"3D Printable Tanks" Topic

"3D Printable kits with superb finish, designed to print great even on low-end 3D printers!…"

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Amicalement
Armand

How can they possibly affect the finish?

It is explained in the KS. Face optimisation.

Its a bit of an exageration. If you print verticaly you get the minimum gap between lines of 0,1 mm. If you print at a slope of say 30 degrees the lines are more widely spaced about 0.2mm appart but still 0.1mm high. So what they do is avoids the worst bits in the most obvious places. It would still need a bit of effort or high build primer to get 1/35 SCALE ALMOST GLASS FINISH of injection mpoulded kits. But now folk are complaining that finish is too good anyway. The key is Optimisation not perfect.

However its a good idea in some ways. However there could still be gaps to contend with as the accuracy of most printers is about 0,1mm so you could end up with 0,2mm gaps (8 THOU) not that bad, but which is worse gaps or a few lines not visible at wargame ranges. Me the kit approsch seems uneccessary but it is personal preference.

The printer they show looks like a parusa/Wanoho I3 version XXX so its true that cheap printers can make them.

Actually trhe models look quite cheap if you are into that scale. They MIGHT scale down a bit but you would not be able tpo scale to say 1/144.

For those with a 3d printer check out his free stuff he has up in his store.
Then print those things out and send to me. :-)

Grimm

The models look good on the site, but be good to see one in the flesh. Compared to the sort of finish I see on the Butlers 3D prints these look better. I don't have a 3D printer though so don't know how I would get them printed. Are there places that will print for you if you have the file? Bit like a photocopy shop.

As a Design Technology teacher (Now retired) I went on a 3D printing course some years back. I was told everyone would have their own 3d printer and be ordering stuff from Amazon to print out. I then reflected for minute on my Amazon purchases and then pointed out that nothing I buy on Amazon could be printed out and most people I know seemed unable to keep their printers working never mind a 3d printer. The school's printer was very difficult to maintain and I was surprised at how quickly it became a 'legacy' printer. That is old fashioned and no one was interested in repairing it.

However it was fun teaching the children to use programs like AC3D (easy) and Google sketch up. I would encourage folks to try and model their own vehicles on these programs. I might have a go at a T-100 tank but it's busy being retired.

Fred's point about finding somewhere to print your files out is key to the success of doing this.

Fred, check out possible "Maker Spaces" in your area. Also public, school and academic libraries will sometimes have a 3d printer, charging for material and time in some combination.

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