3D printing. Don't wait for Geobra to make your dream parts!

[cowabounga]

Hey buddies!
Thanks to a friend of FB, I started creating some items I always wanted and Geobra never made. The process is easy: you create a 3D design on any 3D software, then send it to the 3D printer, that's it!
Of course, there are some issues to be expected, like objects too thin/small to be printed, but look at what I got! 

First the Mirmillo helmet for the Thracian Gladiator:







Then the Samurai Kabuto (helmet). Not satisfied with the one we got, so here's mine.





I also had a Yari (lance) printed. The shaft is too thin and the clicky can't hold it properly. I'll make another one soon.



Then the Chichak, a helmet for the Ottoman/Saracen army.





Then the Secutor helmet (another famous gladiator). For this one I made a few mistakes, so I can't fit it on a clicky. Originally, I had a pair of feathers on the sides, but they were too small and didn't fit either. The next version won't have the feathers nor the holes on the sides, I guess.





How do you guys like these??

A.

[Wolf Knight]

 
These look absolutely great, Arnaud!! Can you please explain a bit more about this? You design the object and then print it on what? paper? or some other material?  and then you put it all together in some way?

[mike1003]

its a powder.. look on youtube.. there is a docu.. theres a company in germany they do it actually very cheap... 1-3 a cm3.

[cheng]

first of all...a WOW!! for that samurai helmet, Arnaud!
well drawn!!!
I'll be contented to have just your stickers....not even your sticker-making abilities so I wont think about 3D drawings for a while
I wonder if there's a liquid you can drop them into to coat them with something as hard as plastic when dry? It'll be painful to say, accidentally break either of the folded back cheek protectors for the samurai
...and thanks for sharing big another leap for customising mankind 

[mike1003]

ideal for prototypes and than use resin to copy

[cowabounga]

Thanks guys!
@ Panos: you send the 3D design by email, like a Photoshop file. Then the printing process goes like this: inside a "drawer" full of plastic powder two laser beams heat the plastic on each voxel of your design so it melts and hardens in place. When the printing is done, they remove the unused powder and retrieve the parts.
@ Cheng: this is hard plastic actually. It might only need some sand papering, then primer and paint. My intention is to make master models with this process, and then make resin casts, so they're cheaper.
The small parts on the Kabuto are separate parts, I just set them there with wax. On the definite version, you will have to glue them upon the helmet.
I still have some details to work out.
Best,
A.

[cheng]

ideal for prototypes and than use resin to copy

yes indeed!
masses for our armies...and I no longer have to envy those lego customisers who can buy mass produced helmets

[cowabounga]

I also have a Jingasa i progress. 

[cheng]

and hard enough to sand paper?! oh, wonderful news, Arnaud!
WOW.....I wish you every success so that we, the other customisers of armies will one day be able to get hats or helmets without waiting for geobra from year to year...and of course WWII helmets which will never be made by them
you'll be too busy handling our requests to continue with your other serious profession.
..and weapons too?!
as long as we make parts not available from geobra, they'll let us wayward customizers uninterrupted enjoyment of our army-customising hobby

[cheng]

a just-snap-on Jingasa, Arnaud!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
noooooooooooooooo..............yessssss ssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!
I'm trying not to go on my knees but you know how a big number paintable jingasa can allow many members to suddenly explode with samurai armies overnight!
I'll just say I'll be contented with upgrading those thin jingasa my armies are wearing....but I dont think I will be able to resist building more, given this one japanese body part I still lack