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11-25-2018, 02:45 AM | #1 |
Cobra Soldier
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: GA
Posts: 14
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So I've been collecting 3.75 GI Joe for years. I've been building off my original childhood collection for years now. I've now pretty much completed my goal of obtaining the 1982-1989 complete figure collection but for Listen N' Fun Tripwire's filecard, Rampage, and Rumbler's rifle. I've collected more vehicles than I have room for, which isn't even 1/4 of all the vehicles from 82-89. Just simply out of room. My most prized item is my original 1985 USS Flagg that I've had since then. It's 99% complete except for the decal placement instruction sheet. There's a few less than perfect parts of it, like 1 broken elevator support and 1 missing tab on the elevator deck. I used some reproduction deck clips and mast cap which I do not mind. In recent years I've tried to acquire a new elevator deck, elevator support, and 1 support that has a broken tab. I've noticed that on Ebay the prices are sometimes laughable. That's why I keep mine with the few less than perfect parts. I realize they will never be made again and in kind of demand because it's the Flagg. The GI Joe figure accessories that are most hard to find sometimes sellers will charge more for that part than a complete figure. Imagine if Hasbro would come out with a parts replacement catalog like they do for vehicle restorations, if they still had the molds. Or they could follow suit just like the vehicle restoration companies do, use perfect examples to make new molds. There's probably a market for toy restoration.
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11-25-2018, 10:29 AM | #2 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: May 2015
Location: CT
Posts: 2,043
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I don't know much about 3d printing but I believe that is going to be the way to get replacement parts as the technology becomes more and more accessible. I have seen posts on here where people have made replacement WHALE parts using a 3d printer as well. Some enterprising collector with the know how for 3d printing will probably capitalize on this niche market at some point.
I have purchased replacement Mauler antennas that were created from the original mold on ebay (I believe they were created with a 3D Printer). Way cheaper than getting the real thing. |
11-25-2018, 02:39 PM | #3 |
just a Marine
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: central PA
Posts: 1,681
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I concur on the 3D printing. I am not so sure they will ever do a replacement parts catalog, do you mean like aftermarket parts for automobiles? Replacement tail lights and such for muscle cars or whatever? I doubt there is nearly enough demand nor parts commonality between hasbro items to make this feasible, although they could maybe do this if they offered it up to a third party. "Wh23g3g's GI Joe Restoration Company" hmm, might need to work on that name.
For non-functional or non-moving parts, what about replicating it with styrene stock? Depending on the part, it might even be sturdy enough to be functional or move. |
11-25-2018, 02:47 PM | #4 |
Cobra Soldier
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: GA
Posts: 14
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I've experimented with the mold recasting on Keel-Haul's pistol and Sgt. Slaughter's baton. After detail painting them it was hard to tell the difference side by side between the mold. I even tried the fantail railing but couldn't get a good color match. Heavy Metal's rifle was no good. Is there even anywhere else online to search for GI Joe parts? Yojoe use to be real good but it seems I've only been able to find on Ebay.
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11-25-2018, 09:19 PM | #5 |
Cobra Lab Rat
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: California
Posts: 3,011
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3-D printing will NOT make parts cheaper.
If 3D printing the part is cheap, who wants to volunteer buying the expensive printer or spend hours designing the part and sizing it correctly? That means almost no 3-D designs will get posted in the 1st place. It's not a charity, the type of people to do this work tend to want to get PAID. If it's expensive, is that different from how it is now? You will get lots of designed parts, but see below for problems. Even if you get the 3-D designs and print it yourself, don't forget 3-D printing strings small costly designed plastic pieces to build that piece. The resulting part is flimsy and weak and costs way more than traditional molding AND tends to have a higher defect rate ANYWAY. |
11-26-2018, 01:24 AM | #6 |
Cobra Soldier
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: GA
Posts: 14
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If I ever try to recreate any more accessories it will be just remold of the original. I did quite a few but it's kinda pricey too just to make a few extras. It really won't even pay for itself unless you do sell some of them, which I never did. I bought a reproduction Sears 1982 Cobra Command Headquarters, not the SDCC version but a reproduction off of an original. It's very nicely printed, but the card stock is so flimsy it doesn't stand up without some support. I'm wondering if the SDCC version is a little more sturdy.
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11-26-2018, 04:00 AM | #7 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 1,035
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3D printing is only going to get cheaper and cheaper. We are almost at a point where the UV pull up printing is super cheap. It is crazy detailed as well, and once one person makes the model, it can be repeated ad infinitum. Shapeways and those Print on Demand services are actually pretty expensive.
