We also looked into buying printers and doing our own ships, but this would mean buying another building, hiring one or two more employees, and paying tens of thousands of dollars for printers we don't know how to use. The gains would seem minimal while the cost/risk seems maximal.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Monday, November 29, 2021 - 01:51 pm: Edit

It appears that the above code requires a minimum order of US$99 before taxes and VAT.

And for those who might need an entire Federation and Empire game's worth of miniatures all at once, the maximum discount is US$5000 per order before taxes and VAT...

By John Williams (Johndw) on Monday, November 29, 2021 - 03:08 pm: Edit

Nice, will be getting some 7000 scale core collections of different fleets and those lovely looking 7000 old ships with the destroyers.

By John Williams (Johndw) on Wednesday, December 22, 2021 - 08:15 pm: Edit

A little feedback on the Seltorian 7000 scale Core Collection. I'm not sure if it was just an error with the minis I got, but when I was clipping the ships off the spru, three of the ships broke off of their stand when I clipped the ship opposite of them off the spru. I was able to glue them back on, but the stands on these might need a little more reinforcement .

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Monday, January 03, 2022 - 05:26 pm: Edit

So I got my Shapeways B10P 3125 in the mail a few days ago. Wonderful model, very pleased with it. The model itself is absolutely enormous. B10 hulls are of course big, but this big? Yes, this big!

The model has wonderful detail and heft to it, and it is quite strong. I chose the Gray PA12 material, which I think unpainted suits a starship hull quite nicely. It feels as if it may be solid inside the central sections? Or perhaps some kind of reinforcing frame? Whatever it is, it is strong.

One nice feature is that, even without a stand, the model can stand up on its own on the two lower warp engines.

I have to admit that although I like the Klingons, I was never as much of a fan of the B10 shape (too chunky, not graceful?). But now that I have a B10 model I can hold in my hand it looks great, and the progression of style from D7 to C8 to B10 is now clear. I’m now a B10 shape fan.

Recommended.

--Mike

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Tuesday, January 04, 2022 - 12:51 am: Edit

I'm glad you like the B10P, Mike.

Yes, it is solid. Early versions of B10 models were hollow to save some materials and reduce the price, but these had inconsistent results with printing and all were changed to solid.

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Tuesday, January 04, 2022 - 12:37 pm: Edit

Will,

What kinds of tools are used to create the 3D model?

--Mike

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Tuesday, January 04, 2022 - 04:18 pm: Edit

There's a wide range of software out there for 3D modeling. As it happens, every single one of the modelers doing ships for ADB uses a different software platform. Personally, I use Solidworks. That's a CAD/engineering-design platform - I come from an engineering background.

Others on the team use other engineering design software, more visualization-oriented software aimed at artists, or platforms in the middle ground between the two (sometimes more than one).

In the end, the models feeding up to Shapeways are always the same format, regardless of what went into making them. We do a lot of work to ensure consistency, despite the different working environments.

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Saturday, January 08, 2022 - 12:30 am: Edit

Interesting stuff. Years ago my wife used to work at PTC, and some of her coworkers there (who we would socialize with) later went on to work at Solidworks. And now fast forward too many years and I buy a model made by someone using Solidworks. Small world!

One additional question: Do you know the size of the stand hole in the bottom of B10P?

--Mike

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Saturday, January 08, 2022 - 03:37 pm: Edit

For ADB's Shapeways, stand-holes are always a uniform 0.08 inch in diameter, regardless of the scale of the mini, intended to fit ADB's standard miniatures stands.

By John Cmar (Maximumkoloth) on Sunday, January 16, 2022 - 04:09 pm: Edit

Apologies for a question that I feel like I should have found an answer to myself, but have been unable to: on the Shapeways minis, what do the abbreviations WE, WEM, and SRZ stand for?

By Jean Sexton Beddow (Jsexton) on Sunday, January 16, 2022 - 06:21 pm: Edit

John, they are the initials of the sculptor. WE/WEM are Will McCammon; SR/SRZ are Steve Zamboni.

By John Cmar (Maximumkoloth) on Sunday, January 16, 2022 - 06:28 pm: Edit

Ahhh, thank you for enlightening me! Very cool.

By Steven Zamboni (Szamboni) on Monday, January 17, 2022 - 11:46 am: Edit

The initials also make a handy key in the main Shapeways seach engine. Searching for "3788 Klingon WEM" brings up just the ADB ships of that size.

By Jay Gustason (Jay20) on Wednesday, March 02, 2022 - 09:06 am: Edit

We going to have minis for this mot(

By Jean Sexton Beddow (Jsexton) on Wednesday, March 02, 2022 - 10:13 am: Edit

Sorry, no. Medical issues have kept that from happening.

By Jay Gustason (Jay20) on Wednesday, March 02, 2022 - 10:44 am: Edit

I really do hope you get better I know where your coming from I had colon cance4 when I was in my thirties had radiation chemotherapy it was devastating

By Jay Gustason (Jay20) on Wednesday, March 02, 2022 - 10:45 am: Edit

Please get better my prayers are with you

By Jean Sexton Beddow (Jsexton) on Thursday, June 02, 2022 - 04:00 pm: Edit

We have released the following new ships:

Omni General Mobile Logistics Base (MB)
7000 Federation Flatbed Operational Carrier
Omni General Small Freighter (Var 1) w/ Skid
Omni General Small Freighter (Variant 1)
3125 Klingon HD5K Refitted Heavy War Cruiser
3788 Klingon HD5K Refitted Heavy War Cruiser
3125 Klingon HD5 Heavy War Cruiser
3788 Klingon HD5 Heavy War Cruiser
Omni General Augmented Mobile Logistics Base
3125 Federation Light Dreadnought Carrier
3788 Federation Light Dreadnought Carrier
3125 Fed Classic Light Dreadnought Carrier
3788 Fed Classic Light Dreadnought Carrier

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Friday, June 03, 2022 - 01:21 am: Edit

Thank you, Jean.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Tuesday, November 08, 2022 - 07:05 pm: Edit

Are there going to be any more releases?

By Jean Sexton Beddow (Jsexton) on Wednesday, November 09, 2022 - 05:17 pm: Edit

Yes. I am just behind.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Wednesday, November 09, 2022 - 07:33 pm: Edit

No worries.

By Jean Sexton Beddow (Jsexton) on Monday, November 28, 2022 - 12:20 am: Edit

We sneaked in a release tonight of Andromedan and Ryn (Omega) ships! Check them out, especially in light of the next post.

By Jean Sexton Beddow (Jsexton) on Monday, November 28, 2022 - 12:21 am: Edit

Shapeways has a Cyber Monday sale!

Beginning 12:01 am ET on November 28th until midnight on November 29th, Shapeways is having a sale.

The sale will include:
20% off orders $200 or more
Use code 20CYBER2022

10% off orders under $199
Use code 10CYBER2022

Enjoy!