Amazing Star Wars Models to 3D Print: Interview with Gambody Enthusiast 3DPIceland

A big selection of impressive Star Wars models to 3D print makes it sometimes hard to decide which one to craft first. Gambody is happy to interview 3DPiceland who loves this franchise and keeps adding more and more spaceships and characters from Star Wars and The Mandalorian to his collection. Each new figurine is terrific to make in 2020.

The new Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2019 movie and fantastic TV series called The Mandalorian that continues to air in 2020 attracted much attention to the well-known franchise. 3DPIceland enjoys both releases and keeps growing his vast collection with unique 3D printed spacecraft, assassin robots and famous movie heroes.

Star Wars Models to 3D Print

Those of you who enjoy The Mandalorian and The Rise of Skywalker 2019 movies might love to download Star Wars STL files offered on Gambody – Premium 3D printing marketplace.

Designers created many stunning models to 3D print, and 3DPIceland turned many outstanding projects into life.

Star Wars Naboo N-1 starfighter STL files
Maker: 3DPIceland

Here are some of them with STL files you can download for yourself:

You can find many more fantastic Star Wars models to 3D print on Gambody marketplace.

Star Wars models to 3D print

Stunning Star Wars Models 3D Printed by Enthusiast: Interview with 3DPIceland

Many hobbyists are genuinely in love with their 3D printed projects. They are happy to share their masterpieces in Gambody group on Facebook, give advice on settings and which Star Wars or other models to 3D print if you are a beginner.

But some enthusiasts, like 3DPIceland, build not only fantastic Star Wars models but also find time to shoot videos and post them to YouTube. It is incredible to talk to a talented man from Iceland who loves crafts so much. He enjoys to 3D print figurines and spacecraft, makes impressive YouTube videos with Gambody-offered models, and shares some awesome secrets and useful tips & tricks with Gambody blog readers.

1. Marteinn, can you please introduce yourself and tell us more about your YouTube channel 3DP Iceland? Does “3DP” stand for 3D printing and “Iceland” for your country origin? Or is there another special meaning in your channel’s name?

My name is Marteinn Sigurdsson, and I live in Iceland. The name 3DP Iceland came as I was searching for a good name for my channel and Twitter handle and decided to combine “3D Printing” and the fact that I’m from Iceland into one name 3D Printing Iceland or 3DPIceland YouTube channel for short.

My channel logo is a simple drawing I made of a mountain with a glacier on top. I love to travel around Iceland, and I wanted to incorporate my love for the Icelandic landscape into my logo in this way of having a mountain with ice on top, as I also have “ICE” in Iceland in capital letters to draw the attention to the landscape of Iceland that I really love and enjoy.

3DPIceland interview about Star Wars models to 3D print
Image: Marteinn Sigurdsson (3DPIceland)

2. You seem to have started your channel over two years ago. Was it when you got introduced to 3D printing? Or did you become fond of this creative industry before then?

For quite some years, I had seen 3D printing as something that was really expensive and thought it would not be something I would be able to do at home and, therefore, did not peruse it.

But just over 2 years ago my son (then 12 years old), went with his after-school program to a local Fablab. There they had a couple of 3D printers, and he brought home a small 3D print he had designed in Thinker Cad and 3D printed while he was visiting the Fablab.

As he showed it to me, I was amazed that the 3D printing had become so accessible and started to research 3D printers for home users.

Baby Yoda Mandalorian models to 3D print
Marteinn’s 3D printing workspace

I found out the price and accessibility of materials had come to a more reasonable price point, and I ordered my first 3D printer.

3. Is Prusa MK2S your first 3D printer? Do you still use it today, or do you prefer Prusa I3 MK3 or Creality CR-10S for your new projects? Which of your printers do you love the most?

Yes, the Prusa MK2S was my first printer. I ordered the kit version of it, and while assembling it, I recorded the process for a series of YouTube videos. I still use it today, although I upgraded it to the 2.5 model, and then 2.5S model.

I, later on, bought the Prusa MK3 printer that I have upgraded since then to a Prusa MK3S.

I also got the Creality CR10S printer. I had terrible luck with that printer, and it had many issues that I fixed along the way. Still, not so long ago, I decided to scrap that printer. So I got myself an Elegoo Mars resin printer that I have been using to print out detailed Star wars models from Gambody.com.

Millennium Falcon Star Wars models to 3D print
Marteinn’s 3D printing workspace

I’m really loving the Prusa printers, can’t really make out my favourite, but they are reliable printers, and I enjoy working with them.

