[3D printers] Are we going to be seeing a whole lot more fan projects in a few years?

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Denyer
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[3D printers] Are we going to be seeing a whole lot more fan projects in a few years?

Post by Denyer »

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/makerbot/
http://www.makerbot.com/
http://www.switched.com/2009/07/10/affo ... gners-app/

It's getting considerably easier to turn 3D design into 3D object. Didn't read around long enough to work out whether 'maker' was a Transmet reference, and the 'resolution' is fairly imprecise at this stage... but bear in mind not that long ago the tech would still have cost tens or hundreds of thousands...
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

I doubt it, honestly. The technology may get cheaper, but the knowledge or simple determination to see a project through doesn't necessarily come with it.
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Savannahtron
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Post by Savannahtron »

I have a few designs for some transforming type toys. I would love to be able to see them as actual figures. I'm going to have to look into this...:)
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Sades
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Post by Sades »

That is pretty awesome. I have to agree with Clay though, I know a ton of people (myself included) who would love to have that sort of thing, and might even use it once or twice but get distracted by shiny objects far too easily to make anything out of it.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Still, though, perhaps those with motivation will semi-mass produce and sell stuff to the rest of us - TBH this is how I read Denyer's posts; a lot more fan-made accessory sets like the Fansproject stuff with small production runs; not necessarily many more people kitting out their toys with their own custom adornments. They can start with Ratchet's machine-gun and a little radar array for Legends Wheelie.
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Post by Treadshot A1 »

I don't think it's that much of a stretch, heck, i've already designed and 3d printed my own transforming robot toy. It just didn't work due to incorrect tolerances and stuff, but you get the idea.
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Cliffjumper wrote:Still, though, perhaps those with motivation will semi-mass produce and sell stuff to the rest of us - TBH this is how I read Denyer's posts; a lot more fan-made accessory sets like the Fansproject stuff with small production runs;
Yeah... I mean, years ago something like this would've been a one-off custom. Now it isn't too expensive to get a short production run together.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Well, obviously there's a downside to this sort of thing...

It might just have been me not paying attention, but I'm pretty sure I remember this sort of thing being Transrepro and, like, no-one else for years.

Better hands for ROTF Leader Prime would be nice as well.
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Post by Denyer »

The future didn't take long to arrive...

Image Image

http://www.shapeways.com/shops/nevergrowingup

Okay, the quality's not perfect yet and they're paint-your-own, but with places such as Shapeways springing up it's within the reach of the average Joe to make their own stuff now, and the range of materials they offer is pretty good as well.
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Post by Denyer »

Of course, there are pro outfits arriving too...

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/26119/ ... Japan.html
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Cliffjumper wrote:It might just have been me not paying attention, but I'm pretty sure I remember this sort of thing being Transrepro and, like, no-one else for years.

Better hands for ROTF Leader Prime would be nice as well.
3D printing (one of the things Shapeways does) is different than making casts of a mold (which is what Transrepro did).

Ask and ye shall receive. Fakebuster posts at the Radicon custom forum on TFW, and I found him from there. Have had the hands for the big Starscream for about a month now, and they're ace. Will post some pictures sometime.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

I meant more doing TF parts full-stop rather than by method - more a general observation on how much widespread customisation on both an individual and mass-produced level has really exploded over the past five-ten years. Customising figures full-stop, let alone designing and (by whatever means) making parts, used to be the preserve of the absolute nutters.

Love those hands - really wouldn't fancy my chances of getting Op's forearms back together without buggering his slicers up, though.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Denyer wrote:Yeah... I mean, years ago something like this would've been a one-off custom. Now it isn't too expensive to get a short production run together.
That's amazingly rubbish. I thought a large part of the unofficial stuff was to fill niche fan wants Hastak weren't doing, who on Earth has ever thought "I'd like a Headmaster version of Old Snake that doesn't look in any way shape or form like him. Yeah, that'd be awesome".
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Post by Clay »

Cliffjumper wrote:Love those hands - really wouldn't fancy my chances of getting Op's forearms back together without buggering his slicers up, though.
Have ordered a set. Will let you know how it goes. :)

Replacing the swords isn't bad, though. I took them off to paint them once. At max, you need a set of tweezers to reset the springs if your thumbnails aren't long enough.
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Sades
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Post by Sades »

That's... some kind of fantastic.

Are the hands going to run into the problem of having a "texture" to them, though?
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Post by Cliffjumper »

inflatable dalek wrote:That's amazingly rubbish. I thought a large part of the unofficial stuff was to fill niche fan wants Hastak weren't doing, who on Earth has ever thought "I'd like a Headmaster version of Old Snake that doesn't look in any way shape or form like him. Yeah, that'd be awesome".
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Takara in exercising some quality control and not making something that looks a bit crap shock.
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Post by Clay »

Sades wrote:That's... some kind of fantastic.

Are the hands going to run into the problem of having a "texture" to them, though?
Depends on the material you order it in. More detail means more brittle, generally. It's nothing bad, though.

Got my Prime hands today. Am currently dying them before painting and assembling them. Tomorrow, pictures!
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Lost the USB cable for the camera and had to buy a new one. Grr...

Got my hands about a week ago. Ordered in Strong White Flexible. Here they are painted - (click pictures to embiggen)

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They can still hold the Buster rifle correctly as well as the 5mm peg weapons.

Image

Oh, and here's how to position the hands for transformation -

Image
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Great job, FB! :)
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Post by Denyer »

http://your.asda.com/news-and-blogs/cre ... ng-at-asda

Wonder if they'll provide the CAD models as an optional extra?
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