3D Printing, wot's it all about?

[Harry Faversham]

Any chance of an idiot's guide to the advantage/disadvantages of 3D printing? I can't see any, the models look crap with all them funny lines all over 'em...
or is that from using a cheap-tack printer?

[Zed1]

It does. Because the quick file printers are not designed to print highly detailed, tiny structures. A resin printer of higher quality delivers better results. There are good machines on the market, but I don't think that an invest of up to 4000€ is a good deal for someone who just likes to self-print a figure every now and then.

[Wolfgang Meyer]

3D printing with a resin printer for less than 400 euros

Germania figures scale 1/72

The figures are fantastic, with no print lines












Best regards, Wolfgang

[Wolfgang Meyer]

Mars Elegoo printer for around 300 euros!

[Kekso]

I'm not sure how much Speira Miniatures paid for their printer(s) but their 3d printed figures are fantastic.
I'm not sure will 3d printers ever replace mould injection based massive production but definitely have their piece of market cake. Solid Anycubic Photon is available for around 200€. One must add costs of resin, isopropanol, UV light etc. But it is still affordable for many average wallets.

[Konrad]

Without a doubt, 3D printing is the future.
And, as with any new technology, costs will decrease over time.
I've been painting figures for fifty years now.
The first few sentences don't come close to the quality of 3D prints.
But they all had their charm somewhere.
And it was precisely their little mistakes that made them attractive.
But that's the way it is in life.
If you get something, you lose something.
Times are changing.

[MikeRC97]

I’ve been looking into this lately and indeed 3D printing has come a long way in a relatively short time. The quality of resin printed models is outstanding.

It’s not without its drawbacks however. The resin itself is toxic and needs to be cured before handled.

Also the prints don’t always come out right the first time (from what I’ve read it’s very common to have a bad print) and the resin is expensive so there’s ongoing cost beyond just the cost of the printer.

But the biggest challenge is the models themselves- you can find some stl files on the internet but if you want to make your own you’ll need to learn how to model 3D models, not very easy.

[Misteredd]

I am considering 3dprinting for my life long dream of a fighting sarissa phalanx set. I doubt resin figures can solve my problem, because resin is to bristle to form a suitable pike. Are there other materials more suited for this task? What kind of 3d printer would be necessary?

[Kekso]

Are there other materials more suited for this task?

I'm not sure whether you need 3d printed Macedonian Phalangites because there are two nice plastic sets that combine well:

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=147

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=341

And people use plastic brooms or thin metal wires for sarissa.

[Misteredd]

Dear friend, those sets are not convincing. The warriors actually do not fight with those sarissas. It might be a walking phalanx, but no fighting phalanx. Igor Dzis tried to depict a fighting phalanx.

https://weaponsandwarfare.files.wordpre ... d18f-1.jpg

[Taipeh]

Hello Mike ,
there are 2 different ways to get 3D printed figure.

1. the Print on Demand as SPEIRA or my company do. There you get the figure you want , in my case the figure are cleaned from supports etc.
2. you buy a resin printer and print your figure as you need it.

And I offer to all which are looking for special figure this service:

Can't find a specific group of figures from any provider? Then talk to me.
For 90, - € 6 figures
(compare that with the modeling prices of other providers)
are modeled according to your wishes. The price includes 1 print of the figures.
The distribution rights remain with Germania Figuren.

In the last months a growing number of new sets are by this requested wishes of customers.

We need a drawing or a photo ... than we start , and we finish when you are satisfied.

Ciao Michael
www.Germania-Figuren.eu

[Emperor]

I went last year on 3D printing school...You have many advantages and many disadvantages...For example if printer is good you get great model...That can melt in high temperature...The model is made out of PVA and PLA...You have two materials that print model...One material is one from which is model made, other material is supporter which keep model not falling appart...Supporter materail is easy to take of model when modeling is finished...Both materials come in long straps wich are heathed in double head wichcreates model...But before model is made it first some ajustments in CURA 3D program must be made... You calculate time, layers, rotate model etc...Also model must be observed all time during process of printing because some times things can go wrong way... We worked in Ultimaker printer and in end I got a 3D print of new historical monument and Napoleon on horse model...

[Beano Boy]

They even 3D Print real houses now on building sites,as i saw upon the News the other day. A massive arm layering smooth concrete upon the layer below.
Protect the working mans livelihood and employ a Brick Layer i say.but then i would because i love people and more to the point their lives.

However printing figures in whatever is down to the individual to decide upon,and of course then to fork out a fortune and buy.BB

[Emperor]

If figures are 1 72 you don-t need many layers...And less layers less time to print... You get theese two reels of material that must be draged into printer...Now one time the material on reel which is like a spageti was twistted and not dragged good...It made a mess the teacher spent 4 or 5 hours cleaning the printer with scalpel...So it is very, very, very improtant to monitore entire printing process...I think there is even a way to conect cammera with cell phone thru internet and fillm the entier process...The head wich heath the material has a step engine and it is AA and BB heads...It first drops one drop of material at begining on plate which is heathed...That material isn-t used for model...Than it begins printing with circular movements...You also have to calculate time, and even to animate how layers will go on... The model is placed in program into X,Y,Z axis of rotation...
Notice if anybody who primes figure made in3D printer try to dry figure with hair drier it will melt down the model...Or at least that is what they told us...

[Pocho Azul]

I kind of assume that 3D printing, or the equivalent, will eventually mostly replace hand-sculpted prototyping, even for figures that are intended to be cast in pewter or molded in plastic. There are very skilled people who may continue to sculpt the old way for a long time, but the advantages for a miniatures company of using 3D modeling software seem pretty overwhelming.

[Kekso]

Now one time the material on reel which is like a spageti was twistted and not dragged good...

I think that you're talking about filament printers. Resin 3d printers are way much better solution to print figures.

[Emperor]

Yup filament...That was interesting 3 months...Only 4 of applyed for class...

[Hobbyinovator]

I bought a cheaper 3D printer at a discount last year, I made some usuccessful prints. I have still to calibrate it, but some other things came in the way, we'll see when I'll get time to start testing it again.

[daveyoung1jz]

3D printing is the future.

[Martin]

Hi,

I have 2x 3D (FDM) printers now. I use them mainly for buildings and vehicles. It is also possible to print figures, but with FDM you will see the printlines, also with 0.08mm layerheight. For figures a resin printer is the best option (at the moment).
On the other hand, big companies such as Revell, Italeri, HäT etc. won't have to worry: 3D printing is too time consuming compared to injection mould fabrication of figures.