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Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: Stark2004 on November 14, 2018, 12:38:49 AM

Title: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: Stark2004 on November 14, 2018, 12:38:49 AM
Some background, I have been working on this project in some shape or form since 2012. Recently running into resin shrinkage issues and keeping ability for pieces to fit together I switched to a 3d printed solution. I have a prusa mk3, all prints typically done at .15mm lifts.

The genesis of this project was that I always loved, win or lose, a good game between two painted armies on great terrain. I have over the years played Mordhiem, Warhammer, LOTR, Malifaux, Frostgrave and othe rfantasy settings. One thing that bothered me was that after a while it seemed all tables ended up being flat planes with hills or building or Forrest plopped on them. I thought how cool would it be to have a table that was fully modular in not only x-y plane but also z plane. So that is how it started. (By the way please move this to workbench if this is where this belongs, but I figure this is fantasy terrain and I told myself I was getting a painted table before I start relic blade, Rangers of Shadow Deep or frostgrave armies)

Anyway here are a first few pictures of where I am at. As I get more components and start to paint I will post them each week. This week I am working on first stump insert and flat ground insert. Also looking at some options for treating the PLA prints to hide the print striations. Have three / four options I am deciding between.


Here are my surface (visible) components, all the ground level snap together then the vertical components snap fit.

The shapes thus far, various vertices rise. ~ 1 1/4”, insert hole is 30mm.
(https://i.imgur.com/i5xXYxW.jpg)

Hill#1
(https://i.imgur.com/KTCtgiV.jpg)
Hill#2
(https://i.imgur.com/dOAgUwW.jpg)
Hill#3
(https://i.imgur.com/IVuSa0Q.jpg)
Title: Re: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: Operator5 on November 14, 2018, 01:38:27 AM
Can't wait to see more of them. How long does each tile take to print?
Title: Re: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: FramFramson on November 14, 2018, 01:48:08 AM
Modular Hexes have always been an interesting temptation, though I think that were I to ever go that route I would have quite large hexes, perhaps as big as 8 inches or even 1 foot across, along with some larger pieces which are multihex (3x in one, 5x in one, etc.).

Judging by the paint cans behind them, it seems your hexes are a fairly good size though, certainly.
Title: Re: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: Stark2004 on November 14, 2018, 03:16:52 AM
@Operator5 take about 4-5 hours depending on the print for a single been printing in batches of four when chance arises. 5% infill with support as you can’t see but there is an under cut in each hex to help snap in. Support ensures the shape is level and everything snaps snuggly.

@FramFranson dimensions are about 4” point to pint, very close to 105mm if I recal. I selected his dimension to be able to get the height. Right now I get roughly 1.25” per hex. When I looked at 8” it became kind of unwieldy at 28mm scale to get significant height with out too many different geometric configurations.  I have some that will rise two high “units” high (~2.5” in the same footprint.  I am still sculpting to send of my guy who digitized them for me.  I will tell you it has been a long process getting dimensions and geometry to work out! The double rises  are a ways out though. Want to get all my single level rises done digitized printed and painted first!

Will be experimenting this weekend on filling prints with:
A) two coats lodge lodge
B) xtc-3d
C) rustoleum gap filling primer
D) this satin / color spray paint combo I found on internet.

Going to see which works best then paint up some mock up color schemes.


Title: Re: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: Stark2004 on December 30, 2018, 03:38:48 AM
Ok an update! 5 month olds put a damper on hobby time!

Finished up a tree stump insert! The tolerances are perfect for snap fit too coming off the printer.
(https://i.imgur.com/fERvfN1.jpg)

Sorry upside down?!

I set drilled a hole in the stump for a tree insert and then did a test piece in snow theme. Trying to decide what to paint a set of hills as.

Next steps are finish a rock insert and a flat insert, then make one more component that supports having two hills be able to snap fit together for more options.

(https://i.imgur.com/Aybk2uP.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/tRcb1H0.jpg)
Title: Re: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: Operator5 on December 30, 2018, 03:46:28 AM
These are fantastic. I love the tree insert.
Title: Re: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: beefcake on December 30, 2018, 04:09:15 AM
Those are great. I love it!
Title: Re: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: Stark2004 on December 30, 2018, 05:24:23 AM
Printer was productive today and i was able to print several of my first “rock/boulder” inserts.
(https://i.imgur.com/AT3ZmJO.jpg) the piece is only 30mm across but has over a 100k mesh triangles and clean up took a little longer than I planned.

I want to share a Couple of picture that show what the pieces look like with full inserts and also illustrate how the components are modular.

Here is first picture of three hills w/ inserts, same as previous posts. Ruler on right hand side extreme of image is 24” long.

(https://i.imgur.com/v8hlyn5.jpg)

Here is picture with pieces combined.

(https://i.imgur.com/hBRFnrR.jpg)

Same two shots from another angle, ruler for size clearer:

(https://i.imgur.com/oF3rShG.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/aiEPKQc.jpg)

Next up is previously mentioned component to allow me to combined pieces in concave between hexes.
Title: Re: Fantasy Terrain Project
Post by: Stark2004 on March 11, 2019, 01:50:07 AM
Found some time to prime and paint. First hill all donenuo except for matte finish.

Rock only inserts
(https://i.imgur.com/xX1vS2v.jpg)


Tree stump inserts with some hobby trees
(https://i.imgur.com/zGuYT4U.jpg)

Another angle
(https://i.imgur.com/m1pLEjW.jpg)