Help support TMP


"Scanning for Printing" Topic


9 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

Remember that you can Stifle members so that you don't have to read their posts.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Back to the 3DPrinting Message Board


Areas of Interest

General

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


Featured Showcase Article

The 4' x 6' Assault Table Top

Personal logo Editor in Chief Bill The Editor of TMP Fezian begins to think about terrain for Team Yankee.


Featured Workbench Article

Raising a Giant Succulent

Blocking line-of-sight and channeling movement through elevating a plant.


Featured Profile Article

Introducing Editor Katie

Our newest staff editor introduces herself.


Current Poll


515 hits since 22 Jun 2023
©1994-2023 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?


TMP logo

Membership

Please sign in to your membership account, or, if you are not yet a member, please sign up for your free membership account.
Bunkermeister Supporting Member of TMP23 Jun 2023 9:43 p.m. PST

A friend of mine has a 60mm size machine gun he wants to get scanned so he can 3D print it.

He has taken it to two places that do that and they say they can't scan it because it's too small.

It's basically an M60 machine gun with the bipod down and about 1 1/2 inches long.

He is in Taylorsville, Utah, which is in the Salt Lake City metro area.

Any suggestions?

Mike Bunkermeister Creek

Arjuna24 Jun 2023 2:19 a.m. PST

Just curious, what is wrong with available 3D models?

M60 machine gun Vietnam war period – On Cults3D

Altar Boy24 Jun 2023 4:12 a.m. PST

That's the first thing I thought of: use a different models.

I watched some videos of scanning miniatures and that tech needs more time. Flat out: it doesn't work without "cleanup" and if you can do that you could just sculpt a model.

Personal logo jensutkremp Supporting Member of TMP24 Jun 2023 4:58 a.m. PST

Scanning smaller objects only possible with highend scanners, unpayable…Other scan solutions will take to much cleanups, so its easier to create new model, or take what the community of designers will provide. And there is a couple in very good quality. Figures, equipment, weapons etc, etc.

jgawne24 Jun 2023 7:43 a.m. PST

My brother knows about that stuff, and says the current non- super professional scanners cannot handle the small detail. When he needs something of that scale he goes to someone with a ultra high professional scanner that allows him to use it on a professional courtesy basis. For something like an M60 you are probably far better off using an stl that has already been designed for printing at that scale.

Andrew Walters24 Jun 2023 8:09 a.m. PST

Based on my experience you're better off modeling it yourself.

3D scanners are still problematic. I haven't heard anyone sing the praises, and I've heard people who are frustrated. I've played with scans from museum web sites, and they are often problematic.

3D modeling is much easier than you think. Sure, Blender is tough, but TinkerCAD is easy-peasy. Anyone with a 3D printer should spend the forty five minutes it takes to get handy with it, since it will let you make all kinds of useful things around the house.

So I don't want to be a fun-ruiner, but my suggestion on how to do that is not to do that.

Bunkermeister Supporting Member of TMP24 Jun 2023 7:15 p.m. PST

The original is a 1960 ish toy and my friend wanted to copy it to go with his collection. He has been unable to find one since they are rather rare. There is a prone 60mm Tim Mee figure that has the M60 as a separate piece. The figure is fairly common but the MG is like hens teeth.

Thanks for the replies.

Mike

Squash at home25 Jun 2023 1:15 a.m. PST

Scan a full size one and shrink it down digitally?
:-)

Andrew Walters25 Jun 2023 3:05 p.m. PST

How many photos do you have? Any with a ruler in the background?

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.