3D Printers Vs Pepakura

[oneuglymf]

Hi guys. I know 3D printing is a relatively new technology and it isn't really affordable for most people, but what is your take on how this could change costuming?

Once the price point gets lower, I have a feeling this could revolutionize how we construct our costumes (armor and weapons etc) Beyond printing the items themselves, it would enable people to create molds for some items that would require more flexibility like masks. This does however increase the risk of recasters as well.


Cubify seems to be the most affordable right now, though the scale is very small. 5.5" x 5.5" x 5.5" or 140mm x 140mm x 140mm. good for claymores, or shurikens I bet, LOL!!!

Would this edge out the well known Pep method?

http://cubify.com/cube/

Thoughts? Opinions? Gripes?

 

[babypred2000]

Kind of new to this subject, I looked into this many times and was blowen over by the price, of the computer image cost and printing cost of the 3d printer, man it was crazy, but i have seen many things made and love how they com out.

I know this is'nt much but had to post something.


Eric Shawn

 

[Lflank]

I think once 3d printers become cheap and readily available, they will change the entire economy. People will be able to print everything from coffee mugs to cars (one piece at a time). All the factories worldwide that make all sorts of cheap doodads will shut down as people just print their own, and all the chain stores that sell the cheap doodads will close down with them.  "Made in China" will be replaced with "Made at home".

The effects will be far-reaching.

 

[Klwl]

hmmm let's see

Pep:

print, cut, glue, resin, fiberglass or slushcast or whatever.  bondo, sand, bondo, sand, bondo, sand, etc....


3d Printer:

find or create file
push button to print



Did I miss something in there?



I'm sure there are some that do pep because of the cheapness factor but man it can be hugely labor internsive depending your desired results. I'm not sure how low the cost point for customers you are referring to but if you are talking 2-300 dollars I can't honestly believe anyone other than die hard pep builders would not jump ship.

I'm hoping along with lower consumer pricing they will also increase the print size as well.

It WILL happen it's just a matter of WHEN. 

As for recasting, it happens within every medium and 3d printing is no different.

 

[A Hunters Moon]

The technology is slowly dropping in price.  Some are even dabbling in it now.  I'd say for the person who can create them and print them from home it will completely demolish what pepakura has done in the past.  However, I see it being a good 5 to 10 years before it'll be affordable enough to become commonplace for costumers.

 

[DHB]

I can say I've dabbled right into it head first


as far as affordability I have to say Solidoodle is the one


I'm using the new Solidoodle 3 with a build platform of 8" x 8" x 8" and all metal frame at a cost far less then Cubify

www.solidoodle.com


here are some pics

I don't have any video of it in action but there is lots on YouTube but most are showing the solidoodle 2

 

[Giles]

As LFlank said "The effects will be far-reaching", I agree, look at all printing, now you can print digital prints at home cost-effectively which you couldn't do 10-15 years ago.

Part of me thinks cool, Iron Man suit for me with zero effort.  Another part of me thinks that once the printers are big enough and cheap enough, the magic of an amazing costume/suit/outfit that has been constructed over months with blood sweat and tears will be lost. You won't necessarily get that wow factor walking into a con or party or event because there will be 10 other guys in exactly the same costume!

 

[Lflank]

as far as affordability I have to say Solidoodle is the one  

Wow, those prices are not as high as I always thought of them being.  

I always wished I had enough space in my apartment for a homemade vacuum-former.  Now I wish I also had enough space for a 3d printer.    (My limitation would be that I have no ability at all with 3d software, so I'd either be totally dependent upon others to make models, or this old dog would have to start learning new tricks).

 

[ASonOfZebedee]

 
Part of me thinks cool, Iron Man suit for me with zero effort.  Another part of me thinks that once the printers are big enough and cheap enough, the magic of an amazing costume/suit/outfit that has been constructed over months with blood sweat and tears will be lost. You won't necessarily get that wow factor walking into a con or party or event because there will be 10 other guys in exactly the same costume!

