Heroforge Care Guide

8/9/2019 Heroforge Care Guide

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HERO FORGE3D PRINTED MINIATURE CARE AND PAINTING GUIDE

Thank you for using Hero Forge, the internets home for customizing tabletop miniatures and statuettes. 3D printing and 3D on the

web are both exciting new technologies that will change the way people shop online. The age of bespoke, made-to-order products is

just beginning, and were thrilled tobe bringing that revolution to the tabletop.

We have provided this guide in an effort to briefly cover the features of our 3D printed materials, offer tips for how to get the most

out of your mini, and provide advice for the painting process. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, offers many

advantages over traditional injection mold process used to produce most other miniatures. The ability to provide one-off prints on

demand and to offer multiple materials and scales are just some of the benefits of this process. While injection molds are subject to

certain restrictions in details and shapes due to the limitations of casting from molds, we are free to do what other miniatures cant:

articulated parts, and recessed or interior detail are all easy with 3D printing, and would be difficult or impossible with traditional

manufacturing methods. However, 3D printed materials also have their own sets of limitations and best practices for handling and

care, so read on for some more in-depth descriptions of our material offerings and advice on what to expect and how to care for

your new 3D print.

Regards,

The Hero Forge Team


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UR MATERIALS

We offer two 3D printed materials, each with its own strengths and limitations. What follows is a summary of the material

properties. We have shared our experiences and impressions about the materials, but note that Hero Forge does not give any

warranty about the models and does not guarantee that the model will be fi t for any particular purposes.

Strong Plastic:Our Strong Plastic miniatures arrive an opaque white color with a light

sandpapery texture. They are made of a very light, nylon-based plastic which is

more flexible and stronger than our ultra detail plastics. This plastic is porous, and

is not watertight. This makes them more difficult to paint with a brush, as the

material tends to soaks up paint. Compared to our Ultra Detail Plastic, details will

be softer. Armor sets and characters with larger and sharper features will generall

read better than smaller, more subtle figures. This material is not food safe or

recyclable, and is heat resistant up to 80C / 176F degrees

These minis are printed using the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) process: it is built

up from very thin layers of nylon powder which are hardened layer by layer with a

laser. This can sometimes result in a faint stair stepping pattern. This material

tends to have a very consistent finish and texture. Once the print is finished, it is

pulled from the surrounding layer of unhardened nylon powder, cleaned, and thenshipped to you.

3 and 6 statuettes printed in this material undergo an additional polishing

process to smooth out the surface roughness and minimize the appearance of

stair steppingpatterns.

Summary:A cheaper, stronger plastic option for hobbyists who do not mind softe

detail, do not plan to paint their miniatures, or want a more robust, flexible plastic

for tabletop play.

Ultra Detail Plastic:Our Ultra Detail Plastic arrives a relatively translucent, frosted glass-like

appearance that may vary in tint. It is very light and somewhat brittle, but captures

very fine detail which can include things like bold facial expressions, even at 28mm-

30mm scale. This material is ideal for users who want the maximum level of fidelity

to their 3D design, or have created smaller character or chosen equipment with

subtler detail. This material is heat resistant up to 80C / 176F degrees, and is not

food safe or recyclable.

These minis are printed using the MultiJet Modeling (MJM) process, where

miniatures are printed from a pool of liquid plastic that is hardened, layer by layer,

with a UV light. They are printing with a secondary, wax-like support material to

allow for overhanging parts or recessed detail. Once completed, the support

material is cleaned away, and the print is shipped to you. Note that ultra detail

prints may occasionally have rougher, more frosted texture patches where it wasin contact with this support material. This can range from a minor aesthetic

difference which vanishes beneath a layer of primer or paint, to a slightly rough

texture which may obscure some detail.

Summary:A higher detail plastic option. Less durable that our strong plastic,but

smoother in texture and with sharper details. It is more suitable for painting and

for high-quality display pieces. It should be handled gently during tabletop play.

A 30mm miniature printed in ultra detail plastic.

It has been sprayed with a layer of white primer.

A 30mm miniature printed in "strong plastic."


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ARING FOR YOUR MINI

Caring for your 3D Printed MiniaturesUpon Receiving Your Miniature:Our miniatures will arrive with an order number printed on the bottom of the models baseor, in

the cases where a model is printed without a base, on a tab attached to the bottom of your modelsfoot. This order number is

included to ensure that all prints are easily sorted into their correct shipments. Tabs may be removed or broken off. Removing the

tab can be easily accomplished with a wire cutter, scalpel, or carefully twisting it off. Generally, ultra detailplastic prints will snapoff cleanly, while strong plastic is more flexible and may need to be twisted several times.

