Mercury Capsule 3D printing
 

I have whined and cajoled with Estes until I have probably worn out my welcome (just ask Christine) but there is little chance of seeing the 1/35 Mercury capsule kit released. I have approached an alternative by contacting a 3D printing service. His opinion is that the complete plastic model can be printed intact from ABS without too much problem, even down to the capsule being hollow. While I am willing to examine this I am curious as to anyone's experience with 3D print shops? Also, are there legal ramifications with Horizon if I am using these for my personal use - ok, if I am using these to be included with a completed model which is subsequently sold? Do I need to sell the finished model of the Redstone and donate the capsule to not be deriving financial benefit from a copyrighted item?

I mean, they can do this...

Not sure why there would be an isue with licensing a scale model design, if anything the rights are owned by NASA or else , especially due to being taxpayer funded, are public domain.

Sounds like a great project, I've been looking into 3d printing myself for some non modelling work, nothing too serious yet, so interested in what you come up with .

If you're going to go that route, why bother duplicating something that wasn't terribly scale to start with? Take some time first and work up more accurate drawings of the capsule, possibly adding details to the inside that was never in the kit versions. If nothing else, get the outside as accurate as possible (rivet counting). Doing that alone should be enough to eliminate (or reduce considerably) any legal issues.

I'm curious as to what you've been told regarding why no more 1/35 Mercury Capsules. I know it seemed like the capsule pieces of the most recent issue had fit problems, probably because the molds were getting old. but I'm wondering if you learned anything more.

Steve

Second that. He can probably sell enough of them to get his free.


Bill

Nasa has 3D models in .3DS format for many objects, including the Mercury capsules, here and here.

My 3D printing software isn't reading that specific format, so I'm unable to test out whether it work for 3D printing, yet.

What 3D printing software are you using?

I'm using FreeCad for drawing, which doesn't seem to import .3DS files. The printer software, Repetier, uses .STL files. My method has been to load images into FreeCad, and save as .STL, but I didn't see how to do that with the Mercury capsule 3D model from NASA.

I have some of my 3D models I can offer.

There is a program in this bundle called 3D Exploration that is supposed to convert .3ds to .stl.
http://www.moddb.com/downloads/home...verse-mod-tools

kj

Try downloading Blender, an OS graphics package like 3Ds. I opened a couple of those NASA files with it, and they aren't very detailed. Blender will allow you to export an .stl file. When I tried to import that file into Solidworks, there were sqawks about some of the surfaces not importing, but the image in SWX looked similar to the rendered image in Blender

I have the Gemini and Mercury capsules in nice detail.

For sale? On your website? I looked but couldn't find them. What scale?

I can scale them to any size necessary, if you have access to a machine we could work out details on scale and file translation.

Well I have a former employer that has an industrial machine. "Former" may be a problem but then again maybe not. Let me see.

If anyone is interested:
https://www.shapeways.com/model/147...e&materialId=62

First time I've seen this post. If you can make it to NARAM 56 in Pueblo next year I will give you one. I just happed to have some in my office. Sorry I don't ship.


John Boren

Are you looking for what is shown in the attached image?

Yes. I just picked up a couple from the ebay sale. Most of the printers want an .STL format to print the parts, and I simply do not have the time to create that.

I'm just wondering here.. is there shrinkage in 3d printing that can cause problems? Like making a nose cone that doesn't fit a body tube.

It probably depends on the 3D printing method and materials used. A friend at work has a Makergear printer that uses the ABS filament and applies it in layers similar to a hot glue gun. We didn't have shrinkage issues so much as "slumping" of the vertical walls of the part. That was remedied by adding internal supports that you can break off after the part is complete.

The layered-polymer type printers might not have any issues, but I am not personally familiar with them.

I tried to attach a write up I did about a D-Region Tomahawk, but the file is too large. Here is a thread on TRF about it http://www.rocketryforum.com/showth...g-My-Experience

EDIT: i just discovered Word 2013 will save out pdf files, and you can downsample it for online publishing, so here 'tis...

.3ds is for 3dsmax, a $4000 package... Autodesk does have free and cheap online services that may have the inport / export filters that you need. You could also google 3d filters or check out Reprap forums.

With any FDM printer, it will take a bit of tweaking to get a nose cone of the correct diameter. Like wise, to get the proper scale.