[Gordon Steadman]

Oh good grief! The more I see stuff like that, the more I like the idea of hacking at lumps of wood

Thanks for the link though. Things that we all take so much for granted without giving thought to how it's produced.

[Bazzer]

I only work with CAD models that either me or my competition partner have created, the stuff we want to do is all original stuff.

I will post some really good links on creating 3D models from just 2D drawings later.

Excellent, sounds like a great plan. 

The links below give some good techniques to produce 3D models from 2D drawings by using tracing techniques to create wireframes which are then surfaced.

The 2D representation could also be side, top, front and rear view photo's rather than drawings.

(17) MOI 3D WZ-10 Modelling [Part 1] - YouTube

(17) Making Model Airplane Parts wit MOI 3D: 1/32 Seafire Mk.47 conversion tutorial - YouTube

[Kevan]

I only work with CAD models that either me or my competition partner have created, the stuff we want to do is all original stuff.

I will post some really good links on creating 3D models from just 2D drawings later.

Excellent, sounds like a great plan. 

The links below give some good techniques to produce 3D models from 2D drawings by using tracing techniques to create wireframes which are then surfaced.

The 2D representation could also be side, top, front and rear view photo's rather than drawings.

(17) MOI 3D WZ-10 Modelling [Part 1] - YouTube

(17) Making Model Airplane Parts wit MOI 3D: 1/32 Seafire Mk.47 conversion tutorial - YouTube

I'll give those a watch tomorrow at work 

[dreinecke]

It is true that 3D is typically not ready for paint right off the hot plate.  However, depending on the quality of the file and the settings used to print it, it is pretty decent these days.

As an example - I printed this on my Ender3D (a $175 FDM printer) and entered it in the 908-3 3D printed proxy elsewhere.  All of the car except the metal bits are printed.  It won the proxy after 6-7 races.  My only prep was a very fast and very light sanding after two coats of primer.   It is obviously a fantasy car that was meant to look a bit menacing.  The gray top color is the primer and the only actual paint is the black..  I then simply clear coated it:

   

   

   

   

There are resin printers that are even much better, but each type has it's limitations.  My car came back in 1-piece with no breakage, including the guide I'd printed.

So, while it takes a bit of work, depending on the file or print - you can get decent results.   In this case as it was a proxy, I wanted good, not great or I could have spent a few more minutes and had a show-quality paint job.

3D also allows for anything you want to be done if you can get the file.

One last thing - I've used 3D printing and scanning since 2005. When I was making kits as RMS Resins - the last 10 cars I released all started from 3D.

[Kevan]

I only work with CAD models that either me or my competition partner have created, the stuff we want to do is all original stuff.

I will post some really good links on creating 3D models from just 2D drawings later.

Excellent, sounds like a great plan. 

The links below give some good techniques to produce 3D models from 2D drawings by using tracing techniques to create wireframes which are then surfaced.

The 2D representation could also be side, top, front and rear view photo's rather than drawings.

(17) MOI 3D WZ-10 Modelling [Part 1] - YouTube

(17) Making Model Airplane Parts wit MOI 3D: 1/32 Seafire Mk.47 conversion tutorial - YouTube

Now you've done it...another rabbit hole of endless corridors and doors...NURBS modelling 

[Bazzer]

I only work with CAD models that either me or my competition partner have created, the stuff we want to do is all original stuff.

I will post some really good links on creating 3D models from just 2D drawings later.

Excellent, sounds like a great plan. 

The links below give some good techniques to produce 3D models from 2D drawings by using tracing techniques to create wireframes which are then surfaced.

The 2D representation could also be side, top, front and rear view photo's rather than drawings.

(17) MOI 3D WZ-10 Modelling [Part 1] - YouTube

(17) Making Model Airplane Parts wit MOI 3D: 1/32 Seafire Mk.47 conversion tutorial - YouTube

Now you've done it...another rabbit hole of endless corridors and doors...NURBS modelling 

Non Uniform Rational B Spline I think, no idea what it means but I can get some pretty good results from that MOI programme. 

Don't go into it too far, if those two links don't give you ideas then just shelve it and continue as you were but there is some real use as far as I can see.

[Kevan]

That's the problem, those two links lead to two more then two more then...all I know is the 3D side of the hobby halved my Slot car hobby time and adding 3D modelling will end up thirding it...I know that sooner or later it'll probably happen 

[chappyman66]

Well.
Kevan and Dave are right.  The printer only produces fidelity to the file.   Higher detail and smoother files produce better bodies.
This is a 2D from a file I bought and modified.  You can see it's a copy of the Strombecker but I used it to make the Daytona version, but it's a better file to start.

   
Some suppliers emphasize print speed (taller layer height) vs quality (lower layer height/longer time).  For my own use I use lowest layer height on my Ender.  A good file gives pretty nice results, with a couple coats of Future/Klear and primer giving me a reasonable finish.

And Gordon....you and others who can turn balsa into bodies have my immense respect and admiration for your artistry.

[Kevan]

TBPH, if those of us who have 3D printed bodyshells didn't like them the way they come out we wouldn't bother printing more or buying more, personally I like the fact they're not perfect, function over form is more than 70% important to me.

[JasonB]

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.