3D Printers

[Jeroen1302]

Hi everyone,

3D Printers are currently on the rise if we can believe the media. You can get one for as little as 400$ or so it seems. Has anyone thought about what this could mean for our hobby yet? It opens amazing possibilities, like downsizing bigger figures for more detail, creating digital models or perhaps even downsizing 3D pictures of "actors" to create perfect models! It could also mean that you could download models at home and print them yourself without having to go to the store.

How do you see these possible developments? A danger for the ordinary retailer the sculpting artist who could become obsolete? A threat for the illegal spreading of peoples hard work? Or a possibility for easier creation and perhaps open source-based spreading of our work?

[Peter]

If they can downsize some figures I have from my youth, I will be very happy with this development!

[Xantippos]

I studied this topic, and my verdict is that they are not good enough yet to produce a nice 1/72 soldier. With a 1/35 yes they could, but the only printer with enough detail costs 1400 $, and each liter of liquid resin used costs 100 $!!!!!!!!

I think we are in the point the paper printers were in the middle of the 80s (in europe), very expensive, slow and not something you would have in your house. But in 5-10 years, maybe it is as common as having a printer/scanner on your desk.