I was surfing a website called thingiverse.com and I found so much X-Wing stuff it made me go and order a DIY 3d printer kit ..... so now im on a very steep learning curve and would love tip from those that already have a bit of experience printing stuff for x-wing
Help me 3d-Printing-People you are my only hope
e.g pla vs abs for detail on the models?
Can't help, I'm afraid, but very interested to hear replies...been looking at Thingiverse, too, for some months but reluctant to go ahead with a printer purchase [been considering one of the daVinci's] before hearing some practical experiences relating to miniatures.
Not just for the complete models etc available, but also for modelling small part details in conversions & scratchbuilds...
...hopefully getting this back on the front page will garner some more helpful responses
Good Luck!
I would love to see replies as well. I am planning on getting a diy kit later this year.
I really want to try some of the ship holders from thingiverse.
My dad just bought an i3 printer (at age 70!), and I have a list of thingiverse objects for him to print as soon as he gets around to hooking it up... Which could take a while. The next time I'm in town, I'll finish the job and get the mass manufacturing of X-Wing knickknacks underway.
so if im right lots of people want to know but know one knows (or isn't saying if they do)
You've taken your first step into a larger world.
I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. The only thing you really need to know is that purchasing a 3D-printer is a commitment to tinker. 3D printers are not to the point where other consumer products are, where you can pull them out of the box, plug them in, and away you go for months or years to come with no problems. 3D-printers require regular calibrating, cleaning, and adjusting. So just watch the tutorial videos and read the manual and be ready to spend a day or two just fiddling with your printer once it arrives and learning how to calibrate it (it sounds a lot more intimidating than it really is). After that you should be good to go.
What sort of printer did you order by the way?
As for other advice, unless your printer has a heated bed you will need some way of getting your prints to stick to the base during printing. There are two main methods- masking tape or a glue stick. I've tried both and found the glue stick method to be vastly superior.
Whenever you print something you want a bunch of (like say, a bunch of tokens for X-Wing) print 1 item first, make sure it works and you're happy with the dimensions and everything, and then you can print them in larger batches
My experience: I got a da Vinci junior 1.0 for Christmas last year. It's generally regarded as a good 3D-printer to cut your teeth on, and I would agree with that assessment. I've tinkered and printed a TON of stuff with it already- I've probably gone through about 1,000 meters of filament in the past 9 months- and I've just had a blast. I've started dabbling in designing things to print, too, but don't worry about that at the start. Download other people's designs off of Thingiverse and print those for a while until you get the hang of everything before you try designing anything yourself.
Enjoy!
e.g pla vs abs for detail on the models?
I just noticed that you asked this question, too. What type of filament can your printer handle? Many can use both PLA and ABS, but not all do (my da Vinci jr can only do PLA).
PLA is bio-degradable and softer than ABS, so don't use PLA for anything you want to leave in direct sunlight or put in your fish tank.
ABS is the type of plastic used in Legos, and generally speaking is better than PLA.
I'm not sure on the cost difference between the two, but for our purposes (printing ships, tokens, holders, and etc. for X-wing), either one should work just fine. That being said, if costs are equal I would probably use ABS.
It can print both ..... but it comes with a roll of pla so I guess ill be starting off with pla
You've taken your first step into a larger world.
I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. The only thing you really need to know is that purchasing a 3D-printer is a commitment to tinker. 3D printers are not to the point where other consumer products are, where you can pull them out of the box, plug them in, and away you go for months or years to come with no problems. 3D-printers require regular calibrating, cleaning, and adjusting. So just watch the tutorial videos and read the manual and be ready to spend a day or two just fiddling with your printer once it arrives and learning how to calibrate it (it sounds a lot more intimidating than it really is). After that you should be good to go.
What sort of printer did you order by the way?
As for other advice, unless your printer has a heated bed you will need some way of getting your prints to stick to the base during printing. There are two main methods- masking tape or a glue stick. I've tried both and found the glue stick method to be vastly superior.
Whenever you print something you want a bunch of (like say, a bunch of tokens for X-Wing) print 1 item first, make sure it works and you're happy with the dimensions and everything, and then you can print them in larger batches
My experience: I got a da Vinci junior 1.0 for Christmas last year. It's generally regarded as a good 3D-printer to cut your teeth on, and I would agree with that assessment. I've tinkered and printed a TON of stuff with it already- I've probably gone through about 1,000 meters of filament in the past 9 months- and I've just had a blast. I've started dabbling in designing things to print, too, but don't worry about that at the start. Download other people's designs off of Thingiverse and print those for a while until you get the hang of everything before you try designing anything yourself.
Enjoy!
