1/60 VF-5000 3D Printing

[Tage]

Hey guys,

So i've been collecting Macross toys and models for a little over 15 years now. (Just looked up my old posts on the historical forums... I spelt 'cool' with a 'k' all the time... what was i thinking?)

I've been building up my 1/60 collection slowly but surely and i thought one of my favourite valks is missing - the VF-5000. So i've decided to basically make my own. I was lucky enough to grab a SHE VF-5000 recently so am basically copying each part of that into Sketchup. I've 3D printed a flat wallet before - but that's it! So this transformable bot is a bit of a step up for me. Thought i'd post how i go on this journey!

My plan is basically this:

- Get all the parts made in Sketchup (at the moment I'm sort of getting one part done a day after work. Or a couple if they aren't that complicated. There are around 80 type of parts total, but i am learning as i go - the curve on the wing this morning was particularly tricky)

- Upscale them (will need your guys' help on this to judge the best scale from a 1/100 model to become a 1/60)

- Add panel lines

- Add a few bumps and crevices to help things lock into place a bit more

- Will see if i'm skilled enough by then to edit the model enough to create a better looking head and nose cone - the nose cone looks a little too long in bot mode.

- Print out half the model as a prototype (only need to do half as all the arms and legs are the same)

- Then try resin casting for the first time

- Test out those parts and how they work with screws and glue

- Edit things if need be

- Then boom! i'll have my very own transformable 1/60 VF-5000 that then i'll need to paint etc.

Have attached where i'm at so far.

But right now I'm now off to my own birthday drinks at the pub - hopefully i complete this in a year so i can give myself a birthday present come next year haha!!

Chat soon.

[505thAirborne]

Ambitious but awesome, keep us posted!!

[Xigfrid]

Unless you aim at a total of 365 parts, you are right on time!

[wmkjr]

Awesome to see another project from fellow MW members.

[kajnrig]

All of the yes in the world.

[valhary]

OH MY GOD! great project I can't wait for see it!!!!!

you plan to sell sell it?

and if the answer is affirmative by shapeways or other way?

[Jasonc]

Very nice. I'd like to see this as well. It may be better to design it upscaled already. I tried that, and when I upscaled parts, the dimensions for panel lines were a bit off, and it didn't have the best outcome in that way. Nevertheless, I can't wait to see more. It's one of the ones I really want as well. I chose the VA-3 simply because it's just an oddity. This makes me want to get right back in now. I do have to wait though, for a current project to finish. Good luck.

[Tage]

Hey guys, thanks for the support!

you plan to sell sell it?

I'll have to see to be honest. I'd love to say yes, but for that to happen i'd want to make it at a quality so people can easily make it. Like, i'm happy fixing my own mistakes if i've messed up something - i'd hate to pass those mistakes onto others, if you know what i mean. But hey! we'll see!

So progress slowed a tiny bit with a few late nights at work and a wedding that was on! But the wing section has been done now.

After making the pieces separately (sort of), i thought i'd just bring them together and hope my measuring was correct. I was only slightly off! so after just a tiny few alterations to the model, i believe the wing section itself will move properly and snug up inside the body section nicely.

Next up - the body section that these pieces plug into. And it seems to be the most complicated part yet!

[Tage]

Very nice. I'd like to see this as well. It may be better to design it upscaled already. I tried that, and when I upscaled parts, the dimensions for panel lines were a bit off, and it didn't have the best outcome in that way. Nevertheless, I can't wait to see more. It's one of the ones I really want as well. I chose the VA-3 simply because it's just an oddity. This makes me want to get right back in now. I do have to wait though, for a current project to finish. Good luck.

Oh! So yeah for the panel lines, i'm planning on testing this wing piece where i'd simply draw out the lines on the mesh, but only offset and push them down into the model (actually making the panel lines) once i've up-scaled it. hopefully that won't create too many errors in the model mesh or anything. I'll let you know how that goes. cheers

[Sildani]

Oh, Lord. I've been waiting for this for years. I'll buy one if you sell it.

Don't forget Super Parts!

[Tage]

Oh, Lord. I've been waiting for this for years. I'll buy one if you sell it.

Don't forget Super Parts!

Hah - i'll try! there are 2 types aren't there!

Ok so here's where i'm at at the end of this week... the main chest piece and heat shield/cockpit shield.

