# 3D Printed 2016 Ford GT...



## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

.
A rough printing... Could have used more points of reference...

*Snaps* lightly on a 1.7*"* MegaG chassis... Don't know if it
will fit down on a MegaG*+*...

_Might_ (???) need some work to make a tight-fit racing body...

The body itself needs lots of sanding... Maybe even some sheet
styrene in places... Painting under the cabin to rear fender strut
may be tricky... 

A pretty decent start, though...

*2016 Ford GT...*


















.
John
.


----------



## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

Nice work, '16 GT looks good!


----------



## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

Dyno Dom said:


> Nice work, '16 GT looks good!


I just took the photos... with my *Barbie's PhotoShoot Weekend* camera...

Not responsible for the printing... 

John
.


----------



## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

Dushkwoneshe said:


> I just took the photos... with my *Barbie's PhotoShoot Weekend* camera...
> 
> Not responsible for the printing...
> 
> ...


I see a; "Diamond in the Rough" here !! :thumbsup:
custom stuff is seldom "Easy" work....
I'm a "GT-Freak", as well as; Movie/TV Customs, & F-1's 
(waiting for the E-1 bodies to come out.. "Ironic" being Slot Cars :drunk

Bubba 123 :wave:


----------



## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

That looks good. I have been working on a printed body and getting it ready to paint was a major project. For one thing the plastic does not sand easily. I finally settled for a body that still had some visible lines here and there. The car will not stand up to close scrutiny, but will look good on the track in any case. I will have to use glare free lighting when I take a picture of it.
I expect that in the not too distant future the resolution of the printers will get better and bodies will be done that need little or no preparation.


----------



## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

Rich Dumas said:


> That looks good. I have been working on a printed body and getting it ready to paint was a major project. For one thing the plastic does not sand easily. I finally settled for a body that still had some visible lines here and there. The car will not stand up to close scrutiny, but will look good on the track in any case. I will have to use glare free lighting when I take a picture of it.
> I expect that in the not too distant future the resolution of the printers will get better and bodies will be done that need little or no preparation.


I take my glasses off... hold the car out at arms length...

* _Heeeeeey... Looks gooooood_...*

.


----------



## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

That GT looks like a great project. 

At this point in it's evolution, 3-D printing appears to be a very cruel joke. You can have any body style you like .... so long as it looks like it was made by Betty Crocker and cant be sanded. You're basically trying to sand a neatly arranged pile of hardened silly string. It can be frustrating. Neither nylon or poly lend themselves to sanding. Because of the flexibility that makes them bend and not break; they lack the necessary hardness/tension to make sanding easy. Your paper or files will bog, and drag lethargically across the surface. Picks, gouges, or blades will bite down, wallow and dive. Progress is slow.

For the first pass, I go pretty aggressive 180/220, and stay in the direction body lines. If you cross grain this stuff it starts looking like a hammered Swiss Steak in short order. Just "long board" the model to establish the body lines and knock off the highs. Dont waste time and energy trying grub out the low spots .... thats what filler is for! 

Make the jump jump to 320 and cross your strokes in a lengthwise (to the body) in a narrowed, diagonal fashion, keeping the cross angle acute. Then scrub the model down aggressively with traditional cleanser. I have a modified toothbrush with shortened bristles for just this purpose. Promoting adhesion for the base coat is important.

Most automotive parts houses carry a high solids sandable primer. If yours doesnt , go elsewhere. Apply two light coats and let them set up. Typically this product drys fast. At this scale it becomes filler when liberally applied. If it laid out decent, just apply a good wet filler coat....or two. If not, chase it with 600 and try again. after heavy applications, it's best to give things some extra drying time

The idea is to get away from the futility of trying to sand that which is unsandable and spend your time working in a medium that is specifically suited to finish sanding. Once you get a good sculptable base, you can work in some minor detail. 

Hint: Use forceps to hold your paper in the tight areas. Use a PTEG backer to wrap your paper on.


----------



## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

Here is the finished body that I mentioned earlier. Even after two hours of filing and sanding it does not stand up well to close inspection, but it looks OK on the track. If you can print a body and get it smooth you can then do resin pops of it.


----------



## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

and thus might be an appropriate role for 3D printing for now.
mocking up bodies that aren't otherwise available in order to have a master to make molds from and then resin re-pops.
there are other technologies waiting in the wings to become mainstream that might make 3D printing obsolete before it is even perfected


----------



## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

.
Thanks for the tips, Bill... Nice looking car, Rich... Love the shade of blue...

Rich and alpink... Never really thought about using it as a resin master...

A splendid idea... Thanks...

John
.


----------



## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

If you make a mold then a resin slosh cast you could smooth the resin out by sanding and flowing on some resin with a paint brush where it flat enough. My problem is I don't have enough time to play with 3 d files to where I could take on that's available and make a decent shell out of it


----------



## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

vaBcHRog said:


> If you make a mold then a resin slosh cast you could smooth the resin out by sanding and flowing on some resin with a paint brush where it flat enough. My problem is I don't have enough time to play with 3 d files to where I could take on that's available and make a decent shell out of it


Roger... Would you have make it a 2-part mold, to cover the rear wing?
(know nothing about casting)

John
.


----------



## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

John, you would have to cast the wing separately and that, too, would have to be a two part mold.


----------



## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

.
Thanks, alpink...

The wing struts need some work anyway... So it's a good thing...

John
.


