Post by jennifer on Nov 6, 2016 3:19:35 GMT
A few months back I purchased 32 trees for my Frostgrave project. I started basing them, and after doing three, I gave up and put the project on hold. It was very time consuming to carve and sand the rigid insulation adhered to chipboard -- not to mention VERY messy and probably not the best for my lungs! I wanted them to be thin on the edges and look natural, matching the battle mat. I did okay, but it was a mess and well they are warped a bit and teeter and just aren't that flush.
So yesterday, I found out a way to easily make tree bases in Blender and so I fabricated a set of nine, which I made freely available on Thingiverse.com at the following url:
www.thingiverse.com/thing:1873422 (link should be working now)
The models made quick work of basing the trees, and I'm almost done with them. They are so durable and sit perfectly flat! All I do is measure the tree [or what is to be a set of trees] (I use digital calipers $25), scale the model in slicing program, print, file bottom of tree(s), hot glue it on, clean up the hot glue with hot end of glue gun tapering it.. then I based it with earth color and then stippled on the Americana Snow White.
I print at .2 layer height. I haven't tried .1 layer height -- don't know if the edges would be too sharp at that high of resolution. Anyways .1 layer height isn't needed since most of the time people will be flocking the top of the bases.. or conceal the print lines with a stipple effect like I did with the snow here.
Process of using the tree bases:
1) measure tree and figure out dimensions in the x and y axis you prefer
2) choose one of the nine models
3) scale it appropriately, based on measurements taken
4) print it out -- perhaps even in a set/plate for the smaller ones (with a variety of models)
5) file down the tree base flat:
6) hot glue the tree to the base
7) using an appropriate hot glue gun (one with long metal tip -- DM Scotty's favorite), smooth it out, making sure not to get too close to the edge of the tree base as the edge is thin and the heat gun can warp it. (If you do have to get close to the edge, make sure the base is sitting firmly against a flat surface, as you rake it with the hot glue gun tip.) When smoothing, rake the glue up the trunk a bit as well, to get a stronger bond.
8) Base it with your appropriate soil color.
9) Flock, paint or whatever suits your needs, concealing the print lines. If you decide just to paint, a stipple effect (dart motion with flat bottom round brush, perpendicular to surface) is a good way to conceal it -- avoid flicking or stroking the brush over the print lines.
So yesterday, I found out a way to easily make tree bases in Blender and so I fabricated a set of nine, which I made freely available on Thingiverse.com at the following url:
www.thingiverse.com/thing:1873422 (link should be working now)
The models made quick work of basing the trees, and I'm almost done with them. They are so durable and sit perfectly flat! All I do is measure the tree [or what is to be a set of trees] (I use digital calipers $25), scale the model in slicing program, print, file bottom of tree(s), hot glue it on, clean up the hot glue with hot end of glue gun tapering it.. then I based it with earth color and then stippled on the Americana Snow White.
I print at .2 layer height. I haven't tried .1 layer height -- don't know if the edges would be too sharp at that high of resolution. Anyways .1 layer height isn't needed since most of the time people will be flocking the top of the bases.. or conceal the print lines with a stipple effect like I did with the snow here.
Process of using the tree bases:
1) measure tree and figure out dimensions in the x and y axis you prefer
2) choose one of the nine models
3) scale it appropriately, based on measurements taken
4) print it out -- perhaps even in a set/plate for the smaller ones (with a variety of models)
5) file down the tree base flat:
6) hot glue the tree to the base
7) using an appropriate hot glue gun (one with long metal tip -- DM Scotty's favorite), smooth it out, making sure not to get too close to the edge of the tree base as the edge is thin and the heat gun can warp it. (If you do have to get close to the edge, make sure the base is sitting firmly against a flat surface, as you rake it with the hot glue gun tip.) When smoothing, rake the glue up the trunk a bit as well, to get a stronger bond.
8) Base it with your appropriate soil color.
9) Flock, paint or whatever suits your needs, concealing the print lines. If you decide just to paint, a stipple effect (dart motion with flat bottom round brush, perpendicular to surface) is a good way to conceal it -- avoid flicking or stroking the brush over the print lines.