1:6 Darth Vader 3D Laser Scan & Print Project

[eczamurai]

I don't understand why you dont leave the parts like the ventilation on his mouth and the triangle piece open, and make seperate pieces for that. Will be much better looking to paint it if you go that route! (paint tends to clutter in those corners) Heck, you'd even be able to use actual open vents that way if you wanted to.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Please read post #527

But the grill models will still sport the closed back. Sure you can print that thin, but I wouldn't risk shipping it to anybody and doing it in metal will cost way too much.

 

[eczamurai]

No not open, but i mean seperate pieces so you can paint them seperately and then glue them back on. Makes for an easier and cleaner paintjob.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Okay, but I talked about all that back in post #527

 

[eczamurai]

Ah I'm sorry haven't read everything yet. Basically I just looked at the pics, but yeah that's exactly what I meant. Looks great!

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Just hope we can even print the parts like that. The teeth being so thin they may actually snap when printing. We'll do some tests to check and I'll keep you all posted.

 

[TaliBane]

Still tracking this project with great excitement. Hope all the snags will be ironed out soon.

The parts look incredible and I've just bought some Vader soft goods to go with them for a custom Vader build hopefully early next year.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Just recently learned that there are water washable 3D printing resins, so I ordered a bottle to see if I can work with that. I had an issue with the regular resin - probably not so much the resin in and of itself, but rather the cleaning of excess resin on the prints using isopropyl alchohol. It screwed me up for a few days. Hopefully this is better for me to work with, though, I have heard some issue with prints splitting or breaking apart on their own, but not with the brand I ordered.

I'll keep you all posted. If I can work with this, then I'll probably invest in a bigger resin printer.

 

[TaliBane]

Hope there will be some developments here soon!

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Sorry for the lack of updates. Have not been feeling well recently. Plan on finally doing that test run on the water washable resin to see how it works. Hope to get back up into gear soon.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

First test with the water washable resin was a success. I did not react badly to it. Maybe the issue previously was not just the resin, but the fact that I had to clean it in isopropyl alcohol. But this time it went smoothly.

I'll do another test tomorrow to see how that one goes.

One thing I learned though was that the supports I added could perhaps be a little thinner and the points of connection to the model a little smaller, as the supports were a pain to remove, with bits flying all over the place when snapping them off with the cutters and having to use a lot of force to break them off, which tired me out enormously. However, the part itself was really sturdy, did not bend or crack or have any issues, even from that rough handling. Will do drop tests to see how it fares. But it seems as hard and durable as the casting resin I have worked with before.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

I did the 2nd test yesterday. Woke up early enough to get it done. Did the second one with slimmer supports and connection points. May try even slimmer soon. But it was a success. I did not react negatively to it at all.

Each shin took a little over 10 hours to print.

The flat spot at the top on the left shin (right in the picture) is because I accidentally shut off the machine 7 minutes too early. Grr.

, on Flickr

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Having received the full scale Terminator Endoskeleton now, I will start buying stuff to begin production back up. I'll start with some more resin as well as a Wash and Cure station and then I'll find a place where I can get the Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K printer - will probably upgrade it to a DLP printer once they've reached the 8K market, as it is a better technology. I hope it won't take long, but please be patient while I get things sorted.

I'll keep you all updated along the way.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Wash and Cure station and more Water Washable resin has been shipped. Will probably be able to pick it up on Thursday. Going to find the best place to order the Sonic Mini 8K from soon. Hopefully I'll have things up and running soon after that.

 

[TaliBane]

Oooo... 8K. Very nice. This project's been in-process for many years but the end result is going to be a historic 1/6 SW achievement.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Thanks.

I just learned yesterday that the printer I was planning on getting has a slightly larger cousin in 8K that gets released about the same time - the Sonic Mighty 8K. It will be released early July, so when I get it I will do tests people suggest to dial in the best layer burn time to achieve the best and sharpest results. Hopefully if all goes well, things will be slowly up at running sometime during or near the end of July. Sorry for the long wait, though this gives me time to prepare everything before I get it, so at least there's something good coming from the delay.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Just pulled the trigger on a Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K, as the shop I'm buying from will receive a small batch tomorrow, with the notice that the Mighty 8K has been delayed until August at the earliest.

I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have the printer, but haven't done much more than unpack it. I've been suffering from a lot of fever lately, which drains me completely, and when I get over one and is recovering I'm hit with the next round. All tests show it's not Covid, so I'll see what my doctor thinks when she gets back from holiday.

I hope I can start working with the printer soon to test it out, but have really been too lethargic to actually do much, but did work on some Terminator Endoskeleton 3D models - mostly the pistons.

 

[prvtnoclass]

Take good care of your self. That sounds like some kind of internal infection. I pray you figure it all out quickly.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

First test print on the new printer was a success but it was a failure in the sense that it adhered so hard to the print plate that I had to destroy the print in order to get it off. And I used their optimal settings on their website. I will now have to figure out how to go forward as I do NOT have the strength or stamina to battle with such **** and even less desire to see the print destroyed because the adhesion is too extreme.

What to do... what to do?