Make your own toy soldiers, w/cheaper 3-D printers available! See the picture (1 Viewer)

desk11desk12

desk11desk12

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This topic comes up from time to time. I've seen one of the MakerBot models, in a series of videos on YouTube. It was used to demonstrate making a model through extruded styrene. I think it's still a ways off, from the time at which it will be practical for one of us to buy a 3D sculpter/printer, and the software to design an object, as opposed to buying a kit or sculpting our own.

Prost!
Brad
 
theBaron said:
This topic comes up from time to time. I've seen one of the MakerBot models, in a series of videos on YouTube. It was used to demonstrate making a model through extruded styrene. I think it's still a ways off, from the time at which it will be practical for one of us to buy a 3D sculpter/printer, and the software to design an object, as opposed to buying a kit or sculpting our own.

Prost!
Brad
Click to expand...
Checked out several 3D printers on UTube...I am amazed at what they can reproduce...and in color......the best printer was quiet large and had all the whiz bang's to make it simple to operate....would be expensive...but .at the current rate of development I reason it will not be too long before a custom made printer for mini sculpture's is produced at a reasonable price.......the smaller the figure... is a smaller less costly engineered printer.....What do you think the reaction of the big toy firms be then ? 3D printing themselves...certainly cheaper to produce a master sculpture and then do the casting ...painting etc...or....give the very expensive metal and painted figure's a miss and head off in a cheaper direction ?........or.....produce a combination of metal and 3D ?.....the only upside I can see is that the " Old Fashion" metal figure's ...would in time...be very valuable.........what do you think ?...cheers TomB
 
TomB said:
Checked out several 3D printers on UTube...I am amazed at what they can reproduce...and in color......the best printer was quiet large and had all the whiz bang's to make it simple to operate....would be expensive...but .at the current rate of development I reason it will not be too long before a custom made printer for mini sculpture's is produced at a reasonable price.......the smaller the figure... is a smaller less costly engineered printer.....What do you think the reaction of the big toy firms be then ? 3D printing themselves...certainly cheaper to produce a master sculpture and then do the casting ...painting etc...or....give the very expensive metal and painted figure's a miss and head off in a cheaper direction ?........or.....produce a combination of metal and 3D ?.....the only upside I can see is that the " Old Fashion" metal figure's ...would in time...be very valuable.........what do you think ?...cheers TomB
Click to expand...


It is cool. We're you talking about this YouTube video?

Carlos

 
desk11desk12 said:
It is cool. We're you talking about this YouTube video?

Carlos

Click to expand...
Did not find that one...wow....it appears to be a large printer....what next.....smaller...cheaper versions.?....thanks for the video bit....TomB
 
A question was asked about 3D Printing and the toy soldier industry at the last Texas Toy Soldier Show to a panel of Andy (KC), Thor (Aeroart) and Ken (Britains).

First, Andy and Thor dismissed its viability entirely. Then Ken, said its worth keeping an eye on it.

What do you think?

Carlos
 
desk11desk12 said:
A question was asked about 3D Printing and the toy soldier industry at the last Texas Toy Soldier Show to a panel of Andy (KC), Thor (Aeroart) and Ken (Britains).

First, Andy and Thor dismissed its viability entirely. Then Ken, said its worth keeping an eye on it.

What do you think?

Carlos
Click to expand...
I think they will have to think about 3D printing themselves,otherwise they could be left behind...online shopping is the big deal now....retail stores are now being forced to go online or go out of business..how 3D printers effects the TS business only time will tell...but I am sure it will have an effect....might be a good time for small firms to do only "One of" figures..as everyone and their dog will have the same as everyone else...though..that is how it works now anyway...cheers TomB
 
desk11desk12 said:
A question was asked about 3D Printing and the toy soldier industry at the last Texas Toy Soldier Show to a panel of Andy (KC), Thor (Aeroart) and Ken (Britains).

First, Andy and Thor dismissed its viability entirely. Then Ken, said its worth keeping an eye on it.

