Dave Roof

What do you need printed?

I print hollow fuel tanks vertically on a regular basis, and never have a problem with suction. While you may have more blemishes to clean up, adding more supports will more than likely solve your problem. Start with a large support with at least a .35 Upper Diameter. From there, add 8 supports slightly above center around the circumference of the part, then another 8 above those, offset. On these, you can probably go down to .30 Upper diameter, or even .25 depending on the size of your part. Then add 4 a bit higher, and another 4 even higher and offset. This will provide more stability to the part as the build plate raises and lowers.

It's not the settings, 'suction', or the orientation, it's not enough supports. When I get back in the office tomorrow morning, I'll post a couple images showing support suggestions.

You absolutely have me confused with someone else. I've never written a book, and my knowledge of the Devastator is less than zero.

Yeah, I know where they're from and I've seen their stuff. I don't buy Reskit or Quinta products. Simply a personal choice.

Thank you all, very much appreciate feedback. Not too concerned about adding a bunch of detail, and I do not buy Quinta or ResKit products, so both of those are out. I'll go with Meng out of the box.

Okay, my knowledge of all flavors of Apache is slightly above my grasp of quantum physics, and if the subject isn't Marine Corps related, I'm content with 'that looks about right'. However, given the two options of AH-64 Saraf available, which is the better choice?

I'm not buying that's legit footage. Not a single part of the airframe moves after the 'explosion'. No debris, wings and forward fuselage still intact.

I think I know which site you're referring to (if it's even the same one), but it doesn't work for everything.

As I don't know what your current settings are, it's difficult to suggest exposure settings for your print. I also don't use ABS resin, and not sure if anything needs to be adjusted for that type. However, might I suggest changing the orientation of your parts? This is how I support my 32nd fuel tank nose cones and never have any issues. A lot less clean up is needed after the supports are removed.

Not completely. Even with the cover on, if the printer is exposed to direct sunlight, it can and will cure the resin in the vat. Had it happen to two printers at my old house as they were on a shelf next to a window.

As long as there is no sunlight hitting the printer, you can leave resin in the vat for weeks, and even months. At one point last year, two of my printers went unused for close to 3 months (both Saturns). When I did start to use them again, all that was needed was a good stir of the resin. At the moment, my office/print room has no windows (it's the 'basement' behind what used to be the garage, which I've converted into a living space). However, when I do add a window, it will face the front of the house and will be under the front porch. Still no direct sunlight. When not using it for a bit, you can even cover it with a small towel to help keep more light out.

In the mean time return the unused resin from the vat back into the bottle though a filter This isn't really necessary. I run 14 printers almost every single day, for 8 to 12 hours each. I've been doing this four straight years now, and have never once did that. The only time I have ever emptied a vat is when a fail punctured the FEP, and fortunately, that's only happened twice. I literally just refill the vat after every print and have never had a problem. All that really does is increase your chance of making a mess. As far as cleaning goes, this is my process. I have an ultra sonic cleaner and 3 washing stations. All are filled with denatured alcohol (the fuel type by Klean Strip). ***If you have an ultrasonic cleaner with a heating element that can be turned off, turn it off. If it has a heating element that you can't turn off, don't use it with alcohol. The whole build plate (I use mostly Elegoo Mars 3 printers) gets held in the ultrasonic cleaner for 15 seconds. This is long enough to get most of the excess resin off the parts. Then, 2 minutes in the first wash station, 2 minutes in the second, and 1 minute 30 seconds in the last. Also, I typically clean two plates at a time. Remove the build plate and shake off into a large trash can (the alcohol evaporates within a couple minutes). Hit the build plate and parts with a hair dryer on high heat for a minute or so until all of the remaining alcohol is gone. Remove the parts from the build plate, remove the parts from the supports, then cure. Give the build plate a quick wipe with a paper towel (I use the thicker, blue automotive type), put back on printer and go again. *The heat from the hair dryer not only dries them faster, but it softens the supports/rafts making them easier to remove from both the parts and the build plate. This is what my parts look like every single time.

I very much appreciate the kind words, and the nod. Unfortunately, my reference material, and knowledge on the early AV-8A's is severely lacking. One thing I do know is they are not the same seats.

Unfortunately, that's not how it works. It is their intellectual property and they own the trademarks.

