"Looking for accurate 3D printing service" Topic

I hope someone can help me.

I will soon have some 3D cad models for some 28mm miniatures I will like to produce.

I need to find out the following:

1) What is the best mean to be used to print/cast/create them in 3D?

2) What should I be expected to pay for it? For 1 to 10 copies.

3) Where can I find a firm that can print me just a few copies? I have contacted a few firms but either they produce in hundreds or they do not reply.

4) Will the quality layout be usable to cast some 28mm figures?

Thank you,
Chris

I am quite sure that the consensus still is that you'll still get the best bang for your buck by hiring a sculptor who will make a master which in turn is cast.

Most likely it will still be cheaper than setting up a 3d printer. Moldmaking and casting will also have high costs if you really only want a handful of figures (you should be thinking about $30 USD per figure or so, at least, if you only want a dozen)

Well you are right, but I have contacted many sculptors and either they can not sculpt what I want or they are booked or they don't even reply…… I already invested over $500.00 USD in the project and got 2 sculpts at home that can go in the trash.

I will soon have exact 3D models of what I want so I need to find out the most functional method for having them produced in 3D with quality that can be used for 28mm figures.

Hello,
Check out this page. They have had miniatures printed, and maybe you can ask in their forum.

3d-miniature.blogspot.com

Good luck with your project,
Pendekar

You might want to contact Reaper Miniatures and/or Ad Astra Games. Both of these companies produce miniatures via 3D prototyping, so they should be able to help you with costs and the like.

Did you try a machine shop that does mini milling?

@Pendekar: Yes this is where I got my idea from. Will try to ask them. The results they had seem good or at least looks like they can be touched up.

@Andrew Paul: Do you have any link or contact for them? Are they nice people willing to help :) ?

@John the OFM: Have you got any site?

Thanks for all the help…

Chris

There are a couple of open source 3d printers out there. If you have a mechanical inclination, and a couple of hundred (or thousand for the prebuilt) it may be worth it, long-term, to do it yourself.

@Browser: This is just a starting project, will spend some $ but not much yet :) so I need a service that will do it for me for now. In the future who knows.

@Pendekar: I can't find any email for the 3D alien guys, has anyone have a contact or know the firm they used?

Thank you,

rolljordan,
They are both TMP members, so you may be able to find them on here.

TMP link

Crusoe is a member, so if you were a member you could PM him..

Another one who would be able to give you some good information would be John Bear Ross, he did 3D sculpting for Reaper's CAV among others, and sold 1/64th scale of a few of the CAVs (I really wanted some, but they were not available when I found them.. I did get two of his tanks though and they are quite nice.)
Anyways, his website domain name seems to have expired last month… So I am not sure how to contact him either.
hellionproductions.com
Sorry I am not much help in contacting them..

Pendekar

Thank you so helpfull if I can not contact them I hope they will read my post. In the mean while I'm searching all the 3d printers in the world :)

Chris

The best technology depends on the size you want to print, and the surface finish.

rapidprototype.com.au has done a good job for us, and others. A 1" figure will cost around $40 USD AUS when printed on their perfactory, which has darn nice surface finish. The perfactory's max print volume is 2x3x9 inches. I'd hate to see how much that cost.

An alternative for larger pieces is a Rapidscape wax printer, which rapidprototype also has. Very good surface finish, larger build volume, but the prints are more fragile.

Hey thx so much help. As we say here now I owe you a coffee :)

I will try to contact them to see what kind of file they need to print a figure.

Is your alien printed at their best quality?

Chris

Yes it is, .0005" layer thickness.

I think they accept only STL files.

meshlab.sourceforge.net Can import OBJ and other file formats and export STLs.

Good to see Crusoe the Painter reacting.

What kind of models do you want to print? Mechanical? Organic? In any case I'd also contact John Bear as he will have several contacts too.

By the way, for fun 3D printing, have a look over here: bathsheba.com/sculpt2

By the way, I think that Browser is refering to projects like fab@home. Those machines have a accuracy of about 0.5mm which is too much for minis. On the other hand, home build mill can have a higher accuracy.

For modeling of spaceships, tanks, etc, I HEARTILY reccomend moi3d.com! It's a free beta download.

Hmm, looks good. Wished I had more time. I'm still trying to find time to explore Alibre design.

