Would these files translate to acrylic cutters?

Would these files translate to acrylic cutters?

Probably not. At least not without some serious reworking. As you can see in the images, each pieces has a lot of intricate design work at differing depths that an acrylic cutter wouldn't be able to handle I assume.

Sure. I have a Da Vinci Jr. 1.0 by XYZ printing. It's a decent little 3D-printer if you're looking to get started on 3D printing, and one of the cheapest on the market. Christmas is a good time to buy one if you're thinking about it, because they typically go on sale right before Christmas (mine was $250 last year).

It can only do PLA filament, and only the XYZ brand, which is the only real downside to it so far.

Hi, I've read some comments online that the Jr [and other 'low-end' DaVinci's] suffer from flat designs warping on the print bed as its unheated, and that the tape/glue solution isn't always that effective - could you comment on your success rate, as I'm really keen on getting one to try making custom mod parts for the miniatures, especially 'greebly' panels which, by their nature, will tend to be flat like your designs...

Many thanks for your help in this, and great work on producing the pieces...cheers.

Sure. I have a Da Vinci Jr. 1.0 by XYZ printing. It's a decent little 3D-printer if you're looking to get started on 3D printing, and one of the cheapest on the market. Christmas is a good time to buy one if you're thinking about it, because they typically go on sale right before Christmas (mine was $250 last year).

It can only do PLA filament, and only the XYZ brand, which is the only real downside to it so far.

Hi, I've read some comments online that the Jr [and other 'low-end' DaVinci's] suffer from flat designs warping on the print bed as its unheated, and that the tape/glue solution isn't always that effective - could you comment on your success rate, as I'm really keen on getting one to try making custom mod parts for the miniatures, especially 'greebly' panels which, by their nature, will tend to be flat like your designs...

Many thanks for your help in this, and great work on producing the pieces...cheers.

Well as you can see, all of my HotAC stuff consists of what are essentially large, flat greeble panels. While there is a little bit of warping to them, particularly on the ion clouds and the large base overlays, both of which also have long, skinny aspects to their design, it is very minimal and I barely even noticed it. I haven't had any issues with the pieces as far as gameplay goes, and if you are gluing parts onto something larger I don't think it would be an issue getting them flat.

I tried the tape and the glue method when I first got the printer- I didn't have much success with the tape, but I found the glue method to be both easier and far more effective, so that's what I use now.

Sure. I have a Da Vinci Jr. 1.0 by XYZ printing. It's a decent little 3D-printer if you're looking to get started on 3D printing, and one of the cheapest on the market. Christmas is a good time to buy one if you're thinking about it, because they typically go on sale right before Christmas (mine was $250 last year).

It can only do PLA filament, and only the XYZ brand, which is the only real downside to it so far.

Hi, I've read some comments online that the Jr [and other 'low-end' DaVinci's] suffer from flat designs warping on the print bed as its unheated, and that the tape/glue solution isn't always that effective - could you comment on your success rate, as I'm really keen on getting one to try making custom mod parts for the miniatures, especially 'greebly' panels which, by their nature, will tend to be flat like your designs...

Many thanks for your help in this, and great work on producing the pieces...cheers.

Well as you can see, all of my HotAC stuff consists of what are essentially large, flat greeble panels. While there is a little bit of warping to them, particularly on the ion clouds and the large base overlays, both of which also have long, skinny aspects to their design, it is very minimal and I barely even noticed it. I haven't had any issues with the pieces as far as gameplay goes, and if you are gluing parts onto something larger I don't think it would be an issue getting them flat.

I tried the tape and the glue method when I first got the printer- I didn't have much success with the tape, but I found the glue method to be both easier and far more effective, so that's what I use now.

I find cheap hair spray with 60° bed temp for PLA is working perfectly. Take worked fine but hairspray is cheaper.

Hairspray? Interesting, I never would have thought of that. With hairspray though I worry that the overspray will muck up the inside of your printer. With a glue stick there is no overspray to worry about, and cleanup is super easy (I just use regular baby wipes, but a wet paper towel also works).

Hairspray? Interesting, I never would have thought of that. With hairspray though I worry that the overspray will muck up the inside of your printer. With a glue stick there is no overspray to worry about, and cleanup is super easy (I just use regular baby wipes, but a wet paper towel also works).

spray onto a glass sheet that is removable from my hot bed

Hairspray? Interesting, I never would have thought of that. With hairspray though I worry that the overspray will muck up the inside of your printer. With a glue stick there is no overspray to worry about, and cleanup is super easy (I just use regular baby wipes, but a wet paper towel also works).

spray onto a glass sheet that is removable from my hot bed

Ahh, that makes sense. Cool!

