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 Post subject: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 7:12 pm 
Third Jedi from the Left
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Click on the orange "Play Video Demo" button

This is so sick! The future is here!

http://www.ddicad.com/prototype/uprint?gclid=CIOYscOAlKsCFQh0gwod5BP1ug


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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 7:43 pm 
Warmaster
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i want one so bad, but at $15,000-$20,000 i think it is a little out of the budget for me at least lol. it would be cool though. i bet the plastic for it isnt cheap though.

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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 7:45 pm 
Droid Army Commander
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As someone who actually owns 3-D printed minis, I have to say I don't think they are the way to go. Nice idea but practically not so great. The minis lack detail and the plastic is incredibly brittle.

What would be better if we could get a small independent company like this guy who understands how to scuplt and produce miniatures for an affordable cost. Of course a new shell company would have to actually produce them, able to pull the plug at a moments notice from the LFL lawyers.

I miss getting new minis too.

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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 8:24 pm 
Third Jedi from the Left
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R5Don4 wrote:
As someone who actually owns 3-D printed minis...


Do you know which printer they were printed on?


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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 8:54 pm 
Droid Army Commander
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no I don't know the model of printer, the minis were made by Shapeways. They will cast them in metal but that increases expense and does not help with the lack of detail.

They are the charred Anakin/Vader mini.

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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 8:55 pm 
Moff Disra
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I've looked into making my own silicone molds for the Hirst blocks. There are other guys who use the molds with resin instead of dental plaster to make minis (even out of metal). I stopped looking into it because of the start up cost.

How much would you really pay for a mini? $3, $5, $7?


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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 8:56 pm 
Third Jedi from the Left
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These are examples of what can be done. On a $1295.00 MakerBot http://store.makerbot.com/makerbot-thing-o-matic.html

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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 2:10 pm 
Jedi Knight
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It's a neat idea, but from what i've seen i tend to agree with Don here. Judging from models purchased at Shapeways, it seems that the printer builds up the mini from scratch making them much more brittle than a normal 'solid' miniature. Also, the cost of the materials and especially the printer itself could drive the price of the minis way up.
I think that if we want new minis, the way to go is to make some molds of customs for reproduction. Just like the ones TimmerB has made.

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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:33 pm 
Droid Army Commander
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I feel I must point out that the pics above, two are CG illustrations, 1 is a vintage plastic toy, 1 i is a larger scale piece and 2 are miniatures.

The important thing to remember when looking at these examples of 3-D printing is the scale you are planning on working in. See all the lines all over the cathedral and Tie Interceptor those are the layer lines from the process- I don't want my miniatures to be covered in layer lines.
The technology just isn't there yet to do high quality miniatures this way, unlike the traditional sculpting/casting methods.
There are many considerations that need to be taken into account when designing a miniature sculpt that a "normal" world scale CAD designer doesn't naturally do. In the case of the Ani-Quad mini I have, parts of the sculpt are so thin and fragile that they are prone to breaking before they even finish printing.

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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:50 pm 
One of The Ones
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biggsy wrote:
Just like the ones TimmerB has made.


Or rather like the ones that my friend Andy makes, I'm just the middle man. ;)


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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:20 pm 
Third Jedi from the Left
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R5Don4 wrote:
I feel I must point out that the pics above, two are CG illustrations, 1 is a vintage plastic toy, 1 i is a larger scale piece and 2 are miniatures.


Thanks for clarifying that - not my intention to mislead, just misplaced enthusiasm. :D


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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:10 am 
Imperial Dignitaries
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btw who is going to make the 72 3-d models needed for v-set 4 so we can get them printed up on one of these?

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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:34 am 
One of The Ones
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LESHIPPY wrote:
btw who is going to make the 72 3-d models needed for v-set 4 so we can get them printed up on one of these?

Even if I had the skills, that's a monster project. :shock:


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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:47 pm 
Death Star Designers
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swinefeld wrote:
LESHIPPY wrote:
btw who is going to make the 72 3-d models needed for v-set 4 so we can get them printed up on one of these?

Even if I had the skills, that's a monster project. :shock:


Bingo. Add in the time I've seen associated with printing one model? It's perfect for a personal project, but this won't be done large scale.

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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:37 pm 
One of The Ones
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However, for minis difficult to represent via customizing, if the model turned out well, one could possibly make molds from it. :?


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 Post subject: Re: Let's make the minis for the virtual sets using a 3D printer
PostPosted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:11 am 
Death Star Designers
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A close approximation with tools, paints, etc. might still be more practical than all the work to do even one to try to mass produce later. You could not know what mini would cause customizers trouble much in advance so you would be busting it once you learned of a specific miniature that was causing trouble. If it took too long, people would be cool with whatever they had decided to use in the meantime. Lastly, that is a lot of money to make one-offs, if you had a business that could somehow find a use for it as a mockup for display that would be good...that or if you just have a lot of money to burn. With all that being said, if you or someone else were doing it, I'd vote for an Exar Kun Spirit.


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