SDF-1 3D Model + 3D Print [SD Machine Style]

[UN_MARINE]

Hi guys, here's a little project you might like.

I'm about half-way done, just need to work on the carriers & miscellaneous details (gotta make that control tower split!).

It's designed as a snap-kit (and transformable). The model's just under 23cm tall in Storm Attacker mode.

C&C welcome.

 

[Convectuoso]

Looking great so far! 

[mickyg]

Love it!

[UN_MARINE]

16 hours ago, Convectuoso said:

Looking great so far! 

Thanks!

13 hours ago, mickyg said:

Love it!

Thanks!

 

The main chunks are mostly done. The multiple cannons & antennas will be the last parts to model.

[UN_MARINE]

The Daedalus & Prometheus are done, just the deck guns & minor detailing left to go (plus parts-splitting for printing).

[jenius]

It's adorbs!

[CHAVAKAISER]

[UN_MARINE]

18 hours ago, jenius said:

It's adorbs!

Thanks!

15 hours ago, CHAVAKAISER said:

We'll find out soon if that's a viable option!

 

All the deck guns & antennas are in place! Just a little refinement & detail work to go.

[UN_MARINE]

"Transformation alert!"

[MechTech]

Awww - it's so cute -in a cool manly way! - MT

[Tage]

Love this! It's super cool. 

[coronadlux]

This is awesome! Will STL or some sort if printable file be available?

[UN_MARINE]

9 hours ago, MechTech said:

Awww - it's so cute -in a cool manly way! - MT

Thanks!

7 hours ago, Tage said:

Love this! It's super cool. 

Thanks!

2 hours ago, coronadlux said:

This is awesome! Will STL or some sort if printable file be available?

Thanks! That's plan, I'm trying to build it so it doesn't need any extra bits after printing - in theory, it'll be a straight-from-print snap-build kit.

 

Working on splitting the parts for "print-friendliness" & snap-build feature. It's gonna have that distinct 80's toy vibe as an intended consequence/feature. 100+ parts so far.

And it's (slightly) poseable. Daedalus Attack!

[Sanity is Optional]

Will it be pure snap-build, or will you put in some pins/rods for hinges?

I'm totally in to try printing one up.

[UN_MARINE]

7 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Will it be pure snap-build, or will you put in some pins/rods for hinges?

I'm totally in to try printing one up.

I'd like to avoid extra pins & rods, although probably some glue in certain areas. We'll find out when I run the test print.

 

The final transformation part is in place, the control tower can now slide sideways via Takatoku-style block joint.

[UN_MARINE]

Here's what the parts separation looks like. As few parts as I can get away with, plus provisions for color separation.

Plus "fool-resistant" assembly, most of the parts will only go together in 1 way.

[derex3592]

wow! awesome talent here! 

 

 

[coronadlux]

 Very co. This is a great build 

[UN_MARINE]

14 hours ago, derex3592 said:

wow! awesome talent here! 

 

 

Thanks!

3 hours ago, coronadlux said:

 Very co. This is a great build 

Thanks!

 

Gearing up for the test print! I wasn't expecting the filament color to be close to the "correct" tone of blue.

[UN_MARINE]

One more gimmick: retro landing gear!

[Chronocidal]

Aha, I recognize that printer!   I got a good pile of prints out of mine, but the bed translation did a number on a lot of my taller items, causing a lot of wobble and disjointed layers.

Do you use the included software?  I've considered picking up Simplify3D, since I read it can do wonders with raft construction to make it easier to remove.

Model is looking great, I love seeing how designers break down their models into sets of parts for assembly. 

[Xigfrid]

The model is great! A lot of talent there for sure

[Sanity is Optional]

I use Simplify3D at my work for the stuff we 3D print, the raft and separation work pretty well, and there's lots of available settings to tweak for it (solid layers below separation, distances both horizontal and vertical, etc...)

[UN_MARINE]

8 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

Aha, I recognize that printer!   I got a good pile of prints out of mine, but the bed translation did a number on a lot of my taller items, causing a lot of wobble and disjointed layers.

Do you use the included software?  I've considered picking up Simplify3D, since I read it can do wonders with raft construction to make it easier to remove.

Model is looking great, I love seeing how designers break down their models into sets of parts for assembly. 

This one's an Up! Plus 2, still going strong after 4 years. I'm still using the included software - it's not very smart, but you can't beat the plug & play user friendliness.

I heard good stuff about Simplify3D, but they don't support this printer.

Thanks! I think you're gonna like how this model's partitioned out! - I still need to do the layout work to make it a print-friendly .stl file.

7 hours ago, Xigfrid said:

The model is great! A lot of talent there for sure

Thanks!

7 hours ago, Sanity is Optional said:

I use Simplify3D at my work for the stuff we 3D print, the raft and separation work pretty well, and there's lots of available settings to tweak for it (solid layers below separation, distances both horizontal and vertical, etc...)

I've wanted to upgrade print software for a while, but the good ones don't support my printer.

I also tried a PEI bed conversion, but it was too finicky, so I had to switch back to the perforated boards.

I hit a sweet spot with the bed height, and removing prints is pretty hassle-free, while keeping good adhesion.

