3D printing a headstock badge?

[Maude]

4 minutes ago, Rich said:

It's like a very very thin 2-ply pickguard material or something. The white layer is twice the thickness of the black, at least.

 

Cool, as you've seen I've made mine smaller but I might make a full size one to go right to the edge. 

I just wanted to know that it is like a pickguard. 👍

[Happy Jack]

Also worth a look:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hofner-Logo-Schriftzug-Gold-Lange-ca-11-cm/124197386430?hash=item1ceabdb8be:g:kU4AAOSwP1deyRZo

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hofner-Logo-Schriftzug-Silber-Lange-ca-11-cm/124192738340?hash=item1cea76cc24:g:mh0AAOSwR-texEeS

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hofner-Logo-Schriftzug-Schwarz-Lange-ca-11-cm/124193872416?hash=item1cea881a20:g:Rm0AAOSw~rxexWG9

[Silvia Bluejay]

... but you need to move to Europe or go and collect them in person... 🤦‍♀️

Quote

Item location:

Bartholomä, Germany

Posts to:

European Union

 

[Dad3353]

12 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Also worth a look:...

I may be able to beat them on price. 

I've been asked for some funny ol' things, mainly from fellow RC 'plane enthusiasts. A couple of pilot projects, for some US buddies ...

One for France ...

It doesn't always go to plan, though...

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Dad3353

[BassTractor]

47 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

... but you need to move to Europe or go and collect them in person... 🤦‍♀️

 

Not necessarily though, as many many sellers are indeed willing to send to the whole of Europe despite the ill-chosen text. Living in a non-EU country, I always ask, and have not gotten a "no" yet.
Often, sending to non-EU countries costs the same anyway.

[Maude]

Thanks for those @Happy Jack, I've seen a few similar but they're all way too big. I need about 45mm, those are all 110mm. The best of seen are these at 48mm but still not right. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hofner-guitar-sticker-headstock-neck-decal-PREMIUM-QUALITY-26-/373406594886?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

 

 @Silvia Bluejay, as far as I'm aware, VAT on items under £135 will be collected at point of sale so there shouldn't be any extra fees to pay as the courier won't be dealing with the VAT on my behalf. We'll see soon as I've accidently bought a £2 item from china, I filtered the ebay results to UK only and bought something, only realised when the delivery date was in a months time. 

One thing I have noticed though is that even if sending a gift from the EU into the UK, a customs declaration will need to be filled out.  

How we go about buying these from @Dad3353 is anyone's guess. But there's plenty of other B word threads going on so let's leave it there. 

🙂

 

 

[BigRedX]

Looking at the the badge in the OP, I think the 3D model needs a slight bevel to the edges, also it looks bit thicker than the original. Otherwise that's a brilliant example of what Basschat does best!

Personally I wouldn't bother trying to match up the pins to the existing holes. Fill them in, and drill new ones or simply glue the logo onto the headstock faceplate.

[Dad3353]

2 hours ago, Maude said:

...How we go about buying these from @Dad3353 is anyone's guess....

I've sent similar stuff all over the world, and am quite able to fill in any Post Office forms that may crop up. Items of the sort are not for sale; they are freely offered, post free. All I ask (and usually obtain...) is a wide smile, s'all. The cost of stuff like this is not even pennies, and the printing occurs in 'temps masqué', whilst I'm asleep in bed, or typing on t'interweb.
@BigRedX : The files I have are not for exact replicas, and would not fool a museum curator checking for originality; they're 3D-printed, not moulded nor cast. I'll print 'em 'as is' for now, and we'll see how suitable they are, once painted.
The printer is now set up, ready, so I'll do a test run this evening. 

[Maude]

@Dad3353, I would like to pay you for this, but from reading your posts on here I doubt you'll let me. If they are to be free then that is most generous of you. You don't need to wait for a smile though, it's already there. When things like this happen on this forum I love it and it proves there's far more good folk out there willing to help out in whatever way they can, than there are ne'erdowells as seems to be general concensus. This does more for me than just make me smile. 😊

While I agree with @BigRedXthat the sides could possibly taper slightly and the badge not be as tall as the blue one in the image, I have not wanted to be picky as I don't know what's involved in changing it, and it might not need changing anyway as they will be painted. 

