When I started 3D printing several years ago, I was worried that I would just fill my house with plastic toys. I quickly set about starting to learn FreeCAD so I could design printable parts when I needed. I've used my rudimentary skill to make replacement parts for around the house, cases for electronics projects and occasionally hobby bits.

One point of pride has been printing my own bases for my miniatures. While I did start by creating circular bases to match all of Games Workshop's "standard" base sizes, I soon wanted bases for my 3D printed Battletech proxies. In much the same way as I created my circular bases, I used calipers to match the measurements of my Catalyst models and layed them out in FreeCAD.

I learned from a previous project that I could have multiple bodies in a single file. This allowed me to copy the first, basic base I'd created and paste a new body to modify. First I made a new version with a reinforced peg hole for Aerospace models.

Tonight I find myself needing bases with recesses to accept 6mm infantry models. I'll be building three platoons of basic infantry for my Republic of the Sphere Standing Guard, and in looking for suitable models, I found this really interesting project called Canadian Trees. (I don't know why they're called Canadian Trees). Each column holds I think between 25 and thirty models, each column holding different variants. I found I could put 15 columns on a built plate, so I did. That gives me somewhere between 350 and 400 individual soldiers. I'm set for life.

To add these additial base variants took less time than it will have taken to write this post. Like my Aerospace base, I was able to make a copy of the basic, original body. I placed on the surface a single, 5mm diameter by 1mm deep recess, constrained it to a corner, then used a Polar Array to layout copies of the recess. As the input to the polar array is a number of units, I could simply create the first, then with each duplicate change that parameter. I was done very quickly.

Now I will export these each as a separate .STL file, and slice them for my printer. I find I can print six bases at a time on my small built plate. With an infantry platoon consisting of four squads of six, I'll be able to print all my necessary bases in two batches. Painting 6mm models is so fast and satisfying, these little soldiers will be supporting a strengthened company in no time.

Vexing Workshop

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