I wonder if a company like Baccus is going to sell 3D-prints of 6mm figures.

I'm an old school wargamer who loves old school figures. But the market is changing.

1) 3D-printers are becoming available for the general public

2) Brexit will hinder sales to continental Europe. (Napoleons old Continental System is back, this time started by the Britons themselves)

3) Resin printing is getting cheap

I can buy 2/3mm figures that look ok, similar to Irregular 2mm microscale. 15mm and 28mm-prints that I found online were impressive. I found a Polish company that 3d-prints armies, who visited the Joy of Six.

http://www.gmboardgames.com/blog/en/3d-printing-a-revolution-in-6-mm-scale/

Plastic Soldier Company sells 15mm in Ultracast semi-hard-plastic and TT-combat sells 10mm-Dropzone in resin/hard plastic.

So I wonder: in the near future, can I buy STL-files from Baccus and home print my 6mm army? Or will a company like Baccus become a printshop instead of a tin soldiers company? 3D-printing is getting better and cheaper.

TBH, here in Delfzijl I've had no problem in getting my Pony Wars stuff post-January1st. Of course, I'm here as I too am no fan of self-inflicted tomfoolery.

I bought a couple of resin printed item, mostly scenery like fences and such, and they are too britle. they snap and crac, and I hate it. I also bought a little 3D miniature of Santa Claus last Christmas, with reinders, whistless and bells, from a polish manufacturer, and a reinder came with a snap horn. There were some printed related sprues to a reinder's leg, and while cleaning with an hobby knife, the leg snaped off. 

I like metal because is durable and bends. Yesterday I landed a bottle of white glue on top of a row of half finished british napoleonics, and the bayonettes simply bent under the wheight of the bottle. If they were 3D printed they would have been probably ended up smashed to pieces.

I'm interested in the new 3D printing technology, but to my tastes, it is not yet mature

Thanks, L.

I've long thought that, eventually, one will buy one's complete army as a downloable file(s) to print at home. But the technology and the price isn't there for a few years yet. A bit like electric cars, although in that example, we should have gone with hydrogen fuel cells and better public transport. Home forge and 3D-printed moulds, anyone?

Have to agree, the technology is not at a price or brain friendly point yet. Given my age now I am unlikely to venture down the self printing road, although I have had a couple of WWI planes from Shapeways.

Honestly I don't like 3D printed miniatures, I don't think I would buy them if not obliged because I don't find other. I don't want to spend the few time I have to paint on this objects. I like the old metal boys.

Well... IMHO, for "block" stuff such as scenery 3D printing could perhaps help.
But from the printing time, the costs, the misses, and obviously the 3D design, I do not see interest. Who would "print" 100 of a same house or so for it's own usage ?
As well spending tens of hours designing a 3D model for a unique model does not really make sense vs. building it by itself.

Regarding miniatures "printing", from the time to print, the accuracy of it, the initial investment (again), and the fragility of the result... Not sure of the interest of this currently.

Obviously, this is just my opinion and I am sure things will evolve at a time, but for me it is far too soon.

@Leftblank, Did you suffer from the "old Napoleonic continental system"? Or your family? In the latter case, I can understand that it can still be painful ... actually no, I'm just pulling your leg!

On this 200th anniversary of the Emperor's death and given the thousands of followers of this period in the UK, we think it would be good to look at history with more leniency and in particular with regard to the responsibilities that would fall to any emperor regarding this mess!

It is time to stop mixing an emperor and in particular Napoleon Bonaparte with your current situation because it is totally inappropriate ... this choice is democratic as indicated concisely by @Dourpuritain "I am not a fan of either self-inflicted insanity "

In short, to come back to the subject which is also very interesting ... and for those who have read it so far ... We are continuing to answer your 3D subject!

Yes, like many We are not old enough to print our "metal boy" ourselves as @Daniele Bruccoleri said.
And as @philemon says: "Obviously that's only my opinion and I'm sure things will change at once, but for me it's way too soon."

But we bought 3D prints when those models weren't available in metal and we had some nice pieces that fit perfectly with the metal troops we had!

Now, as long as we can buy metal, we will! See the advent of the era of plastic We have been collecting for a few years everything that is in metal to continue this very pleasant censorship of carrying heavy ... but only real men can understand it!

And we have metal stocks awaiting retirement ... to paint!

3D and plastic may be the future of this hobby ... but not ours!

By responding to this post, we were watching, in replay, last night's football match between Manchunians and Romans ... Manchester United won 6-2 against Rome ... We leave you with this superb victory !

Manchester has just won ... like the Emperor with the Eric Cantona jersey bought in Manchester ... of course !!!

Team Baccus has experience with 3D printing already. Selective laser sintering was used to create at least some of the early prototype WW2 vehicles. From a production perspective, 3D printing is not necessarily cheaper than casting - at least not yet. An industrial strength printer is not cheap, depending on the quality and nature of the printing that you want to do. It takes longer to print the same number of figures/vehicles that a casting machine can cast in a few minutes. Post-processing is not a trivial manual process, especially if the miniatures are printed using supports. Resin types are increasing in strength, flexibility, and durability. These improvements are not necessarily increasing the price but the very top quality printing materials are not cheap, especially if you want to print in metals. The whole printing process can be out-sourced of course.

3D digital sculptures are needed. These can be produced using CAD software. The number of sculpture files available online is increasing rapidly, both free-for-personal-use and pay-FPU. There are alternative ways to create the files. For example, artefacts as large as buildings can be photographed from multiple directions and, using a process called photogrammetry, transformed into precise 3D digital replicas for printing. It is even possible to print figures with all the colours of the uniforms, equipment, etc, albeit at a 'wargaming' rather than 'showcase' level at present.

There will always be folks who want to buy pre-cast metal or plastic figures. Time is often more valuable than the cost, for example. Like books, there is something about handling and processing the figures through all of the stages like painting, where time is not issue. Creativity and relaxation feature heavily in these processes, at least from my perspective.

There is no question, however, that 3D sculpting and printing will continue to grow. Age is no barrier to getting into the whole paradigm, if you want. I am now aged [mumble mumble] and have loved learning all the skills associated with creating 3D sculpts, using photogrammetry, and printing (using the next generation of the same printer that GM Boardgames mention in their website). It is quite extraordinary what can be achieved. Even down to using the 3D sculpts in online computer tabletop simulators. Thus 'traditional' metal casting will still have a key place but it is possible to provide the same figures as 3D sculpture files for those who want to get into 3D printing and for those who want to wargame in virtual computer simulations.

Robert

For anyone not familiar with photogrammetry, here is a photo showing a scratchbuilt model of Fort Sedd-el-Bahr (centre right, next to the shore line). The context is a Great War Spearhead scenario of the landings at Cape Helles in April 1915, at the southern end of the Gallipoli peninsula:

Here is the same model reproduced using photogrammetry software processing of 50 iPhone photos taken at different angles:

Next is the 3D sculpt in a CAD software programme, with a 3" x 3" base added:

Finally, a low resolution 3D print using the file from the 3D sculpt above:

Nowadays, I can generate much more accurate versions of the original using a better camera and higher quality prints at higher resolutions.

Robert