Hey everybody. I've been doing a bit of 3D design work for a time now and I have a shop set up at Shapeways here: Mike's Model Shop. I'm looking for more projects and I'd like to know what you guys here would like to see. If I think I can do it, I'll try it. I don't have any armor stuff up yet but I hope to expand that.

I am looking for people to do some reviews on the products (eventually). If you would like to do a review, you have to buy the product yourself as I just don't have the money to buy review products for everyone. If you want to, contact me and I can remove the markup for a short period of time so you could buy the product at the lowest price (Shapeways' base price, I won't be getting anything from that). I will do that for the first 5 review purchases per product.

That said, I am not a professional with this program, Autodesk Inventor, and I do this as a side hobby. There are some things I just can't do, some due to limitations of the program and some just because I don't have the experience but if I think I can do it, I will try it.

So anyone have any suggestions?

Hi Micheal,

I'll ponder this. I have ideas. Do you feel most comfortable with military subjects?

One thing I wonder about are 1/35 spokes for motorcycles/bicycles. I recall there are P/E sets out there. However, I wonder if the spokes would simply be too delicate?

What about eye glasses for figures?

For aircraft modelers, a new selection of scale machine guns.

I'll keep thinking.

Look at the PE sets that are available. Some of the parts are no closer to being accurate than the plastic part that came with the kit. PE is flat and some of the items they make should be 3D not 2D. That would be one place to start small and simple.
If you felt ballsey make an accurate US M103 Turret and mantlet for the Dragon kit that everyone grumbles about.

Maybe M60 tank wheels? Over the years, I have read a whole lot of complaints about how model companies have not gotten them correctly.

Machine guns, yes, although it would only be moderately better than plastic. Spokes and glasses are no. Too thin and too delicate. They actually are not printable by Shapeways in this scale at this time. From what I've tried, if it's a piece of PE that's going to end up flat, it can't be printed. If it's going to be 3D when the PE is folded, it might be able to be printed.




If I could I'd love to revamp the ENTIRE kit. But I can't. As far as I'm experienced, Inventor doesn't have the capability (and neither does my laptop) to do this. I can do small parts, definitely, but not the turret, unfortunately.

M60 wheels I will DEFINITELY look into. I have a RoG M60 as well.

Round armor stuff. Turret ventilators. Fuel caps. access ports. Things of that nature.

Merkava Ball and Chain armor.

Plumbing for the fuel lines on the t55 t62 series.

How about,
chieftain engine hatch handles.... for the new Chieftains.

Tie downs for modern vehicles...M113, Chieftain, Challenger, M109...

Barracuda panels for modern vehicles the same way that Attack do zimmerite for German tanks.

Infrared projector for the Canadian Leopard and Danish Centurion tanks.

Canadian M113 Dozer and the auger drill on the back deck... used in Bosnia with UN units and IFOR units.

Norwegian NM 135 turret and top deck for the M113

PM me if you require photos...

Anto

Michael,
AN/VIC-3 system


AN/VIC-5 system


for these MRAP vehicles that are missing intercom systems.

CLP spray bottles for weapons lubricant


Gerber multi tools


Energy drink cans, Gatorade bottles all in 1/35.

A very good idea!

Acessories for modern US vehicles (spinal boards, backpacks and camel waterbacks, folding chairs, helmets, cases, energy drinks and water bootles, etc.).

radar in front in for the husky

Jerry can, oil drums, diesel drums all those sorts of odds ans sods

YES!!!

2 ideas: Corrected dozer blade for the Academy M4A3 HVSS. And engine deck and backplate for late M4 and M4A1 (got several M51 from Academy and want to build a couple of them as late M4A1).

Dragon Wagon tires with raised lettering?

Digital file by Tony Gibbs; author of "The Sterling T26 Discovered".

I need new hatches for an LVTP7 to fit HobbyBoss' LVTP7 kit #82409. Early LVTP7s had driver and troop commander hatches that had a "lip" which is not captured in the kit. Measurements would be easy as I would use the hatches in the HobbyBoss kit and scale drawings of early hatches.

Coils of rope and barbed wire. Backboards. Clipboards and notepads. Slat armor for Strykers. Cigarette packs and cases. Books and magazines. Soda cans. Ends for modern US jumper cables.

ramp pulley for M113!!

Do you have a link for the shop you have at Shapeways?

Legend production is intreasted to do the Radar but they need more good reference photos first...so if someone have that...
And i think it would be quite expensive from shapeways...

AN/VIC systems can do. I've just thought about attempting to do an M8 HMC conversion. Just the upper hull though.

The Husky radar is a possibility, a long one, but a possibility. Because the arms would have to be done separately (but they could be one assembly separate from the radar unit), it would end up being a bit large and, yes, expensive. Unfortunately I can not do tires unless they are simple with few features (restriction of Inventor). To get the tread I'd have to make it as a decal which would result with a lack of features on the finished part.

the chain links are too small to print in 1/35 scale.

I have sets of the backboards available (Not to steal Mikes thread) Search Shapeways and one of my several threads will pop up.

Smaller protective cases and water bottles wind up costing more than the resin/plastic ones already out there.

What i need the more: 1/35 USMC and US AMY boots for improve modern plastic figures and why not US Vietnam jungle boots .

I didn't realize I didn't put the link to the shop in. Sorry about that. Here it is: Mike's MS Productions

Also, multitools just wouldn't be worth it. Too small and would cost too much. I'm not sure they could even be printed.