Quick question out there, how's Shapeways quality? Mel Miniatures has a pretty great looking collection of models and getting into X-Wing, there's definitely some models there I wouldn't mind adding to my collection. So Far I only have some Scum sets coming in the mail, should be here in today!
Anyway, I'm the kind of collector that likes to see lots of models so was thinking shapeways was a good way to go to reduce costs. Also wanted to try my hand at painting. Thanks in advance!
John!
Remember these words "FROSTED ULTRA DETAIL".
Yep. My frosted ultra detail models are fabulous. I've never tried the others and have no desire to. They're priced similarly to the X-wing models, so I don't feel like I'm bankrupting myself, and they look great when painted up.
Hey, thanks for the responses to my question! As a new painter, are there any models you'd recommend as being a god place to start? I may try and get a duplicate to an existing ship and paint it to match 
Although it doesn't look like there are any starvipers up for grabs right now...
John!
Shapeways is coming out with a new print option. Frosted Extreme Detail at 16 microns. Their previous highest resolution was Frosted Ultra Detail at 29 microns. So that's nearly double the resolution.
Given the cost of frosted ultra on anything bigger than a small ship mini, I'm not sure I could justify the likely cost increase. I mean, a large ship is already running in the 30-100 dollar range.
True story, little plastic toys cost so much <sigh> But man, some of those larger ships like the 'Hounds Tooth' would look great all painted up and on display.
John!
Like 95% of the pictures in my store are White Strong and Flexible, which is the worse looking material. Here you have a comparison (both painted black to apreciate the diference of detail)
In my opinion, the frosted ultra detail is close enough to the detail of the models in the game that it just doesn't matter. Potentially they have even more detail in some of them.
Shapeways is coming out with a new print option. Frosted Extreme Detail at 16 microns. Their previous highest resolution was Frosted Ultra Detail at 29 microns. So that's nearly double the resolution.
The bad news about that is that they are also taking down the Frosted Detail material.
Shapeways is coming out with a new print option. Frosted Extreme Detail at 16 microns. Their previous highest resolution was Frosted Ultra Detail at 29 microns. So that's nearly double the resolution.
The bad news about that is that they are also taking down the Frosted Detail material.
[Vader]NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!![/Vader]
Frosted Detail is what I've stuck with so far for my shapeways purchases (the most recent of which shipped today; yay!) so the takedown of Frosted Detail gives me the sads. 
Oh well. Guess in the future im just going to have to take the jump to FUD. 
Shapeways is coming out with a new print option. Frosted Extreme Detail at 16 microns. Their previous highest resolution was Frosted Ultra Detail at 29 microns. So that's nearly double the resolution.
The bad news about that is that they are also taking down the Frosted Detail material.
Any idea when this will happen??
I have my eye on picking up some Starfurys and thunderbolts...
Might have to do it sooner rather than later
Shapeways is coming out with a new print option. Frosted Extreme Detail at 16 microns. Their previous highest resolution was Frosted Ultra Detail at 29 microns. So that's nearly double the resolution.
The bad news about that is that they are also taking down the Frosted Detail material.
Any idea when this will happen??
Yeah because that has been keeping me away, and you have some cool stuff that FFG will never make. If the quality is going to improve that much i will buy a number of your cool little models.
Now that ARMADA is a real game I am less excited by Huge ships. I can make most of what I want anyhow... so it is all good.
Shapeways is coming out with a new print option. Frosted Extreme Detail at 16 microns. Their previous highest resolution was Frosted Ultra Detail at 29 microns. So that's nearly double the resolution.
The bad news about that is that they are also taking down the Frosted Detail material.
Any idea when this will happen??
April 29th.
And since the site has had some issues they have given a code to give a 10% discount. Use THANKYOU10 to get it before April 20th.
Frosted Ultra detail is the quality I took for those from Mel:
You can find more pictures there :
http://rule37-ica.blogspot.com/2014/09/x-wing-showcase-anakin-jedi-interceptor.html
Shapeways is coming out with a new print option. Frosted Extreme Detail at 16 microns. Their previous highest resolution was Frosted Ultra Detail at 29 microns. So that's nearly double the resolution.
The bad news about that is that they are also taking down the Frosted Detail material.
Any idea when this will happen??
April 29th.
And since the site has had some issues they have given a code to give a 10% discount. Use THANKYOU10 to get it before April 20th.
Cheers for the info.
I got an e-mail the other day about that discount/problem that they had.
Any word as to how much of a price hike the new stuff will cause??
Frosted Ultra detail is the quality I took for those from Mel:
Yes the detail is rather nice.
Shame about the choice of ship though :-P
Frosted Ultra detail is the quality I took for those from Mel:
Yes the detail is rather nice.
Shame about the choice of ship though :-P
Well, it's not an N-1, and the off-center astromech makes me a little crazy, but it is the second-best starfighter in the prequels.
Thanks! You can definitely see the difference in between the ultra fine detail and the non Great Comparison.
John!
Is it possible -- however difficult -- to sand these things smoother? There are a few I'd love to get, I just can't get over the texture. Can it be done?
Thanks all. And Mel, your work is fantastic.
Depends on the ship, how delicate it is... Shapeways DOES have a polished option for White Strong and Flexible, but most of the models broke when done in that material so I didnt made it available.
(From Left to Right) White Strong and Flexible, White Strong and Flexible Polished, White Detail, Frosted Detail and Frosted Ultra Detail
Thanks for that comparison: it's a very helpful reference.
What I meant, though, was is it possible for me, having received my frosted ultra model, to smooth out the model with tiny bits of fine-grain sandpaper? Does the material allow it?
Thanks again.
Never tried that myself.
On the ultra frosted, it's not so much that the surface is grainy, it doesn't seem to be, it's that sometimes print lines are visible. Sandpaper probably wouldn't change that.