3D Printed Props = Bemused?

As others have said, the issue is shoddy worksmanship. 3D printing is an excellent tool in a process. It's just that a lot of sellers skip the process.

Which frankly, is fine by me, because it lets me charge a premium for a properly finished piece that took four times as long but looks twenty times as good. :)
 
Has anyone attempted the Acetone fume method of smoothing? I know this only works for certain materials such as ABS, but I believe there are equivalents for other materials. Some of the pics I've seen have had a rather soft look?

I use acetone vapor baths on my prints all the time, when they are meant as gifts or just trinkets. I would not recommend the chemical smoothing methods for PETG or PLA as the chemicals are volatile and toxic, something most home users would risk dangerous situations to make use of. The detail does soften but thats the trade off. When I want to make a planter, I acetone smooth it to seal it and give it a glazed look. I had a fist sized planter for a succulent I make as gifts that was completely smoothed out that I use in my 3d printing class to show how durable acetone smoothing can make an abs print. Print is completely hollow but the layers are melted together, I smash it with a mallet, stomp on it with my boots, throw it against the ground and aside from some scuffs here and there, it is completely solid with no cracks. Would I use it on a clone trooper helmet or a video game prop with sharp edges and detail? No.

Here are some example shots of the mini rocket I printed for my sister's costume. I was not worried about accuracy or dimensions here, we were in a rush for halloween with a 2 week deadline and I just wanted it smoother to paint. Right is the raw abs print, left is smoothed.
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I personally think the seller of the prop should do the finish work if they want to charge large amounts. Use the print as part of the build. Then fill, sand, fill, sand, fill and sand again to get the perfect smooth finish. Then make the mold from that piece and cast nice smooth and paint ready pieces... or at least pieces that only require touch ups to seam lines and light sanding before they buyer takes it to paint.
 
Has anyone attempted the Acetone fume method of smoothing? I know this only works for certain materials such as ABS, but I believe there are equivalents for other materials. Some of the pics I've seen have had a rather soft look?

Yes, it is soft, because you are melting the surface. You are not really fixing the problem with this method, you are making all new ones.

I always advise NOT to use this method. It's the lazy-man's method.
 
Now, having become familiar (sorry for rambling before getting to the point) with the ins and outs of printed parts I will admit I wouldn't dream of selling something I hadn't at least brought through post printing procesing, nor would I share pictures of something that wasn't final. I don't do that with handmade stuff either. I like to be judged on my result, not my process.
Progress pictures are a great tool for others to learn what went into your work, so they will end up appreciating the finished piece that much more, knowing you put a lot of effort into it. It can also learn others starting out how to prep and finish a piece. :)
 
I have also noticed this problem Birdie. It seems to be part of a wider issue of 3D printing being treated as some kind of shortcut, which simply isn't true - it's just another tool in the process.
Worth noting however this by no means applies to all makers using 3D printers, most in fact fully understand this and go about their work with as much care and effort as any scratch-build - it's just a 'bemusing' minority.
An interesting side point: I read from a film scenery construction manager recently that he prefers hand-drawn plans to CAD plans for the sets he builds, as he believes that when you draw up sets by hand you think through it the same way he builds it, and you begin to encounter and understand the same issues as he does. I'm not sure how much truth there is to that but I can see where he is coming from having done both hand-drafting and CAD plans, so I wonder how much of that applies to 3D modelling and printing a prop also. When you don't build it up piece by piece as a real object you can touch, with real weight and fragility and function, perhaps some understanding of the true nature of the design of the prop you're trying to replicate is lost? Just a thought really. Haven't had enough experience doing it myself to judge.
 
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Works fantastic on ABS. Depending on the piece, it can cause the details to soften a bit. I haven't really found anything that works as well on PLA.
dichloromethane vapours will smooth pla, although use caution as the fumes are pretty bad (fume mask, gloves, goggles etc). It's got a reasonably low boiling point so I use a bain Marie method to produce the fumes (although do not get any of the dichloromethane in the hot water, it will react violently!!

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dichloromethane vapours will smooth pla, although use caution as the fumes are pretty bad (fume mask, gloves, goggles etc). It's got a reasonably low boiling point so I use a bain Marie method to produce the fumes (although do not get any of the dichloromethane in the hot water, it will react violently!!

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Vapour polishing... Works brilliantly on acrylic. Just bear in mind that dichloromethane is the little brother of chloroform (trichloromethane) and you need to take care with the fumes.

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Kinda reminds me of when photo-shop came out on the market and suddenly digital photographs every where were getting the out of the box filter applied to them from everything to self employed photogs and large advertising companies. I think that is where the 3D printer is - it lets people who may not have the talent to actually sculpt something by hand hit print on a downloaded 3d file and the instant gratification of it kicks in and the print lines become more accepted...when the let's call them "old school guys" see it the full process of the sculpt...the mold making and casting go thru their mind and with that another value is attached (Lot's of time and hard work = better product and more satisfying ) when really with art enabled technology you always get 3 camps- Purist..who mock it...Entry level hobbyist ... who see it as a way for them to create something they could not before with out the technology and often fall into the "I can make money of this hobby trap" - like mentioned before digital photography and photo editing software brought everyone and there Aunt to facebook having a photography business. The 3rd camp...the Pro's who will see it for what it is another tool in the box and will push it's limits to see how much time it may save or not save...how accurate it can be...and hone techniques for finishing them and they will once again put themselves out ahead of the flooded market of mediocre art.
 
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