Ultra detail plasticminiatures may arrive with a light waxy residue left over from the manufacturing process. This is best removed

by gently washing them with dish soap or de-greasing cleaner. Our painters have found that they often prefer to use a toothbrush

for this process, allowing the bristles to reach into recessed areas like the underside of skirts or areas between the arms. This is

especially important to do before painting so paint can better adhere to the surface of the model.

Should your miniature arrive with structural damage, we advise you to contact our printing partner regarding the possibility of

replacement. What follows is their Return Policy (as provided by them):

Shapeways warrants only that the model manufactured by us will substantially meet

the features of the indicated 3D model within the limitations of the 3D printingtechnology. Shapeways does not give any warranty about the models and does not

guarantee that the model will be fit for any particular purposes. Please inspect the

model upon receipt immediately. If the model is faulty when you received it and you

believe you are entitled to a replacement in accordance with the warranty above,

pleasecontact uswithin 10 days after receipt of the model. Such warranty claim can

be made only within 10 days after receipt of the model by you. Do not return the

model unless we require you to do so. We will confirm whether you are entitled to a

replacement or refund. Transportation costs in respect of a faulty product will be borne

by us.

Durability: 3D printed plastics tend to be lighter and less durable than injection molded

plastics, and should be handled with care. Though they can be used for gentle tabletop play,

throwing 3D printed miniatures into ones dice bag for transportation is not a dvisable. Ourstrong plastic is more flexible and durable than out ultra detail plastic, but can be bent or

broken if treated roughly. Our ultra detail plastic can be slightly brittle, especially for long,

thin features like swords. If dropped onto tile from high up, for example, it may break. As

such, we recommend strong plastic for those who want to be a little more carefree with their

handling during play, and ultra detail for those who want high quality display pieces or dont

mind handling their print more gently. Note that our ultra detail material tends to break by

snapping cleanly rather than shattering, so it is often possible to make repairs with glue.

Production Process ArtifactsAll production methods have their own quirks. The traditional injection mold technique used for most

miniatures can have artifacts like flash lines or air bubbles. 3D printing, though it afford many

advantages over the injection molding process, is subject to some manufacturing artifacts as well.

Ultra detail plasticminiatures may have patches with a more frosted texture from where

the print was in contact with its support material. This can range from being primarily an

aesthetic variation which becomes indistinct once sprayed with primer or painted, or

it some cases it may result in a rougher texture that obscures some details.

Strong Plasticmay have a noticeable stair steppingeffect from the

layer-by-layer printing process. Gentle sanding with very fine grit paper

may reduce the appearance of these lines or remove mass, though it generally results

in a rough, scored texture and should be done with caution.
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3D printed materials are still new, and few comprehensive painting guides exist. We are continuously researching best

practices for painting our 3D printed miniatures and will update and expand upon this guide as we learn more.

Remember that this tutorial is intended for adults, and that painters should always take full precautions to ensure they

work in a well-ventilated area, and have a safe, clear, and clean work space.

Before you begin painting, we advise applying a light layer of miniature paint primer (the very same kind one would use

on any other miniatures) to help additional layers of paint to adhere to your model. This is especially important for those

would choose to paint their Strong Plastic miniatures, as paint is very quickly absorbed by the porous surface. Other

techniques that some have used include painting on a light layer of varnish, or using a gesso dip. This can help smooth

out the frosted or porous texture, though it may result in a slight loss of detail. Also note that 3D prints tend to be more

textured and a less smooth than injection molded plastics. As a result, techniques like ink washes tend to be lesseffective. Allowing your figure to dry and then applying a second layer of paint can improve smoothness and color

depth, but at the cost of

Hero Forge prints are not subject to the

limitations to pose and posture that an

injection molded mini might be, allowing for

more natural, human poses, and more

realistically shapes clothes. We believe this

provides a level of realism that has been lacking

in miniatures for some time! Take note, though,

that Hero Forge allows users to print theirminiature connected to a base of your choice.

This can make it difficult to paint the underside

of the miniature. If your character is wearing a

long skirt or has recessed detail between the

legs, having an attached base may make these

features difficult to reach with a brush.

We wish you luck! If you have any tips of your

own, contact us [email protected]!

AINTING

We have had great success using the same miniature primer and acrylic paints one mig

use on any other brand of minis!
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

Documents

Heroforge Care Guide