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I've noticed that some people with 3D printers are buying single boxes of GW product then later selling them on eBay or various trading/selling forums.

Why are they buying the product? They're not building the models because they advertise that everything is complete and still on the sprue. Is there some way to scan the sprue into the 3D software? Or is there another reason?

Is that really a trend? That's really specific. So it's people that have a 3d printer, and they buy a GW box, and then resell it unused, and repeat this?

Scanning is a thing that a person could do but it would make way more sense to try to scan things off of a sprue.

I don't have an explanation for a 3d printer owner buying and reselling lots of GW boxes.

It isn't one person selling lots or even a trend, really. It's just a small few who seem to only buy one of whichever box is coming out then sell it a couple of weeks or a month later.

At first I thought they might be using the sprues as a reference to improve the details on whatever STLs they already had but I would have thought paying five bucks to a friend and taking pictures of their stuff would be cheaper.

Hm, I don't really know why they're doing it. It's made me curious though.

There was a very successful KS last year on hand held scanners. Maybe someone is just experimenting with a scanner to see what sort of results they can get.

If they are selling the models on still on the sprue chances are they are using the models to measure the parts so that they can create viable proxies whilst also getting a look at the contents so they know first hand exactly what build, weapon and other options the kit has.

I would generally think that doing this properly would require building the models and clipping parts off to at least get a good proper look at them ;but who knows perhaps one or two are content just with seeing the sprue content and that's all they need.



Honestly I doubt this is a trend beyond one person and unless you know them (at which point you can ask) they might not even have any connection with a 3D printing system.

It could even just be someone with poor impulse control.





In the end buying and selling stuff happens all the time and some people get odd patterns of behaviour. Heck perhaps they just like collecting GW instruction manuals. Heck there's a bunch of people who just collect the GW boxes. Nothing else just the boxes the models come in,





My experience is people who own and use 3D printers (not sculptors) might well keep buying plastic models. 3D printing is just another source of different models from what GW plastics give them and heck plastic is still a great material to work with and use.

You can scan it on the sprue and remove the sprue in post processing.

You could also measure the model and use it as a base while you sculpt it from scratch.
Both methods allow you to copy the models without removing them from the sprue for sale.

That’s what I envision these folks doing.
If they weren’t selling them I would have said they were doubling the box by printing extra pieces to flesh them out

Maybe keeping the box and receipt as proof of purchase?

Unlikely but I thought I'd throw it out.