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3D Printed Blockade Runner (Tantive IV)


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Heyo everyone. Just finished up a 3D printed model and thought I'd share some of the WIP photos with you. The STLs for this Blockade Runner come from Merlin Models (If anyone has been keeping tabs on Adam Savage, it's the same guys who made that gorgeous 1/48 AT-AT he built). It's well-detailed for what it is. I have an 18" model of theirs, but I wanted to practice on something a bit smaller, so I combined a few of the forward parts in MeshMixer, and then scaled that to fit the vertical build height on my Elegoo Saturn. Printed the engine sections separately. The engines are not lit, as I couldn't figure out a good way of doing it while keeping everything all self-contained (I build these mainly to photograph). 

 

Here it is with the main engine section attached and with a coat of primer on:

er1HqPg.jpg

 

The detail that resin printers can achieve is really stunning!

gT27dbT.jpg

 

Paint chipping with AMMO masking fluid:

rw8PMZ0.jpg

 

This round section would have taken FOREVER to mask off with just tape:

VRuLJ8H.jpg

 

Some weathering progress (iPhone 13 image processing SUCKS!):

YwqMuVk.jpg

 

And some engine shots once they were all glued together (this thing is back heavy!):

jZa3RCc.jpg

 

NItdyQc.jpg

 

mJAv0y2.jpg

 

And an overall shot:

VWuNh75.jpg

 

It's a little darker than I initially wanted, and I think that has to do with the starship filth oil wash I applied, but oh well. I'll do better on the next one! :D

 

And here's a little image I made with it today:

Nzdkoc2.jpg

 

Thanks for looking, and if you have any questions, please let me know!

 

SB

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4 hours ago, Uncle Monty said:

Excellent job there. I didn't appreciate just how many engines that thing has, what with the price of fuel these days, must be pretty expensive to run...

Duuuude. 11! It felt like I was painting the engines for forever😆

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Cooooool!!!! I look for a decent Blockade Runner file for about two years now. Never knew about Merlin Models before. So the transaction runs smoothly? You get files for the single parts or are they already arranged "print ready" with supports?

I have the Elegoo Saturn as well so as yours came out so well, I would like to give it a try as well 🙂

Thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

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3 hours ago, Caerbannog said:

Cooooool!!!! I look for a decent Blockade Runner file for about two years now. Never knew about Merlin Models before. So the transaction runs smoothly? You get files for the single parts or are they already arranged "print ready" with supports?

I have the Elegoo Saturn as well so as yours came out so well, I would like to give it a try as well 🙂

Thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

 

Yes the transaction is smooth, and Ethan and the rest of the gang over there are incredibly helpful if you have any issues. There are two versions of STLs that are included: Pre-supported and unsupported. I used the unsupported because I scaled everything down to 36% (If you scaled down the pre-supported files, then the supports would get scaled with it, and thus might not be viable any longer). Even then though, this was still a lot of trial and error. Needed to add drainage holes under the escape pods and guns that are along the side of the fuselage, as that was a self-contained compartment that had uncured resin in it the first time I printed it. I also used MeshMixer to combine parts in the computer, as I thought it'd be easier to do that than try to fight delicate parts (that might warp with curing) into fitting together. It was a fun project and I learned a lot with it. 

 

I say go for it!

 

SB

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