I actually did the chest piece twice as i was finding it extra tricky, as there are a lot of funny angles and heights to get right, and i'm still not really there. There's still heaps to do but I figured since there is about another 4 parts i need to make that will interact with it, i'll fix everything up in one hit, rather than refine the chest now.

The red circles in the screen grabs are where the heat shield is technically going into the chest part, so i'll have to check my measurements again, and probably widen the inner chest part to make room for things to move right.

Anyway - so lesson i learnt this week is just to make the bloody part and fix it later. Nothing is going to fit first time when i put separate pieces together.

Also the extra challenge i'm finding since this is a transformable bot, is checking the moving parts work. For instance making sure the heat shield has enough clearance room to move and turn smoothly without scratching its top on the chest piece or falling out - which happens enough on the actual model anyway!

The next 4 parts i have to make look easy enough compared to these guys, so the next challenge after making them and making sure everything fits and moves correctly.

Then after that i'll make sure they all join up with wing piece i did earlier.

Easy................

[Xigfrid]

Dont waist your time with clearance! Sanding it once printed takes 1000x less time

And yes it is better to keep all the groups and component of a part until you are satisfied with its geometry, then explode just before printing

[charger69]

A whole VF with 3D Priting!

I salute you comrade!

[Jasonc]

Coming along great.

[valhary]

wow!!!

[Sildani]

Keep in mind too that the Star Mirage used anime magic for its sleek appearance in fighter and its rather burly appearance in Battroid. Finding a balance will be challenging.

Keep going! You hold the dreams of us all! No pressure.

[Jasonc]

I think he's going by the Studio Half Eye 1/100 kit, and scaling it up. It's what I'm doing with the VA-3, with some modifications. As for the clearance, I've been using .2mm clearance for stuff, and printing in FUD from Shapeways. It can probably go slightly closer, but considering painting and sanding, you can go either way by creating clearance, or not. the other issue is always scale lines in the print, so you really do need to sand anyways. I use clearance, so that I can see how the parts will fit, and possibly printed together, while still being able to easily separate them. For FUD, I think the space needed might be .1mm. .2 gives enough space for me, but I have yet to print another set of leg parts.

[Tage]

For this week's update, i've been working on some of the inner kibble pieces.

But, all these parts join together to then attach the wing section to the body section...

There is still quite a bit of work to be done on the new parts and the body so certain parts don't overlap one another in certain places which will probably be next week's work. But, he's slowly taking shape!

Also did some maths and worked out how long he'll be in the end.

The 'real life' length (nose to feet) of this guy is meant to be 14.03 meters (got that number from a few RPG and wiki type sites) and 1/60th of that is 23.38 cm. So about 7cm shorter than a 1/60 YF-19!

Thanks for the sanding advice Xigfrid, I think i was getting a bit worked up about everything having to be perfect.

And thanks for the clearance reference Jason.

Also, thanks for the continued support from everyone too!

Inspirational gifs are welcome!

[valhary]

looks so promising

[Sildani]

Go! Go! Go!

[Tage]

Hey guys!

Sorry for no update last week, been a bit busy and then got a raspberry pi that has been keeping me a bit occupied!

But here's where i'm at - Nose parts!

So there are still a few parts that once they're together, are about 1 mm or so misaligned (maybe a couple are 2mm or more misaligned - lol)

But i'm thinking i'll make a few more crucial body parts so i can fix all of those as a whole. Mainly as i'm worried if i change the parts i have at the moment to all work together, there may be a few extreme knock on effects on parts i haven't created yet that i'll have to go back and forth a bit to fix. Just want to minimize the amount of rework/fixing i do.

But anyway! Slowly but surely getting there!

Cheers! Have a good week!

[Sildani]

It's coming together. You can see the shape starting to form. Good work!

[valhary]

keep going

[505thAirborne]

Hey guys!

Sorry for no update last week, been a bit busy and then got a raspberry pi that has been keeping me a bit occupied!

But here's where i'm at - Nose parts!

VF-5000 Nose Parts_01.png

VF-5000 Nose Parts_02.png

VF-5000 Nose Parts_03.png

VF-5000 Nose Parts_04.png

So there are still a few parts that once they're together, are about 1 mm or so misaligned (maybe a couple are 2mm or more misaligned - lol)

But i'm thinking i'll make a few more crucial body parts so i can fix all of those as a whole. Mainly as i'm worried if i change the parts i have at the moment to all work together, there may be a few extreme knock on effects on parts i haven't created yet that i'll have to go back and forth a bit to fix. Just want to minimize the amount of rework/fixing i do.

