Shapeways appears to have recalibrated their ProJets

[bbussey]

Just a head’s-up — it appears Shapeways has recalibrated their ProJet printers, at the Long Island Facility in Queens at least. I got parts back today, and there are no fuzzy surfaces anywhere where there was wax support. Small details such as rivets actually are visible on wax-supported faces. And many of the top-facing areas and surfaces not touched by wax supporting are crystal clear after soaking in Bestine.

They probably won’t stay in calibration for long, but it a pleasant surprise to see it has been done for the first time in years.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

What are those last things??

[wazzou]

Looks like amusement park rides?

[Sokramiketes]

Any tips on drawing bricks (or concrete blocks) on solid models? 

[Mark5]

They probably won’t stay in calibration for long, but it a pleasant surprise to see it has been done for the first time in years.

Does that mean that it'll remain a crapshoot?

[JeffB]

Hmmm...  Interesting.

I received a few gearbox prints in the what used to be the old FUD a few weeks ago and the surface finish was just awful.  Luckily, because the parts were gearboxes, it doesn't matter, but I couldn't imagine how upset someone would be if they were a boxcar or locomotive body.

I chose what would have been the old FXD for the revised parts, which I should have today.  It'll be interesting to see what they look like, which is primarily the reason I spent a few bucks extra on them, as opposed to sticking with them in FUD.

Jeff

[Chris333]

Every Shapeways order of mine ever has come from Queens except for my last order (some log cars) that came from overseas.

[bbussey]

What are those last things??

Circus,  rocket cars.

[bbussey]

Any tips on drawing bricks (or concrete blocks) on solid models?

I just engrave lines on the surface, usually .005" wide and deep.  Full horizontal lines in one sketch, and then in a second sketch I "zig-zag" the vertical lines so I don't have to draw a gazillion vertical mortar lines.  I draw one zig-zag and then pattern it across.  Same for the horizontal lines, I draw one and pattern it vertically.  I remove any lines over windows and doors and other protrusions, then I cut-extrude each sketch.

[Sokramiketes]

I just engrave lines on the surface, usually .005" wide and deep.  Full horizontal lines in one sketch, and then in a second sketch I "zig-zag" the vertical lines so I don't have to draw a gazillion vertical mortar lines.  I draw one zig-zag and then pattern it across.  Same for the horizontal lines, I draw one and pattern it vertically.  Then I cut-extrude each sketch.

Thanks, I keep fighting this in Fusion360 so I'm always on the look out for someone that's modeled them well. 

[bbussey]

Thanks, I keep fighting this in Fusion360 so I'm always on the look out for someone that's modeled them well.

I'll send you two DXF sketches tonight of just the mortar so you can see what I did.

I even "cheat" on the vertical "zig-zag".  As an example, I draw one vertical mortar line, then a horizontal line half the block width, then the next vertical line, then another horizontal line in the other direction.  Looks like a squared-off question mark.  Then pattern that vertically every double block+mortar height for however many rows you need.  Then take that composite and pattern horizontally the width of one block+mortar.

The horizontal lines pattern across the horizontal segments in the vertical mortar sketch.

It doesn't take me long to do a small building.  On larger buildings, I do it in sections to keep the line count reasonable in the sketches, so that it doesn't sit with the cursor spinning to render the cut-extrusions.


 

[Lemosteam]

Thanks, I keep fighting this in Fusion360 so I'm always on the look out for someone that's modeled them well.

If you have the ability to replicate in a two directional matrix, just make a flat so thick and then make a single brick.  Replicate that brick X times, horizontally for X number of duplicates.  Copy that feature and then move it down 1 brick height and horizontally 1/2 brick.

Join those two features together as a single body and then replicate that down till you get the mortar joint you want.
'
When you have your full wall, join it to the backing flat to get the depth of mortar joint you want.

That is how I would make the bricked surface.

[Sokramiketes]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but thank you both for the ideas. Of course the first thing I was attempting was more than a flat wall, so that’s on me. I want to add brick to these turrets to match the laser cut walls. Chimneys would be next. [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[bbussey]

Same principle would apply as all of the faces of your turrets appear to be flat. It would take longer to do because you have to do one face at a time. But definitely not difficult.

[Lemosteam]

Same principle would apply as all of the faces of your turrets appear to be flat. It would take longer to do because you have to do one face at a time. But definitely not difficult.

Well, once you did one side (consisting of one flat and one angled corner, i.e. _/ )  a rotational duplication of 4 at 90 degrees on the axis of the turret would yield four sides instantly.  Be sure to bevel the inner edge so you don't have any overlap on the corners to clear away.