Introduction: 3-D Printing Intro : Models and Miniatures
Toys such as miniatures and models can bring a wonderful and tactile element to any RPG,
Be them a scale representation during a campaign..
Tokens to represent forces and creatures..
Visual prompts to describe encounters..
Or just fun to create and/or collect.
With 3-D printers becoming more readily available and the technology more resilient, it opens up a whole new element of ease and creativity for which to develop your skills and broaden your scope of play.
In this Instructable, I aim to give you a brief introduction to the technology, as well as steps to go from an idea to your first print.
*As a note; I am far from an expert and the details can be intricate. I'll be providing links along the way for further exploration as well as following the progress of a mini-scale tank build from model to painted print as example.
Supplies
We'll be needing;
Computer + 3-D software + 3-D Printer + Filament or Resin (Depending on your printer, this tutorial will be with PLA+ Filament)
Hobby knife + Pliers + Mat + glue + Files/sanding implements + Picks + Extra bits to add if desired
Paint + Brushes + Clear Coat (Matt or gloss depending on preference)
Step 1: Decide What to Make and How Best to Do It
For my first print, it just came down to being flexible and looking at what was interesting.
Fandoms were my go-to for inspiration and was my main track of seeking.
I chose the tank because it was a fairly basic shape that, even if there were errors, I could do something with. Plus it's Metal Slug, and I like the chunky, greasy, jungle aesthetic.
For how best to do it, I knew I had access to a filament-style 3D printer and would get a free print or two to test out the machine before getting my own filament.
The shop had PLA+* filament and it worked well enough for my models so I went with that.
Black were my first couple of prints using what we had already. Grey was after ordering my own filament.
I chose the grey coloration due to it being a nice, neutral color for priming. Takes to a dark or light readily.
I think the next time I pick up a new filament, I'll be trying out a glow in the dark variety or one with embedded metal bits for extra weight/a metal look!
*PLA, is derived from corn polymers. It takes about 2.2 kg of corn to produce 1.0 kg of PLA. While it is biodegradable, it is not "compostable" outside of controlled and optimized conditions. It can be re-melted readily and can be made from numerous sources.
Source on PLA material properties:
https://www.3dnatives.com/en/pla-filament-23072019...
Source on recycling:
Step 2: Obtain the File
This basically has three directions; you can find a pre-existing model, find someone to make one for you or create your own.
For finding things;
https://www.thingiverse.com/ - Good general-purpose database with a lot of free models for download.
https://www.myminifactory.com/ - More of a focus on models, higher rate of pay to download models.
And via user Deccimation on Reddit, there is this handy list of free and paid content from Patreon and Thingiverse. Organized by genre.
Thingiverse
Patreon
For finding someone to make one for you
Basically just find an artist you like and send them a message asking if they do commissions and describe what you would like.
This generally costs, so be forewarned about that and for the most part you get what you pay for.
For Creating Your Own
https://www.tinkercad.com/ - Free and accessible
https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overv... - More familiar to me, free 30 day trial or year for students/educators. Kind of expensive outside of that.
Tutorials:
Fusion 360
For my starting projects, I downloaded a Tank, some Carnosaurs and Soldiers, all from thingiverse.
Step 3: Ready the Model
You'll need to convert the model to a form the 3-D printer can interpret and to do that you need another software suite.
If you bought a ready-made 3D printer, then it likely has it's own software suite. If you built one, then I trust you have the know-how to find a suite to suit your needs. ("Suites to suit" Heh, words.)
I'm using Ultimaker's Cura software as it's what's already installed and synced with the shop machine I have access to.
The 3-d Printer reads Gcode. (Check your machine's specifications)
The process is pretty simple though.
Start a new project -> Import Model -> Tweak Settings -> Export for printing.
Sometimes your model will come in parts, especially the larger ones. It's up to you to figure out how best to print them for your machine's capabilities and your own time. For the tank model, I chose to open all the parts and try to fit them onto a single bed. (So I could leave it running over the weekend) It worked, but if it doesn't you can also adjust the scale of your model to fit what you need or print one at a time.
The Tricky part being that "Tweak Settings" portion.
As an example I printed two sets of soldiers; the black with standard "Extra Fine" settings and the grey as an experiment to see if I could squeeze some extra detail out of it.
Tweaked settings (Other than the filament changed from black to grey of the same brand PLA+) were:
Temp : 190 C --> 205 C (Closer to the filament's box instructions)
Build Plate Temp : 60 C --> 65 C (Same reason as above)
Speed : 60 mm/s --> 30 mm/s (This basically doubled the working time)
Print Jerk : 30 mm/s --> 15 mm/s (Reducing the speed the printhead takes when changing directions)
And I believe those were the only differences between the two sets. The quality on the grey print (2nd set) came out a lot better and I'm excited to see results. (Mind you I did minimal cleanup on both in those pics; only removing the supports with pliers.)
Some other things to keep in mind are custom supports, model orientation (Where the supports touch it can be rougher), fill types, etc. There's a lot of settings to mess with.
The last picture is that carnosaur model from above printed with the refined settings, but I cut time down by about a 3rd by adding another variable that allows for increased speed while printing the supports. (They don't need to be as accurate)
The sky's (of your printer) the limit!
Step 4: Print Your Model
Pretty simple, yet again. But can vary depending on your machine.
For the Ultimaker 3, all I have to do is save the gcode to a usb, plug it into the machine, select the file and go.
There's also the possibility of a network connection where you send it over like any desktop printer, but I haven't set that up yet.
The printer may take a moment to warm up and bring the bed up to temp (If available) and then it goes, printing for sometimes days at a time for a single model.
The tank that I printed first took 49 hours at a "Fine" setting of 0.10 mm/layer.
The soldiers and carnosaur were set to "Extra Fine" at 0.06 mm/layer. (This made a really big difference in time and quality)
Resin printers are a little bit easier to get higher detail with on minis but come with their own can of worms of complications such as the resin being hazardous while liquid and the solvents used for post processing. (If not water-washable)
Watching the printer go is neat at first but can be like watching grass grow, I found it's more enjoyable to leave then come back periodically rather than sit and watch it the whole time. Be safe with potential hazards if things go wrong but I didn't need to babysit mine.
Step 5: Remove Model, Clean Off Supports
At this point, your model probably doesn't look like a whole lot of anything. Unless you went supportless, then it probably has a bunch of things hanging onto the models like the supports and rafts. You'll need to remove these.
I find that an ordinary pair of scissors works for cutting the raft and separating individual models. Then pliers for breaking off most of the support remains. *Be careful; it can be easy to break fine details while removing supports. If in doubt then cut rather than pull.*
Once your model is removed from the supports, then it's time to do a little cleanup. Pick off what you can with pics, scrape off burrs and irregularities with a hobby knife. Be careful and be sure to always cut towards another object as a backstop or away from yourself. It's really easy to cut yourself while working on this. Recommend a clamp.
Sand the details further out. It can be handy to have files as well as paper to help bring out sharp details. I haven't tried it, but creating your own sanding stick by gluing sandpaper to popsicle sticks seems like a useful idea. (Found it on the internet)
I had access to a rotary tool and that was a great help in not only cleaning up the model, but in creating new slots and details...which may or may not have been inspired by mistakes. Rotary tools can be hard to handle once going, again be careful.
Step 6: Spice It Up!
At this point there's a lot of room for modification and it can be necessary if you're like me and make mistakes.
A nick in the model can become claw marks. Burrs that left a divot can become bullet holes or scars. Use your imagination and work with what you have.
In my case, while working on the tank, I had the idea that I wanted to add lights to it. So, I drilled out the spotlight, added an LED, ran some wires to the main turret and housed a battery and switch there.
The barrel getting a red LED was just a frivolous addition.
I also brought in some extra brass bits for accents on the machinery.
Mind you, nothing should be glued yet as we're going to be getting ready to prime.
You can choose to glue things if you want, I just prefer to paint while not having to deal with extra angles.
Step 7: Priming
Now to start with you're going to want to be sure that your model is clean. Taking the time to hit it with a little bit of soap and water may help with adhesion.
You can probably get a lot fancier (I'm eyeing a nice paint sprayer) but for this model I used a basic flat grey primer. Make sure that whatever you go with works on plastic. It does matter in most cases I've come across.
Spraying
*Lay your pieces out on a surface that you are ok with getting paint on. I used carboard for this on our garage floor. Be careful with overspray, paint to waft in droplets in the air, coating anything around. Use proper ventilation and personal protection.
*Test distance on surface next to model. You're going for a light dusting, visible but not pooling. You don't want it to be shiny. (I was going too quick on the tank. Managed to be ok, but it was borderline runny)
*Each pass, take a few minutes to let it sit, then flip it, turn it or adjust so that a new angle is towards you and available for the next pass.
*When done let sit for a couple of hours and then flip. This is to prevent it from creating flat spots where the model presses the paint down with it's weight.
Step 8: Painting
The proverbial rabbithole goes deep on this one.
I'd suggest just looking up a tutorial on youtube for something similar to what you're doing and going from there.
For my tank, I wanted a camo pattern and am a fan of Games Workshop's tutorials and using good 'ol acrylic model paint and brushes.
Brushes were acquired at a local craft store, but I special ordered a beginner miniature paint set online.
Once paints were acquired, I looked up "how to paint a Cadian tank" and modified the colors to suit my needs.
Here's that Vid I started with.
The general process was to start with the basic and more universal colors, then work your way towards the smaller and more detailed colors.
I went:
Green -> Purple -> Treads -> Wheels ->Pistons/Metal -> Outlines
And then used a little bit of black mixed with a drop of soap and a tbsp of water to create a wash that I brushed over the entire model to dirty it up.
For the most part I'm happy with the results. The wash could have turned out better and it still could use a little work. I might go back and do highlights later too before a finish.
When you're done with painting, it's recommended to seal your paint with a finish spray.
I plan on using a semi gloss for a first, protective coat and then covering with a matte finish as I'm not a big fan of gloss.
Same procedure as the primer with light, even coats. You want thorough coverage with minimal pooling.
Step 9: Assembly
Super glue and various clamps are your friend. The clamps help the glue bind with a more solid connection.
Just make sure that the glue you use works on plastic and that it isn't the type that foams.
It may have been useful for the main turret where foam could fill in extra gaps without being seen, but I used foaming glue on all the bits and then had to do some trimming followed by touch-up painting. Would have avoided that extra work if I had thought of it.
Otherwise it's fairly straightforward.
I also used hot glue to hold the various electronic bits inside just in case I need to mess with things later.
Step 10: Show Off Your Hard Work!
And that's it!
You should now have a model of your choice built and painted.
Again, the rabbithole goes deep and there are MANY directions you could take with this to compliment your role-playing.
Especially if you learn how to make your own models and are not limited by what you can find.
Go forth create, build and enjoy!
Runner Up in the
Role Playing Game Challenge