That's how I feel too. When everyone has the same "unique" armor that they all downloaded and printed, there'll be so little joy and individuality left in the hobby.

However, there is another side to this. Say you can think up and design an awesome looking bio or backpack. Now that you've designed it, you go to make it but your crafting skills equal that of a second grader so your piece looks like bunk and you get frustrated because it's not how you imagined it. Now think if you had the option of printing it and having it either show up from a printer done and ready to paint or printing it up yourself at home. Your dream suit is that much closer to completion.

I can see good and bad possibilities coming from this. As a huge fan of pep (my 1st and currently only bio was from a pep file that I slush cast with plastic), I can appreciate the love, sweat, and blood that goes into a custom made, time sucking, labor intensive piece. I don't have that same respect for someone who prints their pieces and then paints them. No offense to anyone who buys their pieces and paints them but I feel that the best armor, props, masks, etc are the ones you make and toil over rather than downloading a file and pressing print. Granted, pep files are downloaded and then printed but there is so much more work involved with that process than with 3d printed pieces.

Now, all this being said, if someone offered me that opportunity to buy a hand carved P1 casted bio or a 3d printed one for 1/3rd the price, I'd likely go printed cause I'm not made of money.

 

[seahunterr]

It's a pretty exciting technology, many studios are using this for their concept and production.  For us propbuilders it has some amazing applications, seeing some of the ironman, batman, etc parts being generated by these have made extremely accurate parts available to the average collector.  The predator was all hand sculpted, so printed parts would seem out of place, unless you can dumb it down a bit so its not so clean looking.  The sculpted parts will always be unique.

 

[Draago]

Well for me it depends on whats avalible. I agree that most people would have the same suit 3d printing, but for me i like to modify and customize my own items like with my nerf plzsma cannon i didnt get a pep file butntook ordinary items to make. I have tried paprika but i coukdnt find the way to mesure the mask to my size, it was very frustrating an dthat i am on a tight budget and most of my projects that i have stored in my head havent stafted or are stopp3d because of inseficent funds or no materials to go with. 3d printing ismcool but most likly if i got a 3d printrd bio mask i would probably tear it dowm and rebiuld it to suit me an dmost likly it would be a waste of cash, but if it was an assembly required peice i could modify each part to fit me. Though for pep i dont have the most steady of hands i cant cut straights its hard for me to get the small folds and peices. But i would go with both if they made q build your self pred mask from 3d printing it would be great. I wouldnt take a full finished product unless i could do everyhting myself. Its very hard fkr someone like me who was abput 27 projects on my mind. 15 that i have started , 5 that probably never happen, 4 that would require 3d scanning and printing, and 3 that are almost complete.

If i got the right tools for the paprika and theproper instrutuons i could do it but i probably coulndt wait for ever for 3d printing to become avavlible

 

[Eaglewood]

With some of the stuff we saw at Legacy studios, the 3D pringing is surely the wave of the future-- Couple that with programs like Z Brush and such, and you still have to have quite a bit f skill to create the piece before you print it. You arent actually touching clay with your hands, but the end result is awesome. I would never want it to completely replace the age old tried and tested way of hand sculpting, but at times evolve, so do processes. Do you think that Michelangelo  would have sculpted David in marble or printed him if he had the choice??  HMMM

I have quite a bit of stuff 3D printed, but you still have to design it first-- the 3D printer is just the tool to create the physical end product. It still requires imagination, talent and determination to make your own custom piece. Just never give out your files and you will be the only one in the CON with that custom Iron Man suit!!!

 

[Biggdaddy]

I might have agree with DHB. I took a  look into Solidoodle 3 at under $800.00 compared to cubify that starts at 1200.00. I my just have to save and get one. I like to pep, but if when your done, it my be days or months to do a pep file. You 3D it, print it your done. I want that...