That is great so about 13 micron layers or .013 mm

Will try them for sure thanks,

Chris

Just how small of a figure can you print with a 3D printer?

Tom

Well, it would need to be taller than 13 microns for sure.

Well, I don't know, but I think you could get some good detail down to 6mm in size.

The slight surface texture covers easily with just primer and paint.

You mean that you are using primer and paint to fill the texture? Make sure the mouldmaker knows of that.

No, we're not. What I am saying is that, the texture is so slight that primer and normal painting will cover it up.

I am hoping someone over there will help me on 3D lenticular printing. Iam in the business of printing using offset press. Recently I got interested in 3D enhanced products and I contemplating purchasing 3D lenticular software for printing things like business crds, calenders, post cards etc in 3D but I not sure whether I will still use the ordinary color separator for offset press to produce 3D products without any problem. Can any body converasant with 3D lenticular technology help me.

Thanks

Different type of 3D printing…

The type discussed here is related to producing physical items.

What you are looking for can be handled by software and a normal printer. Don't have any links handy for that – but good hunting.

If you haven't had any luck yet with your miniatures, please contact me. I work for a print service firm and can print up models for you.

RFrey@sldtech.com

view my gallery of parts: link

I am interested in getting some private minitures made for my collection. I have considered trying to get a sculpture to make them or to get them made with a 3D printer service. I noticed its been awhile since the last post and some of these links no longer work.
So what would you guys suggest I do to see about getting this done and figuring out what kind of cost I would have. Any info would be helpful. Thanks

Accuracy and resolution are two different things. The prefactory has Great resolution but make sure they run in ERM mode.

Cheers,

e-

Would Shipways fit into this discussion?

I think they are willing to do limited runs, and the you can market/sell off their site, ala Cafe Press, but I've no experience with them.

Also, I have yet to figure out their pricing scheme…

I know they're in Europe; is there anyone working similarly in the US?

Doug

*ahem* Make that Shapeways…

Doug

Must admit, I've been looking at shapeways myself – but I know nothing about how to use 3D CAD software, and not sure I have enough time to learn (this year at least), but it sure is something I'd love to get into after seeing some of the results from their process.

I'm wondering about their shops gallery and some of the prices presented – obviously at those selling prices there has to be a profit margin for the designer, which would imply that for creating masters for regular production (metal or resin), it would be possible to get a mould quantity of masters quite cheap in comparison to regular master making processes, and without any loss of detail from trans-casting.

It's very interesting as I said, but wouldn't know where to start with CAD software.

Shapeways doesn't quite offer the resolution yet. They do offer objet parts, but at the lower rez setting only.

Have to admit that I got a 3d printer as a christmas present but it is a pain to design miniatures.

Anyone want to help me get my business up and running with some designs. let me know

My suggestion:

printapart.com

I've been looking into 3d printing for terrain pieces and counters. I noticed that Shapeways can print in steel. Would this be a good idea to make a master and then send it off to a caster for mass production?

I've started learning how to use 3d software cause i think that 3d sculpting is the way of the future, at least for bigger models like tanks etc.

@ Maddaz – I would be interested in trying out some things. You can contact me on webmaster(at)galacticcontrol(dot)com.

I've been using Moddler.com for my 3D prints and they do great work.

@Assassin- Shapeways is a good place to try, they can have some rather stringent model requirements, depending on what material use want to use. Brass is a good alternative to use for a master in cast production.

There was a chap at Games Expo 2011 in Birmingham from the KB club who seemed very up to speed on 3D printing. I don't know hs name nor how to find the KB club but they were running spaceship game on the first floor near the canteen.

If you can find him I'm sure he woul be able to help.

I was sent a U Tube video on 3-D casting and I surfed a little and found the following site that seemed to be what you are looking for:

printo3d.com

Hope this helps.

Larry

Shape ways now has a new material that can do .3mm walls and .1mm details. If it helps.

link

Mad Robot@ How much for a single 28 mm figure from Moddler?
I remeber a too high to cost (250 euro).

@Ciuccio: about $50 USD

Another HIGH quality printer, specializing in small scale toys $ figures is lightbeam3d.com/index.html They are more expensive but there are practically no surface issues on the print. They are castable "as is".