3d printers for minis and terrain.

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Has anyone got one? Has anyone used one and seen the quality?
I feel like I would be comfortable selling some of my mini heavy games to pay for one if the quality was good enough.
 
I'm a ' bit shocked. I figured someone here would have a 3d printer or experience with one.
 
I'm a ' bit shocked. I figured someone here would have a 3d printer or experience with one.

I actually worked at a job a while back using industrial 3d printers
 
I have not been able to justify it for myself. I have a fair chunk of Hirst Arts molds, and maybe if I sell them, I’ll get one. But there is already a lot out there for 3d terrain. The OpenLock stuff on thingaverse looks pretty nice, especially the ones for slots for magnets.
 
Cost delta is too high for me. Consumer level 3d printers are still wonky; 24 hours of grinding away for about 12 square inches of Dwarven-forge like terrain, except very low resolution, at $400 for the printer and then the ABS, is still a bridge too far. Miniatures are out of the question: even the $25 HeroForge charges for their figures is too high, IMO, given the degree of grainyness.
 
I use the Monoprice MP Select Mini that I bought almost 2 years ago. It does a good job, but I understand that you can find some newer ones with slightly better resolution.

Any 3D printer that uses filament will leave striations on the print. The better the resolution, the closer together they are, but they will still be visible. You have to go to much more expensive ones that don't use filament to get past that. Have said that, though, you can sand the striations or even melt them down a little (using a solvent). Once you get the paint on they aren't too noticeable.

It is harder to get a detailed print of something like a regular human figure mini than something like terrain or a monster, but a lot depends on how detailed you really need it to be. I would suggest finding another gamer in your area who does 3D prints and asking to see some of the things (s)he has done. That will give you a better idea of things.
 
You are better off getting or making a 3d file. Then contacting a place like Shapeways to do the printing for you.

That way, you will not have to fool with any equipment on your end.
 
Ordered a creatly ender 3. Should get it in two weeks or so. I'll let you know how it goes. Current price for them is $199 shipped no tax.
 
Has anyone got one? Has anyone used one and seen the quality?
I feel like I would be comfortable selling some of my mini heavy games to pay for one if the quality was good enough.

Paints well, although mold lines (term?) still show. I had a friend printed up the Green Devil Face from Tomb of Horrors. He gave me two of the same model, one was a bit crude in the details and the older using a better plastic capable of finer resolution was very good. Still can see faint ridges of creation process up close. But from a distance look just as good as anything from my Hirst Art Mold. And it painted with acrylics just fine.
 
Ordered a creatly ender 3. Should get it in two weeks or so. I'll let you know how it goes. Current price for them is $199 shipped no tax.
Looking forward to your experiences with the printer.
 
I'm hoping to start writing a series of threads dealing with my experiences attempting things I'm only know about in theory.

First will be the titled The Incompetent Experience - Woodworking!
 
3D printers are getting good, what about 3D scanners?
Last time I checked a scanner that could scan a mini good enough was several thousand.
 
3D printers are getting good, what about 3D scanners?
Last time I checked a scanner that could scan a mini good enough was several thousand.
I picked up a Kinect for PCs at a thrift store. I need to buy a supported usb3 card and I'll see if I can scan with it.
 
They have scanner apps for your phone now. Take like 50 pictures of the thing and it apparently works alright. I’ve not tried, but am looking forward to giving it a go. Friend was looking for an over under break action small gauge shotgun for trap shooting and will take it off my hands. As he gets the benefit of the 3d printer for gaming too, everyone wins a lot
 
My Ender 3 arrived. It took about three to four hours to build, level, software installed and print the test dog. That went well so I moved on to an orc from drivethrurpg I picked up for free a year plus back. First print started getting wierd strings so I stopped it and reprinted with supports. Looked friggin hoooorrible with all the support crap around it. Tried again no support. Looked ok but a hand misprinted and wierd strings were in several places.

Went back to the horrible support laden fig and started breaking off supports. Other than some breaks due to low infill looked pretty damn good

Currently printing the altar from fat dragon dragonlock series.


If this keeps going well I may sell a number of board games I've kept for the minis. Honestly could pay for the printer pretty quickly
 
Yea, if you like terrain, it really alters the playing field, both literally and figuratively
 
That altar has me looking at 3D printers now. Thanks Bunch :smile:
 
That altar has me looking at 3D printers now. Thanks Bunch :smile:
The altar was easy to print. Miniatures are taking much more tuning. I'll upload my Cura profile for printing miniatures so anyone else can hopefully reduce their learning curve.

A caveat though. Apparently the settings need to be adjusted for each spool of material. I haven't gone through a roll yet so I can't tell how true that is.
 
I can see that the altar would be more straightforward than humanoid figures, but I'm still blown away by the level of detail.