4. You have 3D printed many Star Wars models, including X-Wing, Tie Fighter, AT-ST, AT-AT, R2D2, K-2SO, Yoda, Leia, Han Solo, Millennium Falcon, etc. Are you excited to watch the Star Wars: Episode 9 The Rise of Skywalker movie? What do you think about the Mandalorian TV series 2019?

You bet I am excited about Episode 9! I have really enjoyed the Star Wars movies and animated series and am a huge fan.

Currently watching though the Clone Wars animated series. In them, there are many backstories of planets and characters that show up in the movies.

I have also been watching the new Mandalorian TV series, and they are fantastic.

IG-11 Mandalorian figurines
Maker: 3DPIceland
IG-11 Mandalorian 3D print

There is a lot of reference material online for each of the episodes, characters and references to what happens. I love to get some background stories to tell about when I showcase the 3D printed models, and the shows are an excellent source of information.

5. How many Star Wars models do you have in your collection today? Which one is your favourite project? Why?

Currently, I have 23 models printed out and painted of Star Wars spaceships and characters. Plus, several smaller prints that I have printed but not painted.

Best Star Wars models to 3D print
Maker: 3DPIceland

For example, I have 3 Baby Yoda prints on my desk just because they are so cute!

I do YouTube videos on each one of them, and recently I did a full “show and tell” video on how I post-process and paint the models.

Typically my “favourite” model is the last one I just finished. But the X-Wing is definitely an all-time favourite as I love that spaceship and its appearance in the movies. It brings hope to every situation and is always the winner.

X-Wing 3D printed model

I did the Millennium Falcon with all the externals and internals parts, and that was a massive project that initially I was all excited about. Still, now when I have finished the project, I have to move it to work as I have no space for it! 

6. What do you like to 3D print more, Star Wars characters, robots or spaceships? Why?

I mostly like the characters, as they always have more stories behind them. And through the paint and weathering process, I can tell an appealing story on YouTube video about characters. Battle damage on droids can tell the stories as well.

Master Yoda post 3D printing and painting process
Maker: 3DPIceland

7. Which Star Wars models are more challenging to make in terms of 3D printer settings, filament usage, post-printing processes and painting?

Character models are usually more challenging. You must get an excellent print and make sure the surface finish is spot on both on skin and clothing.

I spend a lot of time on sanding the skin, so no layer lines or issues are visible, and then again on clothing if the material is modelled in. I must be careful not to sand away the fine details.

T-47 AirSpeeder model to 3D print
Maker: 3DPIceland

As regarding print settings, I’ve found it easier to use a lot of supports, and then clean up the model instead of having deformation and drooping in print. My printers are pretty good at producing excellent prints. What I’ve found, the right consistent filament is a key to get a good print and therefore less sanding needed afterwards.

I print on my Prusa printers at 0.12mm layer height to get smooth prints.

But now when I got the resin printer (Elegoo Mars), it makes my life easier with smooth surfaces like skin and metal parts.

Top Star Wars models to 3D print
Maker: 3DPIceland

Painting is a process I have self-learned while doing the models. I have no background in painting and can only draw stick figures on paper. But I like the process of blending in the colours and getting shading and weathering. Skin colours are delicate as the eye is sensitive to realistic skin colour.

Still, armour and droid/spaceship painting are easy compared to the character models. Model faces are the most difficult to paint.

8. Which Star Wars model took you the most time to make it? Can you tell us more about its creation?

That would be the Millennium Falcon. I kept a print log while printing the parts, and as I was printing them at 0.12mm layer height. It took just over 2000 hours to print.

Millennium Falcon starship 3D printed
Maker: 3DPIceland

I spent a lot of time cleaning out supports and cleaning parts. Probably around 50 hours. I did several live streams where I glued everything together, a total of about 15 hours of live streams.

Then painting maybe 2 hours so far, as I have just done the primary grey colour of the model and still have left to paint the colours in.

Millennium Falcon Star Wars 3D print

On that model, I used over 14 kilograms of PLA and 4 cans of grey spray-paint to get the base colour.

Millennium Falcon starship DIY kit for 3D printers
Maker: 3DPIceland

It took me several months to 3D print it. Sometimes all three printers were working 24/7. I scheduled prints to start before I went to sleep, and the printers worked all night and for most of the day. And I could then work on support removal when I came home from work.

Make sure to watch Marteinn’s live streams on making Millennium Falcon starship:

9. Which one was the quickest and easiest to complete?

That would be the Prog model. It was a single 3D print for the whole model except the teeth part.

