Jasonc

This 1000% I can never have enough Sheryl Nome figures.

I appreciate it. I've been a bit inundated with fixing some 3D print files that I've been printing on the new printer. After testing it quite thoroughly, this print when done should print a solid toy like kit. As of now, I'm working on the canopy.

I actually like this fashion. Kinda a Kpop dark style. I'm digging these.

My thoughts on the mixture of resin? If that's what you're asking, it works just fine. It provides great detail, and helps out a lot with making parts not so brittle. You just have to plan ahead on what the parts you're printing are going to do. If you need them to be stiff, then mix them maybe at 9:1 ratio (90% ABS-like, 10% Tenacious). If it's a figure or something you want to be more durable, you can go to like a 75:25% mixture, and it'll help the part be able to bend a bit more, and add some strength and elasticity if you drop it. Most likely you won't feel it in your hands, but it does work. If you're asking about the Form4 prints, I honestly can't get enough of how great this thing, and its materials are. It's everything one would want for printing ABS parts, as well as ceramic, and glass bead parts. It has resin that can make permanent molds of parts for recasting as well.

I got mine last night, and I must say that it is quite beautiful looking. I do like the 2 sets of figures. I saw in the instructions that it has the page of the tent to copy onto an A4 paper and instructions on how to make it. Not the route I would've gone it, but for papercraft, it's pretty cool (I'll just at least say that).

I have this issue with standard water washable and ABS like resin. Anycubic makes a resin called Tenacious that add more flexural modulus strength, and can add a slight rubber (depending on ratio) feel. It's about $70-80/liter, but if you mix 15-20% of it in your resin, it'll fix a lot of that issue.

That definitely sounds like a promising part. If you get it to work, please let us know. I will probably need a set. as well.

Honestly? No, not really. I mean, Sunrise does know what they're doing, and I don't doubt that they can make a great series. My only concern, and maybe I'm a minority here, is that they may take too much of the love story and music out of it. Yeah, I know many criticize it, and to some degree, I can agree with it, but it is what made it different than any other mecha show. If Sunrise can find a way to dial it back a little, and create a balance that say, Frontier had (give or take a little), I think it'll be a good thing. For all we know, Kawamorisan may also be advising as the series comes with a lot of lore, so I can easily see him doing a lot of that. A new series may be great and may have the right formula for attracting new and older fans, but if the story is not connecting to the timeline and all the preceding series in lore, it can throw a giant wrench in that. I know this is not that conversation here though. It is strange that he went to AX, and while I'm sure getting autographs from him was great, I haven't heard much except for that scooter thing.

I don't think he really has much of a part in the new series, as it's a different company doing it. If anything, he may just be mecha designer.

Those would probably be best as SLS parts in Nylon 12. Those are definitely needed in some of the older versions of the V.2

As for Resin, I think the only limitation for the way the system works in using it in whole, would be the older resins that weren't put in the new bottles that feed it. That seems to be only because they're phasing those out for the better performing new resins. That said, they should still be able to be poured into the tank directly. I totally forgot to post pics of what I printed so far, but I will say that I'm thoroughly impressed with the strength of the Tough 2000 material. I have worked with many other resins, and this is by far, a serious engineering style resin made to work with mechanical properties.

I'll post up some pics a little later of the parts I printed, but it does do some pretty cool timelapses from the camera. I will say that the latest Preform software that they use for this printer does some amazing work for the auto supports, with breakoff supports that don't leave divets. RC 1_60-COCKPIT-BRACE0-ANTENNA-TOP-X2-RABBIT-1-20240629.mp4 RC 1_60-THRUST-TOP-X2BIT-1_60-BODY-REAR-HALF-R-20240628.mp4 Now I just need to position some of these timelapse videos so that the best parts show on the camera side. These printed parts are now in a heated cure station, and when I get home from work, they should be toasty and ready to do the final smoothing out.

So this beast of a machine showed up 2 days ago, and I've been spending the last day and a half creating the space for it. This is the Form 4. It has a few things that separate it from the standard hobby printer. It can print extremely well like all newer resin printers, but there is a mixer that is Integra in the vat that allows resins with bead and other filament to not settle. It also has a specific peel sheet that allows for a separation of around 30% less force, and the LCD HAS a ridged top to add to this. It means light supports. It's midsized like a hobby printer, but is a commercial grade. The resin available for it is literally unmatched, but it can use the basic stuff as well. I have several liters of their Tough 2000 (it matches ABS in every way) and one that allows a lot of flex. I'll be printing a few of my designs using the new printer and resin, but if any of you want files printed on it, I can give you quotes on pricing and shipping. I can also look at working out options with some of you, but now that I have a large printer, a DLP small printer, and now one that can print more exotic materials, I think I'm set on resin printers for a good while.

Here's an older project I totally forgot about for awhile, but finally finished. Some of the pictures below will show some of the changes, but the biggest test was making it be able to hold itself in fighter while being able to not do any parts swapping. I updated the handle to make it so that there's some clearance when being held, and so far, it all seems to work quite well. I also redid the handle, having to make it about 3.5mm longer, and I created a slot so that it doesn't just hold by a pin, but has some anchor into the body. The handle and the way it is designed creates a bit of a fragile part, but when lightly sanded, it does the job it's intended. I just printed this in black, and will post pics of that soon, but here's the final design. It'll fit with the Yamato VF-11 series, and while I haven't tested the collapsible handle on other valks, if it fits for them, I'd be very happy to see that. If anyone is interested in it, it'll be on cults3D for download, and if you want a printed version, just send me a message.

