Hi, my name is David (UK) and this is my first posts here. Hi all.
I currently have my own printing business (general paper printing, not 3D) and I am looking to mix my hobby and my business by perhaps doing some 3D design and model making/printing and hopefully creating an online shop, and if it takes off, I hope to buy my own machine or use Shapeways extensively.
I want to design custom vehicles and figures in a range of scales. Think Matchbox/Corgi cars. I aim to design them using 3DS MAX, and then through Shapeways, to create a few prototypes to see if I can produce them at the right quality in order to sell them, but as I am new to 3D printing and this is at the idea stage, I wanted to run the idea by the experts here, if I may?
Assuming I have the 3D designs for what I require, say 50 designs, of various sizes from cars, trucks, people (Matchbox/Corgi toy car size) roughly how much would it cost me to output here, say for the following:
Car - around 50mm x 40mm x 10mm
Trucks - around 80x50x20
I want to look at prices for colour (as if they were painted at a reasonble quality) and also the prices for single colour, but I wanted the material to be of a good enough and heavy, fairly tough type, as its to compete with metal/resin figures, so a plastic type, like ABS would not suffice.
So, my main question is, roughly, and very roughly is fine at this stage, what would it cost ME to produce those 2 above types of model via Shapeways, in single colour and full colour, in a suitable material, and also if I had the machine myself (and which one would be most suitable for me)?
I hope to be able to sell the figures and make a suitable mark-up which would enable me to make a business out of my hobby. If it takes off, I will invest in my own machine(s), and as I have about £20,000 to £30,000 to invest in the equipment that would hopefully allow me to make a living from doing something I love.
Sorry for the long question, but any helpful replies would be much appreciated.
Thanks
David