This would really make the earthrise ratchet alt-mode. Got this pic off one of the post in this forum.
Question I'll ask here, kind of in general about wheels, as I've seen few comments. Has anyone tried using, say, RC-car wheels to retrofit any transformers? I've taken a brief look, but sizes/scale is not clear. I thought about something like that exactly with Siege Ratchet in mind as a start.
My Prowl & Ironhide set is "out for delivery" today! I've gotten all of the print-ready models prepped for this, so tonight I should be able to test fit the wheels, take a few pics, and get these posted. The image below shows the models that will be in the download on Cults. Most people with FDM printers will use the tire, wheel face, and wheel axle parts to print without supports. I designed the rivets on the wheel faces to stick out, but when I printed them the rivets were so small they didn't stay attached to the wheels - not enough surface area to fuse them to the rest of the part, I guess. So I made the rivets indent into the wheel face instead. Both versions will be included. I also have the wheels as one piece and the whole wheel+tire assembly as one piece, for anyone who has the equipment or desire to print them that way.
These look great. I finally created an account here to follow this thread. I scanned it again, and apologize if I missed the answer, but will there be a means to purchase these completed for those of us who haven't taken the plunge on a printer yet? Thanks!
Wow, that's super cool, thanks! I don't do direct sales of printed parts, but I put them up on Shapeways for people to get printed parts. I'll update this thread when these are available there. Here's a quick look at the wheels installed on Earthrise Ironhide:
The Earth-style wheels for Ironhide and Ratchet are now available! STL files are at Cults: The 3D models of Robots78 ・ Cults Prints are at Shapeways: Robots '78 by robots78 - Shapeways Shops The STL download includes several variations of the model depending on how you'd like to print them. For most people with an FDM printer, the 3-piece version is probably the best option as it prints without supports and allows you to print the wheels and tires with different materials. The Shapeways prints come as sets of 4 connected by a sprue, as this drastically reduces the price (the cost for 4 on a sprue is just slightly more than the cost of 1 by itself). The Shapeways version is available either as a one-piece wheel+tire version or as separate wheels and tire pieces. A disclaimer: I tried lots of different variations to try and make the clips as sturdy as possible, but they're still pretty fragile in my prints. Take care when installing them, and I recommend leaving them in once installed. On the bright side, I think the Shapeways prints will be more durable than my PLA prints because their materials are more flexible. I'm pretty happy with how this project turned out, I think the proper wheels make Ironhide look much better! The van mode is still a mess, but at least now he has sweet rims!
Awesome! Please make regular wheels for ER Prowl and his bros! Also really need Prowls shoulder cannons
Actually... that's a fantastic idea. With the figures having the pegs already, you'd only need the holes in the rims for them and wouldn't have to worry about the flexibility of the print material for that; but I know next to nothing about 3D printing, so I'm just here to second this idea!
That's definitely been on my radar to look into since I got Smokescreen a few weeks ago. 3D printing would allow for the clip port to be enclosed where traditional molding does not, and like you say it shouldn't have any durability issues. I plan to start doing some testing for Datsun wheels after I finish my Devastator drills project. I envision a multi-piece design like these van wheels so different materials can be used for the wheels and the tires, and possibly different wheel and tread designs for the different characters.
Keep it simple bro and just crank them out. As long as they are round and they clip securely it should be all good
Judging by how the wheels for Ironhide/Ratchet look and past experience with his products for Prime's trailer, Robots takes this seriously and wants to make them look as good as possible, which yields a superior product. If it means waiting a few weeks, I'm all for it. Measure twice, cut once and all.
Pardon the excitement, this is my first exposure to Robo's stuff and i am blown away at the quality and the care he takes to design them. I just couldnt stand Prowl's wheels! If i can make a suggestion, make the wheels a bit wider, make it concave as well to be able to cover the huge hole for the mushroom peg.
I would be very interested in these as well. The exposed clips drive me nuts. The wheel designs don't do much for me either. I actually think... If I may continue fueling this fire... That Trailbreaker and Hoist could GREATLY benefit from some new wheels/tires. In addition to the exposed clips, those boys need some ground clearance! I just put my order in for my van wheels/tires. First time ordering from Shapeways. Pretty stoked!