Prog 3D printed model

I hollowed out the model and printed it on the Elegoo Mars printer, and it came out great.

It has a pretty simple colour scheme as well, so it did not take long to paint. Due to the fact that I printed it on the resin 3D printer, I had minimal sanding to do.

10. Where do you exhibit your vast collection of Star Wars 3D printed models? Do you take them to the shows or display at home?

Currently, they are all on a shelf above my 3D printers and are showcased in the background on my videos. I post pictures of the models to Twitter and do YouTube videos on each model as I make them.

Popular Star Wars models to 3D print
Maker: 3DPIceland

The Millennium Falcon will have a place at a table at work, as I have no space for it here at home.

I have attended shows in the US (MRRF and ERRF), but the models are too delicate to bring on the flight. There might be a possibility I will showcase the models at a fandom/maker fair-like show here in Iceland next year. Still, I’ll have to see if I can do that when I know the price/table space options, as the models take up a lot of space. I would have to make closed glass cabinets for the models because many of them are too delicate to have people pick them up and touch.

Darth Vader figurine
Maker: 3DPIceland

11. It takes much time to 3D print figurines, statues and spaceships. It also requires much patience and nerves to prepare models for painting and finally paint them. But you also create videos for YouTube, which is also time-consuming. How much time do you devote to this fantastic hobby? Which part do you enjoy the most, 3D printing or making videos?

A lot of my free time goes into this combined hobby. I use to 3D print something every day, and then I stack up projects to make YouTube videos.

C-3PO 3D printing model from Star Wars
Maker: 3DPIceland

Some days I create 3-4 YouTube videos on different projects I have prepared at earlier stages over a several weeks period. I then schedule the videos on my channel, so I don’t release them all at the same time.

The YouTube process is a hobby on its own really. Managing video and audio gear, editing software and that process is a totally different hobby, so to speak. Still, I really enjoy both processes, and through the YouTube adventures, I have got to know a lot of people in the community of 3D printing that are doing YouTube as well.

12. Are you planning to enlarge your collection of Star Wars 3D printed models in 2020? Which models do you wish to craft?

Yes, definitely. I have many more Star Wars models to do.

AT-AT Walker and K-2SO 3D prints
Maker: 3DPIceland

Next ones will probably be some models from the Mandalorian series as there is the “hot new stuff” at the moment. However, a lot more characters, robots and starships are still to be printed. 

13. What do your friends and family say about your hobby and fantastic 3D prints? Do they help you to complete the projects or do you work alone?

My wife is incredibly supportive of my hobbies. If I’m enjoying doing what I do with the 3D printing, she supports me all the way.

We have a pretty good agreement on that I only take up certain space of my home for my hobbies. If uncontrolled, I would probably fill my house with 3D prints and printers!

3DPIceland with his son
3DPIceland with his son

My son makes fun of me for being a nerd, but that’s all good as he’s a nerd himself! Many of my friends and coworkers classify me as crazy. Still, they know how nerdy I can get with the hobbies I have and are not surprised when they see the scope of models and effort I put into the hobby.

I work alone on my models, but without the support of my wife, I would not be able to dedicate a space in my small apartment to my hobby and work on the models as I do.

Star Wars figurines
Maker: 3DPIceland

I also get a lot of encouragement from my friends in the YouTube/3d printing community, we talk a lot together online about our challenges as makers and YouTubers and the community is supportive. In just over 12 months, I have visited the 3 events in the US, (MRRF and ERRF), mainly to meet up with those people and hang out.

14. Which is the model you are making now? Is it from the Star Wars or the Mandalorian?

Currently, as I write this, I just finished the Baby Yoda model which I downloaded on a third-party website:

Baby Yoda 3D print from The Mandalorian finished by 3DPIceland

Next model I’m starting to 3D print is the Naboo N-1 Starfighter.

Still, I also plan to print out the Mandalorian models as they pop up online.

P.S. Gambody – Premium 3D printing marketplace has recently added high-quality Baby Yoda model STL files to the site. This project is designed by Brad Shawn, and it boasts many fine details of the breakout star from The Mandalorian TV series.

Gambody community has many talented 3D printing hobbyists, and it is impressive to learn more about each great person who cannot live without a 3D printer. 3DPIceland is such a man. While you watch his YouTube videos to learn secrets about the best Star Wars models to 3D print, you are welcome to download STL files on Gambody marketplace. Craft your fantastic projects and post them to Gambody Facebook group.

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