Shapeways, all new too me !

[BattleshipBob]

Never heard of shapeways but have seen that a Eelke Warrinks has made a complete towing assembly for a Pz 111 / StuG.

It looks a resin / 3d printing site?

Had a look at what i think is his shop but cannot find it. Can someone advise

 

[Dave Ward]

I think Shapeways are a 3-D printing on demand outfit
https://www.shapeways.com/?fbclid=IwAR20qH3ZR7GxZ8o2QSEWAayHJ56rWe6mESAU3gaByvBK8XZJ4Aj9IUi8kmg
They'll take your 3-D model & print it for you.................
Dave

 

[Neil Merryweather]

They are also a kind of brokering shop, where you can buy stuff other people have made digital models of and you can often choose the scale.
I have never used them as I have access to 3D printers, but I would suggest careful scrutiny of the data. not everything is as good as you might expect, but some stuff seems to be excellent.
Always go for the more expensive high-resolution resin options, though, and expect to have excess support to remove, much like a resin kit.
If there is a choice, you should know that clear resin gives the highest resolution-even if white or grey sounds more suitable

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Is this it Bob?
https://www.shapeways.com/product/JRJJWJVWU/1-35-panzer-stug-iii-towing-points-early

 

[BattleshipBob]

Thanks Neil, appreciated.

Found the item on missing lynx, looks very good but all new to me!

Bob

 

[BattleshipBob]

Is this it Bob?
https://www.shapeways.com/product/JRJJWJVWU/1-35-panzer-stug-iii-towing-points-early

That looks like it, really need my eyes testing!

 

[Neil Merryweather]

the great advantage of this kind of thing is that if you can do it(or you know someone whocan) you can get a one-off piece with out the faff or expense of making a pattern AND a mould

 

[BattleshipBob]

All new to me! The kit ones are in 2 parts and never seem to fit well, but with price and p an p from the US will no doubt make it not cost effective. Did see some good 1/16 Stuff ideal for Trumpeter stuff.

Thanks Neil

 

[Neil Merryweather]

That looks like it, really need my eyes testing!

Note there are 2 plastic options , and also that the image is of the digital model, not a photo of the printed piece.
It will probably be a bit less than perfect- or maybe not. The printers are getting better all the time, and the advantage of using a bureau is that they will keep up with the other guys.
It certainly seems like they understand our market now-in the early days , maybe not so much.

 

[BattleshipBob]

Sound advice, amazed at what can be done. Showing my lack of knowledge lol

 

[adt70hk]

I have to used them once years ago for four identical pieces. Hull bottoms for 1/72 M5A1 Stuart's. Bit hit and miss. Two were ok, two less so. But technology will have moved on a lot in those years. Not the cheapest either but they never will be because they're not designed for mass production.

HTH

Andrew

 

[Bugatti Fan]

Is Shapeways a British company? Heard ot read somewhere that they have correct wheels for the Heller Bugatti T50 in 1/24th scale.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Is Shapeways a British company? Heard ot read somewhere that they have correct wheels for the Heller Bugatti T50 in 1/24th scale.

American, I think

 

[BattleshipBob]

It looks a shop for diffferent makers

 

[Bugatti Fan]

Thanks for your reply Neil.

 

[Jakko]

American, I think

Dutch, in principle — spun off from Philips, but based in the USA. They also have offices in Eindhoven.

It looks a shop for diffferent makers

It is. You can upload things for your own use, in which case you pay whatever Shapeways charges you to print and mail it. You can also make your uploads available to other people, with any amount of markup you want on top of Shapeways’s price, the difference going to you.

 

[JR]

Jim Barry who was a member on here and MM used them a lot for one of his builds. Simon T was helping him at one point to correct some cad drawings that he had done. Shapeways eventually produced some engine parts him, and they were really detained. Some people may remember him.

 

[Komedy]

Shapeways is essentially a print farm with a shop front for sellers offering their STLs such as the example you have shown above.

Other sites such as thingaverse are another depository for STL print files covering all manner of things. Many are free or there is a small fee to buy the STL print file and have someone print it for you.

The cost of high quality resin printers has fallen dramatically and for less than £200 you could buy a printer that will print to the quality of the item you referenced.