Antenociti's Workshop have announced that they're putting their line of vehicles out as STL files in a pre-Christmas Kickstarter, so I'm more than interested right now.
 
I can see that the altar would be more straightforward than humanoid figures, but I'm still blown away by the level of detail.

Antenociti's Workshop have announced that they're putting their line of vehicles out as STL files in a pre-Christmas Kickstarter, so I'm more than interested right now.
Yes the detail is higher than I thought it would be. For a printer that can be bought and shipped for less than $200 im very impressed.
 
Cost delta is too high for me. Consumer level 3d printers are still wonky; 24 hours of grinding away for about 12 square inches of Dwarven-forge like terrain, except very low resolution, at $400 for the printer and then the ABS, is still a bridge too far. Miniatures are out of the question: even the $25 HeroForge charges for their figures is too high, IMO, given the degree of grainyness.
The time is quicker than you're budgeting and resolution is better than you think. I think with a little more work illI get minis on par with what I'd get from any of the D&D adventure system games and maybe up to the level I see from a coolminiornot game.
 
Been drooling over the AnyCubic Photon. It's a resin printer, so no print lines and you can print multiples of the model in the same time. Quality looks amazing.

A little more than twice the price of the Creality Ender. Printing looks much lrsl fiddly than filament printers, although you'll need to finish/cure the resin with isopropyl alcohol and a UV light source (a nail light will do).
 
Been drooling over the AnyCubic Photon. It's a resin printer, so no print lines and you can print multiples of the model in the same time. Quality looks amazing.

A little more than twice the price of the Creality Ender. Printing looks much lrsl fiddly than filament printers, although you'll need to finish/cure the resin with isopropyl alcohol and a UV light source (a nail light will do).
You should get that and tell me how it goes!
 
I take back what I said about the price delta. Now very seriously considering the AnyCubic or the Creality Ender once I get finances well in order in the coming year (that's the big, BIG hurdle...)
 
Be prepared to pay in time for accuracy. Join your printers Facebook group. They have starter profiles and expertise to drop the time it takes to get your printer tuned in.
 
You should get that and tell me how it goes!

Very much in the prep stage, and I have a tooth, my daughters' driving insurance and an 18th birthday party to pay for before Christmas, but that is my plan for 2019.
 
I take back what I said about the price delta. Now very seriously considering the AnyCubic or the Creality Ender once I get finances well in order in the coming year (that's the big, BIG hurdle...)

I think I worked out that the AnyCubic can print 80 x 28mm minis from a litre of resin (that's about £40) , and you can squeeze them into about 20-40 hours' printing time. For the same price and in the same time, you can get 80 Perry plastic minis delivered to you.

Perry minis have convenience and no initial outlay; the printer has vast flexibility.
 
Don't forget to get detailed minis you might need to pay for the design files too. Most free minis are on the lower detail level.
 
Hmm not ready to buy a printer that requires gloves, mask and ethanol to use just yet.
 
Don't forget to get detailed minis you might need to pay for the design files too. Most free minis are on the lower detail level.

A good point :smile:

Hmm not ready to buy a printer that requires gloves, mask and ethanol to use just yet.

Already use mask and gloves for airbrushing, and a mask for sanding resin. You clearly just need more Scotch in your life :thumbsup:
 
A good point :smile:



Already use mask and gloves for airbrushing, and a mask for sanding resin. You clearly just need more Scotch in your life :thumbsup:
I need less suicidal little boys in my life. Four kids under six. One can semi reliably be counted on to not try something lethal in a day.
 
Yeah, maybe go easy on the toxic resin and raw alcohol for a couple of years...
 
I'm in a hobby machining group and one of the guys just got a 3D printer for around $250. I've been wanting one of these for a few years but the quality wasn't there and the prices high. I'm very interested to see how his machine does, I think he also bought one of the Ender machines.

Steep learning curve but you can get a free hobbyist license for Fusion 360. The only restriction being you have to upgrade to a full license if you make more than $100,000 from its use...

https://www.autodesk.com/campaigns/fusion-360-for-hobbyists
 
Odd side note. My 3d printer is killing my desire to get new board games.
 
3D printers are getting good, what about 3D scanners?
Last time I checked a scanner that could scan a mini good enough was several thousand.
Apparently you don't 3d scan miniatures you use photogrammetry. You lose details but seems to work. Haven't tried it yet but I will
 
I'm in a hobby machining group and one of the guys just got a 3D printer for around $250. I've been wanting one of these for a few years but the quality wasn't there and the prices high. I'm very interested to see how his machine does, I think he also bought one of the Ender machines.

What was the other one he bought?
 
Go talk to Tom Tullis and Jolly Blackburn. They do a ton of 3d printing for gaming and both are on Facebook.
 
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