to create something to augment our hobby or profession. I have seen on the byo forum people who want to enhance their hobbies like model train and gaming figures plus more. On the professional side I have seen a multitude who are using the technology to enhance there professional vocation. These are mainly jewelers. The prints are good enough for that. There is going to come a time when all you have to do is install the printer, load some software maybe. get hold of or create the file, press print and sit back as it is printed out.

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I still prefer the KISS method of modelling, no gadgets, I'm thrilled with a Dremel & a bunch of airbrushes, No food dehydrators, lathes & I certainly have zero desire to explore, or tinker with 3D printing; Just a model in a box, a few parts, paint & glue - I'm good. :rolleyes:

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