Thanks for the comments. I'll be honest... I was pissed when this happened and wanted to just scrap it and give up on it. Not that it's super difficult, but it's more the frustration of putting in a lot of time to have it go belly up. Nevertheless, I think it's you guys that keep me inspired to redo the eff-ups and try to improve it. I did start this again, and so far, it's a bit easier this time around. I also found a better way to engineer a piece that I did before. At least there's that.

It's a happy surprise. Not as happy as I first was when the renewal versions came out, but still a happy surprise. I guess now with the couple sets of armor packs I have, I can get rid of one of them and maybe customize the other.

Sorry for the delay in this, but this isn't the news I was hoping to share. In designing this, there was a part that had an issue that was unclearable. As I tried rolling it back to fix it, it lead to there being a roll back of everything to the very beginning. At this point, I had no choice but to scrap the work done on this. I will need to start from scratch. It's not the worst thing, as there were issues I wanted to correct, but it was a lot of work. At least on the bright side, I have a better know how of some of the complex parts, and being that I now have a plan of attack on this that will give me a better layout, I should be able to make this better, and incorporate some other features I wasn't planning with the first version. I guess the things that suck can be a point to fix things, as normally should be the case. As I am getting the new 3D printer that can print production and working type materials, I plan to incorporate these into the tests as I move forward, so I can test not only fitting, but materials under certain stresses that the figure will have. I have 3 materials that can basically make this a workable toy, and dyes for the resin that can give them the color it needs to hopefully require little to no paint for this.

No worries. It's also just my perspective, so I'm sure there's other sides I may not have considered, or at least have a different level of priority with in my assessments.

Working with 3D printers is nowhere near the same amount of time as recasting, and is much, much easier and quicker to use. Failed prints happen seldom once the printer resin settings are dialed in. Even then, one can pop up from time to time, but in general, they don't happen that often. Even then, depending on the cost of the resin used, and I've used about 20 various types, they often range from $20-$250. The only issue with most resin, even the ones that are supposedly ABS Like, is that most only have some sort of property like it, but it isn't and doesn't have other properties of it. These shouldn't be too expensive, but at the same time, it's really up to the seller to determine what they think it's worth. I would say that at the $200-$250 range, I have no point in buying a sort of armor pack that is about twice the amount of the toy itself. As a 3D printed part, you also have an ongoing supply, so you'll need to set the price to help create the demand (unless they decide to only print 20 or so). But that'd be odd. Unless they decide to do that, then sell the file to those that want to print it. Lots of options in that equation. Whatever they decide, I wish them all the best for it. It's a very cool project and one I'm potentially interested in.

Now that'd be a decent size project. I always steered away from the 1/48 Yamatos for odd reasons, but I wonder how many would be interested in that since the DX is about the same size, and kinda fits that role. BTW, @505thAirborne, is that Eunha in your avatar pic? If so, she is, IMO, one of the top 5 most beautiful women in the world. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

I just invested about $5K into the Formlabs 4 resin printer with their specialty resins that do well for parts that need to be engineered for moving. After testing several parts, they have a material that is true ABS in terms of material properties down the line, as well as some that are meant for extreme pliability and screws. If you want to try a crack at printing it with several types of materials, I can help out. That said, I'd still be in for buying one. I think the range of $150 seems about right for this, as it isn't a process requiring the time and labor involved as recasting would. Printing should keep cost down (unless you're using a printer that uses $150/Liter resin like this one does. Then I can see $150-$200. As an edit... I'm not going to quote for a fully ready to go kit. That is the time spent for the maker, and their time and what it's worth is up to them. I'd say $200 in that range is probably too low. I know that goes against the grain here, but as this is just my opinion, unless you don't mind being stuck preparing these for extended periods of time, unless the money is really good, I would stay away from that range, especially if it's only a $50 difference.

I'd most likely get a set. I'm not a big HMr collector, so I'd probably only get one, but as with anything, it really depends on the price. As @Sanity is Optional has already said, I too, am a little worried about the materials. 3D printed material, even when it claims to be ABS like, doesn't hold up to that. There are materials that have the same properties, but those are quite pricey. As it is 3D printed, as long as that brings down the price, I'd still like to decorate my only HMr. Now, if you are considering a 1/60 kit, that I definitely can get behind.

That's cool and all, but honestly, if he has a panel, that'd be the only thing I'd be interested in seeing there. Aside from that, maybe getting an autograph would be cool on a poster, but meh. I already have a couple.

I'd have to watch the older version that I have to do some comparisons, but I believe I found a couple parts that may be in question. In seeing this new release now twice, there seems to be a couple parts I don't remember from the original. I know the part where they inserted Sheryl Nome's earrings into the stand that Mao is in front of with her parents was inserted way later on, that is in this one, but I gotta confirm if there is, in fact, scenes that may have been cut from the original.

Oh, I don't see my anticipation going away for this release. I have a feeling they didn't show it at WF due to the updated version of this, and in looking at the new pictures, this looks like it's one of the more final designs (not final, but closer). It does look like the gun may not be closed inside and/or locked in. I don't know if it has a retracting handle, but that could also be a reason, not wanting to break these parts. Also could be the same thing for the rear wheels, but from this image, it does look like they should be about 3+mm longer. The front gear doesn't look extended right, but maybe for the same reasons as the gun.