What do you think?

Carlos
Click to expand...

I was planning on posting a thread on 3-D printing this week but not focused on the toy soldier aspect but on something different...I am building a Norman French village for war gaming my 1:30 collection...I continue to struggle with some elements of that project. I can get 1:32 scale accessories that fit in well but building components are a problem. I can "cheat" on some things in train G-scale/1:24 and sometimes O-scale/1:48 like windows and doors but am not always satisfied but the available train hobby or doll house hobby items. I can scratch build windows for the buildings but I would rather buy the 20 odd windows I need...so I was contemplating 3-D printing for those items. I have found on-line printers that will deliver printed objects from submitted files so off into software land I have gone and am testing demo versions of 3-D printing design software...my post was to poll the group to see if anyone had already looked at the viability of this.

My needs are rather simple when it comes to what I want printed right now...doors and windows (including some for the Gothic Norman church I am constructing), some basic town objects that I cant get in 1:32 or through Hudson and Allen etc.

Any thoughts or direction?
 
Gesser said:
I was planning on posting a thread on 3-D printing this week but not focused on the toy soldier aspect but on something different...I am building a Norman French village for war gaming my 1:30 collection...I continue to struggle with some elements of that project. I can get 1:32 scale accessories that fit in well but building components are a problem. I can "cheat" on some things in train G-scale/1:24 and sometimes O-scale/1:48 like windows and doors but am not always satisfied but the available train hobby or doll house hobby items. I can scratch build windows for the buildings but I would rather buy the 20 odd windows I need...so I was contemplating 3-D printing for those items. I have found on-line printers that will deliver printed objects from submitted files so off into software land I have gone and am testing demo versions of 3-D printing design software...my post was to poll the group to see if anyone had already looked at the viability of this.

My needs are rather simple when it comes to what I want printed right now...doors and windows (including some for the Gothic Norman church I am constructing), some basic town objects that I cant get in 1:32 or through Hudson and Allen etc.

Any thoughts or direction?
Click to expand...
Good idea ...save time and effort....if I may make a suggestion....if you already have the window frames ...door frames etc....you can duplicate these reasonably easy.....buy a very good quality plasticine...press window frames etc into the plasticine and get a deep impression....pour in some quick setting resin and you have a window frame...a word of warning....from my limited experience resin will not stick to a quality plasticine and will lift out easily once set.....it will stick to cheap plasticine...talc powder may work...have not tried that...one impression...one window....the plasticine can be used and reused for yonks.....hope this helps,,,cheers TomB
 
I think its strange but not unexpected that some would dismiss 3d printing and, its to his credit that the head of Britain's now keeps the option open. It is here and once the high price sorts itself out as is always the case with new technologies its going to be a huge force in practically everything.

The things you will be able to do when these are available for home use boggles the mind so, I look forward to it and to what it can do to not only the hobby but, basically everything
Mitch
 
Mitch said:
I think its strange but not unexpected that some would dismiss 3d printing and, its to his credit that the head of Britain's now keeps the option open. It is here and once the high price sorts itself out as is always the case with new technologies its going to be a huge force in practically everything.

The things you will be able to do when these are available for home use boggles the mind so, I look forward to it and to what it can do to not only the hobby but, basically everything
Mitch
Click to expand...

A company I was with used them quite a bit in tool development and prototyping and they were fascinating...the 28mm gaming community is starting too embrace plastic fics as thay are at times better quality and more varied than the metal ones. I dont see the collectors scrambling for that but as a design tool it certainly would allow for flexibility but to tace a "green" and convert it to a 3-D file then edit the prototype until the finbal design is set and can be printed and used for the mold model seems logical and efficient...but may take away from the "art" of the sculpting process. We might have to wait until the definition evolves...

For me I am interested in all of the things that enhance my wargaming in 60mm scale. My challenge is learing the software and the "tricks" to design that is enhanced by the printing process...as soon as I can do that windows, doors, and the "eye candy" stuff will flow.....(pun intended)..
 
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