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http://www.makerbot.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o6pcbhylmQ

Normally I'd always want my models to be tournament-worthy (i.e. at least 50-75% Citadel), but you know - I think if I could make awesome stuff with that machine (and also finally bring myself to learn 3D software better in the process), I might want to save up to buy this some day. Basically it's a $2,000 machine that lets you build bloody *anything*, as long as you design it through their 3D software first. Then you hit 'print', and it's created within a relatively quick amount of time.

So are any of you guys familiar with this? Do you think it could make relatively detailed stuff - at least for sake of Imperial Guard tanks which tend to be boxy anyway?

Id be surprised if you couldn't at least make tanks with this thing, if not the smaller troops. That said I would caution against using this machine for anything other than personal use (copyrights and all that) at ~2.5k though it wouldn't be a bad investment if the detail work was good enough.

I didn't even know these kinds of things where available for anything less than what a business could afford to pay. Very interesting. It looks that thing would be awesome for making some great buildings for 40k urban battles.

BrotherVord wrote:Id be surprised if you couldn't at least make tanks with this thing, if not the smaller troops. That said I would caution against using this machine for anything other than personal use (copyrights and all that) at ~2.5k though it wouldn't be a bad investment if the detail work was good enough.

Exactly - it would only be for personal use, nothing more. Though one wonders...maybe we should try and find someone that has it already and ask them to try, lol.

TheCrazyCryptek wrote:I didn't even know these kinds of things where available for anything less than what a business could afford to pay. Very interesting. It looks that thing would be awesome for making some great buildings for 40k urban battles.

Buildings? ...good lord that IS a great idea! Chances are we can whittle down whatever it makes for detail work anyway....great thinking sir!

The quality is not quite there for individual models, not yet at least. it will be in the future.

But Terrain should be viable with the current technology.

P.S. it is called a 3D Printer

What software do you use to design with? Rhino cad? Or does it come with its own? I am familiar enough with 3d animation build software to know I could make awesome things with this printer.

Some use a 3D CAD design, some printers can scan an existing object and replicate it.

I think the scanning and replicating is where this machine wont create the best minis, but if you could design your own or purchase a model to print that would be awesome. The downside will be the media. It will probably be more expensive to buy media to print your minis than it will be to just buy them from GW.

Someone has already done some imperial guard stuff, there was some pics of a sentinal online.

As long as you create the model on your own there is no copyright infringement. GW sentinel is copied from Star Wars to begin with.

http://www.pp3dp.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=237:launch-of-up-mini-3d-printer&catid=43:blog&Itemid=55

slightly cheaper one that could work for most things, especially if only printing the parts and then assembling

Makeing building bits is a pretty ace idea, it would certainly take the mess and headache out of casting.

Maybe another year or two I can afford to pick one of these baby's up.

Look at reprap.org for low-cost options.
If you're handy with a soldering iron, buy the rods and circuitry, and get a set of the brackets from someone in your area who has one already.

Thanks for the link skinner - that was an interesting lookaround (especially that Thingiverse site I happened upon...)

I wonder, would it be easy to file down whatever you make so that everything looks smooth and not 3d-printed after the fact?

yeah it would just be like building from a 40k sprue if thats what ur going for.... if your printing them whole then thats another story