OK how do you get the main parts and the minor parts like AA guns to be printable files. Will, Greg, Brian can you share how to extract usable parts from these Zip files? Roma.zip Roma (1).zip
Well, For me it's been a matter of loading into Sketchup (yeah, cheesy I know) and deleting everything that isn't the part that I want. Then there is much gnashing of teeth and fiddling with the result until I get something that is solid and printable.
Stl files are a nightmare to make watertight... I do not have a good workflow for it... In the past I used the mesh then redrew parts from scratch...
If one is careful, some of the geometry can be re-purposed or used for reference. Curved features in WOWs models usually need to be replaced with higher resolution primitives. Most of the difficulty is in cleanly removing the things one doesn't want but, there are tricks : P What parts are you after?
@thegeek I'd have to remake the files from scratch basically. Convert mesh to brep, then start drawing from there and making my own bodies. I can do it but it won't be fast. @GregMcFadden has a really nice complete Littorio superstructure that's already in a format that can be easily printed. Would be pretty easy to produce his files starting immediately vs taking a week to model it again.
@bsgkid117 is not wrong. Greg's very generous donation represents hundreds of man hours of work, it is clean, it is the proper scale, and no IP worries. I've started breaking it up into manageable chunks for my printers : )
How many man hours did it take to make this molded one in the proper scale and clean? Probably three times what it took digitally? I love how fast is better than hand crafted slow, my impression of round 3d printed items may be the reason.
You can print something as small and detailed as you like. It's a function of time vs effort. If I wanted I could model the individual ladders and door handles on my Bart superstructure and it would print beautifully. It'd take about 9 weeks to print it all at .1 layer height. Not worth it to me when it's going to get shot up. I print at .64 layer height with .8-1mm wall thicknesses. I want it strong and done fast. Round can be very round, once again depending on time vs effort. Larger items are easier. Smaller items more difficult. Barbettes easy. Radar masts hard. Also depends on how well the user has the printer set up. E steps, extrusion multiplier, material temperatures, retractions, etc.
Interesting. You must be using a larger nozzle? How strong is strong? Please give us a way to quantify that. Print a few of these at those settings and put them under fire?
Volcano hotend, .8 nozzle. Larger line widths being stronger is common knowledge, no quantification needed. Check out CNCKitchens video on the topic. My Courbet superstructure, barbettes, and turrets are all .64 layers / .8 line widths Zyltech ABS. Larger layers being stronger depends on material and layer bonding.
LOL! Common knowledge is often wrong. As you say, it depends. There is no replacement for actual testing. I've found that smaller layer heights bond much better. Spending a few minutes printing something won't kill you. I'll send you some of mine to compare to.
The old school methods we use to make mold is very time consuming.... but...... Once we have molds built and in service, I can foam mold entire boats upper parts in an hour. Try that with a 3D printer.
I have started to transition to 3d printed molds for foam+rubber components. But as you said, it's very time consuming. I can 3d print my superstructure with a button press. Very minimal work involved if the models are already available, if they aren't I can do a combat acceptable detail 3d model in about 4 hours. No resin, no foam mixing. When my CNC router is finished I'll be making simple superstructures out of 1" foam board.
Superstructure is more commonly printed vertically yes. But I suppose if you wanted to you could cut the superstructure into flat planes that then need to be assembled like a house of cards. That way you could print it this way.