From JohnM: Further Adventures in 3D Printing (60 Points)

For the last 3-4 months, I have been immersed in the world of 3D Printing. I started with terrain to learn the skills needed to utilize this technology but over the last month I have been experimenting with printing vehicles on a FDM printer. It is quite a challenge and I will accept that a Resin techonology is probably the way to go here. However, I still believe that for wargaming, FDM vehicle prints are a good option. I recently had a game an EW CoC game and my opponent was playing the Belgians and decided he wanted to take some French tanks as supports. Well I have no French tanks as I do not have a French force (yet) so we had to use some substitutes. Not an ideal choice and this is actually a little more difficult as vehicles are hard to find for some of the more minor nations (no offence to the those nations of course).

But in the 3D Print world this is not the case, and with a bit of googling I found several different STL files for French tanks. The tricky bit is how to print these STL files, as it is not a case of just hitting print. Problems include what type of supports to use, how do you orient the vehicle on the build plate ( I have tried flat on the side vertical as well as on a tilt all with different degrees of success). My prints have improved but I am still not even close but I am hoping you will agree they are ok for wargaming. Enough blather, time to move on to photos.

BC

There are 3x his in the bin!

EW German AFV's, the PzIV ausf c was a particulary hard find, need some decals and then they will be sprayed with mat.

decorative vehicles

For the AHPCX 

Char B1 bis, sort of lost control of the dirt!

I am not a big fan of the black lining between the camo

Somua S35

Have to find some French decals

Hotchkiss H35 and 39

 

As you can see the striations on the models are quite a challenge and although these were all painted with an airbrush there was some runoff and spidering. Now if I could just figure out this secret island stuff!

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I did not realise you are also in the thrall of 3D printing, John. It's nice to have another in the fold. 

Even without the national markings these look very good. I like the camo and weathering you did on them. Did you get them off Thingiverse or were they private purchases? 

As to supports, you should check and see if Chitubox works with your machine. Byron turned me onto it and I found it to be a great slicer and support generator. 

60 points it is. Well done, John.