HMS Lion by Ian_Grant - 1/150 - RADIO - RESTORATION - WW1 Battlecruiser

[Kevin-the-lubber]

24 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

Those of us without 3D printers and the ability to use them may as well be living in the stone age, Glen. But i look at it this way, I can't burn the house down with my flint knives.

I don't think either of you need feel too envious - having seen the work you each do, I'd swap my printers (well, some of them anyway) for your abilities any day. 3D is brilliant, but probably not quite as fulfilling as doing it all by hand.

[Ian_Grant]

To me it's a tool, no more and no less, similar to the laser cutter which cuts accurate openings without me having to use an xacto knife.

 

The teenaged me sliced up some dowel and drilled holes for the guns; this time around the print can include the viewing ports for the gunners which would have been difficult by hand. Besides, I enjoy the challenge of drawing with TinkerCAD's limited number of shape "primitives".

 

 

[Keith Black]

5 hours ago, Ian_Grant said:

To me it's a tool, no more and no less

ian, I agree 100% with you. I don't disparage 3D printers, in fact I use 3D printed pieces parts sourced from suppliers. That's no different than if I was printing them myself. i admire folks like yourself who can master the printing process. 

[Veszett Roka]

I think this dispute is as old as the 3D printing in modeling industry. I agree with Ian too - this is just a tool. It is helping you to get the same, or even better result. Someone building the pieces from Evergreen slices or rods, someone fabricating them from excess pieces of plastic. The only important thing is the final result on the ship.

If we're talking about artistic sculptor talent and patience thats another topic i guess. Personally i find an accurate 3D model as attractive (artistic) as a sculpted one. Just different working hours invested into it.

[Kevin-the-lubber]

I agree, the machines are tools, same as lasers and CNC routers & mills, and so on. But 3D production can easily become the principal method, as is the case with my stuff. I guess it's down to the individual to decide how far they want to go, but my own experience is that it sucks you in. Not that I regret that, I willingly jumped in with both feet and would do the same again.

 

While writing I just wanted to add something - when I first got into 3D I assumed it would be a huge time saver, that I'd be able to knock parts together in a jiffy that would take hours or days by hand. There's a grain of truth in this, you do get far faster as your CAD and printing skills develop, but my experience has been that it often takes considerably longer than making by hand if you're designing the thing from the ground up. 

[Keith Black]

2 hours ago, Veszett Roka said:

I think this dispute

 Veszett, what dispute? No one is disputing Ian's use of 3D printing. As I said, "I don't disparage 3D printers, in fact I use 3D printed pieces parts sourced from suppliers. That's no different than if I was printing them myself. i admire folks like yourself who can master the printing process."