psimon
Well-Known Member
Havn't heard from Dave in forever. Last time he was on all the models were printing fine so he may not even be aware there is a problem.
1/700 & 1/350 scale BH Cygnus builds
- Thread starter PrimitiveDave
- Start date
Havn't heard from Dave in forever. Last time he was on all the models were printing fine so he may not even be aware there is a problem.
psimon
Well-Known Member
The way they explained it to me was that some parts may print fine one in several tries. That wastes time and materials so they adjust their requirements accordingly. For one off's I wouldn't mind but when I am ordering a set of prints that make up one object for over $1600, I want all my parts to be printed regardless of how it gets done. I received an Email before I placed my order telling me all the parts are printable and ready to go. Now that they got my money I get a different story and excuses. And with Dave being gone for so long I don't know if those parts will be replaced with new ones.
My entire print job is completed except for the 3 antennas (2 of which are now canceled). :/
Yes, that's how it works. If they have a good machine/operator on the job the parts print fine. If they don't they say 'oh it's the designer's fault', and they disable the material he's made it available in. Then, instead of simply disabling the part, they appear to then randomly select an alternative material which their system thinks is printable as the default. In my case it's usually been stainless steel at many thousands of dollars per part.
Look just to calm nerves about Dave, I will make a little statement thing - I'm gonna caveat myself first off though - he WILL be back, and I don't want to tread on his toes, he's been a good collaborator and the last thing I want is to be seen as some kind of vulture.
But if he gets hit by a bus and parts remain outstanding after X lapse of time (open to suggestions, but not soon!), I'll design and upload replacements for them, no markup, same deal as always. (And if *I* get hit by a bus Dave is more than welcome to do the same for my model if he wishes.)
Look just to calm nerves about Dave, I will make a little statement thing - I'm gonna caveat myself first off though - he WILL be back, and I don't want to tread on his toes, he's been a good collaborator and the last thing I want is to be seen as some kind of vulture.
But if he gets hit by a bus and parts remain outstanding after X lapse of time (open to suggestions, but not soon!), I'll design and upload replacements for them, no markup, same deal as always. (And if *I* get hit by a bus Dave is more than welcome to do the same for my model if he wishes.)
psimon
Well-Known Member
That is very kind of you Nwerke. I am sure Dave would approve and agree. You both are awesome for creating these models for us in the first place!
I admit I am impatient and need to cool my jets. It's more the principal of the matter over having to wait for the corrected parts. In the mean time, I can still assemble all the main parts and just add the antennas when they are completed. :$
mythshaker
Active Member
1/350 version,
OK, I'm a bit confused here. On Shapeways I see the Stern Deck Upper Central and the Stern Deck Upper which appears to contain the former. It says it is now a 3 part part which I guess means the central part plus 2 wings. It says the 3 parts have been uploaded. Is the new part the one with the pipes and the antenna base? There were no pipes or antenna base with the older version so... Are the new wing pieces too large for FD or FUD?
All my other pieces should arrive tomorrow. So we shall see what FUD hath wrought.
I did not see it discussed for the 1/350 version but is there some type of armature?
OK, I'm a bit confused here. On Shapeways I see the Stern Deck Upper Central and the Stern Deck Upper which appears to contain the former. It says it is now a 3 part part which I guess means the central part plus 2 wings. It says the 3 parts have been uploaded. Is the new part the one with the pipes and the antenna base? There were no pipes or antenna base with the older version so... Are the new wing pieces too large for FD or FUD?
All my other pieces should arrive tomorrow. So we shall see what FUD hath wrought.
I did not see it discussed for the 1/350 version but is there some type of armature?
Good news there psimon, that's a bit of a first in my experience, nice! Mythshaker I am faffing about with CS customer support at the moment. The original $78 part was deemed unprintable as it contravened design rules, except it didn't. I disputed that and they agreed it's the same as the lower deck, which they *did* print OK. They've temporarily put a reversal on it, returning to the $78 price instead of $300 or whatever it went to.
In the meantime - since I expected to lose that dispute and have to pay the higher price regardless - I've realised I could improve it in a number of ways and was also worried about its fragility in the middle section, so I've moved to a 3-part design which incorporates the antenna boxes and a lot of the pipework. I've ordered all three parts and am now engaged in a new dispute, because they say the center part and the starboard wing are fine, but the port wing is unprintable...because it contravenes design rules.
