# Dremel 3D printer



## fordcowboy (Dec 27, 1999)

Have you guys seen the 3D printer at Lowe's? 
My question is - how hard is it to write a program to make slot car bodies with this? 
By what I've seen at Lowe's they are affordable & you can make monthly payments. 
If anyone knows where I could go to make a program to test run & make a body in HO scale let me know. 
-FCB

http://www.lowes.com/Tools/3D-Print...clickID=6c12d6ae-1fd5-4758-be2a-61d78a034b6e#!


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## bobwoodly (Aug 25, 2008)

*Not that simple*

FCB - most of the 3d modeling programs take some time to master and 3d printing does not make a perfectly smooth body.

Check out a 3D printing service call Shapeways. I have bought some HO chassis from them. - http://www.shapeways.com/ Search for slot car and you will get some hits there.

They recommend a few 3D modeling packages - http://www.shapeways.com/creator/tools?li=nav

I've heard of Blender and my daughter who is an engineering student uses SolidWorks. I am pretty computer literate but have not made the jump to design. What will be cool is when 3D scanners really work well. Imagine being able to take a Hotwheels, Matchbox, etc body and have it scanned then printed.


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

Will be a whole lot easier to shorten/cut/slice the image, then print out the body!!! I'd say that's a few years away for a quality body...RM


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## tycobel (Dec 23, 2003)

bobwoodly said:


> FCB - most of the 3d modeling programs take some time to master and 3d printing does not make a perfectly smooth body.
> 
> What will be cool is when 3D scanners really work well. Imagine being able to take a Hotwheels, Matchbox, etc body and have it scanned then printed.


I agree with your comment on the non-smooth surface of the body coming out from a 3D printer but there is now a product that you can use on the printed body which levels the surface (it's called XTC 3D). The issue might then be that it also fills most the structure lines of the car like the doors, grills, etc

As for the 3D scanner, I have seen once a test and they work pretty well and you can find some decent ones at $700. They scan an object as a solid block so this is an issue for slotcars as we need an 'empty shell'. Most 3D file editors allow to empty a shell but I haven't seen the perfect editor yet : we need one to be able to modify the shape of the scanned body to fit a HO chassis by modifying the wheelbase and width for instance.

My thoughts is that today, the most affordable way to get a body from a 1/43 or HW car is to get it scannned in 3D, edited, printed a master in 3D, level the surface and then make copies in resin. This might be a good business if there is a demand but I don't know what could be the legal issues for copyrights etc


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

............


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

saw that amazon has a lower price printer


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

good information all around here.
I hope the price comes down and the quality goes up soon.
along with software that doesn't take a doctorate degree to operate.


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## DR. SLOTZ (May 25, 2015)

*Until then my friends :*

I will still be scratch building my bodies. Too spendy for me.


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## EliteThink (Oct 19, 2012)

Anyone ever 3d print wheels?


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

I have not seen wheels, but a number of people have done printed wheel inserts for 1/32nd and 1/24th cars.


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