Shapeways advice please…
Hey gang,
I’ve never ordered from Shapeways (that I can remember) and wanted to ask some advice. I was going to order some WW1 Biplanes in 1:144 scale. I have NO idea what I’m doing. Or what vendors to order from.
Could I kindly ask for some Shapeways advice for Biplanes? In 1:144 scale? What vendors? What specs?
Thank you guys. I’m trying to learn!
~Chuck.
“Flying is hours and hours of boredom sprinkled with a few seconds of sheer terror!” Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, USMC”
Depends on your budget, Chuck, the finer the detail the more expensive they get, it seems, though some say polished versions can lose some details.
I don't have a lot but what I do have came from a number of different designers and I've not had any issues with any of them. I bought whatever was the cheapest material, which was WSF (white strong & flexible) in the day but it might have a new name now. The quality of finish has much improved over the years but they tend to have a rougher finish & require some effort to prepare them for paint/decals. Try to find those designers that offer multiple prints as you'll get more bang for your buck.
Of fthe top of my head I've had models from the following: Kampfflieger; Colinwe/Wow; Decapod; jbmacek/Columbia Aerodrome; Reduced Aircraft Factory.
Zoe has helpfully created a thread with links to their pages Here
If you want to plug and go rather than paint & decal then consider the colour printed stuff produced by Reduced Aircraft Factory:
Loads of useful info in the sub-forum Here
I'm sure those super users out there will have more ideas but that's my 2 cents !
Sapiens qui vigilat... "He is wise who watches"
I would start HERE. This site breaks down each side, then by manufacturer, then by plane, and includes who makes what in the various scales. An exceptional reference site.
As for materials, the Gray PA12 is not very grainy, and provides a bit of a "built-in" primer of sorts. Check HERE for an example. It is a bit more than the normal grainy white stuff, but I feel like it provides nice detail and with a less grainy feel. Not all planes are offered in Gray PA12.
+1 for the wings of linen wiki, excellent information there and links to Daryl's designs, which are well done. There are plenty of affordable 3D-printed color planes in full color nylon 12 now available here
Following up on Darryl's (aka predhead) comment, I've found the Gray PA12 material to work well and the cost/benefit fits my needs. I wash the model with warm soapy water before doing any priming or painting to make sure any printer residue is off. Also if it needs a peg on the underside, drill the hole first. That way you don't risk messing up a nice paint & decal job drilling the hole after the fact. Hey no one said I was a rocket scientist.Finally you'll want to put a light gloss on the finished project after it has cured. Good luck and looking forward to your work.
You could check the sticky by Teaticket, its in this section of the forum. A long time since I used it but there were links to all manufacturers and plane types.
I believe material specs have changed since I used it so might not be up to date.
Amazingly, there are now 308 different WWI aircraft with 1:144 models available, not including sub-variants like ones with different engines or paint schemes. https://linen.miraheze.org/wiki/Cate...h_1:144_Models
Wings of Linen includes model lists from all sources: Ares, Shapeways (many designers), Valom, metal kits, etc. Let me know if it's missing any.
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