Topic: Jrnyfan's Custom Plastic Diorama Playsets

[jrnyfan]

Yeah, I've dabbled in 3d animation over the years as part of my career in video production - so I've found it somewhat easy to pick up trying to model playsets in Sketchup. They have to be designed first, then it goes through the 3D printer software, and then apparently you cross your fingers and hope it prints something nice. I expect it will require a lot of fine-tuning before I start printing good looking stuff. I'm just starting to enter the mindset of how to design pieces that can fit or snap together (the printer, C-3DO, will only print items 6x6x6). I tested and I think I'll be able to use Instamorph as a type of glue (it sticks to the 3-d printed plastic pretty well), too.

Looking forward to talking a bit about these beasts on the Podcast.

[jrnyfan]

Here's my first SW print. A simple crate. Some of the masking tape is still on top - haven't cleaned up the print yet. Not quite as smooth as I'd like it to be, but haven't even started tinkering with settings yet. Will paint it tomorrow and see how it turns out.

[Tamer]

Wow, that good from your first print! Man, I give it a month till you are printing your own action figures. With folks like you we might not need Hasbro anymore! On the front page.

[smeagol92055]

3D printing is truly the future of action figure customizing. Heck, in a few years I'm sure the printers will be able to paint the stuff we print as it comes out of the machine!

Maybe it's time for the big toy companies to start thinking ahead and figuring out ways of licensing print designs now...

Anyway, great stuff as usual; that crate looks like something that rolled right off of the main assembly line; if you hadn't told us you printed it yourself, I don't think any of us would ever have known!

[DocOutlands]

Fantastic box!  Did you make it with a removable lid and hollow space inside?

[jrnyfan]

Thanks for the positive feedback. Parts I've printed so far. Still refining. Focusing on the cannon base.

[jrnyfan]

PS - this crate doesn't have an opening lid - but that is the plan for the next crate I end up doing.

[Tamer]

Wow, looks like you are moving right along. That box painted up nicely. Looks better than what comes from China!

[Clonehead]

Nice Job on those parts. The gun bases look good.

[hemble]

From creating awesome playsets from plastic to 3D printing there will be no stopping you now.

Ron

[jrnyfan]

Okay, here's a decent version of the gunner station base. The chair fits perfectly into a slot on the gun base.

[hemble]

Looks great.

Ron

[Rezikai]

nice, i have a question tho. When you print out the chair/crate etc. Are you making them hollow to cut down on the print time/ resin (or whatever material) used in the 3D printer? I know on Danny Choo's Tokyo Stormtrooper site he had his 3D printer software set up so the thickness of the dolls he was making had a 2 or 3 mm width of the cast so the interior was actually hollow.

But either way its excellent work I can't wait to see what else you make, maybe some of accessories for playsets! *nudge* hehe

[Tamer]

Wow, that chair and gun platform just look perfect. Time to go to the fp again!

[jrnyfan]

Yeah, I'm slowly learning to optimize material. I'm building a lot of "empty" space within my 3d models. In addition, the printer settings permit you to choose how "dense" honeycomb type filler is within solid objects. So yes, there's a lot of air inside these prints.

Currently attempting a 6 hour print of the computer wall of the red room. Will see how it turns out! Also making some Instamorph progress on the throne room. Trying to get level 3 moving again.