3d printing STL files and where to find them

[Wulf]

I'm fairly sure, subject to changes in finances, I'll be buying a 3d printer sometime this summer - probably the Creality Ender 3 FDM model. Not the best for minis, but at the price it's regularly reviewed as one of the best for general printing. And it's in my price range.

SO... I'm looking around for subjects suited to wargaming, especially 10mm scale, and I see a load - enough for a lifetime's printing. Strangely, though, one category of print files I expected to be plentiful really isn't - buildings, especially ruins. Probably because buildings in bigger scales are a bit too big for most home printers, but in 10mm scale they should be fine.

So, I ask anyone here who has done any research into this, what's a good source of STL files for 10mm scale (and bigger) wargaming? No JUST buildings, anything really. I know Thingiverse, of course, and those for sale in Wargames Vault.

[Leon]

Thingiverse is the one I've seen most people talking about but there's a list of others here: https://www.aniwaa.com/best-sites-download-free-stl-files-3d-models-and-3d-printable-files-3d-printing/

I think there's been some terrain Kickstarters over the past few years, especially in the Dungeons area, but those would be paid files rather than free downloads.  I wonder if the lack of terrain is due to a lower demand for the files?  Printing large terrain pieces in 28mm can mean literally days in the machine, so it's probably more viable to just buy it or make it traditionally?

[Aksu]

Hullo,
Leon of course has a lot of nice ruins on offer, but in general I've noticed the same problem regarding terrain as you have, so I'm working on a small project to make my own with the 3D software I use. This is in particular for our soon-to-start BEF 1940 games in 20 mm scale.

This is an example of a very simple 3D model with some (well, quite a few) bits and pieces scattered above it into thin air, and then letting gravity do it's work.
Next I need to do a bit of work to have a process that makes sure the inside of the pile of rubble is a solid mass, and not a complex geometry with holes in it. This is essential for making the printing these in any sensible amount of time.
Next step will probably be automating the process, so that I can just make a simple model and the rubble will be created automatically. This is optional, as making the automation will probably take more time than creating five different generic rubbly ruins.
Anyway, hopefully I will be able to produce printer-friendly files soonish.
Cheers,
Aksu

[Wulf]

Thingiverse is the one I've seen most people talking about but there's a list of others here: https://www.aniwaa.com/best-sites-download-free-stl-files-3d-models-and-3d-printable-files-3d-printing/

Thanks, I'll look it over.

I think there's been some terrain Kickstarters over the past few years, especially in the Dungeons area, but those would be paid files rather than free downloads.  I wonder if the lack of terrain is due to a lower demand for the files?  Printing large terrain pieces in 28mm can mean literally days in the machine, so it's probably more viable to just buy it or make it traditionally?

Yes, I think the higher demand for larger scales limits what's available.

[Wulf]

This is an example of a very simple 3D model with some (well, quite a few) bits and pieces scattered above it into thin air, and then letting gravity do it's work.

That's absolutely lovely, however I would remind you that, if the interior is to be used (for skirmish games, etc), that rubble has to be flat enough to sit minis on!

[Aksu]

That's absolutely lovely, however I would remind you that, if the interior is to be used (for skirmish games, etc), that rubble has to be flat enough to sit minis on!

Good point. For urban terrain like this I'll probably look at making some corner and wall pieces, with a bit of low rubble spill inside and out. Both to address your point, and to keep printing times sensible.
Cheers,
Aksu

[Wulf]

Good point. For urban terrain like this I'll probably look at making some corner and wall pieces, with a bit of low rubble spill inside and out. Both to address your point, and to keep printing times sensible.

If you design the bases right, you could do corners that'll fit together to make whole buildings. A half dozen different corners could make a whole load of different buildings!