FDM PLA 3D printing - with a model making inclination
- Thread starter Dave Ward
- Start date
It's a Holt 75 - I'm printing the canopy at the moment - I did consider printing the Holt 120 - but that's a bit bigger & printing time was getting close to 30 hrs! I have printed out a BL6" Howitzer for it to tow. The Holt is blown up from 1/100 to 1/35 - is looking good - the only part that really needs replacing is the steering wheel!
The only 1/35 injection model of the Holt 75 is the 2018 Roden version - which has poor reviews & goes for £60+ This model will have taken about 1/3 of a filament spool, so the material cost will be <£5 - I'll be adding pictures of the cleaned up bits tomorrow
Dave
The only 1/35 injection model of the Holt 75 is the 2018 Roden version - which has poor reviews & goes for £60+ This model will have taken about 1/3 of a filament spool, so the material cost will be <£5 - I'll be adding pictures of the cleaned up bits tomorrow
Dave
I remember Steve Jones attempting to build one , said it was a terrible kit from Roden.
Keep af it Dave.
Gary MacKenzie
SMF Supporter
The Holt 75 model gasoline-powered Caterpillar tractor. Later models were produced without the front "tiller wheel"
EDIT : Apols , website is acting up , not showing any updates since your original post , then suddenly all the answers appeared,
EDIT : Apols , website is acting up , not showing any updates since your original post , then suddenly all the answers appeared,
Interesting fact - 442 of the Holt 75 were built in Britain by Ruston & Hornsby. The slightly larger 120 had a bigger engine & 4 individual exhaust pipes, but otherwise looks the same
Dave
Dave
Bits all printed - the canopy supports ( bottom right ) need a bit of fettling
Quite pleased with this, so far - and this is for towing
BL6" Howitzer - Both have had failures on the fine handwheels, which I'm trying to print out separately
Dave
Quite pleased with this, so far - and this is for towing
BL6" Howitzer - Both have had failures on the fine handwheels, which I'm trying to print out separately
Dave
I'd ordered some 0.3mm & 0.2mm dia nozzles, to try to improve the detail printing. They arrived - and I've been attempting to print with them - almost like starting 3D printing from scratch! One major difference is the print time - what took about 2 hours with a 0.4mm dia nozzle takes over 5 hours with a 0.3mm one. & even longer with a 0.2mm. I haven't had one succesful print - one failed at 6 hours our of 8. I've tried all the normal tweaks, but that has introduced new errors, including stringing, & layer separation.
I've given up for the time being & gone back to 0.4mm, I just can't be bothered with all the hassle!
Dave
I've given up for the time being & gone back to 0.4mm, I just can't be bothered with all the hassle!
Dave
A snowy morning in Gloucestershire! - not expected................
I've been very much under the weather since the turn of the year, and not managed any benchtime, but I've been hitting the 3D printer.
I found a drydock model, and after a lot of scaling trials managed to print it out at around 1/350 - it is in 9 pieces, for ease of printing................. but it still took around 50 hours in total
I found that my spare filament spool was in this bright yellow!, with a few failures, this has taken the majority of one spool!
This shows the intended use...................
The 1/350 hull of the Trumpeter HMCS Huron. just fits nicely, anyone would think it'd been sized to fit
I do have a few full hull ships that could work, as well - 2 Mirage 1/350 Flower class corvettes.
Now I've printed this, I could shrink this to 1/700, but looking in the stash I've only two full hull ships that would fit - HMS Eskimo & a Liberty Ship ( tight squeeze ).
This is a Graving Dock, used for work below the waterline, such as repairing plates, or simply scraping & repainting - so there aren't any heavy cranes etc that may be found in a repair dock.
Dave
I've been very much under the weather since the turn of the year, and not managed any benchtime, but I've been hitting the 3D printer.
I found a drydock model, and after a lot of scaling trials managed to print it out at around 1/350 - it is in 9 pieces, for ease of printing................. but it still took around 50 hours in total
I found that my spare filament spool was in this bright yellow!, with a few failures, this has taken the majority of one spool!
This shows the intended use...................
The 1/350 hull of the Trumpeter HMCS Huron. just fits nicely, anyone would think it'd been sized to fit
I do have a few full hull ships that could work, as well - 2 Mirage 1/350 Flower class corvettes.Now I've printed this, I could shrink this to 1/700, but looking in the stash I've only two full hull ships that would fit - HMS Eskimo & a Liberty Ship ( tight squeeze ).
This is a Graving Dock, used for work below the waterline, such as repairing plates, or simply scraping & repainting - so there aren't any heavy cranes etc that may be found in a repair dock.
Dave
Instead of benchtime, I've been concentrating on my 3D printing. I've been trying various different settings to improve prints. I think I've been turning out some good models - tanks in 1/72 scale - even at this scale models are taking about 5 hours to print, - at 1/35 they would take at least 3 times as long.