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About a week ago, VMFA-112 out at JRB Fort Worth contacted me, and asked if I could come up with a 250th Birthday scheme for their F/A-18D (BuNo 164874, which is currently wearing the Tiger Stripes of 224). After going through a bunch of ideas in my head, I went to work. The first version was sent the following day, and over the past couple days, a lot of back and forth with requested changes took place. After a conference call, and hearing some new ideas from some of the senior leaders, the last two versions were submitted. As of this post, all we are waiting for is the CO to choose the one he wants applied. While there are other variations (mostly colors) being considered, these two are the ones that have garnered the most positive comments from the Marines involved. The blue spine, red stripes, white speed brake, and black text represents our Dress Blues. The Corps' first Commandant and SgtMaj of the Marine Corps is on the port side canopy, while the current CMC and SMMC are on the starboard side. Marine Corps Hymn is on the speed brake. Names of all the of the Marine Corps pilots that have lost their lives in the F/A-18 are on the side fuselage under the LEX, along with the early Eagle, Globe and Anchor. The squadron designations of all USMC F/A-18 operators are under the outboard wings, so they can be read when the wings are folded. Early and current Marine Corps emblems are located on the inboard tail surfaces, with the Flag Raising at Iwo Jima on the outboard surfaces. 250 Years superimposed over our NCO sword on the port side of the fuel tank, with the Officers sword on the starboard side. Personally, I hope they go with Tun Tavern and the red/yellow text. The blue/red text gives off Navy vibes, and the VMFA-112 makes it unit specific, whereas Tun Tavern represents the Marine Corps as a whole. From what I was told, a decision may be made today.

Currently on the bench is the first of two 1/32 Academy F/A-18C's. This will be for the current CO of 224 who is relinquishing command on the 27th of June. Deadline to have it completed is the 26th of June. It will have the tiger stripes of the current command jet that has his name on it. All missiles will be from FlightLine Resin, with other details from my Flying Leathernecks line, as well as Sierra Hotel and a Reedoak pilot.

Back in 2018, I received a message from a former Marine that was with VMAQ-3. He asked if I could build a model of an EA-6B so they could present it to the squadrons last CO during their Decom ceremony. He bought the kit, I built and delivered it. Well, there were Marines from Q-2 there that asked if I could do the same for them the following year. Got that done, and while at that one, got asked to do something for VMA-231. From there, the word just continued to spread. Most of the build requests over the last two years have come from MAG-31 and VMFA-533 at MCAS Beaufort. However, this has spilled over into other requests from other squadrons. The Command AH-1Z for HMLA-167 was painted using my artwork, and the tri-color paint scheme currently worn by the Command Yankee from HMLA-269 is my design. I'm also in the process of designing a paint scheme for VMFA-224's first F-35B, as well as the personal challenge coins for the future CO's of VMFA's 214 and 231. Model builds for other squadrons are also being done, and I just started the first of two 1/32 Hornets for the CO's of VMFA(AW)-224 and VMFA-312. They're not contest winners by any stretch of the means, but the Marines have loved them. This has also given me the opportunity to visit MCAS Beaufort often, and spend Friday evenings at the O' Club hanging out with fellow Marines. With the exception of the very first build, every other project has been done free of charge. Yeah, I've financed everything.....the kits, the bases, brass placards, stickers, gas, billeting have all been out of pocket. During the last trip, when I delivered the MAG-31 plaque, I was informed by both the MAG CO and SgtMaj that I'll be contacted often for more projects. They also advised me that my name and contact info had been given to the Sgts Maj of both MAG-11 and MAG-12. If you care to follow along in this journey, and do the book of faces, I have a page called Scale to the Corps where I document the builds and other projects.

There is a difference between buying a single kit for $400 and spending $150 for a kit, then adding aftermarket that surpasses the price of the kit, or the price of the more expensive kit. Aftermarket isn't "needed", and it all doesn't have to be purchased at one time.

I believe that is the case. Looking at the sprue shots, the instrument panels and side consoles appear to be smooth. Yeah, I'm not a fan either and prefer to paint the details.

Yeah, but you're assuming every modeler wants 3DP decals or would buy aftermarket for it. Social media, and YouTube has quite literally shown the number of modelers that care about such things are probably 1% of the whole modeling community. Anyway, I'm not spending $400 on a single kit. And yes, I can easily afford it, but it isn't going to happen. Simply a personal choice.

Just being direct and upfront. What you think it's worth, and what the consumer is willing (or able) to pay are two entirely different things, and Red Pill's success depends on the latter. I'll use me as an example. If the kit retailed in the $200-ish range, I more than likely would have bought 2 or 3. At roughly $400 each, I'm not buying a single one. Once again though, there are modelers out there that will drop that kind of money on this kit, and I do hope the sales exceed the expectations.