I Ordered a Prusa i3 kitset with heated bed (lcd and sd card slot)
I would advised starting with PLA. Generally speaking it's easier and it's nicer for the environment I think.
I wouldn't start with models first. It can get quite difficult to have something looking really nice for a ship.
I've been printing some accessories I'm quite happy with: token holders, specific tokens (cloak, palp, c3po), a dice tower based on a stormtrooper helmet, etc.
I generally use models I find on Internet and just update them sometimes to my need.
So far, I've really enjoyed the experience
I would advised starting with PLA. Generally speaking it's easier and it's nicer for the environment I think.
I wouldn't start with models first. It can get quite difficult to have something looking really nice for a ship.
I've been printing some accessories I'm quite happy with: token holders, specific tokens (cloak, palp, c3po), a dice tower based on a stormtrooper helmet, etc.
I generally use models I find on Internet and just update them sometimes to my need.
So far, I've really enjoyed the experience
My idea was (after its built and calibrated) was just to print a few general items to play around with settings. e.g. spool holder, airbrush handle so I have a feel for the settings. Then I though a few basic Imperial assault items like creats, consols and doors
If i manage to get all that done to a good enough standard then the hard core X-Wing time
Looks like a good plan to me
I would advised starting with PLA. Generally speaking it's easier and it's nicer for the environment I think.
I wouldn't start with models first. It can get quite difficult to have something looking really nice for a ship.
I've been printing some accessories I'm quite happy with: token holders, specific tokens (cloak, palp, c3po), a dice tower based on a stormtrooper helmet, etc.
I generally use models I find on Internet and just update them sometimes to my need.
So far, I've really enjoyed the experience
Where did you find the dice tower?
Lemme know when your printing Nebulon B Frigates. You'll be cranking one out in a week or two, right?
Lemme know when your printing Nebulon B Frigates. You'll be cranking one out in a week or two, right?
before xmas ..........
3d printing can be great but you got to remember it takes time to set and calibrate it right then there's the heat, the room will heat up very quickly. My brother got a Wanhao i3 V2 Duplicator 3D-Printer the other week and it generates a lot of heat and the time it need to print is not fast, as a test he printed a X Wing damage card caddy and it fits great, now I need him to print one for Armada and some stuff for IA.
3D printing does get expensive when you get in to it with lots of filament colours you will what to buy for fun
Where did you find the dice tower?
I'd have to look, but I think I found a model for the stormtrooper, one of a dice tower and mixed both
I'll echo what others have said about being prepared to tinker. 3D printing is awesome, but my advice (which I learned the hard way) was start with small things and work up. The first thing I decided I wanted for X-wing collection was a GR-75 (before FFG released them), and, of course, I wanted it in 1:270.
https://goo.gl/photos/RZuN3urtRxyb1vpU6
That took a looooooong time. Then FFG promptly announced they were releasing one.
I also made myself Z-95s and IG-2000s shortly before FFG released them.
Come to think of it, maybe I should take donations to print my own Gunboat, thereby forcing FFG to immediately release one and make mine obsolete.
I do still get the occasional use out of my Death Star Turret though (with magnetic top so you can spin it and "blow the top off")
Enjoy 3D printing!
Edited by BojambaMcMamba
looks like that HoTAC will be my first real project ( soon) ....
the printer is running fin now. jut need the right settings
My experience: I got a da Vinci junior 1.0 for Christmas last year. It's generally regarded as a good 3D-printer to cut your teeth on, and I would agree with that assessment. I've tinkered and printed a TON of stuff with it already- I've probably gone through about 1,000 meters of filament in the past 9 months- and I've just had a blast. I've started dabbling in designing things to print, too, but don't worry about that at the start. Download other people's designs off of Thingiverse and print those for a while until you get the hang of everything before you try designing anything yourself.
My Junior turned up today...after a bit of a false start (missed one of the cardboard packing pieces!
) it's whirring away now...doing a test print for some ship paneling, then will try a simple TIE...
...still searching for some good greeblies to download off Thingiverse or elsewhere
My experience: I got a da Vinci junior 1.0 for Christmas last year. It's generally regarded as a good 3D-printer to cut your teeth on, and I would agree with that assessment. I've tinkered and printed a TON of stuff with it already- I've probably gone through about 1,000 meters of filament in the past 9 months- and I've just had a blast. I've started dabbling in designing things to print, too, but don't worry about that at the start. Download other people's designs off of Thingiverse and print those for a while until you get the hang of everything before you try designing anything yourself.
My Junior turned up today...after a bit of a false start (missed on of the cardboard packing pieces!
...still searching for some good greeblies to download of Thingiverse or elsewhere
here is may x wing collection on thinyverse