Yes to changing the size and might to can you print it. You can scale up or down the stl file as it is dimensionless but you do need to take into account the capability of your printer - some details/features can become sources of print failures. A Step file contains dimensions but again the resolution/capability of printer comes into play. Ross
Yes. Part of the process is dumping the 3d file into a program called a slicer (translates the file into language the printer can read.) Really easy to stretch and pull, including retaining proportions, like you might in an image editing program. Sometimes get some odd artifacts, maybe from poor 3d files, but I've had no real issues yet. Often you just have to print things a few times so they fit on the intended destination. Gradually tweaking scale seems a reasonably normal part of the process. Edit: sorry. Ross got there first.
There is a lot to consider before you make your investment. Probably a good idea to go with a popular brand with a very active forum of users. 3D printing can be very frustrating, so you need a lot of patience and quite a bit of support from other users. What do you intend to print, and what do you want to do with your finished prints? ...oh, did I mention that you need a lot of patience?
Model bits, mostly. 1/35 and 00 railway. A few bits for the car, maybe a Webley (for another project). Patience....... are they heavy and small enough to fit through a window?
Very heavy. Few Windows could resist. I'm not known for patience at home, but am now pretty content to leave the thing running for 12 hours with the occasional check of a camera that now watches it. Made a few wargamey bits for people now. Quite tricky to get good smooth finishes on small complex things with the most common sort of printer that uses the rolls of filament. Get the impression the ones that use liquid resins are the eventual wargamer/modellers choice as they seem to get smooth parts more innately. They're not something I've done though (yet ). Looks like a messy business and the prints require curing etc. Suspect there are good reasons people seem to start with filament, and much can be achieved with sandpaper, files, solvents etc. on not-quite-there prints. Finally got these bastards almost right. Utterly pointless and absolutely outside my 'useful stuff' aims, but bloody-mindedness kicked in. Can't deny I've learned quite a bit in the process, though. Now think supports have as much art/intuition about them as science. (See the 'rings' on the finish, Trackfrower? Ridges like that on curves and complex shapes are part of what I mean by a possible issue for models etc , though I'm still very new to it all and they're absolutely getting better with time. Sometimes a thing prints perfectly smooth but it takes effort to learn why and how to improve.)
I may have already said this, but don't expect a "plug 'n play" experience. You can't just push filament and an .stl file in one end and expect to always get a perfect object out of its backside. You have to know how to set the machine up and keep it running in tip-top condition, and also keep your filament dry. So (and I think von Poop will agree with this) you have to be prepared to invest a lot of hours in learning about the machine and the process. I'm not trying to put you off. There's a good chance that you will love it, especially if you are a bit of a 'handy geezer'. PLA is probably the easiest material to work with, but If you need to make something that is relatively strong and will last a few years, you will probably need to make it using ABS. This may affect your selection of machine. Oh, and carefully measure the size of your largest upstairs window and ensure your proposed machine is at least 25mm smaller in all dimensions! Happy printing.
Currently £7 for a kilo of reasonably reviewed Matte White PLA using one of those Amazon tokens: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08YDHFJC5?psc=1&smid=A1EDRKW4KCRV08&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp Pretty much what I've been after for trying some more tankish stuff.
My advise is to use a resin printer to print 1/35 and OO railway parts you will get better results in detail than using a filament printer.
Will have to wait for Christmas. I would really like some 1/35 scale para or AFV helmets, 3.7" AA and 6" ammo boxes. These are to stow some Recce vehicles.
I think Damion's probably right about resin. I'm still new so it may just be me, but I'd struggle to make complex and curved parts that size on my filament jobbie that wouldn't need so much finishing you might as well have scratch built. Just been reading some stuff on fibre-reinforced printing. Blimey. Sounds exactly what I'd like to come down to consumer level.
So I think it depends on whether you want to play with the technology or you are only/mainly interested in the end results. There must be lots of people out there who would print objects for you for a small fee, and probably to a higher standard than you would be able to achieve in the first few months of swearing at your new machine!
I'm sure that is why in the early days they were named replicators - not for the parts but that once you had one machine you gained another and another to use different print material stocks. Most of the stuff I do now is pattern making for metal sand casting - and mould making with the filament printer so I can resin cast with the wide range of engineering resin (how I make durable parts for the 1:1 scale weapons Great retailer - a few miles from me - always ready to chat about your application and make recommendations on materials https://www.benam.co.uk/products Mould Making and Casting Instructional Videos | Bentley Advanced Materials Seminars have restarted again - great value day Seminar Dates Adam this mag is well worth a read for all additive machines - hobby and engineering TCT Magazine | Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Intelligence | News, Interviews, Features | Additive Manufacturing | Product Development Technology What little resin printing I do is outsourced to a print hub and I supply the STL or STEP. At the moment the volume I do does not justify the cost of a printer/cleaning/UV station setup but the dabbling in metal casting is making use of SLS Lost Wax attractive. https://www.shapeways.com/3d-print-material-technology/wax-casting Ross
Yeah: 'Consumer friendly'. 'Just plug & play.' Ho ho ho. Never trust the marketing Wanketeers. There is absolutely a price of admission here beyond just buying the things, chaps. Worn my first nozzle out, I think, or just baked everything a tad while learning. Chose to finally fit the high temp hot end acquired a while back. Just getting things dialled back in to print a friend a cuddly monkey cycle helmet for her daughter. Sigh. The patience required makes me think there might be some splendid nick secondhand deals out there on eBay etc. There's got to be so many that just give up.
Marketing should push the regression to teenage years - used to be constant tinkering and rebuild of motorbike engines on kitchen table rather than riding it - now you can relive it all by rebuilding your 3d FDM printer instead of printing! Suspect you cooked the nozzle - only had one 0.4mm nozzle wear out (blocked plenty with poor heat break maintenance) and that was on a machine I was printing glow in the dark filament on - the embedded particles in the filament are the abrasive culprit, same goes for carbon stuff. But I also notice you are sufficiently hooked to upgrade on rebuild rather get back to previous status quo. I've been running E3D Revo 6 heater and nozzle system to make changing nozzles and diam less stress. Quite liking it - most recent print job was for large build vase mode - sliced for 0.4mm nozzle estimated print time 32 hrs ish - bugger that - slice for 0.6mm nozzle 12hrs. Nozzle change time about 3 mins, including a precautionary check on first layer to see if offset changed - it had not. Ross
I'm a bit surprised its lasted so long. Full story: Captain Bodgit: 3D Printing: time to replace the nozzle?
Gonna put the old one under the heat gun to clean and have a proper look at it. Everything started going stringy no matter the settings or filament. Supports collapsing, especially more delicate tree ones. Wondered if Cura update as it definitely sends code in a different way, but same on previous gen. New nozzle seems to be printing a lot sharper, but since it's all still witchcraft it could as likely be the very act of just rebuilding the extruder and getting everything back shipshape. Suspecting maybe amateur z offset setting damage with a lot of feeler gauge scraping of the tip. Though the boot was also hardened and messed up so maybe overheating old crap building up there. No idea, but seem to be back in the room. Requests from people for things growing. All good as they force a bit more effort/thought, and you tend to resist 'that'll do' when it's for someone else. (Though a mate's need for many tiny masts for some ship wargame has absolutely enforced the thoughts about resin printing for such. Tiny can get tricky quickly.)