Rapidpro continuing to churn out vehicles in N (and HO)!

[bbussey]

Rapidpro on Shapeways continues to pop out new HO and N vehicles at an accelerated rate.  Released yesterday in HO and N is the car from my early childhood years — a 1965 Buick Skylark Coupe!  I'm stoked!  Just bought a pair in N, and looking forward to painting one metallic gold with black enamel roof. 



Needless to say, add Rapidpro to your favorites list on Shapeways and watch for various vehicles to appear.  Recent releases have been from the 1960s and 1970s.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

His models really are phenomenal. I'm not sure what his day job is, but he knows just the right amount of surface detail/depth and width of panel lines, proper wheels specific to the prototype, and radius/curvature/complex curves of the model in general.

He recently added a Gen 2 Ford Explorer Sport to his models. I had a Gen 2.5 and really appreciate this icon of the late 1990's.

With literally hundreds of vehicles with prices ranging from 10-20 per vehicle in FXD, we finally have the ability to make our city streets truly realistic. He had certainly filed the void we had for passenger cars, and the main reason why I'm advocating that Showcase and others focus on trucks buses and construction equipment that is too delicate and too expensive to produce using FXD.

[wazzou]

@bbussey - Please post some detailed photos when you receive the models, both prior to and after painting. 

[peteski]

The body being solid (no see-through windows Is a bit of a letdown for me.  There are other vehicles on Shapeways where the bodies are hollow with windows being open.  But I also do understand that making those windows look good is also a problem.

[Gozer the Gozerian]

The body being solid (no see-through windows Is a bit of a letdown for me.  There are other vehicles on Shapeways where the bodies are hollow with windows being open.  But I also do understand that making those windows look good is also a problem.

While I haven't tried it on these, I think if you mask off the windows on the "frosted" prints you might get a nice effect.  I shoot all my cars with Matt clear to tone things down a bit so they look more scale.  windows as well.  Getting rid of the bling my kids say.  LOL

[sirenwerks]

I just want to see some finished products from those who have played with these products.

[tom mann]

I would be interested in seeing how they look up close and finished. 

[Lemosteam]

The dude must have access to a full size scanner and a multitude of historical vehicles.

Modeling complex body panels for an entire 1/2 of a car (and mirroring the other side) by eye would take months and likely would not look right.  That looks near perfect.

[peteski]

The dude must have access to a full size scanner and a multitude of historical vehicles.

Modeling complex body panels for an entire 1/2 of a car (and mirroring the other side) by eye would take months and likely would not look right.  That looks near perfect.

But didn't we have a lengthy discussion about 3D scanners where it was said that their output leaves a lot t be desired?  Didn't you say that in many cases it would be easier to start a drawing from scratch rather than trying to clean up and fix a 3D scan?  You even showed some scans (from your job I believe) demonstrating the scanner's failings?

[bbussey]

The designer works from photos and mechanical drawings. He's just that good. Also, all the GM bodies always have been shared across the divisions, so that makes it easier to create the Skylark for example when you have already the digital Cutlass model as a base.

[Lemosteam]

But didn't we have a lengthy discussion about 3D scanners where it was said that their output leaves a lot t be desired?  Didn't you say that in many cases it would be easier to start a drawing from scratch rather than trying to clean up and fix a 3D scan?  You even showed some scans (from your job I believe) demonstrating the scanner's failings?

Yes but suface correction is much easier after scaling because the imperfections are so much smaller.  But Bryan says that's not what he does anyway.

I wonder, does he have a license from GM to do it?

[bbussey]

I would be interested in seeing how they look up close and finished.

Chris Broughton @cbroughton67 recently finished a couple of 1970s GM sedans that he turned into a pair of earrings for his daughter.  He took photos of the finished models pre-earrings.  He may still have photos that he can post here.

[wcfn100]

The dude must have access to a full size scanner and a multitude of historical vehicles.

Modeling complex body panels for an entire 1/2 of a car (and mirroring the other side) by eye would take months and likely would not look right.  That looks near perfect.

Cars aren't that difficult with the right technique.  All some modelers need are 3-4 profile or cross-sections.

Jason

[Ngineer]

How would you paint the windshield and the rest of the windows?

Black with a glossy overcoat?

   Javier

[bbussey]

Chris used a gloss dark gray.

One nice feature is that the models are hollow with thin walls. If one is daring (and careful) enough, the solid windows can be removed.