Rick's 1-87 Scale 3D Printed Fiat 666 Cargo Truck

[Mini Me]

After considerable pressure from this "crew" I'm going to blog this build. Background first......been wanting one of these for years so when I spotted it on Etsy(other sites are available) from a Polish 3D Printer, I said why not! It was very reasonably priced and shipping was cheap as well, so I ordered a couple. So here's the pic. (no box art) and the sprue cage shots of this little creature.

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[Mini Me]

Here it is out of the "cage" and into my kit box. I might add that it does not come with a windshield or side windows, no spare tire and no accessories, pioneer tools jack, fuel cans etc. Fortunately the good Mr. Merryweather has seen to that and all will be available on the finished model.

[Jim R]

Front and centre please Rick.

[Steve-the-Duck]

Oh yes. What can be done with 3d printing these days

[Mini Me]

After this thing was released from it's cage, I was able to get a closer look at it and it appears my work will be "cut out" for me as this little beauty has the Mumps or better described as the "nubs"!! every one of those little support fingers has left a nice round raised blob of resin at it's attach point on the model. So I have been scraping, cutting, sanding and rescribing as necessary the external detail on the cargo bed. in the process of that I have knocked off a storage box from the underside and.......the swear jar is filling up fast!

[minitnkr]

Better you than me. I'd likely go for more mud, be'in lazy.

[Neil Merryweather]

After this thing was released from it's cage, I was able to get a closer look at it and it appears my work will be "cut out" for me as this little beauty has the Mumps or better described as the "nubs"!! every one of those little support fingers has left a nice round raised blob of resin at it's attach point on the model. So I have been scraping, cutting, sanding and rescribing as necessary the external detail on the cargo bed. in the process of that I have knocked off a storage box from the underside and.......the swear jar is filling up fast![ATTACH=CONFIG]n1208390[/ATTACH]

The difficult part of 3D printing is knowing where to position the supports. It doesn't help that the best way to build a rectangular box isn't necessarily flat on the build plate, but usually at an angle, which means you will always get some where you don't want them. Your guy seems to have tried to incorporate a protective frame around the parts , which is admirable, but it might have been better to make it in more pieces.
It's interesting how through this I have come to greater understand the engineering required in the mould-making of plastic kits, it's clearly a specialist art.

[Lee Drennen]

Oh yeah Rick I’m seated by Jim and the others. I’ve had some trucks in 1/87 that was 3D printed had to deal with the same problem and some lines in it. Well at least it looks accurate this programer was on his game on this print. Good my friend.

[Mini Me]

Good news!!!.........I only have to do this twice! :tongue-out3:

[Mini Me]

Better you than me. I'd likely go for more mud, be'in lazy.

Thanks Bro.

[Mini Me]

The difficult part of 3D printing is knowing where to position the supports. It doesn't help that the best way to build a rectangular box isn't necessarily flat on the build plate, but usually at an angle, which means you will always get some where you don't want them. Your guy seems to have tried to incorporate a protective frame around the parts , which is admirable, but it might have been better to make it in more pieces.
It's interesting how through this I have come to greater understand the engineering required in the mould-making of plastic kits, it's clearly a specialist art.

I have no doubt Neil, that this guy could have used far less of these little "attachy fingers" than he did, probably unsure of his work or maybe thats how he downloaded it from his source. BTW, this resin is very brittle.....victims so far are steering wheel, shift lever, back of both front fenders, equipment box, steering rod, side mirror, exhaust pipe and a brace for the cargo bed.

[Mini Me]

Oh yeah Rick I’m seated by Jim and the others. I’ve had some trucks in 1/87 that was 3D printed had to deal with the same problem and some lines in it. Well at least it looks accurate this programer was on his game on this print. Good my friend.

The Jury is still out on this guy Lee but overall it appears to be dimensionally correct. there are a few little lines in places but they sand out quickly. I have to be extremely careful, this thing is thinner than egg shell. I checked the thickness of the tarp for the cargo bed....... it's .010 thousandths of an inch!!

[Mini Me]

Yeah.....that's my flashlight on the other side of the tarp.

[Lee Drennen]

it's .010 thousandths of an inch!!

Your are insane my friend working this thin scale you and PaulE never seem to amaze. I’m glad your still able to work in it.

[Mini Me]

Thank you for that Lee......yes, certifiably insane!! at any rate, I hope to do this kit proud, and if that means spending a couple of months at getting it right, so be it! :thumb2: