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Post by Mofo on Sept 21, 2012 13:24:40 GMT -7
I've been teaching myself 3D modelling, so I can print out masters using a 3D printer, rather than work everything by hand. Digital is the future.  Nice bonus being, it should be easier to perfect the symmetry (tough to do with hand-worked parts) and fit. It's incredibly frustrating, and way, way more difficult than I'd expected - I've used Illustrator a lot, and played with Sketchup a fair bit as well, but this is just completely different. You can't just grab stuff, move it around, re-arrange or re-orient it, which means it all takes way more thought. But I'm starting to get the hang of a few basics, and the struggles make it even more satisfying when you finally end up with a useable result. Hopefully you'll be seeing these in the not-too-distant future. Attachments:
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Post by Mofo on Sept 21, 2012 13:25:22 GMT -7
And a diorama-ready drop tank: Attachments:
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Post by Cap'n Wannabe on Sept 21, 2012 14:38:48 GMT -7
What software are you using?
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Post by davefleming on Sept 21, 2012 14:58:06 GMT -7
Mk 77 firebombs in 1/72 would be nice......
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Post by Mofo on Sept 21, 2012 16:51:05 GMT -7
Mk 77 firebombs in 1/72 would be nice...... There's already a few of them out there. Spectre Resins (bottom of page) www.millcreekconsultants.com/SR-W1.htmlAlso, the True Details 1/48 MK.77s are actually 1/72. And AiRes does a very nice set in (actual) 1/48 scale. Oh, and I'm using Solidworks. |
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Post by Cap'n Wannabe on Sept 21, 2012 18:55:07 GMT -7
Oh, and I'm using Solidworks. It's too late for you then....you've already gone to the dark side! I'm an Inventor user/trainer/tech support type - they're essentially the same type of package, so if you have any difficulties, feel free to drop me a line. |
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Post by davefleming on Sept 22, 2012 4:18:57 GMT -7
Mk 77 firebombs in 1/72 would be nice...... There's already a few of them out there. Spectre Resins (bottom of page) www.millcreekconsultants.com/SR-W1.htmlAlso, the True Details 1/48 MK.77s are actually 1/72. And AiRes does a very nice set in (actual) 1/48 scale. Ta Mike, hadn't realsied these wre out there - my next AV-8A may be less naked! |
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Post by Mofo on Sept 29, 2012 15:20:57 GMT -7
Grrrr!!!! EXPLETIVE! Spent some time over the last couple of days re-drawing some items, better suited for printing. Went... okay. Tried working on the tread for some tyres and... crash. At which point I realized, gee, it's been a loooong time since I've saved my progress.  Spent some MORE time re-re-drawing to get back to where I'd started. Then worked on the tread. Massive, time-sucking series of failures and frustrations. Go back. RE-re-re-draw a few items to hopefully make it work better with the "wrap" feature that lets you emboss shapes around items. Try AGAIN with the tread. More failures. A few clues. Eventually figure things out. Re-draw the basic tread pattern, and make the whole thing (mostly) work. It's not perfect. It's not even "done" (I know I've got to refine the sidewall contours, probably the overall dimensions too, but I can make those edits fairly easily). But it IS to a point where I can show it off. And come in off the ledge... Oh, and stikman... is there a simple, straightforward way to shift entire bodies (or multiple bodies) around? Right now, the only option I can see is to manipulate individual sketches, which is a pain in the ass, especially when when you've got multiple features layered on those sketches. Hence my re-drawing stuff - it seems easier to just start over from scratch than to move a sketch, break everything related to it, try to fix things, have to re-draw/re-make some, etc. etc. Attachments:
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Post by Cap'n Wannabe on Sept 29, 2012 20:29:23 GMT -7
Mofo,
When you say entire bodies, do you mean moving the rim away from (or closer to) the tyre? As in assembling the bits together? Is the picture you've posted a single part file? That being the case, you have a couple of options..
1. Model the rim as a single part, and the tyre as another part, and assemble them in an assembly file, or,
2. Use the mutlibody functionality to create the rim as one solid within the part, and the tyre as another solid within the same file. While not knowing exactly how this works in SW, I would imagine it'd be very similar to Inventor....and I am starting to play with SW now..
If this isn't the case, can you give a bit mor info?
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Post by Mofo on Oct 1, 2012 16:22:19 GMT -7
More along the lines of shifting the rims closer to the tyre, to take up less space on the print tray. And yes, it's a single part file, rather than an assembly file.
Better example would be this bomb dispenser, which I've just finished, and is, I *think*, ready to send out to print. Originally, I had the end pieces rather sloppily arranged - big gaps between them, etc. I wanted to have the taller ones next to the dispenser's centre section, to (hopefully) make the unit a little more robust. As-is, moving them wasn't too bad, since they're simple, revolved sketches. Each one is a single sketch, and a single feature, so it wasn't a big deal to edit each sketch and drag it where I wanted it to be. The dispenser's centre section, though, involves a dozen sketches and associated features, so if I wanted to move IT (maybe rotate it to horizontal, for instance), is there any way to move *everything* all at once, and in relation to each other? Or would I have to shift each individual sketch, restoring all the alignment/relations in the new location.
I guess I've got to explore the multibody functionality. And play with assembly files... though most of the print services want STL files, and it looks like Solidworks splits out each individual "part" in an assembly file into its own STL... which defeats the entire purpose of putting it in an assembly file to begin with!
(basically, I guess, I've got a looooooong way to go to learn what I'm doing.)
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Post by Mofo on Oct 1, 2012 16:23:04 GMT -7
Balls... you can't attach from the quick reply.  Attachments:
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Post by Cap'n Wannabe on Oct 2, 2012 5:56:53 GMT -7
Ok, that makes sense. For what you're doing, I'd look at creating an assembly file of all the parts, so you can position them easily with respect to one another, then create a derived part from the final assembly. That'll give you all the geometry for all the different parts in a single file, which you can then export to whatever format you need for your 3D printer. Have a look here: help.solidworks.com/2012/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/Derived_Parts.htmAlso check youtube for video tutorials.. |
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Nice bonus being, it should be easier to perfect the symmetry (tough to do with hand-worked parts) and fit.
