I'll start off by saying I am definitely an amateur at 3D printing. This is my first experience with it. But thinking back about my old Star Trek Micro Machines collection from the 90s I decided I really wanted a updated version of those models, with the key being that all the ships be in scale. I settled on 1:5000. Using Shapeways I started my collection this week. I got the USS Defiant and a B'rel class Klingon Bird of Prey. I tried two different materials to see which I would like the most. The BoP is far more detailed but more fragile. I'll have to decide on a ship by ship basis which to use since I see the benifit to both materials. I'll get them painted soon, hopfully to an acceptable detail. I figured I'd make a thread chronicling my collection, though it will be slow progressing because I just don't have alot of spare cash to put into this project. This will probably be a part time hobby of mine for decades. One of my next purchases for this may be the Attack Wing model of Deep Space Nine. I haven't been able to find it's exact scale, but I've figured out that it is at least very close to 1:5000. I figured it would be far easier, cheaper, and end up with a better quality product to just buy that model rather than 3d print my own. Anyone know what exact scale that model is? More pics when I end up getting these back from the painter.
Hoping the painting is impressive. One thing I'm really looking foward to is doing some Trek Lit related stuff. Aventine, Titan, Demeter, hopefully even Vanguard at some point.
Nice! 3D printing has really come a long way, the resolution on those is great! What's the cost on something that size?
That's not bad at all... My printers wouldn't be able to make something that small show any kind of detail. -Ricky
Well it took several months to get the painter to paint them and then almost a month after that for him to finally ship them back to me, but I got my Bird of Prey and USS Defiant in the mail today. I'm very impressed with both. The bird of prey is the best but the Defiant is great too. I think the next thing I want to buy is a DS9. It's a bit of a cheat but I'm going to get an Attack Wing model of DS9. It's almost the same scale and will look significantly better (and immensely cheaper) than anything I could 3D print. It will be awesome to mount these ships to it's docking ring somehow.
I wanted to post my newest small update. I've since bought a very impressive model already that's very near the 1:5000 scale, and found one of my old Micro Machine ships that is that scale as well. Here's where my collection now stands. They aren't very impressive so I didn't add detailed pics, but if you zoom in on the runabout pads you can see the tiny Tholian ship and Delta Flyer that I've carved and painted by hand.
I received my next two ships yesterday. I got a great deal on them on Shapeways on Black Friday. It looks awesome next to my B'Rel Bird of Prey model. And then there's the Borg probe. It came in two slightly connected halves so it could be printed hollow. I'll have to glue them together soon. It's almost in scale with my old Micro Machines Voyager. I'm hoping to get either more models or Shapeways gift cards for Christmas.
Geez, I thought the 1/2500 defiant was small. I can't imagine detailing something half that size. That has to be a 20/0 or smaller brush to do those BOP markings "comfortably" and cleanly. Most places dont even sell those. Most B&M stores only sell 5/0, or occasionally 10/0.
Yes I was really impressed with my painter on the BoP. The Defiant is good but the BoP is amazing. It took a LONG time to get working into his schedual and for him to ship them back but it was worth it in the end.
Christmas was good for me on this hobby. I was given the Attack Wing Gorn ship which is close enough to 1:5000 given that it was barely seen onscreen with nothing to compare to for scale. I was also given a Breen ship and a Maquis raider. I also received a $50 gift card to Shapeways. I'm working with someone right now to get several ships printed. Probably going to get Voyager, the NX-01, the refit NX-01, a few more 22nd century ships, and then whatever else I can afford with my gift card.
I ordered six new ships yesterday. Now I'll have about ten to send off for painting. I'm trying to decide if I should use the same painter I used before or look for another. Anyone have any recommendations that they've had good experience with?
Wow. I knew there's been significant advances in 3d printing, but I'm amazed they can get something down to this kind of resolution!
Now that I've received my 6 new ships I took time to add a page to my website to show them off. This way I don't have to keep posting pictures here. The Voyager is my favorite. It's my biggest and most detailed model yet. http://startreklitverse.yolasite.com/scale-star-trek-model-collection.php
This might interest you http://microfabrica.com/technology.html?_vsrefdom=googleppc&gclid=CMunuqrLqdICFRIbgQodtZ4NyQ