The port wing is the original part. To make the starboard wing, I made a mirror image copy of it. The original isn't printable. The mirror image is. YAY SHAPEWAYS.
Good luck!!!
I haven't started on the armature yet - it will be similar to Dave's, and I have the primitives for it all done, but don't yet have it laid out into cutting files. Looking forward to that part, should be fun.
BTW I've uploaded all (I think) of the engine parts now but haven't tested them via SW - might not bother as they print OK on my home machine. I could make these downloadable in case anyone wants to home print them.
In the meantime - since I expected to lose that dispute and have to pay the higher price regardless - I've realised I could improve it in a number of ways and was also worried about its fragility in the middle section, so I've moved to a 3-part design which incorporates the antenna boxes and a lot of the pipework. I've ordered all three parts and am now engaged in a new dispute, because they say the center part and the starboard wing are fine, but the port wing is unprintable...because it contravenes design rules.
The port wing is the original part. To make the starboard wing, I made a mirror image copy of it. The original isn't printable. The mirror image is. YAY SHAPEWAYS.
Good luck!!!
I haven't started on the armature yet - it will be similar to Dave's, and I have the primitives for it all done, but don't yet have it laid out into cutting files. Looking forward to that part, should be fun.
BTW I've uploaded all (I think) of the engine parts now but haven't tested them via SW - might not bother as they print OK on my home machine. I could make these downloadable in case anyone wants to home print them.
mythshaker
Active Member
I'm game for trying to home print. I use a mac and my 3d printer, which they told me was supported on the mac was but now is not. I have only successfully used the default .7mm extruder.
mythshaker
Active Member
OBTW, what's the difference between the upper stern deck port upper and the upper stern deck port upper 2?
Re: 1/700 & 1/350 scale BH Cygnus builds
Done then - downloadable parts are the front engine bodies, heatshields and caps, the rear main engine bodies, heatshields and caps, the observatory and bridge domes, the small 'control module' domes from the underside, the paired stern thrusters, the stern hangar or observation deck or whatever that thing is, and the tower body. Edit - oh and the power centres and their upper and lower caps.
These should all print OK on an FDM type home printer though I've only tested the tower, obs. dome and main engines thus far.
Deck - there's no real difference, only filesize. I was trying to get my .stl as close as possible to the SW filesize limit in the hope that better tesselation will open the printability door. I've deleted the spare, now.
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PS do you have a .35mm extruder? You'll need it for best results, some of the detail might be a bit simplified or rounded off with a .7mm nozzle.
Done then - downloadable parts are the front engine bodies, heatshields and caps, the rear main engine bodies, heatshields and caps, the observatory and bridge domes, the small 'control module' domes from the underside, the paired stern thrusters, the stern hangar or observation deck or whatever that thing is, and the tower body. Edit - oh and the power centres and their upper and lower caps.
These should all print OK on an FDM type home printer though I've only tested the tower, obs. dome and main engines thus far.
Deck - there's no real difference, only filesize. I was trying to get my .stl as close as possible to the SW filesize limit in the hope that better tesselation will open the printability door. I've deleted the spare, now.
- - - Updated - - -
PS do you have a .35mm extruder? You'll need it for best results, some of the detail might be a bit simplified or rounded off with a .7mm nozzle.
mythshaker
Active Member
Re: 1/700 & 1/350 scale BH Cygnus builds
I have both a .4 and a .2mm extruder. Problem is with a mac the printer cannot be configured to work with either. Either it tries to extrude as if it were the .7 and grinds off the filament at the pusher or it extrudes so little that a .001 extruder might work, I.e., about 2cm per minute. So when I asked how you change that they said oh you have to do this from the PC and I said I have a mac and they said we don't support macs any longer.
I have both a .4 and a .2mm extruder. Problem is with a mac the printer cannot be configured to work with either. Either it tries to extrude as if it were the .7 and grinds off the filament at the pusher or it extrudes so little that a .001 extruder might work, I.e., about 2cm per minute. So when I asked how you change that they said oh you have to do this from the PC and I said I have a mac and they said we don't support macs any longer.
mythshaker
Active Member
Pics
Command base, tower, interstage, and command room
Command base from underside
Command interstage from underneath - and the only flaw I found in all the finished prints
Command interstage from top
Front fuel manifold
Command base from the top
Observatory drum
All pieces printed in FUD.
