DEVLOG 7 - Printing considerations

 Printing with or without the base?-

https://www.reddit.com/r/PrintedMinis/comments/k22fp3/newbie_help_resin_printing_base_or_no_base/

https://forum.formlabs.com/t/should-objects-not-recommended-to-lay-flat-on-build-plate/23696/2

It seems most of these forums recommend printing the main model separate from the base then gluing it on later. I can see that this would probably make it easier to sand down any mistakes on the main model without the base getting in the way, however I am worried about how I will attach my model to the base as the base isn't completely flat. Someone suggested using a slot connection to attach the model to the base, I have seen this done before on some other models and I think this is something interesting that I could consider doing.

I would have to make something like this [this is a model from heroforge]

The model would then slot into something like this.

I think this is a good option as my model would slot into the base and I wouldn't have to worry about making sure the base was flat and the bottom of my models shoes are flat. I may try to make something like this in Maya, I think I could potentially do this with the Boolean function. Though as a precaution I will make two versions, one with the slot connection and one without so that I don't lose what I already have now.

Attaching a base -

Another option would be just to glue my model directly onto the base, There was some useful information in this video on what kind of glue to use. Gel glue is better to use for miniatures as it gives a little more wiggle room in terms of drying time and is easier to apply to specific areas. Even if I do end up going with the slot method, This is still a really good piece of information to have as I will have to glue my model onto the base.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fNgAVO6JiM

Adding a slot to my model's base -

When I first thought about how I was going to approach applying a slot to my model's base, I thought I would import a cube, extrude it to the right dimensions, bevel the edges, then duplicate it. With one of the duplicated cubes I would attach this to the feet of the model [within zbrush] then with the other i would use the Boolean function to create a hole in the base that would be precise to the bar attached to my model's feet.

As you can see from the image below, This didn't quite work out. Looking into the problem, I found that potentially this could be an issue with the geometry present on my sculpted base. To fix this problem, I remeshed the base in Maya, then used the Retopology function to fix any non-manifold geometry. This didn't seem to fix the issue, so then I added a new material and tried to see if that would work. That also didn't seem to fix the issue. I then looked back at what other miniature bases looked like and realized usually most of the detail is added after printing with faux grass, rocks and other materials. Adding details after printing allows you to easily attach your model to the base without any textures getting in the way. Although I had sculpted a base, I decided to model a more simplified base and then add in textures later on. I think this was the better decision for several reasons:

- The base had an uneven texture, this would make attaching the model without using a slot very unstable.

- with the slot this would  hide quite a lot of the details I had added in. I could perhaps work around this by attaching pegs to the feet, but then we run into the same problem I had before with the Boolean function not working properly for me.

Sculpting a more simplified base then using the Boolean technique worked much better, though there were some issues I needed to fix within Zbrush.

Moving my main model over to Zbrush, I used the dynamesh function to attach the slot to the model. I had read online that Dynameshing did not remove non-manifold geometry and that i would have to use another technique to fix that issue.

Under the geometry tab, there is the option for MeshIntegrity, this allowed me to check if my mesh had any non manifold geometry or any areas that were not water tight. Clicking on the Check Mesh Integrity option, Zbrush told me I did infact have 5 areas with non-manifold geometry. Clicking the Fix mesh button, Zbrush fixed those areas which I then checked again by pressing the Check Mesh Integrity option which confirmed there were no more problems. I am not sure how reliable this option is, so I will be sure to check for issues again in Chitubox before I start printing.

After pre-processing and decimating again, I exported my model as an FBX and checked it alongside the base in Maya. Everything looked good, so then I exported the model and the base separately as OBJs to bring into chitubox. My reasoning for exporting them separately is that I am not sure if I will be able to move them around independent to each other, so just to be on the safe side, exporting them as separate object will allow for freedom of movement in chitbox. The only thing I will need to keep in mind is to not scale them separate to each other as the slot may not be accurate after scaling.

Trello progress:

Here is the process of the Trello, My next step is to bring my model into Chitubox and begin adding supports. I expect this to take around a week to do as I get used to how Chitubox works and how to place supports. On top of this, It is likely there are probably still problems with my model that I have overlooked, So I hope to get those finished in that timescale too.