[Anthony B]

Chappy - how do you do the complex glasswork for the 2D (and others) ?

[autoavia]

For me, the function of a bodyshell is it's form. If it doesn't look fabulous and reasonably accurate, then I don't see the point.

But to be fair, that's nothing to do with 3D printing or any other form of producing a bodyshell, it's just my general preference.

 I build a fair few cars for Classic Slot Car Racing Association (CSCRA) events and every event has a concours competition with points which count towards your overall score for the meeting. The car entered in concours must be run in at least one race heat so I need bodies which can be finished to a good standard which is why I have spent so long trying to prepare the 3D printed BRM P154 body that I bought. If I can't eventually get a decent finish I won't build the car.

[chappyman66]

Chappy - how do you do the complex glasswork for the 2D (and others) ?

I make vacuform windows using one of those dental machines off Amazon.  I use 3DP bucks which are smoothed and sometimes primed before use.  The Mirage was done this way.

   

I suspect the question really is "How do you make the shapes for the form/buck".   The best answer is to have a file with separate glass sections, as that makes it easy.

Lacking that, fitting shapes to the body can work, but involves some shaping CAD work. AlexisinGreece has done a nice tutorial for using Blender, which is free and very powerful.

In some situations I have used CAD to cut the cabin off the body and use it as a "negative" buck.   This works, but requires upsizing and more trimming for the glass to fit.

[Kevan]

For me, the function of a bodyshell is it's form. If it doesn't look fabulous and reasonably accurate, then I don't see the point.

But to be fair, that's nothing to do with 3D printing or any other form of producing a bodyshell, it's just my general preference.

It's absolutely amazing what some people can do to a 3D printed bodyshell, that takes time, effort and skill...the first two I have, the skill I don't have so do the best I can and I'm happy with that.  Others have used the exact same bodyshell as myself and turned it into a show stopper, that's what some people focus on, the lap time ability of that car being irrelevant.