3D design Q&A with Kirby Downey

My Name is Kirby Downey and I am one of the designers who contribute a lot of gaming props to the collection at MyMinifactory.com. They have asked me to come here and hold an Q&A. What I will be doing is personally answering any questions you have about 3D modelling for 3D printing or anything else.

A little back ground on me. I studied product design in South Africa, I always had a knack for mechanics and moving parts. Being a big gamer I thought I would put them all together to create some awesome stuff and allow the community to have access of them.

So ask me anything and I will do my best to help you out!

For those who want to follow me my Twitter and Instagram is @kjdesigns365. I do also post videos my channel is Kirby Downey.

If you want to check out my work here is my MyMiniFactory page
https://www.myminifactory.com/users/Kirby%20Downey

In your opinion what was the coolest thing you ever designed to have 3D printed?

What drew you to Myminifactory and how did you find them?

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Originally Posted by TeddyYan

In your opinion what was the coolest thing you ever designed to have 3D printed?

What drew you to Myminifactory and how did you find them?

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The Swords i just released. this allowed me to use two design softwares and have hard modeled edges from Solidworks and soft organic shapes with Zbrush.

I was looking for a company to 3D print a model for me and found them that way then saw you can submit designs and build a portfolio. This was appealing to me a a made more and more models and they loved my work. now they helping me by pushing my name as a designer in their newsletters and getting articles and now to do things like this.

guess that answers my question as well : what modelling software do you use :-)

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Originally Posted by curious aardvark

guess that answers my question as well : what modelling software do you use :-)

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i use Solid works mainly, a bot of Zbrush and meshmixer. i wanna branch out into rhino

Do you have a link to the swords?

Do you do this as a career? If not what do you do to earn a living?

What do you think of MyMiniFactory's recent fundraising efforts?

if you follow the link in the original post they are on that page. I do this full time now. i do alot of commision based work now from the exposure given by myminifactory. I thinks its an interesting way to go about it, allowing anyone to invest. I myself invested as i can see the potential and growth in it.

A fellow Saffa... howzit boet. Heard of you via Barncules. Saw some of your other work. Pretty good.

Do you design for a living? What industry?

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Originally Posted by kjdowney

i use Solid works mainly, a bot of Zbrush and meshmixer. i wanna branch out into rhino

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Rhino's ok. I do more mechanical design and its not really ideal for that. Awesome for product design though. Pity its not parametric. Have you considered Moi3D?

How many requests a month do you get to use some new repository and why aren't you using t them? What do you look for in a sharing site and why myminifactory?

Oh hey! There is always one crawling around somewhere ready to pop their head out at the familiar sound! yeah jerry is a lekker guy. I make these props for a living. i would say as an industry i could say i work in the prop making industry.

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Originally Posted by Sebastian Finke

A fellow Saffa... howzit boet. Heard of you via Barncules. Saw some of your other work. Pretty good.

Do you design for a living? What industry?

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Oh hey! There is always one crawling around somewhere ready to pop their head out at the familiar sound! yeah jerry is a lekker guy. I make these props for a living. i would say as an industry i could say i work in the prop making industry.

so on average - and because I'm always interested in the money.
What would a big fantasy sword cost - ballpark figure ?

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Originally Posted by kjdowney

i would say as an industry i could say i work in the prop making industry.

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Films? Theatre?