Buying from Shapeways - your thoughts?

flexible_coupling

Western Thunderer
Hello All,
I'm toying with the idea of putting a few items "for sale" via the Shapeways website service for rapid prototyping in the coming weeks - honestly and unabashed in motive - for a spot pocket-money for buying brass kits! A "kit" for a slightly freelanced-in-detail centre-cab variant of the Fowler 0-4-0DM, to use the Ixion Fowler as a base/source of bits and chassis, is the first item I'm inclined towards doing up. Obviously, there's a whole lot of consideration, design and testing required before I'm at the point of offering something for sale! But I'm just generally interested in getting some feedback as to the "attitude" that's taken towards the products that are offered - I see some builds popping up on 'the other place' which are promising - but still require a lot of TLC before they're really up to scratch.

I have prior experience with rapid prototyping/3D printing and know how to get the best out of the medium... some of the models with 'build lines' all up the sides do make me shudder...! I'd like to be able to actually cast kits in resin etc. from precisely made masters, but the initial outlay is a bit much at present!
Cheers,
Dave
 

Neil

Western Thunderer
I've had bits and pieces (009) from Shapeways. I've an idea that the quality of the print has improved over the few years I've sampled their products. I've generally either been lucky, or perhaps unfussy, but the stuff hasn't required too much faffing with. The big problem I have is that the fud material doesn't like Humbrol enamels, and I dislike acrylics.

These two carriages are perhaps the best prints I've received.

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Edit: The diesel is one of my own resin kits - see below.

Resin casting may not be as expensive as you think, certainly not when compared to printing large objects at Shapeways. Sylmasta do a starter kit for £35.00 which should give a good taste of what's involved and what you can expect from the process.
 

flexible_coupling

Western Thunderer
I thoroughly plan to invest in a good resin casting setup with a DIY vac chamber in the next 6 months. The thought is to try and recoup a bit of R&D/initial outlay by using Shapeways - then eventually migrate to having my own masters and doing up castings and more complete kits. Still umming and ahhing at this stage though!
 

Neil

Western Thunderer
If you're interested, my low tech, home brewed resin casting is described from master to cast here at Narrow Gauge Railway Modelling Online. You'll have to sign up to see it, but it's far easier than me cutting and pasting the whole lot over here. From it you'll see that such fripperies as vac chambers really aren't necessary.
 

Sleeper Agent

Active Member
Shapeways are doing their CyberMonday event. The email announcement lacked detail but a proper one with the code will be sent out on Sund/Mond probably. Anywho if there's anything you're after you can get it ready in the basket.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
The search function is probably perfectly suitable, what it can't account for is peoples ineptitude in tagging or describing their items. Shapeways have no control of that description as far as I know.

As in an computer program or software, :shit: in = :shit: out, not the search engines fault afraid to say.
 

Sleeper Agent

Active Member
Seller's tags aside I would say it could do with improving as almost anything I put in results in a massive list and adding further words increases the results rather than reduces! With say eBay it focuses on the word combos rather than either or, the best thing I can recommend is saving a list of your go to designers/shops.
Anywho the offer is up now, only 10% off this year i'm afraid. 'CYBERMON' is the code and it can be seen at the top of the page.
 
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Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Funny theyve reversed their previous decision on "No more discounts ever" as it "always lost them money and they couldnt afford the business".
I think that exodus of designers and customers hurt them financially.
 
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