Cleaning up and Smoothing Shapeways Models

[cr9617]

Is the wood grain like texture normal?  This is the second frosted xtreme detail model I've gotten that came like this.  I soaked it in simple green to get all the wax off.  I gave it a light coat of tamiya primer just so the "grain" would show up in the photos.  I was wondering how you guys deal with this?  The last truck I got, I ended up sanding away all the details by the time it was smooth.  Even the frame has an safety tread pattern to it.   

[12bridge]

Thats the downside to 3d printing large things. Your going to get grain and layers. I love 3D printing for detail parts, but not anything more, atleast for now.

Only way your going to get rid of it is alot of sanding, filling, and priming.

[onequiknova]

I've finished a few vehicles printed in FUD now with good results. Most of my smoothing is done by scraping the surface with different blades and chisels to knock the fuzziness off, followed by 400 grit. I haven't had a need for any filler. A couple coats of primer during the finishing process is all the filler I have needed. The process goes fairly quickly. I have found some models have shallow door and panel gaps (yours look almost non existent), which will need to be scribed back in with a dental tool. Others were fine. All depends on the design.

All three of these started just as rough as yours.

[cr9617]

Nov 29, 2017 17:43:32 GMT -8 12bridge said:

Thats the downside to 3d printing large things. Your going to get grain and layers. I love 3D printing for detail parts, but not anything more, atleast for now.

Only way your going to get rid of it is alot of sanding, filling, and priming.

Ok good cause for a while I thought it was just me. A lot of people on here gush about 3d printing and I'm looking at the last 4 trucks I ordered scratching my head. I'll just take my time sanding and scraping.

Btw onequiknova, those vehicles look amazing, nice work.

[ncrc5315]

Isn't there a process where you can you use acetone, to smooth the printing?

[kentuckysouthernrwy]

Nov 30, 2017 18:51:08 GMT -8 ncrc5315 said:

Isn't there a process where you can you use acetone, to smooth the printing?

Works, so it’s said, for ABS 3D filament.

Others use fill a and sand automotive primer and different grades of sandpaper to smooth PLA the more common and more environmentally friendly 3D material.

I’m not familiar with Shapeways different grades so can’t offer any specifics.

There are many many Youtube videos on 3D printing.

[oldmuley]

I've seen guys make a "vapor chamber" using acetone to smooth ABS.

[cr9617]

I don't think fxd is made from ABS.

[Donnell Wells]

Nov 29, 2017 16:48:54 GMT -8 cr9617 said:

Is the wood grain like texture normal?  This is the second frosted xtreme detail model I've gotten that came like this.  I soaked it in simple green to get all the wax off.  I gave it a light coat of tamiya primer just so the "grain" would show up in the photos.  I was wondering how you guys deal with this?  The last truck I got, I ended up sanding away all the details by the time it was smooth.  Even the frame has an safety tread pattern to it.   

How well did Simple Green work to clean up the Shapeways parts?

Donnell

[tony]

Those car models look nice and capture a lot of trim details. What scale are those? That bottom one looks like Cordoba which I haven't seen one of those since 1979.

[tony]

Shapeways purchased a couple of the new HP 3D printers - I'm curious what they are using those for and how the surface quality is.  HP and it's material partners are working on getting the surface quality better and competitive with IM.  But, I get the sense that's still a long way away.  

[onequiknova]

Dec 2, 2017 11:15:06 GMT -8 tony said:

Those car models look nice and capture a lot of trim details. What scale are those? That bottom one looks like Cordoba which I haven't seen one of those since 1979.

Thanks. They are 1/87 scale. They are, from top to bottom, A 1971 Ford LTD, 1966 Chevy Nova, and a 1973 Chevy Monte Carlo.

[onequiknova]

Dec 2, 2017 11:15:06 GMT -8 tony said:

Those car models look nice and capture a lot of trim details. What scale are those? That bottom one looks like Cordoba which I haven't seen one of those since 1979.

Thanks. They are 1/87 scale. They are, from top to bottom, A 1971 Ford LTD, 1966 Chevy Nova, and a 1973 Chevy Monte Carlo.

[tony]

Did you create the CAD drawings for these cars? I haven't attempted sketching autos or trucks, but sure would like to have a bunch of late 1960's - early 1970's era autos, pickups or vans for the Athearn Genesis auto racks - cars with the hub caps removed which have never been done in the history of scale HO autos - AFAIK.

[tracktime]

Dec 2, 2017 15:03:45 GMT -8 tony said:

Did you create the CAD drawings for these cars? I haven't attempted sketching autos or trucks, but sure would like to have a bunch of late 1960's - early 1970's era autos, pickups or vans for the Athearn Genesis auto racks - cars with the hub caps removed which have never been done in the history of scale HO autos - AFAIK.

For hundreds of 1970s vehicles and much more from other more recent decades, check out this seller on shapeways:

www.shapeways.com/shops/madaboutcars


Mike Budde has built a lot of vehicles from Jen's prints on Shapeways. They will require some work, but yield nice models if you want to put the work into them!

Cheers,
Harry