I've been concentrating on British tanks up to 1938/9
Done so far: Mark V Male, Mark IX, Medium Mark A Whippet, Mediuum Mark C Hornet, Mark XIII International, Birch Gun, Cruiser Mk II A10, Cruiser Mk III A13, Light Tank Mk VI, Matilda I A11
Still to do: Medium Mk. II, Medium Mk. III, Gun Carrier Mk I
Having difficulty in finding a decent model of the Vickers A1E1 Independent & some of the minor light tanks, but still looking.................
Some have turned out very well - I've been printing models in one piece if possible. normally recommended for resin printing, but with a little care FDM works ( in 1/72 at least ). I'd put up some pictures - but my camera battery is flat ( not been used for a while! ), so that'll be the priority first thing tomorrow
Dave
I've been concentrating on British tanks up to 1938/9
Done so far: Mark V Male, Mark IX, Medium Mark A Whippet, Mediuum Mark C Hornet, Mark XIII International, Birch Gun, Cruiser Mk II A10, Cruiser Mk III A13, Light Tank Mk VI, Matilda I A11
Still to do: Medium Mk. II, Medium Mk. III, Gun Carrier Mk I
Having difficulty in finding a decent model of the Vickers A1E1 Independent & some of the minor light tanks, but still looking.................
Some have turned out very well - I've been printing models in one piece if possible. normally recommended for resin printing, but with a little care FDM works ( in 1/72 at least ). I'd put up some pictures - but my camera battery is flat ( not been used for a while! ), so that'll be the priority first thing tomorrow
Dave
This is the results of a week or so of daytime printing......................
All 1/72................... Using my favourite Geeetech PLA filament - most are printed in one piece, apart from those with rotating turrets, there are some quibbles - the unditching beams on the Mark V ( too small ), and the Mark IX ( too large ). All will benefit from a careful clean up and a good primer.
These are scaled up & down as needed - one that is missing is the Gun Carrier Mk I - I printed it overnight - it was fine, but it looked too small! I'd scaled it up from 1/100, and either the original scale was wrong, or I dyslexed the scaling factor, so it's reprinting.
Dave
All 1/72................... Using my favourite Geeetech PLA filament - most are printed in one piece, apart from those with rotating turrets, there are some quibbles - the unditching beams on the Mark V ( too small ), and the Mark IX ( too large ). All will benefit from a careful clean up and a good primer.
These are scaled up & down as needed - one that is missing is the Gun Carrier Mk I - I printed it overnight - it was fine, but it looked too small! I'd scaled it up from 1/100, and either the original scale was wrong, or I dyslexed the scaling factor, so it's reprinting.
Dave
boatman
SMF Supporter
HI Dave really like your tanks they look very good very well done
happy modelin
chrisb
happy modelin
chrisb
Gun Carrier Mark I - printed in one piece, with organic supports still attached
A few minutes work with side cutters..........................
A year ago, I didn't think it was possible to print these in one piece, but after a lot of printing & tweaking, I find it can be done.
In this sequence of 1/72 models, I've used about 1/2 spool of filament - ( £13.50 a spool ) I've had no failures ( apart from printing at the wrong size ). I carefully levelled the bed manually at the start, and haven't had to adjust it.
Next up will be the Vickers Medium Mk.I, Mk.II & Mk.III - still looking for a decent Independent
Dave
A few minutes work with side cutters..........................
A year ago, I didn't think it was possible to print these in one piece, but after a lot of printing & tweaking, I find it can be done.
In this sequence of 1/72 models, I've used about 1/2 spool of filament - ( £13.50 a spool ) I've had no failures ( apart from printing at the wrong size ). I carefully levelled the bed manually at the start, and haven't had to adjust it.
Next up will be the Vickers Medium Mk.I, Mk.II & Mk.III - still looking for a decent Independent
Dave
boatman
SMF Supporter
WELL Dave i find this 3D printing beyond me but its comin out very good is it heavy at all ?
chrisb
chrisb
PLA is actually heavier than water, but the models have a surface layer of 2-3 mm & the internal fill is 8% ( think of it as a internal stiffeners ), so they are quite light - but not that strong!
Dave
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I struck out on finding a good free model of the Vickers Independent tank, so I had to actually buy one.........all of $10
This is not my model, it's the sellers...........
In 1/56, so scaling down should be easy.
There was only one Independent built, but it's design influenced a few other tanks, like the Soviet T-100, T-28, T-35 & the Gernan Neubaufahrzeug, so it has it's place in tank history!
One model I can't find, even to purchase is the Christie 1931 - or T1 Combat Car - the suspension design was taken up by the Soviets in the BT series & T-34, and the British Cruiser tanks............so another important milestone
Dave
This is not my model, it's the sellers...........
In 1/56, so scaling down should be easy.
There was only one Independent built, but it's design influenced a few other tanks, like the Soviet T-100, T-28, T-35 & the Gernan Neubaufahrzeug, so it has it's place in tank history!
One model I can't find, even to purchase is the Christie 1931 - or T1 Combat Car - the suspension design was taken up by the Soviets in the BT series & T-34, and the British Cruiser tanks............so another important milestone
Dave