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Hello,

Excuse the title, I couldn't quite express what I'm asking succinctly because me thinky brain no work good currently.

Is there a place people go either on dakka or somewhere else online where you can ask someone to print something out for you if you're someone like me who doesn't have a 3D printer?

Like if you can find the files online or they have the files and say I'd like this at this scale I'll pay X and whatever it'll cost to ship?

I ask because I've got a couple of fun conversions in mind for my adeptus mechanicus but I currently don't have the time for mucking about with plasticard to create probably a worse job.

Cheers,

Just google for professional printers, but they can be pricey. You can also look through the 3D forums here to find someone in your country and send them a PM. I have printed a few projects for members this way in my area. It would probably be a bit cheaper this way.

I wonder if a thread for this could be viable on dakka, will float the idea on the mod board.

The only issues might be legalities with some SLTs and sales of them. Most who sell for personal use have no problem with you using a professional firm to print the files; though it might get a bit more grey if you're asking random people to print something for you.

Either way it might be worth to just have a sticky thread for collating firms that offer printing services so those without 3D printers can at least find professional firms to print for them when they have files to print.

Like others say you want to check with the legality of the file authors first.
3dhubs used to be a network for connecting with a "3d printer-near-you" type service, but I don't think they operate that way anymore.
Makexyz still has a similar model but site navigation isn't the best; you don't need to upload the file first like the landing page says, you can navigate with the hamburger menu to find printers, though availability/time of delivery depends on the person as it's their side-business in most cases.
*I've also never used it before as the local people near me stopped years ago, I've heard mixed experiences from people who did use it.
Some libraries have FDM printers for encouraging tech-education in communities, and look into regional maker space and cosplay prop communities as well.

Just about all of the purchased stl file agreements state you can print them for your own use, at will, whether you print yourself or pay for the service.

What the agreements do NOT do is let that fellow that printed it for you take the stl and print some to sell, beyond the original person that purchased the file. As long as the person you have printing the files for you understands this, all is good.

Alternatively, Etsy is worth checking, lots of companies or individuals on there offer custom printing for Heroforge minis and the like, but will often take,specific requests if you ask.

So if I bought the file and then said "hey me old pal fancy printing these for me?" That would be okay? But if the person already had a similar file, they couldn't print the thing and then send it for a fee?

Pretty much, unless they've bought the files with a commercial license, which allows them to sell printed copies directly, generally for a higher up-front fee or subscription to the original sculptors. These stores generally pop up on ebay or etsy, though a few have their own sites as well.

But generally getting stuff printed is fine, so long as that person doesn't then take the file and start running off copies to sell elsewhere.

Best advice I can give is jump on to Twitter and a few discord’s.
I commonly have friends or others print things up for me.

As suggested above, a thread for it on here could cause issues due to IP and claims.

It is already going on with people printing items for others. To keep it proper and legal, if your friend has a printer and you purchased a file and want him to print and you will pay him, that is fine, because the recipient purchased the file and will use the prints for his personal use.

What could not occur is the guy with the printer has a file he purchased for non-commercial use and sells some prints to his friend; nor could the guy that purchased the file pay to have his friend print and then turn around and resell them. Of course, if the files are obtained free-shared on a website like Thingiverse (marked as creative commons and no commercial restriction) you can basically do what you want, but review the license definition to be sure.

another thing to consider is that "maker spaces" (at least what theyre called in my region) often have 3d printers for community use on site.

Well thanks everyone for your input, it seems like it's doable providing the person interested buys the file (in this case, me).

So uh, hey, anyone in the UK with a 3D printer who would like to offer their services, please do chuck me a PM and see if we can work something out there.

I hope this turns out to be useful for other people who might want to do the same thing if the mods are okay with it.

I know the conversation ‘wrapped’ somewhat.

But just to add, there is also no problem with what you asked where if the person who owns the printer and the files, prints it off to send to you.
You can’t pay him for the figures as mentioned.

But you can separately pay him to replace some resin for his printer / buy him some resin.


While yes it may equate to the same thing. It’s not paying for someone to print a model they own. Which they can’t do.

This is why we have a licensed printer program, so we can direct people to those who can get them for them

Danny76 wrote:
I know the conversation ‘wrapped’ somewhat.

But just to add, there is also no problem with what you asked where if the person who owns the printer and the files, prints it off to send to you.
You can’t pay him for the figures as mentioned.

But you can separately pay him to replace some resin for his printer / buy him some resin.


While yes it may equate to the same thing. It’s not paying for someone to print a model they own. Which they can’t do.

Yes that was essentially what I was wanting to do anyway, more or less pay for the plastic goo as opposed to the models themselves.
That really clears it up thanks Danny, I wasn't sure if that meant you couldn't 'buy' things at all without some form of licencing.