3D Printing - General Thread

[Wesleybeks]

Yet another 3d printing technology that is emerging. Certainly fascinating and exciting times we living in.

http://carbon3d.com/

[greenie]

Here's what's on offer at Aldi stores in Australia from the 17th Feb, now is this any good as a starter to learn how to operate one, or is it just a bit of junk ?

https://www.aldi.com.au/en/special-buys/special-buys-wed-17-feb/wednesday-detail-wk07/ps/p/3d-printer/



regards  greenie  

[danpickard]

Even the kids are getting into it...

http://www.wired.com/2016/02/thingmaker-is-for-kids-but-youll-want-this-3-d-printer-for-yourself/

Cheers,
Dan

[Allan G]

This is awesome! It should bring non-techy families into the 3-D printing realm and expose kids to new possibilities (as long as the kids don't have a meltdown or get totally frustrated waiting for the final product). Great!... Allan

[eTraxx]

I had the doors with axes, hydrant wrench and Tabor spannes 3d printed as one piece as I was somewhat hesitant to print them individually in O scale.

[mabloodhound]

Nice Ed, but how do you get those axes off the door? 
With those U-bolts they're going to get hung up on the top board.

[finescalerr]

Nice drawing/printing job, Ed. -- Russ

[eTraxx]

Nice Ed, but how do you get those axes off the door? 
With those U-bolts they're going to get hung up on the top board.

With a little pry bar .. still have to make that

[Bill Gill]

This sounds like an interesting material for especially larger scales. It's a 3D print material that has a low melting point that allows it to be sculpted after printing not only to remove printing striations, but to add or change details. So you could print a basic piece but then be able to customize the final shape. Worth looking at in this YouTube video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elmx-suesKE

[Mobilgas]

Question?  Could you take a HO scale white metal truck kit and turn this into a 1/48 scale 3D printed truck with out to much trouble?   

[Bill Gill]

Craig, Hmmm, don't know, but did hear of a guy who drove to a casino in a 30 yr old Yugo and 12 hours later went home in a $300,000 Greyhound bus, is that similar?

[Mobilgas]

I'll put this another way.  I have a HO scale white metal kit can you use 3d printing to make the kit in O scale 1/48 scale??  Kind of thinking they can scan the parts / or do something?? to print it in 1/8 scale.  I know nothing about 3 D printing can you have this done being you have a completed part in hand?  Or does everything have to be do on a computer first.

[finescalerr]

One or two of our guys may have experience with the method you describe but I would advise against it. HO scale vehicles tend to be rather crude to begin with and enlarging one to 1:48, factoring in additional imperfections from scanning, could result in something you might not want. You would be much better off 1.) using information from the kit to scratchbuild a model, 2.) checking Shapeways and elsewhere to see whether anybody already has drawn 3-D plans for the vehicle you want, or (and I'm serious about this) 3.) downloading SketchUp (it's free) and drawing your own components.

I include the last suggestion because SketchUp is a simple program and takes a fairly short amount of time to learn. Many of us can help you. Once you have completed the first drawing you'll be able to create nearly anything else you could imagine.

Russ

[Design-HSB]

Of course you can scan models with a 3D scanner as a basis for a new model. Only should minimize the errors better larger models as in 1:24, or even better used 1:16. Then this volume data in the 3D CAD must however be reworked also definitely. So better Always use a larger model as a template and then collapse.

[Bill Gill]

Craig, I apologize, I didn't quite follow your question the way it was intended. Russ is right, scaling up an HO truck would probably not yield the results you'd want.
A few years ago Railroad Model Craftsman magazine had an article showing how a 3D scan of a prototype locomotive that would be used in creating patterns for modeling the engine was made. The scan even recorded the differences in thickness of the paint in a few locations, so imagine what would happen when scaling up a typical HO vehicle!

I have read where modelers have gotten prototype plans for the thing they wanted to 3D model and used programs like SketchUp to convert the 2D drawings into a 3D rendering that could be printed. How simple is that to do? Ed Traxler (a member of the forum) is a wizard with SketchUp. Ed is who I would ask for suggestions and ideas of how to approach the project.