3dModelWorx

My choice of projects has been driven by three factors:

• my personal interest in the designs;
• developing items that would otherwise be unavailable to model makers; and
• special requests or suggestions.

My oldest designs are from “V”, The Visitors, the classic 1980’s TV mini-series and series. I completed the bulk of the models and have not continued to add more to the “V” collection.

My focus then moved into designs from Battlestar Galactica (the 2000’s re-imagined series). I concentrated on model forms that were not mass marketed. I have continued to develop both spacecraft and support accessories to expand the Battlestar Galactica collection.

My Code 3 scaled accessories began as a special request that has been popular and continued to garner response from people. This is a collection where I am still actively adding models.

My final focus area – other than some miscellaneous items – has been X-Wing Miniatures Gaming scale spacecraft not from the Star Wars universe. This started as a special request to scale a “V” Skyfighter and I have continued to enhance the collection – most recently with Buck Rogers (the 1980-ish version) fighters.

My choice of primary scales to create models in is based upon several factors:

• the usefulness of the models size to model makers and collectors;
• the customer cost of the finally printed model; and
• potential integration of the model’s scale with other items it might be displayed with.

My base scale is 1/72 for all but the Code 3 scale accessories. At 1/72, I can integrate a good level of detail that can print successfully and still looks good when up-sized to 1/64. When I take models down to the smaller scales, I typically retain detail in a high resolution (hirez) version and then also create less detailed versions that are cheaper to print.

My models are offered in multiple scales. I have learned that most people don’t truly understand scale well (or at all). My primary offerings are:

• 1/64, often referred to as Matchbox or Hot Wheels scale. This scale results in models that are fairly large and integrate well with a variety of die-cast vehicles. Ironically, very few matchbox cars are true to this scale.
• 1/72, often referred to as Aircraft scale. This scale results in models that are still of good size to show detail in the design.
• 1/87.1, the typical railroad HO scale. This scale results in models that begin to require the reduction of fine detail to ensure successful printing.
• 1/270, the stated scale of Fantasy Flight Games X-Wing Miniatures Scale gaming system. This scale is used in some other gaming systems and can be popular with non-gaming collectors.

My choice to offer models in the particular materials has several drivers:

• the level of detail available in the model design itself;
• the overall cost of printing the model (when coupled with the chosen scale); and
• the ability to maintain consistent printability of the model in the material at scale.

My models are offered in three primary materials:

• White or black fused nylon referred to as strong and flexible. In reality these objects are not flexible and this material is excellent for finishing into display pieces.
• Polished fused nylon in white or other colors. These are a dyed and or tumbled models printed as a base white strong and flexible piece.
• Fine detail plastic – translucent but not transparent. These models are able to retain much more detail in smaller size designs. This printing method is more expensive, so it is usually reserved for higher resolution designs of smaller overall size.

My models are primarily of one-piece design and have no moving parts. In order to ensure printability, some models have thicker edges or some exaggerated features. I minimize these, but where they exist they are easily trimmed or sanded as part of the finishing process.