Weather Counters

[ekwatts]

As a sidenote to all this talk of the Litko Aerosystem counters, I was looking at a laser-cutter a while back, as I'd heard lots of people talking about them in reference to Litko and Gale Force 9 to make their (absolutely stunning) terrain and counters. £10,000! At the cheapest. Now, it always seemed to me that GF9 and Litko were "small-fry" in the miniatures industry. So does that make it surprising that they could splash out on such a machine? I guess their laser-cutting machines are what their entire businesses are built upon, so the investment must be paying off.

Maybe Impact! could have a look at a similar venture....? A laser-cut plastic BB board would be even prettier than a felt sheet

[GalakStarscraper]

Maybe Impact! could have a look at a similar venture....? A laser-cut plastic BB board would be even prettier than a felt sheet

And SOOO ungodly expensive as to not be anything but something for about 5 of our customers.

Galak

[ekwatts]

Maybe Impact! could have a look at a similar venture....? A laser-cut plastic BB board would be even prettier than a felt sheet

And SOOO ungodly expensive as to not be anything but something for about 5 of our customers.

Galak

Haha, I know, I know. I'd just love to have somebody friendly and reliable to make me some custom pieces of terrain who just happen to have a laser-cutting machine to do it precisely!

Has anybody seen the lastest plastic-forming machines that are beginning to be talked about in industry now? Think Star Trek replicators, but based on plastics and resin. Feed them a 3D model of whatever you want, give it a plastic medium to work with, and twiddle your thumbs for a bit. Terrain makers specifically are really rubbing their hands over this. Laser cutters are good, but these will blow them out of the water. I'm not sure how detailed they are, but once they're able to recreate miniatures, then surely the game is up for mini-manufaturers? Not that any of this will come to pass anytime before the next 15 years or so, and by that point, most mini companies will be offering pre-paints anyway.

[tchatter]

Actually it wouldn't be that expensive...

One of my summer jobs while in college was with a very small company (10 employees) that made doll house furniture and was expanding their business into doing work for artists.

They had/have two laser cutting machines that each have a 4 ft x 8 ft table, the machines are CNC. They can cut through 1/2" of Oak or I think 1/8" of steel? But they can also focus the laser to any depth so that you can etch things as well.

One of the things I used them for once I got out of college (as an architect) was to build models. Since they could cut the walls out and etch bricks onto them at the same time all from my AutoCad drawings converted into CNC.

Their prices really weren't that out of whack.

How cool would it be to have a bloodbowl pitch made out of cherry that has the logo etched in the center? and the lines etched as well? Hmmmm... maybe I need to make a phone call.

My business card while I worked there was a 1/16" thick piece of oak that was etched.

I also know that shortly after I left they purchased another machine that could etch glass from any scanned in image. The thought was to use it on wine glasses and beer steins and the like.

[tchatter]

Maybe Impact! could have a look at a similar venture....? A laser-cut plastic BB board would be even prettier than a felt sheet

And SOOO ungodly expensive as to not be anything but something for about 5 of our customers.

Galak

Haha, I know, I know. I'd just love to have somebody friendly and reliable to make me some custom pieces of terrain who just happen to have a laser-cutting machine to do it precisely!

Has anybody seen the lastest plastic-forming machines that are beginning to be talked about in industry now? Think Star Trek replicators, but based on plastics and resin. Feed them a 3D model of whatever you want, give it a plastic medium to work with, and twiddle your thumbs for a bit. Terrain makers specifically are really rubbing their hands over this. Laser cutters are good, but these will blow them out of the water. I'm not sure how detailed they are, but once they're able to recreate miniatures, then surely the game is up for mini-manufaturers? Not that any of this will come to pass anytime before the next 15 years or so, and by that point, most mini companies will be offering pre-paints anyway.

There is a company out now that will "print" your World of Warcraft character as a figure. Imagine the possibilities for Blood Bowl...

http://www.figureprints.com/

Check it out... it opens December 11th. $99.00 for your WoW character "printed" in 3D!