FDM PLA 3D printing - with a model making inclination

[Dave Ward]

I have to say I'm quite happy with the Guy armourd car..............


Still a few bits to clean up, but pretty good ( even the tyres have lats on them )

The Valentine bridgelayer parts are just about finished, but I have one problem part.....................

I've printed it in four orientations so far - and all have one ( or more ) problems. with supports, or poor definition.. It's just a matter of finding the right angle! I may have to cut into pieces, but that would be admitting defeat :unamused:
Dave

[stillp]

I have to say I'm quite happy with the Guy armourd car..............

And so you should be!
Pete

[Dave Ward]

After an another overnight print.................
I had to slice this model down the middle, so the track detail will print at a best orientation - the diagonal structures are the support material, which should remove easily ( ! ) The mating faces will need grinding/sanding to give the best fit with the other side.
I've been tweaking printer setting a bit, dropping the temperatures slightly to decrease the amount of stringing - it's resulted in one of the cleanest prints so far.....................
Blown up from 1/56 to 1/35 This is half of the hull for the Birch Gun, an 18pdr mounted on a Vickers Medium Mk.II chassis, it was the first proper self propelled gun & this in 1925! Sadly it was never developed further, as the British Army didn't see the need for such a weapon & was finally scrapped in 1931.
Dave

[Jim R]

You really are getting the hang of this 3D printing malarkey. Look how far you've come in a relatively short time. That armoured car looks excellent.

[langy71]

Crikey Dave, you're taking to this printing lark like a duck to water..(or orange sauce)... nice prints buddy..

[Dave Ward]

Printed the other half of the hull overnight - just under 14 hours!
I hadn't altered any settings, so the prints are the same quality.
I hadn't noticed that the tracks are nicely detailed

The rivets look a little overscale, but a coat of primer & topcoat should help with that. I have a couple of hours work removing all the support material.
I've printed & partly cleaned up the 18 pdr
I'm not sure why the Birch Gun has taken my fancy, but it has, and I'm hoping all the work is going to be worth it
Dave

[Neil Merryweather]

It's all looking be tidy nowadays, Dave. You're consistently nailing them now

[Dave Ward]

It's all looking be tidy nowadays, Dave. You're consistently nailing them now

Ah, but I don't post all the mistakes! Today, I found that I had printed part of the Valentine Bridgelayer at a weird scale. Instead of blowing up the 1/56 model by 160% to give 1/35 - I'd blown it up by 286% ( ratio of 1/100 to 1/35 ) giving an odd scale of around 1/19! I'm amazed it hasn't happened before, I'm pretty careful about scaling things.
I've been thinking that the first model files I purchased was the Matilda I in April - I've learnt a lot since then, so I might print it again, so I can see if I get a much better, cleaner, detailed print that doesn't need as much clean up
Dave

[Jim R]

Neil's right Dave, your prints are getting very neat and tidy.

[Dave Ward]

The removal of supports on the Birch Gun was painless, and I'm pretty happy with the results.


Obligatory 17ml paint pot for scale. Just Blu-tacked together. The mating faces need sanding flat to get the best fit, but that doesn't look that bad!.
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Not sure about this, now - bought from 3DWargamng for 12Euros............ It is in 1/35 & it looks to have a lot of parts!

Gun Carrier Mark.I The model I have has a smaller ( ! ) short barreled howitzer.........................
Dave

[Neil Merryweather]

Now that looks like fun!

[outrunner]

Dave, your printing is getting ever better and you are turning out some great stuff, next thing you know you will be selling your stash of plastic models!
Andy.

[Dave Ward]

Now that looks like fun!

It's quite big - 260mm long in 1/35, but it's split into several build plate friendly parts
Dave

[JR]

You've got the bit between you teeth now, there's no stopping you.
Your previous engineering skills have really supported you in this Dave . Full of admiration.