I had a PLA filament printer and it was pretty sweet and cheap as well to run. But it was loud as hell so I gave it away (there are much quieter printers though).
__________________
Tarred and Feathered. Maybe even the ravings of a lunatic. You are on a Joe board after all. |
11-26-2018, 02:11 PM | #8 |
He Who Remains
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 9,289
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Quote:
3-D printing will NOT make parts cheaper.
If 3D printing the part is cheap, who wants to volunteer buying the expensive printer or spend hours designing the part and sizing it correctly? That means almost no 3-D designs will get posted in the 1st place. It's not a charity, the type of people to do this work tend to want to get PAID. If it's expensive, is that different from how it is now? You will get lots of designed parts, but see below for problems. Even if you get the 3-D designs and print it yourself, don't forget 3-D printing strings small costly designed plastic pieces to build that piece. The resulting part is flimsy and weak and costs way more than traditional molding AND tends to have a higher defect rate ANYWAY. |
11-27-2018, 03:05 PM | #9 |
retro O-rings, baby!
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: USA
Posts: 829
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A lot of people said the same thing about Wikipedia — which, while not perfect, is a fantastic resource for general purposes. But it turned out lots of people were more than happy to contribute what they knew, not just for money (which is fine, don’t get me wrong) but simply to pass on what they’d learned and help others along. And you could say similar things about open source software— certainly it’s not without it’s flaws, but you can do a whole heck of a lot for free, if you have the time and persistence, and that’s also thanks to people looking more to community than dollar signs. And, I’m guessing, a lot of similar stuff could be said about this site, and yojoe, and 3djoes, and so on. Again, absolutely nothing wrong with someone wanting to be paid for their work. But I think there will be lots of hobbyists who make stuff for themselves, and then are more than happy to share their files openly, after which it’s just a matter of submitting an order to a printing service, which someday might be a common thing anyway.
Concerns about smoothness, durability and so on will of course exist, but IMO it should prove to be a pretty useful option someday, for certain repro parts applications. At least unless somebody else gets there first with molded plastic... As for whether it costs more...well, if you’re saying that an injection mold can produce large quantities cheaper and better, sure. But would it be notably better, or even at all better, for several dozen or a couple hundred helmet mics? Once the cost of the mold is taken into account, and if the 3D file maker is a hobbyist who does it out of passion and offers you use of their file for free? No method is going to be both cheap and perfect, but IMO we are quickly approaching the time when 3D is going to be a reasonable option for certain types of parts. I don’t know that individual hobbyists will have their own printers as appliance-like tools, but printing services should be increasingly competitive over the next...what? Decade? |
11-27-2018, 10:30 PM | #10 |
just a Marine
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: central PA
Posts: 1,681
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Quote:
A lot of people said the same thing about Wikipedia — which, while not perfect, is a fantastic resource for general purposes. But it turned out lots of people were more than happy to contribute what they knew, not just for money (which is fine, don’t get me wrong) but simply to pass on what they’d learned and help others along. And you could say similar things about open source software— certainly it’s not without it’s flaws, but you can do a whole heck of a lot for free, if you have the time and persistence, and that’s also thanks to people looking more to community than dollar signs. And, I’m guessing, a lot of similar stuff could be said about this site, and yojoe, and 3djoes, and so on. Again, absolutely nothing wrong with someone wanting to be paid for their work. But I think there will be lots of hobbyists who make stuff for themselves, and then are more than happy to share their files openly, after which it’s just a matter of submitting an order to a printing service, which someday might be a common thing anyway.
Concerns about smoothness, durability and so on will of course exist, but IMO it should prove to be a pretty useful option someday, for certain repro parts applications. At least unless somebody else gets there first with molded plastic... As for whether it costs more...well, if you’re saying that an injection mold can produce large quantities cheaper and better, sure. But would it be notably better, or even at all better, for several dozen or a couple hundred helmet mics? Once the cost of the mold is taken into account, and if the 3D file maker is a hobbyist who does it out of passion and offers you use of their file for free? No method is going to be both cheap and perfect, but IMO we are quickly approaching the time when 3D is going to be a reasonable option for certain types of parts. I don’t know that individual hobbyists will have their own printers as appliance-like tools, but printing services should be increasingly competitive over the next...what? Decade? |
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