3D printed ARC trooper pauldron

[Kodiak3d]

Here's a little thing I've been working on for a while. I've got the design pretty much where I want it. Now I just have to try printing it and see what the best way is going to be to do so. What do you think?


I may also design a magazine pouch to go with it. Nothing I print will be as good as what's available on the market, but I can get close.

 

[Spudtrooper]

Dude, awesome!

 

[Natedog]

Very cool. I hope you do many more things like weapons, lightsaber hilts etc.

 

[Kodiak3d]

Sadly, for things as small as weapons, my printer isn't capable of super-fine detail. I printed a pistol for my Endor Leia custom. It's not bad, but it's not as nice as an actual cast piece.

Of course, I could always use Shapeways print service for finer details.

 

[Chakaman]

Looks good man.

 

[Kodiak3d]

Went to bed with the print job almost half finished. Everything was looking good. Wake up this morning to a half-printed pauldron and a spaghetti of molten plastic. It screwed up right after I went to bed.

Looks like I'll have to do this in multiple pieces.

 

[Kodiak3d]

Well, first test print is done, and I think it's pretty good. The only thing I wonder about is if it may be a little small. What do you think?

 

[Natedog]

Looks pretty good to me. Your bicep armor is on backwards though

 

[Kodiak3d]

Lol, indeed it is! That's a pieced-together 212th I got off Spiderrogue. I switched the bodysuit (old style for new), and apparently I put those on backwards. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[sarakawa]

That looks great! can I ask you a couple questions? first, how long did it take to print that? second, how much cleanup was involved and what did you use to clean with? sorry for the 20 questions...i've been very interested in 3d printing stuff for a while now and am wondering how far the tech has come in the last few years.

 

[Kodiak3d]

I'm happy to answer questions.

Took about 2.5 hours. What you see there is no clean up. It's printed in 4 parts (each pauldron and each middle section) in order to minimize support structure. I need to fill a few small gaps and sand down a few surfaces, but it won't take much.

I used PLA, which usually has the problem of not being able to vapor-polish with acetone. However, I recently read an article that said someone found that ethyl acetate will work on PLA, so I'm going to track some down.

 

[Chakaman]

Looks good to me. Nicely done.

 

[j14]

Hi will you be selling these? Just out of interest?

 

[Kodiak3d]

Yes, they are available. I also plan to do a single-pauldron version and I'm working on the ammo pack as well.

 

[Spudtrooper]

This pleases me.

 

[Kodiak3d]

Spud, I'll see if I can get them ironed out this week.

 

[j14]

I'd be interested in a price for one.

 

[Kodiak3d]

I sent you a PM, j14.

 

[spiderrogue]

this may be the thing to get me back into SW..sigh...

 

[Kodiak3d]

(in my best Mr. Burns voice)
Eeexxcellent...