3D Printer

I think a look through the catalog of any of a number of vendors will show there is a great market for aftermarket parts.

I use CAD a lot in my modeling.  Just yesterday I was working on an Indy car model of the sixties.  The kit provided a non-standard oil tank (external) that was correct for the particular winner the kit was depicting, but I wanted to build a variant with the standard tank.  Was able to draw the tank in proper scale from 3views of standard cars I had. I would never try to scratch build that tank without at least a profile view printout.

I do a lot of scratch building and major conversions.  I print out copies of drawings, cut them out, and glue them to basswood as cutting patterns.  Much easier than transferring measurements by hand.

I wonder how much of a demand there is for custom parts or kits... I'm thinking about trying that CAD stuff out and seeing if I can put together anything reasonable. If I can, I might consider trying this thing out - I would love to fill in the massive gap in the General Aviation market with quality kits.

Other than pricing, I think there is still a ways to go concerning small parts.  Earlier this week I exchanged a few emails with an online proprietor,  inquiring on the printing out of Sherman track links. Their product was 1/35, but I needed them in 1/48.  I was informed that at the moment it wasn't possible as the medium used would not hold the detail to proper scale.

I just don't see us hobbyists printing out our kit parts by purchasing the cad designs that has been researched/developed and worked on by someone else, unless that can somehow be copyright protected - how can they enforce that?  Now, if you draw your own subject from scratch, using the cad program and printing it on your own printer, that I can see.

More likely, model companies (and web-stores) will drastically reducing their floor space by storing their cad designs on a computer.  You just order what you want, (scale, variant, etc) and they print it up for you.  No more such things as limited runs or out of productions kits - unless they use that as a marketing ploy.

regards,

Jack

I think the last issue (or was it the October issue?) of FSM contained an article on a new modeling company specializing on 3D printed models.

If I recall correctly, their main selling points are:  no sprues, no ejector pin marks, no mold degradation, plus flaws can be easily rectified by a simple tweaking of the CAD designs.

Got me really curious and really wanting to try my hand out on a sample.  Kinda like that feeling you had when you first tried vac formed kits.

I guess with this technology getting cheaper it will spell the end of big scratchbuilding projects.

I think they can, Todd. Cool part about this is: you have the printer, and buy the designs on the web and print them out at home, saving on the time to design the file, and waiting for snail mail to get you the parts. Possibilities could be endless as the technology progresses.

Glenn

What I really want to know is: just how intricate/cleanly can these things print? Can they give resin parts a run for their money?

I believe learning to design in 3D is essential here. Once that is mastered, together with the knowledge of the technology limitations (you have to "prop" parts that have a severe overhang, for example), you can give your file for printing, similarily like it is done with the decals today. And the 3D printing service is more likely to be in every town.

Thanks for reading, have a nice day

Paweł

Thanks for the notice.

While too much for this Illinois taxpayer, I still would like to check the specifications.