I can easily sand the top down a touch with some wet'n'dry and a block to keep it flat if need be, maybe round the edges ever so slightly. As to the tapered sides, when spray painting something this small and intricate the paint will have a tendency to flow towards the bottom and also not sit as thick on any sharp edges. The result of this would be for the sides to appear tapered and the edges slightly rounded, as if worn with age. 

The way I'm looking at it is it might not look totally genuine, as it isn't, but it will look a lot better than a decal. 

 

[BigRedX]

I don't own a 3D printer - all my 3D work is done to produce 2D graphical product images, but applying a taper to the logo in most 3D applications is part of the extrusion process.

If I was creating this I would simply take a vector version of the Hofner logo (there's one available for free at Brands Of The World), size to 46mm length and extrude about 2-3mm applying a slight positive or negative taper depending on whether the full width of the "strokes" is at the top or bottom of the object.

Edited January 14, 2021 by BigRedX

[Maude]

5 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

I don't own a 3D printer - all my 3D work is done to produce 2D graphical product images, but applying a taper to the logo in most 3D applications is part of the extrusion process.

If I was creating this I would simply take a vector version of the Hofner logo (there's one available for free at Brands Of The World), size to 46mm length and extrude about 2-3mm applying a slight positive or negative taper depending on whether the full width of the "strokes" is at the top or bottom of the object.

I undestand (kind of) what you're saying and it's interesting learning how these things are done, until now I knew nothing about the process, and still know very little. Which is why I'm letting @Dad3353do what he feels is best.

Thanks for the input though as it's all interesting. 

🙂

[Phil Starr]

Slight derail here but how much would this have cost if done commercially? I've needed a few plastic parts recently which are not available and aren't bass related; like a pinion for a CD transport for example. Have we reached a point where parts can be scanned, replicated and sold at prices which make them economically sensible to use? 

Edited January 14, 2021 by Phil Starr

[Dad3353]

21 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

I don't own a 3D printer - all my 3D work is done to produce 2D graphical product images, but applying a taper to the logo in most 3D applications is part of the extrusion process.

If I was creating this I would simply take a vector version of the Hofner logo (there's one available for free at Brands Of The World), size to 46mm length and extrude about 2-3mm applying a slight positive or negative taper depending on whether the full width of the "strokes" is at the top or bottom of the object.

There you go, the .stl file I have. I use 3D Builder, Sketch-Up and Blender, and will use these as part of my 'learning curve' to attempt modification of this file, but it may take some time. Meanwhile, I can print this this evening, as a trial. If you've 3D software on hand, I'd be grateful for a revised version, incorporating the bevels you've mentioned. Any chance..? 

Hofn_Logo_With_Pins.stl

[Dad3353]

Just now, Phil Starr said:

Slight derail here but how much would this have cost if done commercially. I've needed a few plastic parts recently which are not available and aren't bass related Like a pinion for a CD transport for example, have we reached a point where parts can be scanned, replicated and sold at prices which make them economically sensible to use. 

There are two 'difficult' parts to this. The first is the obtention of a file that a 3D printer can work with. Scanning can be done, with the right equipment, but there are those able to create darned good files 'from scratch', with enough experience in 3D modelling. Once one has the file, the next issue would be the material. Most domestic, hobby, printers use PLA filament, which is a very inexpensive plastic 'wire'. It's easy and cheap to work with, but does not have the mechanical qualities for all uses. Other filaments exist (notably ABS or nylon, but many more...), some of which can only be used by professional printers, often costing... well, even more than that..! For the RC 'planes I build, the parts I print (dummy motors, pilots, accessories...) have no other needs except to receive acrylic paint well, but for moving parts subject to wear, a more robust solution would be to get a quote from a 3D firm. The Yellow Pages would be a good start, or a web search. The economy of this depends on the importance, really. When PPE visors were required, they were cheap to do. A gear wheel could be pennies, could be pounds, depending on specification.
Hope this helps. 

[BigRedX]

Thanks. I might not have it done until tomorrow. I'll send you back the .stl file.

@Maude how long and what diameter do you need the locating pins?

