Casting plastics and taking names.

[aaronAGN]

Hi guys! If you want I recas more miniatures models.... (I like this Emoticon my friends!! )

I'll send a PM to you

[picollogoku]

Ok cool. Sorry if i was unclear. I figure i can print the manuals for the expansions, just paper. Cards tiles i cannot make nor figures

[Spookyhappyfun]

I got an order in the mail today from Mondor!



The Elf Quest Pack minis with the Wizards of Morcar and a few fun bonus items! The look fantastic and I'm thrilled to own them.

Thank you so much!

*The High Mage had a bit of a mishap with his staff, but it was a long journey from Italy, and I'm sure it's nothing I can't fix with a little glue.

[defttitan]

Wow, these replicas look very good.
I'm bumping this thread several months after the fact, but I had to say, nice work!
Makes me jelly for sure.

[defttitan]

Since the arrival of thingiverse and 3d printers, I can't imagine anyone is still casting minis.

I've seen the model files for some of the expansions on thingiverse, especially the expensively scanned Thomas Springer versions, and the scan quality for the elf expansion looks VERY poor from the STL file. The female elf, elven warrior and archer, and the archmage look to be smooth with many fine details missing. Is that how the originals are? I wonder if he scanned a bad replica or a muddy painted version.

Anyway, another bump to this thread because I'm interested in the casting/mold process and wonder if anyone's still doing it.

[lestodante]

3D print from 3D scan sucks in my opinion. I've seen so many prints and the problem is that the original scan is of low quality.
So to make a good print you first need a professional scanner, then a professional printer too.
So I still prefer resin cast miniatures. If they are produced with a bit of care they are very close to the originals (except for the yellow color).
The ones you see in the pic above are made by Mondor, he can do some very good casts in my opinion. I've seen he already has the molds for all the expansions.
Maybe Spooky can give us confirmation about the quality.

[defttitan]

...
So to make a good print you first need a professional scanner, then a professional printer too....

Exactly!
I suspect some of the scans on thingiverse were taken with poor quality scanners, as well as from minis that weren't the original cast/print. Copies of copies, losing precious detail each iteration.

I would be interested in a close up macro photo of some of these cast models. My copy of HeroQuest has weathered the last 30 years wonderfully, and I'd like it to go on another 30 with ease.

[Thantos]

We did some trials with a £11k scanner which has an accuracy of +/-7 microns. It still could not scan fine details and faces well.
Casting is still far superior to the scan and 3d print workflow (plus cheaper, far far cheaper since photoreactive printer resin is £100 to £500 a liter) . Even scan and 3d print with a £11k scanner and £40k 3d printer, the results were noticable worse.

But if we are talking about classic HQ models, which are very soft in detail to begin with (first injection moulding of a miniatures game that GW attempted, the technology was not anywhere near the level it is today)
So then the detail loss of scan and print is not as noticable on these models.

[lestodante]

Thanks Thantos!

[defttitan]

I have observed similar results about the scans. Just looking at the digital STL files of expensive 3d scans yields smooth and blobby models. No 3d printer involved.

A shout out to Mondor, who is still doing casts of original GW miniatures and shipping from Italy. He was responsive in the last few days and forthcoming with photos of his work. I don't yet have the funds to pick up the hard-to-find expansions (elf, barbarian, ogre, wizards), but if I did, it appears he knows what he's doing.