winterdyne Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 I've been looking at some of the destroid models I've done on the computer recently, and was thinking about using a prototyping service to put together a master for 1/48 resin kits... anybody here played with this sort of stuff - including the homebrew fabbers like fab@home and reprap? Quote
fulcy Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 I've used SLA and SLS at work and at home - SLA is the more accurate medium, but a little more expensive than SLS. I like it - saves me a ton of time trying to get basic shapes from scratch, versus having a computer model that is fairly accurate being transformed to 3-D. The only thing you need to keep in mind - the computer models you need to send them will be 3-D solids - like IGS or STL files. So make sure you're 3-D program can output those files... Quote
winterdyne Posted February 27, 2007 Author Posted February 27, 2007 (edited) I've used SLA and SLS at work and at home - SLA is the more accurate medium, but a little more expensive than SLS. I like it - saves me a ton of time trying to get basic shapes from scratch, versus having a computer model that is fairly accurate being transformed to 3-D. The only thing you need to keep in mind - the computer models you need to send them will be 3-D solids - like IGS or STL files. So make sure you're 3-D program can output those files... Yeah, lightwave can export .stl's. I know very little about the techniques used though. From the sites I've seen the homebrew machines leave something to be desired in accuracy, which seems to be a result of slightly flexible materials being used on the mechanics, and deposition techniques which just won't compare with a laser based method. You use SLA at HOME?! Good god man, how rich are you? Unless of course you've blagged a machine from work. ;-) Anyway, the process I was thinking was to build coarse 'block' structures (and assembly infrastructure) using some kind of rapid prototyper and smoothing external surfaces manually (sand/ream/fill) before recasting components in resin. Should get a nice lightweight final model that way. What sort of accuracy and repeatability do these things have? Oh, also, for something like the gun barrels on the tomahawk, would simply turning the part on a lathe and then slicing it be a better idea than RP'ing the part in two halves? Edited February 27, 2007 by winterdyne Quote
fulcy Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 I don't have an SLA machine at home, but I've created 3-D model files, and sent them to a shop that does SLA work for projects I've been working on at home. Let me find the link... https://www.dpt-fast.com/ I believe that's them - they did a rather good job on the parts I sent them - quick turnaround, and relatively cheap too. You can specify different finish levels, so you can get your parts quicker, and all you need to do is sand the surface to make it smooth... Quote
winterdyne Posted February 27, 2007 Author Posted February 27, 2007 (edited) I don't have an SLA machine at home, but I've created 3-D model files, and sent them to a shop that does SLA work for projects I've been working on at home. Let me find the link... https://www.dpt-fast.com/ I believe that's them - they did a rather good job on the parts I sent them - quick turnaround, and relatively cheap too. You can specify different finish levels, so you can get your parts quicker, and all you need to do is sand the surface to make it smooth... Hmm... thanks. It appears Nottingham (where I am) is / was a bit of a hotbed for rapid prototyping, at least going on where a lot of the researchers come from... I couldn't really justify using a US based firm for experimenting as shipping and import costs for the parts would rapidly get prohibitive. It might be a better idea for me to find a more local firm. EDIT: Heh, just noticed digging around that you were working on armour parts for a 1/48 valk a couple of years ago... How'd that turn out? Edited February 27, 2007 by winterdyne Quote
big F Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Hmm... thanks. It appears Nottingham (where I am) is / was a bit of a hotbed for rapid prototyping, at least going on where a lot of the researchers come from... I couldn't really justify using a US based firm for experimenting as shipping and import costs for the parts would rapidly get prohibitive. It might be a better idea for me to find a more local firm. My brothers firm just got one for his department and they use it for mock ups of the parts of MRI scanners which they design. My bro has said that he can maybe slip in some really small bits in jobs occasionally with out any bother but that I`d have to draw them up for him as he usually hasnt got the time. I was thinking of doing some small bits like hands for 1/55 etc and may be a head for the Skyfire 1/55 scratch build I was planning. should be a few firms arround the area that will have the right gear, its just a matter of finding one that will do it for you. If my brothers company would rent out the time etc he`d get loads of work for it. Quote
MechTech Posted February 28, 2007 Posted February 28, 2007 That would be my dream to have one of those units. I'd settle for something like this: http://www.rolanddg.co.uk/public/portfolio...ails.aspx?id=53 . The advantage to building small scale are having small parts. - MT Quote
fulcy Posted February 28, 2007 Posted February 28, 2007 Yeah - the Roland Modela is on my short wish list - once I get things settled with the house and the car, then wamo! She will be mine! Quote
cokefiend Posted March 1, 2007 Posted March 1, 2007 Fulcy, what kind of $ figure are we looking at these days? The last time I looked into this about 4 years ago I was quoted about $2000 just to get parts that would equal a 1/72 Battroid. Quote
fulcy Posted March 1, 2007 Posted March 1, 2007 Fulcy, what kind of $ figure are we looking at these days? The last time I looked into this about 4 years ago I was quoted about $2000 just to get parts that would equal a 1/72 Battroid. You mean for having SLA parts made? Let me get the images together... Those parts are from the AG project (yes, it's still going - just very slowly) - the second pic shows the pieces mounted on a 1/48 Valkyrie leg. I had 6 parts total made - one of each of the inner pieces, as shown in the first pic, and two of each of the outer pieces shown in the first pic - and I believe I paid around $450 for all those parts - and I believe it was through that DPT link I posted before, with minimal finishing done to the parts... Quote
winterdyne Posted March 1, 2007 Author Posted March 1, 2007 (edited) ...and I believe I paid around $450 for all those parts - and I believe it was through that DPT link I posted before, with minimal finishing done to the parts... Alas, that's more or less in line with prices in the UK, only replace the $ with a £. :-( I want to build a 1/48 tomahawk to go with my armoured VF-1J. In a factory setting. I had that robotech / macross factory 1/100 double kit as a kid, and now I almost cry when I think of what I did to it... and how much it fetches on ebay when one surfaces. Edited March 1, 2007 by winterdyne Quote
fulcy Posted March 1, 2007 Posted March 1, 2007 It's the project that never ends http://mechaskunk.com/ag.htm Quote
MechTech Posted March 2, 2007 Posted March 2, 2007 Oh yeah, the gerwalk with the massive guns and stuff on it's back, right? Some of the mods I've seen used the Defender's cannon on the back. Quote
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