[Phil Starr]

2 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

There are two 'difficult' parts to this. The first is the obtention of a file that a 3D printer can work with. Scanning can be done, with the right equipment, but there are those able to create darned good files 'from scratch', with enough experience in 3D modelling. Once one has the file, the next issue would be the material. Most domestic, hobby, printers use PLA filament, which is a very inexpensive plastic 'wire'. It's easy and cheap to work with, but does not have the mechanical qualities for all uses. Other filaments exist (notably ABS or nylon, but many more...), some of which can only be used by professional printers, often costing... well, even more than that..! For the RC 'planes I build, the parts I print (dummy motors, pilots, accessories...) have no other needs except to receive acrylic paint well, but for moving parts subject to wear, a more robust solution would be to get a quote from a 3D firm. The Yellow Pages would be a good start, or a web search. The economy of this depends on the importance, really. When PPE visors were required, they were cheap to do. A gear wheel could be pennies, could be pounds, depending on specification.
Hope this helps. 

It does help, many thanks. So for example one of the parts I need is just that, a gear wheel. It's one of a pair in a John Deere mower for which parts are no longer available and weren't distributed in the UK anyway. The gear is about 10cm in diameter and drives the wheels of a mower that probably weighs 30kg. It's made of some sort of hard plastic. There are a few used ones in the States but they would cost anything from £10-50 and the list price was in the $20 region when they were available. If i could get one for say £20 it would make the repair worthwhile.

[Maude]

2 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Thanks. I might not have it done until tomorrow. I'll send you back the .stl file.

@Maude how long and what diameter do you need the locating pins?

The pins can be any diameter as I will be drilling the locating holes. Length, again fairly unimportant as I will probably just drill the headstock plate I have made and fix to that, so won't need to drill the headstock wood. About 4 or 5mm long would be fine as I'll probably wick a tiny amount of CA down the hole from the back and trim flush with a razor. 

Thank you for any help/file you can give @Dad3353.

🙂👍

[Dad3353]

9 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

...If i could get one for say £20 it would make the repair worthwhile.

You might try these folks ...

3D-Printed Gears ...

I've no idea what they might reply; t'would be interesting to find out...

[mybass]

20 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

This forum is brilliant!

It reminds me of the goods old days when whatever you wanted there was a bloke down the pub that could get it. 😆

Unfortunately we are not all allowed down the pub now so you can find it here 😊

[Dad3353]

@Maude, @Rich ...

Here's a couple of very bad photos, hot from the press. I'll need a check on the dimensions; I've marked one photo with a specific distance. I can alter this to any other (not, not six miles, you fool, stop it, Jack  ...); different sizes for a multi-print are no problem either. Once I get confirmation I'll go ahead and print some off. Could you please PM your postal addresses, so that I may send the bailiffs the Cray Twins the results..? Does anybody want 'em painted, or at least prepared for painting..? I have airbrush stuff for primer and the like, if it helps. 

[Rich]

That looks amaaaaazing a quick measure of the iffy decal on my bass returns a dimension of 48mm. Given that the badge is inevitably slightly chunkier than a mere decal, I would imagine 50mm is probably bang on the money. Plain unpainted virginal unmolested material is absolutely fine for me.

[Maude]

@Dad3353, that looks fantastic. 🙂👍

Let me have a quick measure tomorrow. I reckon 50mm will be about right, but I'll pop a G string on tomorrow (pack it in 😯) and check clearance, as the face plate I've made is slightly smaller than the headstock perimeter and thicker than the standard veneer. 

Also just plain white will be great, but thanks for the offer to paint. 

😊

[mcnach]

On 13/01/2021 at 21:28, Dad3353 said:

Size (or sizes...) isn't an issue, as long as I know what they're to be..! 

 

Can you print a Stonehenge stage prop?

[BigRedX]

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to let @Maude down, partly due to the amount of paying work I have on at the moment (I'm a free-lancer so if I have work I really need to be doing it), and partly because my current 3D programme of choice doesn't have the correct function required to make this logo properly in 3D which is the ability to extrapolate between two shapes whilst extruding. Because all my current 3D work is for 2D images, I could have fudged it for my normal use, but that won't produce a printable 3D model, so I'm going to have to admit defeat. 

I have been able to create the two shapes needed for the extrapolation which I'll attach to this post if anyone else needs to make use of them. 

Hofner Top.eps Hofner Bottom.eps

[Maude]

No need to apologise @BigRedX, work is work and I wouldn't expect anyone to lose out while doing a favour. Thanks anyway. 🙂👍

 

@Dad3353 , 50mm per the picture you posted will be absolutely fine. It's hard to tell without actually laying the badge on there but any smaller and I'd guess it'll start to look a bit too weeny.

50mm it is, and thank you too. 👍