My Rocketeer Build Progress

[runJEDIrun]

Up to you, but starting like this would give you a much better finished helmet. PLA is a nightmare to sand and getting it really smooth takes a huge effort.

Buttery smooth! Yeah, I’m going to reprint and try to get it smoother. That printer is doing some funky things and keeps jamming even though the extruder was changed out. Might need a total recalibration.

 

[runJEDIrun]

Yeah, I’d use it to practice paint and reprint. I have that file, it’s a great helmet when completed!

Are the photos below of the D03D files? She’s a beaut!

 

[runJEDIrun]

We started printing one of the jetpack tanks on a different printer and it looks like it’s coming out considerably smoother compared to the helmet.

 

[BingoMaru]

Are the photos below of the D03D files? She’s a beaut!

No, it’s from a maker on Etsy, with a few subtle mods by myself. I also didn’t print it with the rivets so sanding would be easier and then I added them after.

 

[Valor]

I sell a complete sound and light kit for Rocketeer Jetpacks. You can buy them here:

Rocketeer Rocketpack Light & Sound Kit - Etsy

This Art & Collectibles item by ValorReplicas has 657 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Germantown, WI. Listed on Sep 29, 2022

www.etsy.com

 

[runJEDIrun]

My buddy helping me print thought we should try printing in ABS because of all the detail and smoothing out the print lines using the acetone method. Now I need to go back to reference photos to figure out where I need to break the supports off. I’m so confused!

 

[runJEDIrun]

Ok, broke off the crispies and now I can see what I’m working with. The ABS is very fragile as you can tell from the blemish under the 3rd hose nozzle.

 

[runJEDIrun]

I know that there are acetone vapor methods out there for smoothing out print lines on ABS, but has anyone tried using a brush or sponge to apply acetone and then wash it off with water to get it to stop working?

 

[joberg]

I know that there are acetone vapor methods out there for smoothing out print lines on ABS, but has anyone tried using a brush or sponge to apply acetone and then wash it off with water to get it to stop working?

Acetone applied via brush/sponge/rag is acting really quickly with your ABS and you might actually damage or modify some of the forms and details of the print. You could practice on a piece and see how you do handling it and the results.

 

[Valor]

For PLA this process has been a GAME CHANGER for me. A couple coats and I have eliminated layer klines with VERY little sanding:

 

[runJEDIrun]

For PLA this process has been a GAME CHANGER for me. A couple coats and I have eliminated layer klines with VERY little sanding:

So unlike ABS, using the acetone on PLA doesn’t cause any kind of chemical reaction that would need to be stopped with water to prevent it from melting correct? The acetone is simply a means of thinning out the spot putty?

 

[runJEDIrun]

Just did a rough cleanup of one of the PLA tanks. And by that I mean I broke the supports off.

 

[Valor]

So unlike ABS, using the acetone on PLA doesn’t cause any kind of chemical reaction that would need to be stopped with water to prevent it from melting correct? The acetone is simply a means of thinning out the spot putty?

EXACTLY. The acetone won't affect the PLA. It thins the putty, and flashes off quickly for quick sanding.

 

[BingoMaru]

Man, that’s my biggest complaint for this Veepy pack- the low res quality of the engine boosters. But great prints man! Always happy to see more Rocketeer builds. I need to get off my butt and finish mine.

 

[runJEDIrun]

I promise I have been working on this and cranking out more parts. I still need to do cleanup on a lot of the prints to get rid of the supports that are stuck in the nooks and crannies.

I also need to suck it up and start smoothing these out. I’ve been torn between using the putty/acetone method and the UV resin and UV light method. Anyone have any suggestions on which would work best for these rocket pieces with all the little details/rivets?

 

[runJEDIrun]

Man, that’s my biggest complaint for this Veepy pack- the low res quality of the engine boosters. But great prints man! Always happy to see more Rocketeer builds. I need to get off my butt and finish mine.

So this is actually a DO3D pack and nothing I’ve shown on the thread is Veepy. I actually had a lot of difficulty getting the Veepy files to work for me so I ended up going with a this instead. I’m told Veepy is very good though.

 

[runJEDIrun]

Any words of wisdom about how to slice this thing to print? I was thinking cut it straight in half (front side with vent, and back side). I’m not able to print this piece as a whole.

 

[BingoMaru]

So this is actually a DO3D pack and nothing I’ve shown on the thread is Veepy. I actually had a lot of difficulty getting the Veepy files to work for me so I ended up going with a this instead. I’m told Veepy is very good though.

Gotcha. My bad. I guess they’re both really low res. I actually ended up loading the booster engine into ZBrush, and added a cast metal texture to the main rings and detail inside, and resin printed it.

 

[runJEDIrun]

Gotcha. My bad. I guess they’re both really low res. I actually ended up loading the booster engine into ZBrush, and added a cast metal texture to the main rings and detail inside, and resin printed it.

I like the weld on there. Not sure how I’m going to tackle that one.

 

[runJEDIrun]

Slow progress but progress nonetheless. I wanted to tape together some of the pieces just so I felt like I was getting somewhere. Working on the middle rocket section now.