But anyway! Slowly but surely getting there!

Cheers! Have a good week!

No apologies for no update last week, this looks amazing so far. Keep it going!!!

[Tage]

Hey guys, got heaps done this week.

Then, when they come together make....

The head!! So so proud of this as it too long enough. Going to experiment with making clear parts for the eye and top of his head sections, so thought i'd make those pieces separate.

Anyway, when they all come together they look sort of like this:

So it's slowly coming together.

Next step for now isn't as fun as what i've been doing - want to go back over everything i've done and make everything fit together a little nicer. Everything is there, just need to push and pull some parts to make things flush etc.

Also I will start marking out where the panel lines are, and i'm thinking if i'm going to be playing around with some clear parts, i may as well make some for the parts either side of the nose section clear too for extra effect. The red bit here...

See you next time!

[valhary]

may I suggest some improvement for the head part?

[Tage]

Hah, nice image!

Yeah after sleeping on it, he does look a bit erm... crude? saying that, he does match fairly closely the original S.H.E. head sculpt. I'll do the rest of the model and then have a 'refinement' stage as i would really love to make his head a bit cooler/sleeker. He looks like a little upstart at the moment doesn't he? haha.

[valhary]

exactly! personally prefer the other head

[Tage]

Cool man, yeah I totally agree on widening it.

Also what i've been making is the 'B' version, while the 'G' version has the sleeker head style that you like, and actually i completely agree - looks way better! The 'G' version also seems to have some extra ankle and wrist parts. From what i can tell the 'B' version was in the M3 game on the Dreamcast, and the 'G' version was in Macross 7. I'll keep going on the 'B' version for now as that's really what i'm measuring off, but then just add these extra ankle and wrist parts after that. Oh! and the nose is slightly different in its detail.

Thanks for the advice man!

This week has basically been me making sure all the parts i've done so far work together. So far so good apart from the main chest piece which i've pretty much have to start from scratch. But with the help of the edges and angles on the other pieces has been ok so far. :-)

[valhary]

forgive my impertinence but .....are you considered the variant "T"?

I ask you because this project seems be the most interesting and ambitious of the recent years and I really think you can raise the stakes and set a precedent

[gwfalcon]

This is simply amazing! I do have a plan to do the same thing but my time just stop me in the mid. Best wishes to the completition and the progress so far is indeed impressive!

[Tage]

Hah, no worries Valhary! Yeah i'd love to be able to do all the versions! I hope i just get the first one done to a good enough standard that i feel like i can do all the other versions too! AND super packs! AND sound boosters! That would be the dream anyway.

Also thanks for the support gwfalcon.

This week i've just been cleaning up edges and mechanical things. The head and back are still a little off, but i'm getting there. Thought i'd take a screen shot of a split down the middle of everything to show some of the mechanical stuff going on.

As you can see the neck is still way off - it's going into that bottom section by quite a bit. But it'll be easy enough to fix.

Anyway - wish i knew to basically start at the nose and work backwards, building off of that, then each part following it, working slowly towards the tail. Rather than just building each part separately. Oh well, good to know that now than at the end if i had made ALL the parts individually. That would have been a real pain to fix. Slightly worried how this thing will look once it is transformed. But we'll see!

Thanks again guys. :-)

[valhary]

just one question?

[Xigfrid]

Are you working with perspective camera? Or is it just for the screenshot? It is so much easier to trace lines with the orthogonal view, you should try it if you dont

[Tage]

Yeah so i'm finding I probably switch between the 2 views quite a bit. I probably end up spending around 60% of my time in perspective view and 40% in parallel projection... I do find I like to explore around an object i'm making, so the perspective view is a little bit easier/funner to use! Plus if i'm just holding the piece in my hand that i'm trying to copy, the perspective view matches the 'real world' if you know what i mean, so i can look at it and think 'oh good i'm getting this right' where the parallel projection view sometimes throws me off if i'm just reviewing the object. But yeah, defo been a few times (read 'a lot') where i've been in the perspective view and think i'm clicking a line to the correct axis/point i want and it ends up about 30 metres going the wrong way hah! Don't worry, I do know the arrow keys shortcut in Sketch Up – I just mess up sometimes (again, read 'a lot')