Evolution of a Blog

This blog has evolved as I have as a maker. It starts at the beginning of my journey where I began to re-tread my tires in the useful lore of micro electronics and the open-source software that can drive them. While building solutions around micro-electronics are still an occasional topic my more recent focus has been on the 3D Printing side of making.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Designing a 3D Printable Model of a Dutch Windmill

I needed a new design project to stretch my skills so I went out to the Flames of War group on Facebook and solicited some ideas with the prize being a copy of the idea.   Here is the dialog from the ideation through the shipping of the kit to the ideator (new word)!

March 22 at 10:29am
As many of you will know I am one of those 3D Printing evangelists but with a specific interest in the modeling side of FoW. I have a number of models (and a bunch of assorted bling) that I have been selling on eBay for the benefit of charity but now I need a new design challenge!
Attached are photos of some designs that I have done: a Bailey Bridge, a Field Wagon, a Well, and most recently the Stone and Steel Wall. I can't do vehicles or people/animals but I can do the more architectural kind of things.
With the attached as examples I am interested in some ideas. If I design to your idea I will send you a copy for free. As usual anything that I design will be available on Thingiverse with the rest of my stuff.


Windmills are poorly represented. The eastern front and parts of Europe were dominated by them and should be a far more common feature. Something that infantry can fit inside would be good with removable roofs.
LikeReply2March 22 at 10:42amEdited
Will Kostelecky Assuming that I am successful you will get your self a wind mill!
LikeReply1March 22 at 6:47pm
Idea Guy Will thank you so much! Windmills are really poorly represented. There are some available but few allow models to be placed inside.
LikeReplyMarch 24 at 2:40pm
Will Kostelecky The top part will lift off and there should be room for a large base inside.......it is a good idea for a design. Doubt that it will be cost effective to sell but folks with a printer should enjoy it.
LikeReply1March 24 at 2:42pm
Idea Guy  Excellent. I was in a windmill in the Canary Islands last year and thought "why are there so few 15mm scale windmills?" You can get some but most are solid resin with no internal space for troops.
LikeReplyMarch 24 at 2:43pm
Will Kostelecky Not that it matters but are you in the UK? Obviously easier to ship you the product when I finally finish (long way to go yet)!
LikeReplyMarch 24 at 2:46pm
Idea Guy  Yes I am in the UK.
LikeReplyMarch 24 at 2:55


Will Kostelecky Not sayin' that I am going to do it...
LikeReply4March 22 at 1:11pm

Will Kostelecky I am going to shoot for a rendition of the windmill that I pictured above. Not sure if I will be able to make it work in scale but will give it a shot. Not sure how long it will take either!
LikeReply4March 22 at 6:46pm
Another Guy  Here's a pic of a windmill and an UFO in my friend's game room, ha ha ha.
LikeReplyMarch 23 at 3:44am

Will Kostelecky Have started...not much but a start. The assembled model will be to the left and each component to the right in printing position. I am going with as many pieces printed as possible under the assumption that this piece is likely to only attract folks with their own printer as it will take a long time to print!
LikeReply1March 23 at 6:20pm
Will Kostelecky Couple more hours in...
LikeReply3March 24 at 11:47am
Will Kostelecky Some liberties taken but there are so many of these things that I think any design would bear a resemblance to one somewhere! My story is that I saw the one that I am designing just outside of Oisterwijk on a drive through the Netherlands one summer. Honest.
LikeReply2March 24 at 11:50amEdited
Will Kostelecky First test prints started for lower part of wind mill. Doing them in 50% of 1:100 scale for expediency
LikeReply6March 24 at 2:26pm

Will Kostelecky First print for fit tests showed some issues but went well none the less. Railings did not scale down to the 50% size of the test print though.
LikeReply3March 24 at 6:08pm
Another Guy  Railings could either be printed solid or simply left off and done with etched brass or similar.

Even so, looking very sharp!
LikeReplyMarch 24 at 6:59pm
Will Kostelecky Another Guy The railings will look much better when printed 1:100 but could also be sub-ed out as desired. Bigger issue is that I miss-calculated scale size of door and windows!
LikeReplyMarch 24 at 9:01pm

Will Kostelecky Slight design change set me back (added some height to the base and rescaled the door) but have finished the design for the bit at the top of the windmill that rotates. Have also measured for the fan blades. Estimate that the final product will take 24+ hours of print time.
LikeReply3March 25 at 5:35pm


Will Kostelecky Starting to print for first 1:100 sized assembly... The parts you see with the sails are the top of the windmill which rotates on the wheels for pointing into the wind.
LikeReply6March 26 at 3:24pm
Another Guy  That looks amazing smile emoticon
UnlikeReply2March 26 at 4:55pm

Will Kostelecky In case anyone wonders about all these posts...they will get melded into a blog article later!
LikeReply2March 26 at 5:00pm
Another Guy Absolutely brilliant
LikeReply1March 26 at 9:15pm
Another Guy I'm already imagining where my flower bowls (ISYN) might go 😮

LikeReplyMarch 26 at 9:47pm
Will Kostelecky Could have a first assembly tomorrow evening. Have to print the largest piece (six hours). Still some bits that need a physical fit to fine tune though.
LikeReply1March 26 at 9:53pm
Idea Guy wow its looking like a real show stopper. Pride of the table that will be for sure.
UnlikeReply2March 26 at 10:37pm


Will Kostelecky First assembly - 1 of 3
LikeReply1Yesterday at 1:54pm
Another Guy  Trying to like this again...and again...
UnlikeReply1Yesterday at 1:55pm
Another Guy  The thing isn't giving me the 'love' option but I would if I could.

Absolutely stunning
LikeReplyYesterday at 3:19pm

Will Kostelecky First assembly - 2 of 3
LikeReply2Yesterday at 1:55pm


Will Kostelecky First assembly - 3 of 3. Some things need fixing, some expected and some less so. In this photo I am going to ditch printing the platform as a single piece in favor of printing the supports as add on pieces as they will look so much better. The sai...See More
LikeReply2Yesterday at 1:58pm


Will Kostelecky The good news is that every part of this model should be printable on any well tuned printer (some of my designs require a smaller than average nozzle). The bad news is that no one is going to want to buy one from me given the print time and what I would charge! I will likely eBay a copy or two after I send Idea Guy his idea man rendition!
LikeReply4Yesterday at 2:01pm



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