Shriken is PRINTing 3D stuff: mordheim, 40k and more (with lots of pics)

[Pierric]

Well, it looks like I wasn't clear. Despite my age, I do believe in 3D-printing as one major technical solution for tomorrow. In a ten years time, probaby a lot of the middle-class housings will have a 3D printer at home, like having a laser printer is common today.

But when you business model is based on selling plastic injected stuff with a 450% margin, what is your interest to sell the STL files of said kits that will allow everyone to print them at home, and bypass your main source of income ? GW doesn't make money on selling you rulebooks or paints, but on selling you for 150$ a kit they bought 15$ from a chinese subcontractor. By selling their STL files, and given the price of such files, how many would they have to sell to just get back the salaries/materials/soft licences spent during the design phase ? How many would they have to sell to make profits equivalent to those made from selling plastic kits ?

GW is a company that relies on selling miniatures and kits. All their games/rules/publishing activity is oriented to have customers being addicted to their fluff and buy a lot of their kits at a "premium" price. By giving people the mean to home print their minis and kits, they would simply put themselves out of business.

And free STL files are already everywhere on the web.

That's why I already stated in a post that the coming years are going to be very interesting. This company has to re-invent itself or just disappear.

 

[Vertico]

Well, it looks like I wasn't clear. Despite my age, I do believe in 3D-printing as one major technical solution for tomorrow. In a ten years time, probaby a lot of the middle-class housings will have a 3D printer at home, like having a laser printer is common today.

But when you business model is based on selling plastic injected stuff with a 450% margin, what is your interest to sell the STL files of said kits that will allow everyone to print them at home, and bypass your main source of income ? GW doesn't make money on selling you rulebooks or paints, but on selling you for 150$ a kit they bought 15$ from a chinese subcontractor. By selling their STL files, and given the price of such files, how many would they have to sell to just get back the salaries/materials/soft licences spent during the design phase ? How many would they have to sell to make profits equivalent to those made from selling plastic kits ?

GW is a company that relies on selling miniatures and kits. All their games/rules/publishing activity is oriented to have customers being addicted to their fluff and buy a lot of their kits at a "premium" price. By giving people the mean to home print their minis and kits, they would simply put themselves out of business.

And free STL files are already everywhere on the web.

That's why I already stated in a post that the coming years are going to be very interesting. This company has to re-invent itself or just disappear.

I agree. If this trend is of 3d-printing is pushing forward they have to reinvent themselves. Premium designs for a premium price is a businessmodel aswell. And it will probaly still be cheaper then buying their mini's directly.

 

[cainex1]

Would anyone think GW will offer STL's in the future?
I see the quality of some other designers and it is amazing. If they offer a file for a few euro I'll be happy to buy it.
Also, the quality of free STL's can be very good.

If I'm completely honest, not exactly.. I see them putting out maybe some bits or objective markers but not the big stuff.

 

[Vertico]

If I'm completely honest, not exactly.. I see them putting out maybe some bits or objective markers but not the big stuff.

Would be great aswell to support the kitbashers. As soon as I have a printer I would certainly splash cash on good bits

 

[Troubled Child]

If they were smart they'd start setting up printers in store and training staff to use them. Anything they don't see a mass market for could be print on demand. They'd make a killing on custom marine shoulder pads alone.

 

[cainex1]

Also... expect holograms on GW boxes in the not-to

If they were smart they'd start setting up printers in store and training staff to use them. Anything they don't see a mass market for could be print on demand. They'd make a killing on custom marine shoulder pads alone.

This right here. They could drive all the Shapeways stuff out of business by providing a better or cheaper product.

 

[Kommissar Shriken]

hey guy's

here's a update... the coronus is finished... i can't wait to paint this monster!

also my "real" gw custodes arrived: i have now a box with allarus terminators and custodian guardians... how says mr. burns: EXCELLENT !

 

[Aulenback]

I'll tag this in here. I promised earlier in the thread to note my experiences as well. Using PLA, Ultimaker 2+e, 0.06mm, 10-20%infill. A couple of recent prints.

GorkaMorka bases by Bryan Price:

Arcade Gamer Cabinets by Stuart Nicholson, and Vim soda vending machine by Joe Jarmarkier:

All came out beautifully. Layers are minimally visible, and they should paint up well. The bases of course are extra easy, and will be put to use with my rebel grots, because they work and look better still than converting or sculpting approximations. I will start an extra Thingiverse collection of just bases, I think. They take only a short while to print, need little to no supports [so the print is quite clean], and themed and sculpted bases can be quite a nice accent piece [BSF, Necromunda, Space Hulk].

Anyhow, back to your regular programming.

