OT/General 3D Dollies - Info and discussion!

This article refers to smoothing 3D printed parts:
Vapor Treating ABS RP parts
I have seen a before and after 3D-printed part, that used this technique, and it was amazingly smooth.
Not only that, but the treatment also hardens the surface, according to the person I spoke with.

(^_^)

 

you also lose detail and sharp edges, though! But for printed roughs, this pbb saves a lot of sanding time?

 

Soooo, have you guys seen this home 3D printer yet, or am I just late to the party, lol. It can only print in ABS or PLA though, colors are limited and you can only make a max 5.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 piece.

http://cubify.com/cube/

 

In USD the Ultimaker comes out to $2268.33 which haha, oh man, yes totally out of my price range, but it's nice that we are seeing the first wave of 3D printers for home use coming out. Maybe in another 10 years I could afford one, lol. :XD

 

Oh! Very nice! Thanks for the link, I'm gonna have to bookmark that. Just out of curiosity, about how many spools of filament does it take to create an MSD sized doll? Also when you guys are making these 3D printed dolls, are you using them to make molds of to cast in resin, or are you using the printed doll straight up?

 

So, my club at school is purchasing a B9-creator. I lead the 3D printing part of our group so I should be able to make personal prints if I buy the material myself. I'm sad I won't get to use it for long since I am (finally) graduating in the spring.. but I'm excited to have easy access to a printer. This year has been crazy so far.. I'm sad I don't have a minute to spare to spend on my doll.

 

I've been playing with Sculptris lately.... How does one go about figuring out the Size of what your working on for printing? Im rather interested in making a part to be printed to play with, but with my luck it would be a wrong size. I'm planning on going through Shapeways since I will need to use their Strong and Flexible parts for what I'm doing (Has to do with ball and socket...like those you find with Pop Beads XD)

 

once you export the obj or stl file, I think you can resize elsewhere?

 

oh ok! I do still have much to learn with 3D modeling...and especially printing. Thank you!

 

*facedesk* I'm about to break my computer lol.
For something SO simple I can't seem to get my head wrapped around it!
I found this:
Shapeway Snap-Fit Joint
And I thought it would be perfect for my fae wings. I would have the wings on a harness that would be magnetic in the back.
View attachment 339
That way my wings could be put on other dolls as well
But I can't even get the ball joint done since I dont know what I'm doing XD I'm tempted to even pay someone x__x

And another question I have about it is do you think the pop joint could be molded with silicone? I'm thinking the socket would break the mold when demolding?

 

I can try to help with the 3D modeling. I use 3ds. You really just need a boolean feature.

I'd approach it by making a sphere. Then, you could simply deletes some of the, uh, circles (since a sphere is generally made up of circles running along one axis) that make up the sphere on the bottom, and extend that now open edge out. If the shape is more complex - I made the neck of my doll by first modeling a sphere, then extending the top of the neck out around the sphere. Then I conformed the top of the neck to there sphere. That is a bit more complicated but will give you a smooth transition.

Once you have the ball shape, I'd shell it out a little (and delete the inside) just make it a tiny bit bigger to account for error (just scaling it won't have the same effect). Then it should be a simple boolean subtraction.

As for molding it, it may be a problem. It would depend on just how much of an undercut there is. You'd probably want really soft silicone. If it was a big enough socket and I was doing it I'd probably do some sort of glove mold, with a hard inner structure going into the socked that was just straight, then the rubber in the round shape around that. That way the inner structure could be easily pulled out, then the rubber would be able to be removed from the socket more easily. But, in theory, if the plastic could be popped in, then the rubber could be pulled out even though it would fill the space more tightly.

 

OMGOMGOMG THANK YOU SO MUCH I WANNA HUG YOU

For some reason what you said just clicked. I played with it all morning and (mostly) night. I played with the boolean feature a lot, that tool is so nifty! I think all those tutorial look ups I did when I started the hotkeys stuck thank goodness lol. I'm thinking about making the ball smaller so the walls are thicker...but we shall see

Now onto scaling it correctly for printing!

For the molds yea thats what I was thinking...what I might do is 3d print the base, then pour resin over the pegs so I can get clear wings...or do it all in their plastic XD

 

New Zbrush Method

Hey guys! I was working on this 3D doll head a while ago, and thought I would post up some of the new process I was using.

Zbrush (latest version) has some really neat features that make easy booleans possible!
The add/subtract function is now available in Layers. So you can create boolean shapes in 3dsmax or zbrush, and have them perfectly set to where you need to punch them out or add them. This allowed me to create a negative mesh in 3dsmax, and subtract it from the head and headcap. Also great for the eyes and neckhole. I posted a video up of the process with some turnarounds showing the results

[video]http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DrNero/media/dollheadcap-desktop.mp4.html[/video]
Everything lines up great, and the booleans don't create messy geometry because of the dynamesh feature, which remeshes the object to keep it clean!

View attachment 341
Here's an image of the final result

 

I always love the argument that "computer generated" is less somehow. I still put many many hours of my life into any of my projects - even more so if I'm having to model, map, texture, articulate, render ... and that's even from my days using Poser to just play around.

