Anybody 3D printing conversions?

[evilm0nkey]

Hi all,

I've ordered a 3D printer and my fingers are itching to print some 40k scenery/conversions.
(games workshop can relax I'm not looking to print/replace models or anything and it will be purely non-commercial for my own amusement )

First thing I'm going to do is print some Salamander decals for my vehicles, nice and simple.

The time it takes me to put it in CAD will probably be the same it would take me to do one in green stuff, but if i can get a nice print i can quickly print out the same doors for all my vehicles.


Anybody on the hive have any experience printing 40k stuff?

[Epochstudioz]

I do know one thig for sure. your prints are going to come out looking grainy, like a split wood. Thats from the many layers of plastc the printer is spitting out. I have seen prints from 400$ machines to 600k$ machines, and the wood grain look is very discouraging. Let me know how yours spits them out, I am looking to get ond of my own too.

[evilm0nkey]

Hmmm that doesnt sound so good. I hope i'll get some Nice results.

The printer is a makerbot v2, Its a mid-range cost machine, it should do ok.

still have to wait for the delivery for 2 weeks

I'll post my progress here!

[Epochstudioz]

I would be very interested.. you have some one who makes 3D models?

[Grythic]

I'd advice making them slightly larger than intended, so you can sand off the grain look. Obviously it runs right through, but you can minimise it.

[Deleted]

Does it matter that is has a rough wood grain look when youre gonna prime and paint it anyways?

[evilm0nkey]

I'm going to make the 3d models myself in Solid Works. Good point to oversize them I'll try that.

[Imasho]

Hi Epoch this all sounds really interesting.
I've done some dabbling myself but can't afford a 3D printer so used shapeways to give me the print.
So far I've tested a sculpt I made of a biovore redesign I fancy.

I'm a 3d artist for a games company so approaching the sculpting from a digital point of view was more natural.
I use the software Silo and Zbrush to get the 3d mini modelled and finally the free part of Nettfab to make sure the mesh is water tight and will print well.

Heres my first experiment of the biovore I thought up. Its only a test print so its to small I'm hopeful that after I refine the sculpt and print it using more expensive material and at larger scale it will carry more of the detail in it.

Zbrush render





Shapeways print.

i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww169/imasho/Biovore/P1010584_zps12e45160.jpg




Hope this helps and good luck can't wait to see what you come up with.

-Phil

[evilm0nkey]

That is a jaw dropping model! incredible detail!
time to bombard you with questions

Did you base your model on available parts you reverse engineered from video games or did you start from scratch?

what material is it printed in?

I cant make out the surface quality is it grainy?

Have you tried painting it? Does the base coat attach ok?

[Imasho]

Apologies I meant to address that post to you evilm0nkey!

Thanks for the praise but I've a few things to iron out first.

I think the small arms holding the stomach are a bit clumsy plus I think I'll prob rework the rear legs to make them more like the standard 'nid.
The idea is from a sketch I drew when thinking that the current biovores face was a bit goofy looking. I was going to just buy the model and have a go at re-modeling the face but then thought I could use the opportunity to try out a 3D print.
I used shapeways to test it out
www.shapeways.com/
"White strong and flexible" was the option I chose as material which was based on price ,being the cheapest , for this prototype. I'll post a link to the site and the model let me know if it works.

www.shapeways.com/model/925486/bio-17.html?li=my-models&key=8409351b27a7c931e63a7f8b443f8f89

There's a number of options I've not tested yet.
It's very light and has a plastic feel with a slight grain to the model it feels a tiny bit rough to the touch not sheer, and the paint goes on fine but I didn't use a spray undercoat so I don't know if thats safe.

Its fairly cheap at this level you have have to watch your 3D models dimensions as well as the first time I didn't get it right and it threw back an error for being too small.
I make 3d models for a living so doing it this way made sense for me and as you see the process needs a bit of refining.


Let us know how you get on with your tests what are you planning on creating?

[Imasho]

Oh and links to the software I use.

Zbrush
pixologic.com/zbrush/features/overview/

OR try the free alternative software I'd recommend before spending any cash

Sculptris

pixologic.com/sculptris/

To check the mesh for 3D printing

Netfabb

www.netfabb.com/download.php

For polygon modelling

Silo

www.nevercenter.com/silo/

[evilm0nkey]

Thanks for all the info!

My background is in mechanical engineering so I'm not accustomed to modeling such shapes. Normally I worry about mechanical integrity which leads to less exotic designs.

As I dont have a lot of free time I'm going to stick to Solid Works in the beginning. First prints will be a Salamander decal for my rhino's and some High yield missile pods to mount on the shoulders of my old broadsides.

Modeling anything as complex as your Biovore is not likely to happen in the next year

I just got the confirmation that my printer is shipped and should arrive this week. The material I will print in is ABS.

Hopefully everything works as Makerbot notes that the setup is experimental and 'Patience, know-how, and a sense of adventure required' in the products documentation.

[evilm0nkey]

Well I've found the time to model my first 40k print!



I've bought 2 second hand broadsides, they were equiped with rail guns, but I want to field them with High Yield Missile Pods.
The arm sockets are taken by the smart missile systems, so I'm going for shoulder mounted HYMPs.

printing now brb!

[evilm0nkey]

result!



quite happy with the result Though I think I have to change the surface that connects to the model they look a bit tacked on.

[wilsonundead]

Maaaan, I downloaded Sculptris and had a go at it awhile ago, but I find that working in 3D is just difficult. I'm a Graphic Designer so I'm fine working in 2D, but that extra dimension is just hard to get a handle on lol. I'm sure practice makes perfect but I've kinda given up due to the fact that I haven't been able to produce anything even remotely good-looking LOL.

I do have a question though, in case I decided to take another stab at it, in Sculptris, say I've finished something and sent it to shapeways to print, how do I know what size/scale it's going to come out at??

Thanks guys, I hope you make some more stuff (and sell it to us lol)