"1:300 Vehicles in PLA?" Topic

Is it possible to reliably print decent (say, Scotia Micro Models quality) 1:300 vehicles on a 3D Printer.

I see there are lots of 1:200 models on Thingverse, can those be scaled down or do the prints become difficult?

What sort of print time are we talking about for a 1:300 model (1.25 x .5 x .75 inches-ish)?

Have no 3D printing experience, currently looking at an Anycubic 4Max Pro.

Honestly, you would get better results from the Anycubic Photon DLP printer. Most FDM machines seem to have more visible print lines along the vertical axis. If you want to see some examples of 6mm models printed out on the Photon, check out this Facebook group:

"epic 30k/40k for anycubic photon dlp printer owners"

Ooh, I read online that the Photon wasn't a good starter printer, and since my initial goal was to print 28mm buildings I wanted a nice big print bed and all the suggestions were FDM.

Makes sense you'd need something different for small detailed models.

Listening to a #d printer shop at Little Wars that was definitely thr message I heard. FDM great for bigger items like buildings and ruins. Not so much for fine detailed ships in 1/2400 etc.

I have both an FDM and an SLA printer and have been able to print 6mm nicely with both. The SLA prints are going to be much nicer, though at 6mm, you can get pretty decent results with a good quality FDM printer.

It depends on what your quality expectations are. A good SLA printer will make prints that look as good as metal prints. FDM will not look as good, and you will see layering, but usually it is not as bad as people make out. Once painted, you can get decent results.

Apart from the mentioned banding (get a printer with the smallest layer height you can afford, print slow) your main problem is going to be things like gun barrels – most are going to fail, either straight up at print time or as soon as they get handled. Be prepared to use thin wire instead, it will last heaps better.

bsrlee is correct my FDM printer with the expensive Simplify3D software, better for amatures like me than Cura for very fine detail due to its support sytem will only reliablely go down to a short barrel at 0.7mm diameter with our printer limit of 0.1mm layer thickness. This may be a bit big for 1/300. Commecial SLA printers like Shapeways won't pring that small they reject any barrel below 1mm. Therefore wire is much better.

It depends, I've both and FDM and a Photon, the Photon can produce miniatures pretty much as good as the metal ones, the FDM printing at 0.08mm layers can do probably as well as the old H&R, good enough for table top but don't look to close. Oh and strictly an SLA is probably more beginner friendly as much of the variables is software with only 1 mechanical point of challenge. FDM is more complex technically but easier with software set up.

I use an Ender 3 printer and have only tried one 6mm vehicle so far, which was two Valentine tanks. It came out well; it didn't have the quality of my GHQ models but it was not bad. The gun barrels are brittle. While both printed out fine, I did break one when I was cleaning it up. They most definitely passes the 3 foot test. I will be printing more 1/285th/6mm scale vehicles, especially support vehicles, once I get caught up on all my 6mm buildings I have on my list to build.

I did a print of spare MG turrets in PETG for my 1/144 stuff. Its supposed to be a bit tougher and its not too expensive and at least on my printer worked perfectly with no change from standatd PLA settings, I just go 10m as a free be. I don't tend to use it as PLA is cheaper and in the past I have bought spares through AOTRS.Shipyards on Shapeways and they are the ultimate tough nylon.

One thing that will help with 3d printed models is NOT washing&drybrushing. Washing and drybrushing will make any print lines really, really obvious.

My roommate and I have been discussing about which 3d printer to get, we're torn between printing terrain and printing bits for miniatures.

Lion,
I have just bought a Moooproice Select Mini v2, almost new. I can say it is an excellent printer and as good as ouR Replicator 2 for results. However its much slower 1/2 speed and small build plate (120mm by 120mm) but very inexpensive and perhaps a good place to start. Works fine at 0.1mm layer thickness.