Just a very quick post tonight on a recent local purchase.
One of the advantages that seem to be accruing from the spread of good quality, competent 3 D printers, is that we (in New Zealand) now have access to some wargaming figures and vehicles that are the equal of anything we can get from overseas, and with the dual advantage of no international freight costs and no significant delay in receiving the goodies!
A case in point - I ordered a 28mm T34/85 tank and 5 tank riders from local (Wellington) producer Pot Belly Miniatures. The tank was NZ$25 and the tank riders $15 (halve it for sterling, somewhere in between for $US) They duly arrived yesterday, and I am pretty happy with them!
The tank came in 5 parts - tank crew (2) are just printed already in the turret - the gun was separate.
There was a little bit of trimming to remove some supports, mainly around the fuel drums and in the tracks, between the wheels,
Tank Riders added - I am not sure I can squeeze all five on one vehicle unless I glue them in place, and I don't want to do that - so may have ended up with enough riders for two tanks!
And finally, how the tank looks when painted up by Pot Belly - not sure mine will be quite this nice, but we can but try!
As I say, I think this is a good buy - a 28mm kit would be at least twice the price, and then you have all the hassle of building the thing (I don't enjoy kit building for its own sake - I do it because I want the end result!). It would be a pretty simple matter to buy one of these every couple of weeks for a month or two, and end up with all the mid-late war Soviet tanks I would ever want in this scale - its just a shame this is the one and only Soviet vehicle available from Pot Belly - if he had a T34/76, that is definitely what I would have bought first!
I have been wavering on the purchase or a 3D printer for nearly two years now. Your beautifully done 10mm collection notwithstanding, the four things that put me off are:
ReplyDelete1). The removal of the supports and the tidying up required
2). The brittleness of the figures; if I am going to spend hours painting something I want it to survive a few encounters on the table
3). The faffing about and false starts before I can triumphantly produce a spartan with half a leg missing.
The one thing that pushes me toward it though is the promise of being able to print either terrain or vehicles such as you have depicted above.
If you ever want a reason to purchase a 3D printer have a look at 3dprintterrain.de; Najewitz Modellbau. A lovely guy and I have a lot of his stuff, both pre- and post- his venture into 3D printing.
Which brings me on to the fourth reason; if I could actually print Jens's stuff at will, where would l I find the space to store it let alone paint it.
I suppose I'll still end up buying one though.
DeleteYes, I feel the same, Lawrence, particularly point 3....I sincerely doubt my technical abilities to ever master how you actually use the software to get what you want.
DeleteI have been hoping our friend Mark might look at getting into 3d production, but so far he hasn't!
As to brittleness, I have found most of the stuff I have purchased robust enough ....I am no more careful handling it than I would be plastic, metal or resin.
There is another path. Buy them from others who have invested in the hardware, software and time to do so? Which is what you have done Keith, n'est pas?
DeleteYes James, basically, you are correct and as I understand it, IF I wanted to, I could probably purchase the STL files for whatever I wanted for quite a small cost, and one of these "pay to print" guys would be able to print whatever I wanted from the file.
DeleteNice vehicle Keith. I guess we are lucky here with suppliers. I certainly have some 3D prints but also plastic and Resin. I’m sure we’ve all toyed with the idea of a printer in the garage but I know I would get very fed up fiddling with it etc… better for me at least to just buy stuff 👍
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt...I totally agree re the challenges of doing the printing oneself!
DeleteInteresting development (but now that you mention it, a predictable one) that the rise of 3D printing would lead to the growth of "domestic" fig providers such as this source in NZ. With luck, the range of choices and availability will be growing so that you won't need to do 3D printing yourself to get other options.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ed and yes, it's good for me (at least!). None of the other wargamers i know seem interesred in 3d at the moment. I actually emailed the guy and asked if he has any plans to expand the range of vehicles he produces...fingers crossed!
DeleteNice looking model and terrific news that the technology allows print on demand almost anywhere. I wonder if this distributed printing model will drive the Big Boys out of the market?
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon, I have wondered the same thing....not in our time, I don't think However, imagine a near future when most gamers have a few more IT smarts and the printers are both cheaper and simpler to operate...why would you pay Warlords prices if you can make them yourself for 50c each or whatever? As for Games Workshop.....!
DeleteNice looking tank and the tank riders are rather nice as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donnie, they are, aren't they!
DeleteLooks good. One of the benefits of 3d printing for me is vehicles.
ReplyDeleteCheers Scotty, and if I am not mistaken, you have a mate who can operate the technology...that's what I need!
DeleteReally great looking model!
ReplyDeleteThank you Michal, I think so too!
DeleteThat's a great bit of kit for a snip of the price, 3D printing is the future, nit sure I'll get one though, when you can get someone else to print it off for you.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely great value for a nice quality model, Ray. I am 90% sure I won't ever get a printer, unless they ever get to the stage that you simply insert a USB with the stl files into the side of it, select a scale , and press print!
DeleteGreat buy Keith. $40 for all that and only local postage is a bargain.
ReplyDelete3D printers look awesome in theory but when you get down to it they are complex to operate and need space, ventilation etc. Not something that I feel would be a viable investment, especially considering the current size of my lead mountain 😂
Thanks Ben, I pretty much agree about the challenges of getting your own 3d printer....
DeleteGreat looking tank and riders, but $40 for one piece (around $36 in ours)?! No wonder you thought that my 1/3000 ships were a 'steal'. I'm not used to the price of 28 mm metals, of course...
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing your one painted, which I know is gonna look beaut.
Regards, James
Trust me James, that is cheap....a Warlord plastic kit of the same tank would be double the price!
DeleteKeith, a very nice looking product for a more than reasonable price. Put it on the table to show if it attracts good dice or naughty dice. Great you have a home grown industry of 3D printers in your are. I don't think I would be happy using a printer due to a lack of a set up area, but having a local shop do the work is convenient.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe, the little grey cells are already in motion....can't put that monster up against a 38t or Panzer III though!
DeleteFinding a good printing service is almost as good as having your own printer.
ReplyDeleteOr it could be even better. 😀
Nah, best would be having a mate who was happy to print stuff off for the cost price, Stew!
DeleteA fine model and crew and all for an excellent price:)! Having worked in prototyping for nigh on 30 years, I would never buy my own 3D printer. Unless you are either printing masses of stuff, it is better to buy from a supplier, as it is much cheaper in the long run. Also unless using a filament printer, the resin printers need all the nasty ancillary chemicals and UV lamps to clean and cure them. Oh an then there is the issue of the long term durability...
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve and I think your point about "printing masses" is probably well made - haven't we all been discussing downsizing and having more in the lead pile that we can expect to finish in our remaining painting lifetime etc over the last couple of years via various bloggers posts about getting rid of half the stuff they have accumulated.....so what is the point of obtaining a piece of hardware whose main purpose would be to mass produce new armies?!
DeleteGreat looking T34-85. The spoked wheels look very cleanly cast.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Dean and yes, the printing quality is first class!
DeleteLovely looking T34 and riders, I've just got a load of napoleonic wagons that are 3d printed and great!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain