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Thread: Frist 3d printer suggestion
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04-05-2015, 04:30 AM #1
- Join Date
- Apr 2015
- Posts
- 1
Frist 3d printer suggestion
Hello everyone,
I am a complete newbie in this world but I would like a suggestion about a 3d printer.
My target would be to print human/animal good miniature with colours.
Example:
Could you kindly suggest me which product can fit my target?
Thank you very much in advance!
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04-05-2015, 07:11 AM #2
- Join Date
- Mar 2015
- Posts
- 59
If it is a first, I would recommend building your own. Since you want multi color, build it with at least 3 print heads (it looks like 3 colors of filament would cover your needs).
For the controller you have the choice, use an underpowered AVR with TeaCup, or write your own firmware. A third choice is wait for me to complete the release version of my firmware and use a Parallax Propeller P8X32A microcontroller.
Always to build your first anything. Just like your first radio when you were a kid, or your first motorcycle, first TV, first Car, first house, etc.
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04-05-2015, 01:54 PM #3
The only full colour printing i'm aware of at this time uses a material known as "sandstone". Whether this is in fact sand, i don't know, but it's a service available from Shapeways. There DIY people out there working on colour mixing, but i don't think they have anything ready to market yet (no doubt someone will point out something i've missed).
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04-05-2015, 02:25 PM #4
- Join Date
- Oct 2013
- Location
- Honolulu, HI
- Posts
- 199
I wouldn't recommend multi-color printing for new folks. It is NOT ready for prime time. Buy a cheap kit and figure out if you have the patience to get where you want to be.
You don't give a budget but another option would be something like the Form1. It is an SLA type printer and would likely be able to get you very high resolution.
I don't see how you will be able to avoid paint at this point.
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04-05-2015, 03:39 PM #5
- Join Date
- Jan 2014
- Location
- Oakland, CA
- Posts
- 935
Have you already got a way to produce these full-color, solid scanned figure models? If so, you're most of the way there. The ProJet printers that are used to produce that full-color output are made by 3DSystems (formerly by Z-corp). They aren't cheap to buy or to run. The material is a gypsum-based powder that's consolidated by jetting colored binder onto a powder bed. It then needs to be infiltrated with a polymer of some kind to strengthen it enough for handling. This is the same material that Shapeways calls "sandstone" (no sand is harmed in the process, though). There's a new printer that's recently been released that does a similar thing with plastic powder, so the output is more durable; I haven't tried that yet.
Unless you have a lot of capital to invest and are determined to print everything yourself, I'd suggest sending your models to Shapeways, Sculpteo or another service bureau for full-color printing. If your business model is really viable, you should be able to use the printing service and still make money.
Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com
New member with print issue
06-11-2024, 08:57 AM in Tips, Tricks and Tech Help