[Sanity is Optional]

To get decent adhesion I've been using a heated bed with Kapton tape, and then roughing up the tape a bit with sandpaper. The heated bed itself is for ABS, so PLA just refuses to come off entirely unless I cover it up.

[UN_MARINE]

1 hour ago, Sanity is Optional said:

To get decent adhesion I've been using a heated bed with Kapton tape, and then roughing up the tape a bit with sandpaper. The heated bed itself is for ABS, so PLA just refuses to come off entirely unless I cover it up.

I have a friend who did the Kapton tape/glass bed mod, I'm not as "adventurous" with mods haha. I use ABS exclusively for this machine, it's predictable and requires less tweaking.

[UN_MARINE]

We're looking at 133 parts total, possibly 135 after improvements. It's a pretty substantial print: 16 sets, grouped in colors.

Here's the progress so far: 13 hours, 200 grams (and counting).

 

[coronadlux]

That's a heck of a lot of parts, but it will make it more of a colored snap fit.

I have 2 printers, my work horse is a MP Mini Select my wife got me a few years ago. The other one is a 2 month old anycubic photon resin printer. I use this one for the smaller detailed stuff.

 

[UN_MARINE]

1 hour ago, coronadlux said:

That's a heck of a lot of parts, but it will make it more of a colored snap fit.

I have 2 printers, my work horse is a MP Mini Select my wife got me a few years ago. The other one is a 2 month old anycubic photon resin printer. I use this one for the smaller detailed stuff.

Yup, I was going for the snap kit approach. Easy to "share" & get the same results.

Those prints are fantastic! Maybe when this thing's done, you can model & print Valks + Destroids to scale!

I was considering a resin printer, but couldn't justify the utility costs - I only print stuff on occasion (or on a dare).

 

[UN_MARINE]

All the blue parts are done! I'll start running all the white parts tomorrow.

[Sanity is Optional]

3 hours ago, coronadlux said:

That's a heck of a lot of parts, but it will make it more of a colored snap fit.

I have 2 printers, my work horse is a MP Mini Select my wife got me a few years ago. The other one is a 2 month old anycubic photon resin printer. I use this one for the smaller detailed stuff.

How much hassle is the anycubic photon? I've been thinking of grabbing one so I could so some small detailed parts.

[Chronocidal]

I can't speak from experience, but any liquid resin printer is going to have a lot more upkeep and maintenance involved, just because of the nature of the material.  I think you're also much more limited by size, since dealing with a multi-gallon tank of liquid resin is just onerous outside of an actual industrial setting.

Personally, I've always stuck with ABS, since the vast majority of my prints are intended for use in either model kits or toys, and I like sticking to materials at least mostly compatible with styrene.

Those prints look really good and clean, here's hoping they don't need a lot of cleanup!  

[coronadlux]

8 hours ago, Sanity is Optional said:

How much hassle is the anycubic photon? I've been thinking of grabbing one so I could so some small detailed parts.

Before you buy one, go to the Facebook group and read some of the comments. I've had great experience with mine. A few complaints, but those were human error on my part. You'll need some alcohol to clean the prints and lots of paper towels.

The sample resin you'll get is brittle, but you can buy the Siraya blu resin. It's more flexible and is more akin to the plastic model kits you can buy.

[UN_MARINE]

10 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

I can't speak from experience, but any liquid resin printer is going to have a lot more upkeep and maintenance involved, just because of the nature of the material.  I think you're also much more limited by size, since dealing with a multi-gallon tank of liquid resin is just onerous outside of an actual industrial setting.

Personally, I've always stuck with ABS, since the vast majority of my prints are intended for use in either model kits or toys, and I like sticking to materials at least mostly compatible with styrene.

Those prints look really good and clean, here's hoping they don't need a lot of cleanup!  

Same reasons I'm holding off on a resin printer - I've dealt with resin at work before, and I'm not a fan.

The prints are decent from this printer, almost none of the horror on the Simplify3D print quality troubleshooting guide.

Kinda wish Pp3Dp/Tiertime didn't give up on upgrading the g-code. Cleanup's pretty standard - tons of sanding!

[Chronocidal]

The problems I ran into with my Tiertime printer were mostly related to the combination of the printer mechanism, and my preferred print orientation.  While translating beds are by no means unique to that printer design, they're also detrimental to tall prints, because the rapid motion can cause the prints to wobble.  It's just unfortunate coincidence that I was printing a lot of shapes like wings and fuselages, which tend to print best in a vertical orientation. 

What happened to me many times was that the bed translation caused my parts to wobble slightly, offsetting a layer or two, and leading to either a disjointed, or ultimately failed print.  The offset layers would cause the print head to add extra material near the edges, which would then cause the print head to strike the model when the bed translated through what should have been empty space, and it would knock the part over.

The combination of that, and some cooling-related issues led to me buying a much larger enclosed printer this year, with a roughly 12"x 10" x 12" volume, and a print head that moves in the X-Y plane, while the bed translates vertically.  I've only done a couple test prints, with really good results, but I need to experiment with raft and g-code settings, because the supports were pretty hard to remove, and minorly destructive to the model.