Command base, tower, interstage, and command room
Command base from underside
Command interstage from underneath - and the only flaw I found in all the finished prints
Command interstage from top
Front fuel manifold
Command base from the top
Observatory drum
All pieces printed in FUD.
32buds
Well-Known Member
I'm impressed. Must get some pics posted up of the parts I've got so far. Waiting on another delivery at the minute. The remaining outboard modules, module connectors, command capsules and caps + fuel tanks. Just the bow sections and the upper spine remaining and then I need to get the armature sorted.
Unfortunately, with a tax bill to be paid shortly, it'll most likely be the end of a couple of months before I can get the rest. The question is, do I get one big order or break it down into three smaller(still expensive) orders.....?:confused
Unfortunately, with a tax bill to be paid shortly, it'll most likely be the end of a couple of months before I can get the rest. The question is, do I get one big order or break it down into three smaller(still expensive) orders.....?:confused
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Frankpr01
New Member
I thought about LED's lighting too, but as the model is so big, "transparent" and delicate, cabling and hotspots might become an issue if used all over the model instead of on very specific areas for certain effects...so I have been testing a combination of EL lighting (http://www.microstru.com/Experimenter-Kits.html) and side-glow fiber optics (http://www.thefiberopticstore.com/purchase/SCSG/SGS-Fiber.html). Looks are promising, but until all the final pieces and front armature becomes available, I am just playing with options...
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mythshaker
Active Member
These really are going to be sweet when finished.
Right now I'm thinking about using hypodermic needle tubing for the antenna shafts. It's expensive but should hold up well and nest-able and many different sizes for running fiber optics to get light to the appropriate locations.
Oh, and 32buds, I suppose you know the center spine pieces are shown backwards. The transit tubes are high in the middle and low on the ends not ta other way round.
My next, and last for this year, order is due to ship from Shapeways on 11 Dec. Then I will have a big pile of parts few of which actually connect to each other.
Right now I'm thinking about using hypodermic needle tubing for the antenna shafts. It's expensive but should hold up well and nest-able and many different sizes for running fiber optics to get light to the appropriate locations.
Oh, and 32buds, I suppose you know the center spine pieces are shown backwards. The transit tubes are high in the middle and low on the ends not ta other way round.
My next, and last for this year, order is due to ship from Shapeways on 11 Dec. Then I will have a big pile of parts few of which actually connect to each other.
Re: 1/700 & 1/350 scale BH Cygnus builds
Woohoo, great pics guys. MS, those parts look good but I'm a tiny bit disturbed to see some roughness in a few places. With WSF you can get some quite visible layering effects if SW isn't on their best game, but all the stuff I've had recently has been fine. My version of the tower base in WSF doesn't have that roughness - oh well, it's a closeup after all, probably not that visible in RL, right?
I see you've placed another order - please note there are a number of parts with sprues to remove, e.g. the rear platforms - I wanted to make those as single pieces but couldn't get them to upload successfully, too complex. So there are some small sprues to cut before joining the half-platform pieces. The little braces joining the main tubes of the front fuel manifold are also just sprues to be cut away. I'll post some graphics calling out all these removable bits.
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PS sorry to hear about your Mac problem. You could probably install Virtualbox and then Windows and get around it that way? Virtualbox at least is free.
Woohoo, great pics guys. MS, those parts look good but I'm a tiny bit disturbed to see some roughness in a few places. With WSF you can get some quite visible layering effects if SW isn't on their best game, but all the stuff I've had recently has been fine. My version of the tower base in WSF doesn't have that roughness - oh well, it's a closeup after all, probably not that visible in RL, right?
I see you've placed another order - please note there are a number of parts with sprues to remove, e.g. the rear platforms - I wanted to make those as single pieces but couldn't get them to upload successfully, too complex. So there are some small sprues to cut before joining the half-platform pieces. The little braces joining the main tubes of the front fuel manifold are also just sprues to be cut away. I'll post some graphics calling out all these removable bits.
- - - Updated - - -
PS sorry to hear about your Mac problem. You could probably install Virtualbox and then Windows and get around it that way? Virtualbox at least is free.