I started my first doll model this past weekend. I added a Makerbot Replicator 2 to my tool kit this year, though I haven't finished a modeling project I wanted to print yet (I kinda distract myself with other craft projects all the time...and sometimes I just don't want to sit at the computer again when I get home) ... so this doll will probably be the first printing off of it, unless a friend beats me by finishing his own little stop motion figure first.

This is my current WIP. I'm getting the base figure set and then I'll chop it up and figure out joints. Which should be fun because I'm not sure I actually know what I'm doing.:p

View attachment 345

Once this pair of elves is done, my big goal is a pair of lizard humanoids - have to figure out how the tails will work ... and a lizard skeleton ... and even some ball joint bonsai (still letting that idea percolate a bit on how I can pull it off).

But first I have to figure out if molding and casting is in this next year's budget or not... might have to wait a bit before adding all that to the mix. As well as convincing the husband that yes, I do need these things along with a vacuum chamber. Though I could possibly make use of the one at my last job if I sweet talk them.

 

Hey all.
Man, that argument about the 3D modelled dolls being inferior ticked me off. ._.
I am physically incapable of sculpting with clay. I've attempted it for years and now that I'm sick with whatever mystery illness, I find myself to be unable to do small physical motions with my hands, especially that holding something for an extended period. ((Crocheting, drawing, it's all been rough. Sometimes I can't even hold a Nintendo DS!)) But I can move a mouse around on a computer, and slowly but surely I've been learning how to model.
3D modelling is really hard for me, but it at least is possible.
It reminds me of when a bunch of people lost their jobs in Hollywood a while back--they were all CG artists and 3D modelers. There's this assumption that the computer does all the work, that the computer doesn't need a human operating it, and that's bunk.

Anyway, the thing I'm most nervous about is balance, especially since my doll concepts aren't the average humanoid bjd. I've been thinking most won't be able to support their own weight, and idk if that's acceptable or not. I would like them to stand, though.

 

Bone2Pixel:
I was ticked off too when I read about that whole hullabaloo! It was the same thing with digital art back in college. Some of my school mates didn't want to use it because it was "cheating" or "fake". It's just another tool though, another medium..and I can't use oils cause they are too stinky to clean :p. I feel the same way about digital sculpting. It's a lot easier for me now, but the learning curve was a beast!

I'm also running up against a similar issue with balance myself. I've tried to get it close as I can in the computer, but I am expecting some tweaks for weight and balance once she's printed. I also might wait to do any locking/pose holding additions to the joint system till I can see where it will fall short.

 

Just read through this thread, this is super interesting for me as I already know how to model and would love to print my own doll!

I have a bunch of technical questions for industry people/people who have actually 3d printed things (I quickly checked online but didn't find much, if I missed anything obvious please direct me to any tutorials! )
- Does the model have to have nice topology? I keep reading about people using booleans (and cringe inwardly... booleans always make everything stop working correctly for me) and booleans make really ugly topology (though what Drnero was saying about zbrush is interesting and I definitely want to check it out!). Do the models need to have loops, like when the model is intended for animation, or can the polys be any which way?
- Should the model be in tris, quads, or does it matter at all? If I have a bunch of ngons will the printing be messed up?
- What kind of resolution is recommended to get a nice, smooth 3D print? Is there a maximum number of polys?

I'd be really happy if anyone could answer even one of my questions! They're all things I've been wondering and somehow can't find answers to.

Edit: Oh, and also, if I'm using a student version of Maya, I'm assuming I wouldn't be allowed to sell anything modeled in it, right? I never bothered to read the fine print of the user agreement but I'm fairly certain of that, just want to make sure before I buckle down and figure out Blender.

 

HystericalParoxysm: Thank you sooo much for all your help, you perfectly answered my questions! It's a huge relief not to have to worry about topology! I can model in a functionnal way, but I always seem to end up with the odd pentagon I don't seem to be able to turn into quads.

I've still got a fair amount of researching the actual process of 3d printing to do, but this is definitely setting me on the right track. I'll start with reading Maya's EULA. You raise an interesting point about what exactly is covered by the agreement. However, I don't want to get in trouble by accident, so if I'm even remotely unsure of the legality, I'll be sure to switch to Blender. It can't be that different! Thanks again for your help!

 

Sorry for the double post, but I found a 3d printer that seems super interesting! http://www.peachyprinter.com/
I still need to research alternatives, but I'm seriously thinking of just buying one when they come out. 100$ is nothing, and the quality looks pretty good! The material that it prints with is a liquid resin, as opposed to a solid plastic melted into shape, so it would probably be more expensive in the long run. However, I like that you can make larger scale objects with it (the makers are trying to print a canoe?!?!?) and also that it's made by Canadians (go Canada woo :P). The printing software is open source and a plugin for blender (all the more reason to learn blender :P Although I supposed I could model in Maya and export as a .fbx or .obj and import into blender to print...) I'll have to research more before I buy anything, of course, but I just wanted to put it out there!