Hairspray? Interesting, I never would have thought of that. With hairspray though I worry that the overspray will muck up the inside of your printer. With a glue stick there is no overspray to worry about, and cleanup is super easy (I just use regular baby wipes, but a wet paper towel also works).

spray onto a glass sheet that is removable from my hot bed

Ahh, that makes sense. Cool!

Cheap and clean way of doing things..... and you can wash the glass in warm water to clean it easily

I found someone through a Facebook X-Wing swap page that is on etsy, said he would do the HotAC components for $75 + shipping.

I found someone through a Facebook X-Wing swap page that is on etsy, said he would do the HotAC components for $75 + shipping.

Hmm, I specifically have it listed on Thingiverse under the "not for commercial use" license, so he shouldn't be selling it. Thanks for pointing this out to me. Also, that reminds me, I've been meaning to scope out shapeways as a place to sell them for people who don't have access to a 3D printer.

Sorry let me clarify. I found someone that would work as a print hub, not using your and Josh's work on his shop. I priced getting these printed on other print hubs and the pricing has been over $100 for the campaign pieces.

Hairspray? Interesting, I never would have thought of that. With hairspray though I worry that the overspray will muck up the inside of your printer. With a glue stick there is no overspray to worry about, and cleanup is super easy (I just use regular baby wipes, but a wet paper towel also works).

spray onto a glass sheet that is removable from my hot bed

Ahh, that makes sense. Cool!

Cheap and clean way of doing things..... and you can wash the glass in warm water to clean it easily

Just FYI, I've been using one of these for a couple of weeks now:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01EN91OS0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seems excellent, holds really well to the point that I've almost stopped using rafts, where I had to use them quite a bit with the original tape...in fact, I usually have to lift the piece with a sharp knife all around the perimeter to get it to pop off

...also, Herowannabe, if you happen to see this - have you found much variation in the quality of XYZ filament, either by colour or just from spool-to-spool ? I decided to try some 'natural' as it's the cheapest AmazonUK do, and it seems just as good as the Blue I had with the printer, but I've seen various comments that some seem better than others [although, I gather, how long & where its been stored can have a big impact].

Thanks for any insights you can offer from your much longer use...cheers

do you use it directly on your hotplate or do you have a layer of glass in between

do you use it directly on your hotplate or do you have a layer of glass in between

No hotplate on the DaV Jr, so it goes on the printbed...sorry, I guess I quoted the wrong section of the previous bed/adhesive discussion and so that wasn't clear, as your hairspray tip related to your use with the hotbed - not sure they would work on an intermediate glass layer, either, as the adhesive might soften too much

...out of interest, do you know what kind of wattage does your hotbed pull, as compared to the printer as a whole ?

I dream of the days when I can afford a 3D printer. The oldest is going to university next year and she's looking at very expensive ones. Employment isn't exactly stable, and then the next one will be up soon after the first is gone. *sigh* There is always the lottery...

I dream of the days when I can afford a 3D printer. The oldest is going to university next year and she's looking at very expensive ones. Employment isn't exactly stable, and then the next one will be up soon after the first is gone. *sigh* There is always the lottery...

Is she wanting to use it for some high-precision work, or needing to produce particularly large prints...if neither, what's her justification for looking at the high-end models ?

Just curious, as I've been surprised at the results from my cheap one...admittedly, you can forget sub-mm precision, but I've seen examples of models put together from multiple large components that I wouldn't credit were "home-made" - although, I will admit the more impressive results come from the $1k+ machines!

That's seriously really, really cool.

You should consider making them available at Shapeways, too, for people who don't have access to a 3D printer.

I dream of the days when I can afford a 3D printer. The oldest is going to university next year and she's looking at very expensive ones universities . Employment isn't exactly stable, and then the next one will be up soon after the first is gone. *sigh* There is always the lottery...

Is she wanting to use it for some high-precision work, or needing to produce particularly large prints...if neither, what's her justification for looking at the high-end models ?

Ah.....sorry. She's looking at expensive universities! I wish we were getting a 3D printer for some project that she needed it for. No....she's wanting to look at $80k/year universities instead of the nice and affordable $12-20k/year universities near us. Well, there's only so much I can afford and the rest is on her! Still, not good to start off in so much debt.

When I say I don't have a lot of hobby budget, I haven't even been able to afford all the Wave 9 ships! I'm still missing the Special Forces Tie Fighter.

I dream of the days when I can afford a 3D printer. The oldest is going to university next year and she's looking at very expensive ones universities . Employment isn't exactly stable, and then the next one will be up soon after the first is gone. *sigh* There is always the lottery...

Is she wanting to use it for some high-precision work, or needing to produce particularly large prints...if neither, what's her justification for looking at the high-end models ?

Ah.....sorry. She's looking at expensive universities! I wish we were getting a 3D printer for some project that she needed it for. No....she's wanting to look at $80k/year universities instead of the nice and affordable $12-20k/year universities near us. Well, there's only so much I can afford and the rest is on her! Still, not good to start off in so much debt.

When I say I don't have a lot of hobby budget, I haven't even been able to afford all the Wave 9 ships! I'm still missing the Special Forces Tie Fighter.

Ah, yes...a much more expensive "hobby", is Education! Sounds like the US is pricing its next generations out of top-level placements just as much as the UK has done...part of the reason I gave up my mature-student photo degree was the increasing cost , and I know some of the youngsters I was on the course with are struggling with fee repayments, despite them being one of the best 'loan' arrangements available

Well....there are regional differences between universities. There are state sponsored ones and private ones. If you live in the same state, you usually get a discounted price. The state schools are usually much cheaper. They have various levels of quality.

My problem is my daughter is very smart and driven. She also has somehow equated self worth with which school she gets into. So, she is looking at some of the top universities in the nation (that are on the East Coast). Harvard is one of them, but even that is cheaper than her favorite, Cornell. Well, if she's really driven and capable, she'll get scholarships or she won't go to the ones she wants.

UNC-Chapel Hill is a very good school, nearby, affordable, and even a leader in what she wants to study, but she just doesn't want to live in state. She wants to break free and fly!

Anyways, sorry for the off topic posts.

Hairspray? Interesting, I never would have thought of that. With hairspray though I worry that the overspray will muck up the inside of your printer. With a glue stick there is no overspray to worry about, and cleanup is super easy (I just use regular baby wipes, but a wet paper towel also works).

spray onto a glass sheet that is removable from my hot bed

Ahh, that makes sense. Cool!

Cheap and clean way of doing things..... and you can wash the glass in warm water to clean it easily

Just FYI, I've been using one of these for a couple of weeks now:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01EN91OS0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seems excellent, holds really well to the point that I've almost stopped using rafts, where I had to use them quite a bit with the original tape...in fact, I usually have to lift the piece with a sharp knife all around the perimeter to get it to pop off

...also, Herowannabe, if you happen to see this - have you found much variation in the quality of XYZ filament, either by colour or just from spool-to-spool ? I decided to try some 'natural' as it's the cheapest AmazonUK do, and it seems just as good as the Blue I had with the printer, but I've seen various comments that some seem better than others [although, I gather, how long & where its been stored can have a big impact].

Thanks for any insights you can offer from your much longer use...cheers

Yeah I have noticed some differences in colors. Flat white seems to be the worse that I've used, but that may just be because the print layers are more visible in white than in a dark or clear color. Black seems to be the best, giving the smoothest results (but again, could be a result of the dark color rather than the material. Everything else I've used is about the same, in between white and black. Though I did have one spool of natural that was really stiff and brittle towards the end- I think as a result of how it was stored before it got to me.

@HeyChadwick: keep and eye on the Da Vinci Jr as we head into the holiday season. Last year it went on sale for $250, which is how I got mine.

Yeah I have noticed some differences in colors. Flat white seems to be the worse that I've used, but that may just be because the print layers are more visible in white than in a dark or clear color. Black seems to be the best, giving the smoothest results (but again, could be a result of the dark color rather than the material. Everything else I've used is about the same, in between white and black. Though I did have one spool of natural that was really stiff and brittle towards the end- I think as a result of how it was stored before it got to me.

Thanks for this...have another spool of natural on its way, but will give the black a try next - think it is the next least expensive - do you find you have much left on your spools when the chip says it's zero ? My first spool has a few metres on it [not as bad as some of the online comments had led me to expect], so I'm toying with the idea of getting one of the 3D-pens to use it up, for just filling in lots of little greebly details on scratchbuilts

Has anyone used the Monoprice 3D units? I was looking at the Davinici and it seems like the Monoprice is another option in the price range of the Jr and 1.0 models, $200-400. I like that the Monoprice does not use the proprietary filament. With pricing at $200 it might be my xmas present.

I got these printed, but have one issue. The gap in the hangar bays is huge. How did you glue these and what did you do about the gap?