----------



## Paul R (Nov 3, 2009)

alpink said:


> and thus might be an appropriate role for 3D printing for now.
> mocking up bodies that aren't otherwise available in order to have a master to make molds from and then resin re-pops.
> there are other technologies waiting in the wings to become mainstream that might make 3D printing obsolete before it is even perfected


Exactly! Unless you are talking very high end printing this is what 3D printing is being used for in the commercial world. To make prototype parts to test the dimensions of and then use to make a mold of. Maybe in a few years it will reach a state where the 3D part is viable for end use, but I don't think it is there now.


----------



## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

There are now a lot of printed chassis available for 1/32nd cars, even from Slot.it that makes regular injection moulded chassis. In the case of chassis the rough finish that you get with 3D printing is not a problem.


----------



## highwingpilot (Jul 22, 2015)

I dunno... I've had no trouble sanding my sintered nylon bodies on Shapeways. A couple of light coats of rustoleum filler/primer from a rattlecan, sanding between. Started with 250+ and ended with a final 800 or 1000 grit wet sand. Got a glass smooth finish.


----------



## highwingpilot (Jul 22, 2015)

Here's the Cobra body printed by Shapeways.com in Strong and Flexible plastic (sintered white nylon).









And here is the same body printed in their acetate resin... aside from a few support knobs which are easily sanded smooth, the finish is remarkably smooth for 3D printing.


----------



## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Is the driver specific to the car or just a generic guy? He kind of looks like Sir Stirling Moss to me. :cheers2:


----------



## highwingpilot (Jul 22, 2015)

Hah!!



Milton Fox Racing said:


> Is the driver specific to the car or just a generic guy? He kind of looks like Sir Stirling Moss to me. :cheers2:


I'm flattered (I think). That's actually a 3D scan of yours truly... I always wanted to drive a Cobra. And now I can!

Some guys have asked me to put a helmet on, probably so they can pretend it's them driving. Or they just don't want to see my mug driving 'round their tracks! 

But either way, it shows you just how detailed that new acrylate resin can print. And it sands far easier than Nylon and those PLA/ABS "hot-glue" printers.

- HWP


----------



## jimkelsey (May 7, 2013)

The photos didn't come through, at least on my end.


----------



## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

highwingpilot said:


> Hah!!
> I'm flattered (I think). That's actually a 3D scan of yours truly... I always wanted to drive a Cobra. And now I can!
> Some guys have asked me to put a helmet on, probably so they can pretend it's them driving. Or they just don't want to see my mug driving 'round their tracks!
> But either way, *it shows you just how detailed that new acrylate resin can print*. And it sands far easier than Nylon and those PLA/ABS "hot-glue" printers.
> - HWP


I admire what you've done, are doing and will continue into the future, I'm sure...

Have couple of questions and such...

*1 -* Can this material be electroplated?... Say, to use the bodies for awards plaques &
trophy-toppers...

*2 -* Have convertible cars, from Vibes to current... *ALL* are lacking a nice female
driver/passenger, with long, wind-blown hair... *And* have a great 289 Cobra that *NEEDS* a
_Honey West_ in the driver's seat :grin2: ... Any chance that this could be possible?... 
Probably in 1/87, 1/76 & 1/64th scales...


Have more questions, but wiil quit for now...

John
.


----------



## highwingpilot (Jul 22, 2015)

Hi John,

I'm not sure... I don't know much about electroplating plastics (or metal for that matter - other than what I learned in chemistry class with copper plating nails).

You're not the first person to ask about other figures... sure it could be done, as long as minimum material thicknesses are maintained. I think the minimum for the resin plastics is around 0.8mm. 

Question for you is which way should the hair be blowing in a convertible. Every time I see a woman driving in a convertible with the top down, she's wearing a hat or bonnet to keep her hair from blowing forward towards the windscreen. Or sideways. Or all other directions rather than straight back. If you want it to really look realistic, she'll be wearing a hat! 

A number of guys over on another group suggested to lose the girl. And instead go with a dog! With their long ears and tongue flapping in the breeze! I guess I could always make up a few options for the passenger (or driver) seat! 

- Jim
HWP Slot Cars


----------



## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

.
:lol: Great idea with the dog, Jim... Maybe Toonces the Driving Cat, too  ...

You're right about the hair... Kinda just swirls around... My wife learned the
worst part about a convertible was, *NOT* to wear a sundress... Right up over
the head in a jiffy :lol: ... I didn't mind, though :woohoo: ...



Was just curious about the plating... Think any of the Shapways folks have
tried it?...

John






.

_*RIP Anne Francis...*_




.


----------



## highwingpilot (Jul 22, 2015)

Looks like at least a few people have been successful. But just like chrome plating, the base material has to be as smooth as possible or you'll see all surface textures or defects.

https://www.shapeways.com/forum/t/chroming-pwsf.16582/

But working with the Acrylate resin or Frosted Ultra Detail materials, with a little fine sanding, I bet you could get some great results. Thinking wheels, bumpers, and pipes? Do you know of anyone who can do electroplating?

Here's an Instructables tutorial I found if you're interested:
Electroforming an Iris Seed Pod

And another useful resource:
Finishing: Anodizing, Plating, Powder Coating, & Surface Finishing

And there's always Alclad:
ALC-107 Chrome for Plastic | Alclad2.com


----------



## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

I don't know if you can electroplate something that is not conductive, but there is a process called electroless plating that can be used with plastics. Years ago we used that to put a nickel plating on Nylon.


----------



## highwingpilot (Jul 22, 2015)

From one of those tutorial links, it looks like the subject is first painted with a conductive paint. Sort of like a primer before the metal plating. It's what allows objects like old baby shoes to be "bronzed".


----------

