Well done, Paul, for taking one giant step into the modelling world!

Happy New Year too

I can see the attraction, and I'm very impressed, but is there a danger of creating the Plastic Kit effect?

I'm just asking the question as a subject for debate

We would appreciate a few pictures, please

All the best, my mate……Bob

its Not quite the Star Trek replicator, but almost, for small boat parts, and what a ridiculous price…all that tech for a miserable £300.

Not that I keep up with this sort of thing but I was looking ages ago at a printer in Maplin for just under 1000 and thinking that was good.

I collect plastic soldiers and this sort of thing would be a fab tool for broken and missing parts, or even replicating rare figures.

Ashley

Hi Paul,

I too bought a 3D printer recently, a s/h one from a fellow aero club member in my case. They are a truly remarkable tools. Although mine does not have a heated bed so I’m limited to PLA, which is fine for most things, TPU for items needing to be flexible and PETG which is similar to using ABS without the awful smell.
I've printed quite a few pilots for friends at the club (most recently for the RCME JP) and myself, fpv camera mounts, receiver mounts for aircraft. For my in progress TID I’ve done some sample hatches, nav lights, my in progress Neptune has some seat cushions, and other ideas not yet designed. Nothing much for the model railway, I think for N gauge a resin printer would be better. The surprising thing is the household items, Velux window/blind hook, replacement link for a floor mop, end cap on extendable pole as well as some useful clip on parts to fit my telescope tripod. The guy I bought the printer from had used it to print an adapter to allow his disabled wife to be able to use the shower taps without assistance, there seems no limit to what is possible.

Gary

Thanks for the link Paul, very interesting.

Re Bob's point, you could argue the goalposts have been moved.

Scratchbuilding used to be all about crafting all the individual detail yourself with hand tools and that served me very well for many years.

Now, my priority is to build models which are to all intents and purposes unique such as my long suffering Blue Star Liner. I am now willing to embrace new technology if it will deliver the model I want on the basis that the finished result will still be pretty unique as nobody else is likely to build one.

Times change and we must adapt accordingly.

Colin

Hi Ray,

I think as a BMFA member you are allowed to fly without the number until the end of January. That said I decided to just do the simple CAA test on line and get my number rather than wait as the club field is quite waterlogged at the moment and I’m flying smaller planes at home.

Gary

Hi Ray,

Embarrassingly I’ve not made much progress, the hull is glassed/epoxied and looking tatty with its high build primer coats rubbed down. I got distracted when I started using the printer and couldn’t find the wood I’d cut to finish the hull. I want to get the hull finished before I start the superstructure, but I need to sort out the steering gear first.

Gary