Some reflections on my last 3D print run.

So my last 3D print run didn't start well as I failed to realise that the 8K resin I was using was IPA washable not water washable. But it did produce more resilent models and therefore it was better for printing 20mm figures. So I bought some IPA and an extra bottle of the resin and got to work. Unfortunately although the weather stayed warm the thick cloud meant that curing outside was very slow. Figures I could manage but the base plate was still tacky for the next run which could have affected the adhesion. Luckily it didn't and I managed to print everything I thought I would need for the winter until the weather warms up again. In total, I managed to print:

• Sufficient Napoleonic Russian limber riders to upgrade their limber riders and add a few more
• Four units of replacement Napoleonic French Middle/Young Guard
• Three units of replacement Napoleonic French Young Guard skirmishers
• Four units of replacement Napoleonic Italian line infantry
• Four units of Napoleonic Spanish round hat infantry
• One unit of Napoleonic Spanish round hat infantry skirmishers
• Another 28mm unit of SYW Prussian Jaegers
• An odd collection of scientists in lab coats (they were free and I couldn't reist)
• a pair of WW2 Schwimmwagens where I had added the crews
• A pair of WW2 Laffly V15R where I added the crew (thanks to Dani for the STL)
• A unit of Napoleonic French line infantry fusiliers skirmishing
• A single possible replacement WW2 British 5.5" gun as a replacement for my aged Airfix versions

So why so many? Well when an error occurs on wnat you hope will be the last batch and then you need to print a replacement but you then fill up the batch with your next idea and then it goes on.

A "slight" change to plan

Last Monday I just finished the last batch on the 3D printer and had cleaned it up and about to get into the swing of painting more figures. But there a family crisis so it was off to Wiltshire for the rest of the week.

Despite Storm Bert I managed to get home again on Sunday. During Saturday evening I was quickly checking Facebook when I discovered the Reveille was on in Bristol so I managed to pop in for a short break on route. I met up with a number of familiar faces and one blog follower. They were running one of the upcoming Rapid Fire Reloaded scenarios set in North Africa and I took a few very poor pictures on my phone.

La Garde au feu part 2

Well, my painting out put maybe slow, but I have tried to get on with the 3D printing while the warm weather lasted and it seems to have come to an end. The cloud may have helped retain the heat, but it also kept away the UV I need to cure the figures outside!!

So in the meantime I have painted two units of the French Imperial Middle Guard, the Fusilier-Chasseurs (right) and Fusilier-Grenadiers (left) using 3D figures I printed to match the size of the Springwood 2nd edition French Grenadiers used for the Old Guard, etc.

The units will replace their predecessors made with 1st edition Springwood figures

I have left the decision on what to do with the old Springwoods to one side for now.

On the Workbench - November 2025

Not bad progress in October, excepting the 3D printing, which I must get started on before the temperature gets colder. As for painting I plan to work on.

• Plastic 28mm Female Gunfighters
• two units of French Middle Guard infantry
• two units of French Young Guard infantry
• two units of Napoleonic Prussian Cuirassiers
• a single crew of the Spanish Brigade Maniobrera Horse Artillery
• two units of SYW Prussian Frei Corps - Von Kleist Hungarians and Le Noble Jaeger
• several Russian 76mm Putilov Field Guns
• a pair of French Latil Field Cars

Crusader gun tractors

The last of my October output is a pair of 3D printed Crusader gun tractors as used to pull 17pdrs by the 5th bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (91st A/T regt RA) that were the anti tank regiment of VIII Corps.

Ford Model Ts

I have painted my first pair of Ford Models Ts for WW1, one for my desert British and the other for my Russians. I was hoping to find some suitable crews for them as STL files, but so far no luck.

I have also started on creating a pickup version digitally.

Napoleonic Austrian Commanders

Not being satisfied with my old Esci/Airfix conversions, I bought some STL files of Austrian Generals, I didn't bother with the horse as I already had some excallent ones bought earlier. I combined the two digitally to create four variants even though I could have created more and printed 20 figures, which would have met my needs.

Typically once I started painting I discovered that some of my old figures were still adeqaute for my needs so I kept them as well and they can be seen in the back row.