3D print question
 

Hi all,
new guy question. Is there a location for the print designs for some of the parts used in our type builds? Im new at this and would buy a printer, but a CAD expert I am not. Design would be a little deep for me.
Bud

Re: 3D print question
 

check out thingiverse, search for tamiya truck will give you lots to look at.

Re: 3D print question
 

I've found a few things on thingiverse.com, 1/14 and 1/10 scale and there is no problem re-scaling them in the slicer software, I use Repetier simply because is was on the SD card that came with the printer.

If you do try to design your own stuff (fusion 360 or sketchup) I recommend starting small/simple and print test pieces.
Not draw a whole/half a body and then discover what your printer can and can't do, that's the mistake I did...

Re: 3D print question
 

Also search Bruder and WPL on thingiverse... I'm just starting 3D printing, no printer yet but I've been dabbling in Tinkercad making simple objects.... you don't need to be a CAD expert....

Re: 3D print question
 

Might also check out

https://www.myminifactory.com

https://www.yeggi.com - more like a search engine

Re: 3D print question
 

Rhodeislander:

In some ways not being a CAD expert is an advantage, you don't have old habits to un-learn. I got my first 3D printer about 6 years ago with much the same idea as you, to print designs made by somebody else. I got the idea of 3D printing the parts I needed from the RCTractorGuy.

At that time I'd been using 2D AutoCAD for more than 25 years but I'd never done 3D CAD before. I soon found that most of the designs that I found on the web weren't QUITE what I wanted, or I could see ways that they could be improved, if I knew 3D CAD. So about a year later I bit the bullet and decided to learn 3D CAD. I didn't want to spend any money on software that I didn't like so I stuck to free software, of at least software with a free trial period. I tried Fusion 360, FreeCad, and others - I also tried DesignSpark3D.

Most of them just made my head hurt trying to understand what I was supposed to be doing, DesignSpark3D I could sort of wrap my head around. How much of that problem was based on the 25 years of 2D CAD I don't know, but I suspect it at least contributed to the problem. About a year ago I came across an article that explained why I had problems with some software. Most 3D CAD packages are based on either parametric modeling, where parameters help to define the 3D model, or direct modeling where you are directly manipulating the 3D model. Everybody's brain is wired a little differently and some people are better suited for using parametric modeling, and some people (Like ME) are more comfortable with direct modeling.

Fusion 360 and FreeCad are both based on parametric modeling, while DesignSpark3D is direct modeling based. There are other 3D packages out there TinkerCAD and Sketch-Up come to mind, and since they are rather simple packages I believe that they are direct modeling based.

3D CAD can have a steep learning curve, but YouTube is filled with tutorials - whatever CAD package you pick, so don't be afraid to try it. You might like it Mikey!

Don