3D Printed Vehicles

[carlso]

Mark,

Off the thread subject but I have a need for a couple more trailers and have not found them on line. Also some more blades and can only find through Shapeways, is that correct?

carl

[Mark W]

Yes, blades are printed in the "White Strong & Flexible" and still need to use Shapeways.  Otherwise, I'll be delivering a big batch of products to Spring Creek Model Trains on Friday, when we set up for the Free-mo Weekend. 

[carlso]

Thank you !

[Mark W]

Trucks and trailers are finished!  Some better than others. 

I still can't believe that not only are these 100% 3D printed, they were printed at home on a 400 dollar printer!


https://i.imgur.com/MXmOQDQ.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/Qzt0srT.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/LMJb1Jk.jpgv

[DKS]

I still can't believe that not only are these 100% 3D printed, they were printed at home on a 400 dollar printer!

Seriously!

[Stephane]

Those trucks are looking great!  Did you modify the rearview mirrors before printing?  I increased their size using make solid with a small offset, but wasn't sure if it was necessary!

I started painting my models today, but having some problems with brushstrokes.  I'll have pictures soon I hope.

[Jbub]

When it comes to populating a layout with details like autos and people and animals and small junky items and building details and line side items, that 400 dollar printer is going to save you a crap ton of money. That is if you're wiling to paint it all and can get the model from someone or someplace if you can't 3D model your self

[Mark W]

Those trucks are looking great!  Did you modify the rearview mirrors before printing?  I increased their size using make solid with a small offset, but wasn't sure if it was necessary!

I started painting my models today, but having some problems with brushstrokes.  I'll have pictures soon I hope.

The blue truck is with original thin mirrors.  You can see the bottoms are little crooked from where they broke when removing supports.  I did increase the mirror mounts before printing the black truck. 

[Stephane]

Well then. This is a disappointment.

I was always just ok at painting D&D miniatures when I was much younger (no youtube back then to learn!), but these little vehicles are decidedly smaller than those figurines!

My first attempt just, well sucks.  I guess it looks fine from standing waaay back, but definitely NOT when looked under macro or magnifier.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

The paint went on weirdly thick in the windshields and the body, and trying to fix it just made matters worse.  The final straw was trying to apply gloss to the window.  I'm using Vallejo Acrylic Gloss Varnish, and it just did not smooth out.  Maybe I needed to thin it out??

My second attempt, I learned from some of my mistakes.  I tried to model the van with silver paint, but not sure it looks okay (rather shiny).  On the other hand the Grand Cherokee looks much too matt despite being semi-gloss.  The Blue-Gray paint wasn't such a great idea in the end.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Again, it's a cellphone photo with an improvised diffuser.   For the van I still haven't applied any varnish to it, maybe tomorrow I'll get around to doing just that.

I'm not sure what to use to paint the windows.  So far I've been using a greyish colour - Panzer Dark Gray or something.  It seemed to be the most "window-like".  I did a much better job on the van's windows than the Jeep simply because I thinned it a bit and didn't use any gloss (yet).

[Mark W]

Don't sell yourself short there.  For brush painting that's still a decent finish, but your detailing is very precise!  The grill on the Cherokee is perfect! 
If you have access to an airbrush, or can find a gloss spray can, you should be able to get a very good finish on those. 


I'm going to printing my first vehicles in clear resin tonight, once I replace another FEP. 

[DKS]

Don't sell yourself short there.  For brush painting that's still a decent finish, but your detailing is very precise!  The grill on the Cherokee is perfect!

This!

[Stephane]

Well thank you, very kind of you both 

I do have an airbrush, an Iwata HP-BCS, that's what I used to spray the primer, and also the Vallejo semi-gloss varnish on the jeep (it was only the windows where I applied gloss with a brush).  I just find the siphon feed on that model to be inconvenient with the amount of paint/gloss used on these models, so I picked up an Iwata Neo CN gravity feed yesterday at Michaels that I was excited to try!  I have to return it though; I failed to notice the box was opened where someone previously returned it to the store with the cup lid jammed tight and the paint dried inside the brush! 

Question.. do you use the airbrush to spray only the gloss, or do you also use it to spray colour with masking?  For example, the tractors you have there - we see the wheels already painted in one picture, and then in the next you have such a beautiful smooth blue or black coat of paint on the cab!  Was that brushed or airbrushed?

Oh, I need to give credit for the detail to this tool... https://www.amazon.ca/Fancii-Headband-Illuminated-Magnifier-Visor/dp/B016N6NA92/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2X9UH68FE2MWQ&keywords=magnifier+glasses&qid=1552995309&s=gateway&sprefix=magni%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-5  That thing is amazing for seeing the smallest details on the model!

[Mark W]

Question.. do you use the airbrush to spray only the gloss, or do you also use it to spray colour with masking?  For example, the tractors you have there - we see the wheels already painted in one picture, and then in the next you have such a beautiful smooth blue or black coat of paint on the cab!  Was that brushed or airbrushed?

Ah, I re-design everything so that the wheels are separate!

Without worrying about the wheels, I airbrush the color coat over everything.  On the blue tractor, I used a primer coat to try and smooth layer lines (no sanding), on the black one I only did some selective sanding and no primer.  The black one wins hands down. 

Black one was also painted with Vallejo Glossy Black followed by gloss varnish.  Blue one is just gloss blue Testors Enamel.  I think the finish quality is dead equal, however I find the water based acrylic is much easier to work with and clean up.  The rest was detailed by hand with a super fine brush.

[Stephane]

Aha! yes, I completely forgot about printing without the wheels!

Currently, my "backlog" of printed models have the wheels attached, but I did notice that after priming I do end up with paint filling some of the gaps between fender and tire.  My next prints will have detached wheels.

Thank you very much for explaining your process, very insightful, and clearly a winner as can be seen by your photos.

The detail brush I use was bought at Michaels, 18/0, the smallest I could find there, and definitely the smallest brush I've ever owned  

(though, I'm not sure if the Canadian Michaels stores have the same stock as the US-based stores)

[DKS]

The detail brush I use was bought at Michaels, 18/0, the smallest I could find there, and definitely the smallest brush I've ever owned  

(though, I'm not sure if the Canadian Michaels stores have the same stock as the US-based stores)

Evidently they do, as I have the #18/0.