Shapeways Price Changes

I like the items where several of something makes sense. I bought the speeders but they didn't arrive in time for the contest. Trucks, trailers, cars, and machinery would be great choices.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks

Tom

Stony, you mentioned trying to sprue the larger items (e.g. cars, speeders) like you do with the smaller items (culverts, hydrants). Any luck ? Or, do you think they'll catch on, like the PC board houses do. It would seem to me that they really can't honestly be printing (and handling) just one of the Z items in the printer but rather waiting for mutliple items to be ordered, then print all at once. They should assumedly want to print all at once but maybe then de-spruing could be costly. And from their packaging, I don't see how they can send you a sprue as they would easily break.

Whether things cost more, depends on the item.

I've done a bit of checking and find that the majority of my Z scale items on Shapeways have actually become less expensive as a result of the change in Shapeways' pricing structure.

Of course the materials are different; mine are all printed in full-color sandstone... which means lower price per volume and the presence of color texture art on the models, but it also means thicker models with fewer fine modeled details.

It really depends on what you're trying to make, I guess. I'm making buildings, StonySmith Designs is focused primarily on vehicles. The emphasis is different so we chose to focus on different materials.

Anyway, I took a look at Stony Smith Designs, they're really impressive.

I'm trying to make a small layout to showcase my Z scale models... will post photos when it's done.

At the moment though, I don't have real-world photos of my Z scale items (just renders)... will have real photos of the Z scale models posted in a few weeks though.

My messy work-in-progress Shapeways shop

If anyone has suggestions for what sort of buildings or models you'd like me - or stonysmith - to make, those suggestions would be welcome.

BTW, stonysmith, I like your vehicles. I'll probably buy a few of them in my next order.

I too would like to see more trucks and vehicles. Maybe you could also consider ships/sailboats, buses, human figures, animals...

I'd like to see someone make a mix of wild and domesticated animals because I think there are some obvious creatures - like deer - that are hard to find in Z scale. Also a collection of various cacti wouldn't be a bad idea. There aren't currently many options in that area for Z scale... mostly just trees.

Those omissions in the Z scale market are fairly puzzling when you consider how many model railroad layouts are set in the American Southwest or Rocky Mountain regions.

One more note: I'm also wondering whether sprues are a good idea. They require more materials cost and they are also tricky to do well given Shapeways' minimum thickness rules. It seems to me that it would probably be better to avoid them.

stonysmith wrote: Animals are tricky.. even in the most detailed material (FUD) you have to have legs/arms that are nearly six inches in diameter. John Mui really wants some chickens for his layout.. there's no way that a 6" thick chicken foot is going to be acceptable. About the only choice here is to make the animals in a reclining position such that their legs are completely tucked in against their bodies.

I think a 6" diameter animal leg, foot or hoof, such as a cow, or a deer sounds perfectly acceptable from the standpoint that the animal is so small... who the heck is going to notice anyway. I mean, what's 2 inches when the animal is only a couple of millimeters in the first place. This would however mean making something such as a leg completely disproportionate to the rest of the body (imagine stovepipe shaped legs, etc.). Again, due to the lack of animals at an affordable price (such as the cows/horses) or the lack of Z scale animals all together (those bears and deer are really N scale), I think no one would really give a damn. And they could be put in some taller grass if they don’t think the legs look right. But what about the heads? Wouldn’t these too be disproportionate? And then there are Z people. How would they look with stovepipe arms and legs… head?

But laying chickens are a grand idea... but why worry about legs at all on something like a chicken. The legs/feet would be too small to really see anyway (think of smaller than Z scale rivet size for the legs). You could put some of them in a clump of straw as if bedding down too.

But Stony, besides laying chickens, what could actually be made if you went against your self-imposed limit on making things absolutely accurate (not counting the Rebel)? How about a test batch of what would be the closest to accurate, just to see? And if you’re worried about the rivet-counters… just market them as Stonys Mutant Mammals… (well, except for the chickens).

Hey,...a brand new product line by SMM.

Start off with the famous Mutant Ninja Turtles...:o)

Stony has already dabbled into the realm of "OOOO"
Odaciously Obvious Oversized Osteriges

Stony, I would like some chickens also. I'll put a pin up their Hinies. you thought I was gona
say *&^%* didn't you. Ballpark is close enough for me, for chickens.
Then I could buy Lorens chicken coop.

My kingdom for some Z pirates!!!!

Pirates I can do easy. I just have to get figures done I promised to Alex first, and to Joe D. I have to do some more Army stuff before I can get around to doing them again. Pirates, why didn't you ask before? A kingdom you say?
Chickens no problem either I have some of those. Including chicks believe it or not. Had to have some to go in the Z chicken coop. I added some z chicken wire by the way. If anyone wants chickens send me an Email and I will see what I can do.