New 1:35 scale printed parts sets are available!

Just released:
Type 1, 3, and 5 Extended end connections and standard end connections for AFV Club and Panda Plastics individual link track sets
57mm Anti tank gun civilian pattern tire
Light and horn guards for late M4 series tanks
Light and horn guard sets for Lima Locomotive M4A1
Light and horn guard sets for M32 TRV

http://www.shapeways.com/shops/mmcdesign?sort=name

Links to the part pages:
57mm Anti Tank Gun civilian pattern tire

http://www.shapeways.com/model/872596/set-of-57mm-gun-carriage-tire-amp-wheel-for-m1a3-car.html?li=my-models

Late Sherman lamp, horn and tail light guard sets
10 tank set

http://www.shapeways.com/model/915222/10-late-sherman-lamp-horn-and-tail-light-guard-se.html?li=productBox-search

5 tank set

http://www.shapeways.com/model/923429/3-late-sherman-lamp-horn-and-tail-light-guard-set.html?li=productBox-search

3 tank set

http://www.shapeways.com/model/923430/5-late-sherman-lamp-horn-and-tail-light-guard-set.html?li=productBox-search


End Connections, for AFV Club and Panda Plastics track kits

http://www.shapeways.com/model/940304/end-connections-panda-plastics.html?li=productBox-search
http://www.shapeways.com/model/940300/end-connections-afv-club.html?li=productBox-search

Type 3 EEC

http://www.shapeways.com/model/940293/type-3-eec-for-panda-plastics-tracks-set.html?li=productBox-search
http://www.shapeways.com/model/940292/type-3-eec-for-afv-club-tracks-set.html?li=productBox-search

Type 1 EEC

http://www.shapeways.com/model/940288/type-1-eec-for-panda-plastics-tracks-set.html?li=productBox-search
http://www.shapeways.com/model/923377/type-1-eec-for-afv-club-tracks-set.html?li=productBox-search

Type 5 EEC

http://www.shapeways.com/model/939995/type-5-eec-for-panda-plastics-track-set.html?li=productBox-search
http://www.shapeways.com/model/892890/type-5-eec-for-afv-club-track-set.html?li=productBox-search

Mike Canaday

Playing with the parts

The set of type 5 EEC came in and my sprue concept actually worked. I did have to drill out the holes to clean them up. I was glad that the sprue worked as an assembly guide. After I ran down the length of the sprue with an .032 drill (letting the drill do the work, I pushed one or two and cracked the connector, but there are extras) I was able to just push the blocks into the connections. On my test shots I had the connections spaced at the correct spacing for real track, and that's when I found out AFV Club's blocks had a slightly larger pitch, so I had to build the track up in 6 link sections. After the blocks were in the EEC side, I put the AFV Club connections on the inside and then carefully cut the EEC's off the sprue. The hard part was cleaning up the AFV Club track.










I found out the little scaling design features that are present in the Panda Tracks. The hole spacing in the end connections are slightly wider than the real thing. This has the same effect as AFV Club's wider spacing on the block. It did boil down to having to made a separate version of parts for each type of track, AFV Club and Panda. I was looking at the DML track, but those will have to be glued on since they don't have any real pins. I may also have to make a curved sprue. Haven't figured that one out yet. They do have decent looking Cuff and T48 tracks.

I was surprised at how well the two piece assembly worked on the 57mm Anti tank gun tire. The raised lettering was even readable on the small tire size lettering.




Light brush guards worked well too. This is about 20 minutes of work. I beveled the edges. I also had some printed at scale thickness with support sprues, but those broke all up trying to get them loose.


Mike Canaday

Mike, there are some great looking parts there. Thanks for posting them and good luck with this new enterprise.

On a somewhat sour note, it's a pity that more people (or anyone in fact) hasn't seen fit to comment on, what, at the end of the day, is a pretty radical way of doing things.

Yes, it IS that innovative!

only just seen this set of updates and yes, very neat... like the light guards especially... as 3d printing becomes more available, the model community will be rushing to do CAD courses so they can start developing their own (and I know it is NOT that simple dont worry)....

Hi Mike,

Just saw this post (and its sibling on ML) and I expect some of those EECs will be dropping into my shopping basket! One thing I was wondering - could you modify the drawings to fit the Bronco tracks? (Their method has the two pins held by a half-connector shape, so your EECs could be glued to them before final assembly...)

I like your take on splitting the wheel to let the support wax out too. (My take was to split tyres down the grooves in the classic plastic-kit way.)

Regards,
Tom

I have a set of the Bronco tracks, so I can look into it.

Mike

Not too far in the future modelers with a 3D printer at home can pay on line for a specific part, have the printing data emailed to their printer, and immediately print the part. No more going to the LHS or ordering and waiting for the mail. Only a couple of years ago affordable printers didn't have the neccessary resolution. This new technology is really astounding!

Now that would be perfect. I have seen the cost of these go down considerably in the last 20 years.

Mike Canaday

Hi Mike,

Will any of the EEC sets work with Dragon individual links track sets ?

That is some really innovative work you have done with these machines,Mike. Really takes advantage of their ability to do precision small parts for the hobby/art.
A question I have is, is it possible to scan an orthographic drawing of a part and 'feed' it to the 3D software to execute the design? Not yet?
Cheers for the sharing!

I will be working on that.

Thanks!

Mike

Thanks. It's a been a bit more of a challenge to get the parts flowing out smoothly than I thought it would be, but I guess what Shapeways is doing is pretty new, so they have some growing to do as well. I expect that this will be the way things get produced in the future.




There are some software packages that are addons or even features of bigger packages that claim to do that. I have never seen one that will work. Even if they could, some of the parts we are really interested in, like a turret, would never work with something like that. I don't think this will ever happen.

Mike Canaday

FANTASTIC! I knew this was coming but am VERY excited to see this form of production arrive in the AFV world. Will be watching your site constantly for new offerings!!

Looks groundbreaking. Can we see them with paint on?

I am sure you are swamped with new hobby product suggestions but: The 1/35 Dragon Wagon could sure use some raised letter tires and since the Tamiya wheel hubs are seperate you would not have to pattern the hubs. I can connect you to someone who alredy has the tires and lettering in CAD and who has already been turned down by a certain dry transfer manufactur and their new resin/decal process. (As in Thanks but No Thanks.)

I would be interested in contacting them. Thanks

Mike Canaday

You got it! Rounds on the way!

Also suggest siren set be available seperately as any/all WWII US motorized vehicles could be found with sirens field installed.

Would love to be able to add this detail to other US vehicles besides Shermans. Many Thanks

Mr. Canaday, did you receive my PM regarding the Dragon Wagon raised letter tires? The other gentleman seemed very receiptive to the possibility of this project.

I have not checked yet, but will do so now.
Mike

Here is an example of Tony's CAD work for the Sterling that would also work on the Dragon Wagon:

These tires would then work for my scratch Mack NO6 and also on any T26 Sterling model that might be offered in the future.

Beautiful work!

It’s amazing to see 3D printing technology being applied n different ways. But what amaze me the most is the way it is helping the medical industry to repair body parts, etc. I can that this PLA 3D printed skull will have a long way to go: http://www.3d2print.net/shop/blog/cool/heads-need-new-skull/.

To Mike Canaday; regarding the type of printing medium you're using, are the Sherman light brushguards easily removed from their frames without accidental breakage? Would you recommend removal with razor saw, or sprue clippers?