Here are some comparisons with the Dubrovnik and Staunton.
3D Printed Dubrovnik - Conor O'Kane
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I have a few 3D chess sets but I almost never use them. The reason is the filament used for making the chessmen create too many distinctive lines that are not friendly to the eyes and cause a type of astigmatism which is really annoying and therefore in this regard normal plastic chess is much better. I do not know if it will ever be possible to get the surface of the 3D chess pieces smooth and homogeneous like normal plastic. This could also be the main reason why 3D chess has never really caught on.
1 day ago
0
#4
I don’t find the lines distracting, I hardly notice them. They could be sanded and even coated. That’s adds to the effort and cost. But, you get a set that you created.
These are club sizes. My goal is to make some for a 35 mm square. In this case, there are very limited options.
These are club sizes. My goal is to make some for a 35 mm square. In this case, there are very limited options.
From my experience and many others’ the lines do annoy the eyes specially during the game when the concentration level on the board is intense. I have been trying to find a way to remove the lines but all the methods proved messy. Sandpapering the surface makes the chess pieces look really ugly specially as 3D plastic products are really thin and painting them is even worse.
If you print the pieces yourself, you have control over the wall thickness. You can even make it completely solid. Layer lines obviously bother some people more than others, and post-processing is a nuisance. I think the dark Dubrovnik piece's layer lines are particularly bad. There appear to be gaps. It's likely that either the filament needs to be dried better or the extrusion settings need to be adjusted. I notice that the vendor offers different models for resin printing. I don't have experience with resin printing, but I have seen photos of amazingly detailed resin-printed models. Maybe the layer lines would less noticeable.
16 hrs ago
0
#7
mjeman wrote:
If you print the pieces yourself, you have control over the wall thickness. You can even make it completely solid.... I think the dark Dubrovnik piece's layer lines are particularly bad. There appear to be gaps. It's likely that either the filament needs to be dried better or the extrusion settings need to be adjusted.
A solid piece would use much more filament. I don't know how it would dry.
I understand some people may notice the gaps more. These are close up photos. It doesn't bother me... but it is a preference I understand. It's also a library printer. I might try on another printer to compare. I think settings could be better... staff handle all the print settings.
Picking your colours and the satisfaction of making your own pieces are great (even if it's just printing). I want to find pieces for an analysis board where piece options are much more difficult to find.
My comment about solid was in response to stallion mentioning thin plastic.
You can get a dryer for filaments. It's imperative in humid environments. I live in a fairly arid environment and sometimes I still need to dry filaments to avoid sputtering or other artifacts.
I fully agree with you about the flexibility that you get when printing your own pieces.
15 hrs ago
0
#9
mjeman wrote:
You can get a dryer for filaments. It's imperative in humid environments. I live in a fairly arid environment and sometimes I still need to dry filaments to avoid sputtering or other artifacts.
Both sets were printed in the same library with the same printer. No quality control over storage of filament... they are stored in a plastic bin under a desk. It's likely I printed at different time of year too. That might account for the quality of print. For me, they are good enough.
Here's another 3D printed chess set I have. The Dubrovnik from Conor O'Kane.
I should point out that these pieces were not designed to be 100% faithful reproductions. Rather, they are optimized for 3D printing while showcasing some of the classic Dubrovnik design.
Just for scale, here are the pawns on a Chess House flex board, 2.25" squares. I think size is great.
I like the scale of the King and Queen. The collars on all pieces are very comfortable.
The knight feels a small. Bishop also feels a bit narrow. I should compare these to one of my NOJ Dubrovniks.