3d printing

[fusilierdan]

I saw this article and found it ineresting.
http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/10-objects-that-prove-3d-printing-will-change-the-world-20121231/
 
How do you think this will affect the hobby? How far off before it's affordable for home use?

I see lace war uniforms becoming more accurate. Time spent painting will be reduced for larger armies.

[Cherno]

This topic has been discussed several times in the past here and on TMP, so if you would like to read more opinions, feel free to check

I think it's impact on the miniature hobby will be fairly small; at least in regards to what customers will be able to do. As of now, there's already a number of manufactureres that use 3D printing for their masters. Us normal fellows however typically don't have the neccessary 3d modeling skills or refuse to pay the price a single, say, 28mm miniature costs, especially if the resolution is still not good enough to make the tiny stair effect disappear. We might see costs going down and resolution going up, but I doubt we will ever see the massed use of 3d prinint machines to produce larger numbers of miniatures. It's just not what the technology was designed for. Single custom masters yes, but not a replacement for traditional mass-producing methids like spin casting and injection molding.

[6milPhil]

I take a more futuristic utopian view, I imagine one day you'll be able to buy your miniature from a web site and print it out on your personal 3D printer.

On the sculpting side I remain snobbish, I'd much rather buy a miniature hand sculpted at the same size, than four-ups or CAD built.

[OSHIROmodels]

On the sculpting side I remain snobbish, I'd much rather buy a miniature hand sculpted at the same size, than four-ups or CAD built.

This for the most part.

Any fool can turn on a machine and press print

cheers

James

[6milPhil]

This for the most part.
Any fool can turn on a machine and press print

See I'd be happy with a hand sculpt scanned in and 3D printed.

There's also another interesting possibility which is having them printed coloured so painting wouldn't be neccessary, which for many would be ideal.

[carlos marighela]

"On the sculpting side I remain snobbish, I'd much rather buy a miniature hand sculpted at the same size, than four-ups or CAD built."

So you both turn your noses up at the Perry twins work then?

[OSHIROmodels]

I said for the most part, I certainly don't turn my nose up at the Perry plastics because they have a real skill (and I've certainly bought enough over the years  ).

My main concern is that any Tom, Dick or Harry can come along and 'claim' to be a sculptor. There is becoming a serious downfall in the lack of the basic skill sets (not just for sculpting) and this type of technology, although useful, is helping this to happen at a quicker rate.

My other concern is the 'quick' demand that it causes. I see this all the time in my industry, things get wanted on a faster and faster time frame and the quality is reduced somewhat because of it.

Sculpting is a real skill and you have to have a knack to be able to do it properly and as I mentioned before, the skill base is being reduced 

cheers

James

[Old Goat]

3 Years give or take, normal time it takes for a 'popular' technology to transfer to the home market at a price point that is 'reasonable' enough to make it a commodity.  Oh and it'll still be flakey as hell and the consumables will still be hellishly expensive (think home printers).

My twopenneth would be this, from what I've seen so far it's a great technology with a wealth of uses, will it ever replace gentlemen farting around with green stuff, beautifully sculpting?  No of course it won't there will ever be a place for the artisan (music on Vinyl goes through this every five years) however you will see more of it.  One will have the choice between the more traditionally produced product and one produced using the new technology (Metal Vs. Plastic minis anyone?).  It's an evolution, not a revolution, and it'll be driven by the coming generation of gamers, speed of new products release as Jim says and finally money. 

Best as always, Old Goat.

[6milPhil]

So you both turn your noses up at the Perry twins work then?

Who?

[Omac 247]

Ummmm, just a small note, but none of the Perry Plastics produced at Renedra have ever been done in CAD.

Of course there GW stuff is another cup of Rosie...

[Dewbakuk]

Ummmm, just a small note, but none of the Perry Plastics produced at Renedra have ever been done in CAD.

Of course there GW stuff is another cup of Rosie...

No but they were done as 3ups which were mentioned in the same point, about 2 years ago...

[carlos marighela]

Ummmm, just a small note, but none of the Perry Plastics produced at Renedra have ever been done in CAD.

Of course there GW stuff is another cup of Rosie...

They are all based on three ups. Not sure what the issue with a three up is, it's still a sculpt, made by human hand.

If you go back far enough, they were making 90mm figures and half size(?) busts out of plasticine and banana oil back in the 1970s.  I have/had an old copy of Military Modelling showing a very youthful Alan or Michael being commended at some show for a large scale British paratrooper. There was even an article on the (then) child prodigies of the sculpting world.

[redzed]

They are all based on three ups. Not sure what the issue with a three up is, it's still a sculpt, made by human hand.

If you go back far enough, they were making 90mm figures and half size(?) busts out of plasticine and banana oil back in the 1970s.  I have/had an old copy of Military Modelling showing a very youthful Alan or Michael being commended at some show for a large scale British paratrooper. There was even an article on the (then) child prodigies of the sculpting world.

sorry for raising the dead but..  does anyone have the magazine/article mentioned?

cheers

[carlos marighela]

I can look.

[The Dozing Dragon]

sorry for raising the dead but..  does anyone have the magazine/article mentioned?

cheers

Ditto on that please.