Grelber | 26 Mar 2023 1:59 p.m. PST |
I bought Wargames Atlantic's Lizardmen Warriors. These come with various weapons, but no shields. I have lots of metal shields, but I'm concerned they would make the plastic figures top heavy. So, using some ribbon for the woven grain, some glue for stiffening, and some liquid green stuff for the rim, I made a shield. Is this something somebody with a 3d printer could scan into their computer and use to produce 3d printed shields? Or is the process considerably more complex and expensive? Please use small words in your reply, since I obviously don't know much about the whole 3d printing process. Grelber |
djbthesecond | 26 Mar 2023 3:16 p.m. PST |
Have you thought of using the good old fashioned push mould process using greenstuff? YouTube link |
Mr Elmo | 26 Mar 2023 3:33 p.m. PST |
Your best bet is to digitally sculpt a shield. Scanners exist but are rare. |
HMS Exeter | 26 Mar 2023 4:13 p.m. PST |
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jgawne | 26 Mar 2023 4:38 p.m. PST |
Most 3D scanners people have do not have the resolution you'd need. There are some tat would, Some dentists have them for example, but they are $$$. If, however, you had a friend with one, then you could indeed generate the .etl file for that and print them. |
Thresher01 | 26 Mar 2023 4:56 p.m. PST |
You can make them out of styrene stock too. |
optional field | 26 Mar 2023 5:53 p.m. PST |
there are 3d scanning apps for most phones that might work. I've never tried them but you could give it a shot. |
clibinarium | 27 Mar 2023 3:36 a.m. PST |
Quick google found these free figures with shields- perhaps they'd be useful? link Scanning can work, but far easier to design it in a program and print the stl. |
jgawne | 27 Mar 2023 5:52 a.m. PST |
You could probably hire someone to design the stl file for a lot cheaper than renting a scanner. |
DyeHard | 27 Mar 2023 8:06 a.m. PST |
Another easy mold to copy method: This is a reusable plastic/rubber from Japan. It sells under many names, but lets just pick "Blue-Stuff" as an example, because it comes with videos as well: link You can cast with lots of non-heated materials, and even some heated ones as well (hot melt glue as example. I swear I will make a video some day). But for shields, "Green-Stuff" (Kneadatite) is an ideal pick for ease of handling and useful flexibility. |
DyeHard | 27 Mar 2023 10:45 a.m. PST |
A follow up to my post above: The name of the product is: Oyumaru From Amazon and many other sources. link I would think the clear version would have some advantages: link Better videos of using the reusable molding plastic.
OK, Fellow is a bit too chatty, but covers mold for shields. Uses Blue-Stuff, UV light curing resin, Plaster, Milliput, Bunning's Epoxy (a product from Oz), YouTube link Better, A bit more informative, molding a 1/24th scale head, milliput and Green-Stuff. Good tip about wrapping. YouTube link Best, Copy mini figure parts, makes good points about registration marks, and that no mold release agent is needed. Used Alteco A+B Epo Putty (availability eBay and Etsy) Shows key method of filling two part mold each half with putty and then pressing together. YouTube link Funny, and good: This guy makes points on mold frame and air vents, molds with all kinds of stuff. Like, PCL (polycaprolactone) YouTube link |
Andrew Walters | 27 Mar 2023 12:38 p.m. PST |
Existing scanners, from free to way-too-expensive-for-us, do an okay job at big things – probably toaster and up. They aren't going to do a good job on this. If you send me a handful of photos I could try to whip up an STL file. |
Phillius | 27 Mar 2023 2:12 p.m. PST |
I'm in the process of trying to find out if it is possible to scan detailed 40mm figures and turn them into .stl files. The initial feedback is not looking great. I imagine that your best option is to digitally sculpt the shield yourself and get them printed. |
Martin Rapier | 28 Mar 2023 1:14 a.m. PST |
Like nuclear fusion, 3D scanning sounds simple, but in practice it is hugely expensive and difficult. I used to be Head of Research Computing at a large UK University, and I first saw this tech dem'd to scan and print replacement body parts. It was like magic but v. expensive to get the level of definition required. It is still v. expensive, but give it a few years and who knows. If it becomes cheap enough, the tech will be the end for existing figure manufacturers as you can an just scan and print anything. |
Sgt Slag | 29 Mar 2023 12:16 p.m. PST |
Grelber, if you glue the metal shields to the minis, then glue the minis to a 1-inch base, they should not fall over. Cheers! |