I've been awestruck by some of the designs/models I've seen folks create on this board. I was wondering how people actually do this process- I see fantastic CAD drawings that magically become tiny metal or resin figures.

I'm not an engineer/graphic designer etc, so I was wondering how this process works and is it practical to learn it without an occupational background in this sort of thing. What computer programs are used, how are the molds made etc?

If there is an older post that details the process or if you want to divulge your secret wisdom, plz let me know. Thanks.

C.J.

I know there are older posts explaining how it all works, but it basically goes like this:

1) Draw the 3D model
Learning to use 3D modeling software is daunting, but doing this kind of hobby work is a good way to learn. Pick a good program and give it a try. And then try some more. And then try some more. Each program has it's own quirks and conventions, so pick a good one and stick with it. It take some patience, so start with easy structures. In any case, nearly every complicated part is just a collection of simple parts.

2) save the 3D part as a .stl file
The program will take care of this. You won't need to hand record the binary.

3) email .stl file to 3D printer service
I use Printapart for part intended to be cast in resin, Ninjamagic for parts intended to be cast in metal. All it takes is time and money.

4) make mold of printed part (or convince someone to do it for you)
Hirst Arts (ggogle them) has a great how-to on mold making.
molding silicone and casting resin can be bought from smooth-on or micro-mark, among others.

What CAD software would you recommend, with a premium placed on "easy to learn"? Is it software that can run on a regular PC, or do you need a specialized computer? Are there any decent freely downloadable programs to try out?

Also, what do those 3D printing services generally charge (ballpark estimate) to create a physical model from the drawing?

I use Moment of Inspiration, 'MoI'. You can find them at www.moi3d.com. They offer a free month trial, and the full version is $300. The learning curve was gentle for me.

Blender is free, but it strikes such fear in me that I piss my pants.

PrintAPart is about $10 per cubic centimeter. Ninjamagic is about $40 per cc, but you get a nice bronze model that can be used as a master for vulcanization.

Gmax is free and has the full modelling capabilities of 3ds max, which is what I use. However you may have some trouble saving to stl with it and may have to go through several coversion steps.

So what kind of time commitment would be required to do model something like a tank with icons on it? Obviously it will be dependent on the ability of the user and the details on the vehicle, but are we talking 3-4 hours or 300 hours?

As with all things, it depends upon many factors.

Degree of detail
Learning curve of the selected 3D program
Individual fervor

I would say about 10 to 20 hours for a basic tank. The nice thing is that it's possible to do a little here, and little there, and receive continual feedback from the process, so it doesn't seem lengthy.

In that sense, it's kind of like eating a piano.

I don't know how it works for everyone else, but whenever I made draw something, I always end up having to redraw it several times. I'd guess that for me 40-60 hrs for a standard AV-sized item including all the revisions it involves. I'm pretty slow, though, and only have the opportuninty to work on things in little snippets so that adds time to it.

I DO love your comparisons.