 

So, I'm wanting to 3D model my dolls--one big question I have though, is:
How does one figure out how to balance the weight of the doll once you are ready to print?
Do you just print and work with it and make adjustments, or?

 

Good to know! I was worried that I was missing some key knowledge. XD
I am planning to eventually cast, so this is good to know. Of course, my doll plans are all rather...interesting. Many are humanoid with objects instead of chest cavaties. XD Something like Doll Chateau's long bodies. So I might just have to deal with giving them doll stands and depending on that, haha.

 

I am very interested in creating BJD for 3D printing. But I am completely laywoman software to sculp, so I downloaded the Sculptris which is free and am trying to learn. Regarding 3D printers it seems that prices are starting to download. I saw a Makerbot and for being a printer to home seemed to be very good, with a good print definition.

 

I really need to remember to come onto this forum more often.

For those who don't know me, I am owner and creator of silverbeam dolls, creating tiny ball jointed dolls via 3D printing since 2011. I feel like I am a slow learner/creator, but I enjoy making and creating dolls.

I use lightwave to model, and shapeways to print my dolls for me. I did just get a printer off a kickstarter, the m-one by make-x, a new company (what company isn't new) that looks promising. I liked that it used maker juice and other 3rd party resins companies so that your printing material was actually affordable.

 

Aww, I wish I saw that kickstarter! I used to keep up with things but haven't recently. The m-one looks really promising, and it's open source. I wonder how well the tilting releases the suction. I've used a B9-Creator and that swiped the vat back and forth to release the suction, which sometimes caused the supports or thin parts to bend. I also wonder how calibration works on it.

 

If your more mechanicle minded or don't mind a little installation you guys might want to check out this printer on kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/362246155/littlerp-affordable-flexible-open-3d-resin-printer

My only thing is they don't say the build area or dimensions...

 

I did see that. I was a little worried that they don't have a way to release the vacuum force holding the part to the build area. That is why it is only for small parts. They say it is fine if you hollow parts out, which I do anyway, but it still has me worried. It is a good price though. Once I have the time, I just might make one from scratch. Though I don't have access to a machine shop anymore..

It is nice seeing more DLP printers on the market. I hope the M-One works out for you - it is the most promising I have seen because of the tilt mechanism (though I thought was already patented...).

 

For anyone printing things, Autodesk MeshMixer makes it really easy to hollow out parts to save money! Shells always give me trouble, so this saves me so much time.

 

If It can do a good job and to my desired wall thickness that would be awesome...

 

You specify the thickness and it also has a tool for adding holes to let out the inner material. There is also an accuracy and density thing but I am not too sure what it is doing exactly. The inside is kind of messy for mine with lots of jaggedness where the edges are, but that shouldn't matter.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, it is free.

 

So, I kind of take back my recommendation. I didn't realize just how huge it made my files, and after crashing on me over and over it actually wasted more time than me just shelling my parts and cleaning up the problem areas by hand. It may still be convenient for people, but for me it sadly was not.

 

Ah I made a post in materials with questions before I saw this thread! Woops. I was wondering what is the best way to make the slices for joints if you start with a solid doll? Do I need to retopo?

 

There is really no one way to joint - it would also depend a lot on how you model your doll. I like working with a relatively high-poly mesh, which causes me much more pain, but I like the precision (as opposed to smoothing it after jointing). For most joints, I make a simple plane that I modify to fit the curve of the joint, then just cut it. Then I remove any extra vertices (ones that only have 2 edges), shell it, and relax the edge. Then I can go and modify the inside if I need to.

If the cut is going to be determined by the part, and not some arbitrary line, then I copy the part, move it into place, and use that to make my cut (say for the hip or knee). And if I am making a ball joint, I make the sphere, put it into position, and use that to cut the part.

I have an old tutorial that shows one of the ways I joint something. http://www.pulkidoll.com/blog/tutorials/making-faces-part-one/

 

Ahh thank you so much firefly for your replies they're really helpful! I've been looking through your process thread and it's quite lovely. :3 Thanks for the tutorial I will take a look!

 

Is there any particular reason one might favor one material over another to print with? I'm currently looking into getting a printer (decision between portabee, solidoodle, and printrbot) and for some only PLA is available and not ABS - I'd mostly be using the printer for prototyping and making accessories- not necessarily the final dolls.
Sorry for the double post x.x

 

maybe look in to the way they sand? that seems like a big priority with something like this!

 

I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for sealing 3d prints? I'm planning on sculpting with apoxy on top of my print some as well if that matters.

 

Yes the nylon from shapeways! Also if it has epoxy on it, will it use the same primer?

 

Alright I'm back with a different purpose-
Back in October 2014 I ordered a Portabee Go 3D printer for $575 including shipping. The company is in Singapore and their printer factory is in China. While they update us very rarely on what's going on with our orders, buyer beware- still no printer as of April 2015. While the features of the Go make it a really attractive small printer (it's portable!) I don't think the wait is worth it. To anyone considering ordering this printer- reconsider, I'll update when I receive mine if it's any good or if I've sold it .

 

Thank you oakBottom! I do hope everything turns out well.