 

[cainex1]

The layers on the cabinets actually look pretty cool, I would apply a light sand to the screen to make it actually smooth but leave the rest. It almost has the look of old speaker mesh.

 

[Kommissar Shriken]

looks fantastic!

0.06 layerhigh makes a big difference. too bad, my printer can't print under 0,1

 

[Kommissar Shriken]

sorry for this "double"-post but i want to share you this pic in both threads...

because this bases are printed... i just want you to know how fantastic opportunities you have with a 3D printer.


two fantastic designers made this bases and you can download them for free. they are absolutely fantastic!

heres a link to the guy who made thos fantastic herobases (base with stairs and statue)

The 3D models of michalmrozplsl ・ Cults

Discover 3D printed models of the Cults community member. Download the best 3D printable file for 3D printing. Find free 3D models for your 3D printer. Designers publish 3D designs in OBJ or STL.

cults3d.com

 

[Aulenback]

There are quite a few excellent bases hosted on Thingiverse as well. And bases don't take a lot of time, or a lot of filament.

GorkaMorka bases. Blackstone Fortress bases. Necromunda bases.

Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects

Download files and build them with your 3D printer, laser cutter, or CNC.

www.thingiverse.com

Edit:

Spoiler

Among the bases in that collection, I have printed the GorkaMorka bases, and will vouch that they are excellent reproductions of the originals - they are being put to use for my grots, for which they remain an excellent base size; I will be printing the triangle-surfaced BSF bases, as those will do an even better job for BSF minis than my current "decoupage down a scanned image from the board" method; and I plan to use a scaled copy of the "Alpha Squad" plates on my Alpha Legion SW:A kill team, because everyone is Alpharius. The "convert 25mm to 32mm bases" pieces also might be of interest to those who play these various games competitively rather than narratively, for temporarily up-sizing 1995 decorative bases to fit 2020 scaling, without completely and permanently altering their completed basing.

 

[Kommissar Shriken]

so because the custodes guard is finished, here comes the next project... pallas ...

you know why i post this in the "3d printing thread"

what do you think?

 

[cainex1]

Looking pretty clean.

 

[Aulenback]

Another point for printing models is how they are split "on the sprue" [onto the print bed].

For example, printing a Big Lugga as an "assembled" model has a lot more supports and internal complexity than if it is broken into sections for assembly.

Spoiler

And this can also reduce visible layer lines, by choosing which facing of each piece will have layers, and the layer lines' orientation.

 

[MusingWarboss]

If only GW could do something like HeroForge’s Designer for Necromunda gangs. Even if they print in-house and post it to you.

 

[Kommissar Shriken]

here's a update of the pallas. there are still some printfails visible, after adding some scratches and war-damage and dirt i thin it will look good.

 

[RonBSM]

There are quite a few excellent bases hosted on Thingiverse as well. And bases don't take a lot of time, or a lot of filament.

GorkaMorka bases. Blackstone Fortress bases. Necromunda bases.

Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects

Download files and build them with your 3D printer, laser cutter, or CNC.

www.thingiverse.com

Edit:

Spoiler

Among the bases in that collection, I have printed the GorkaMorka bases, and will vouch that they are excellent reproductions of the originals - they are being put to use for my grots, for which they remain an excellent base size; I will be printing the triangle-surfaced BSF bases, as those will do an even better job for BSF minis than my current "decoupage down a scanned image from the board" method; and I plan to use a scaled copy of the "Alpha Squad" plates on my Alpha Legion SW:A kill team, because everyone is Alpharius. The "convert 25mm to 32mm bases" pieces also might be of interest to those who play these various games competitively rather than narratively, for temporarily up-sizing 1995 decorative bases to fit 2020 scaling, without completely and permanently altering their completed basing.

Just remember to set the quality to superfine on bases- it only adds a few minutes to the print time and the difference is massive.

 

[Kommissar Shriken]

quality to superfine

what exactly do you mean? layerhigh, printspeed? the quality is depending on a lot of fine settings.
beginning from the nozzle size, layerhigh (depending on what your printer is supporting), printspeed, temperature, retraction, infill, supportlines and a lot of more fine settings, also the filament makes a big difference (actually i use a cheap fillament, because the good one is sold out) the big problem is, that each printer has its own settings that work, so theres no settings that work for all printers... sadly..

 

[RonBSM]

I mean whatever according to your printer.

For me on an ender 3 pro its 0.12mm thickness, with ironing enabled, 50mms.

I use Cura to slice and I set my bed temp to 50° and nozzle to 209° to keep the plastic from backing up (200° has led me to clear a few blockages on my current spool of PLA)