A word of caution…
Even though all of this RP tech has been around for years, it's just now beginning to get a spotlight that might one day match those of film and video games. In any new frontier, there will be those who truly want to make their mark and turn out the best work possible. Most of these people are too busy keeping their noses to the grindstone to worry about their "public" face. In other words, they don't have the time to fake the funk on a nasty dunk. However, there are those Johnny-come-lately types who arrive on the scene, learn a few rules of this new game, and go on a publicity tour, touting their knowledge as if they invented it....all the while standing on the shoulders of unknown giants. There are also those who will try and use the lack of others' knowledge to sucker them into a ploy that will benefit themselves, and leave the hapless Joe holding the bag. I say all of this not to depress or dissuade anyone, but rather as a word of warning. BEWARE STRANGERS BEARING GIFTS.
Towards combating these folks, it was decided to temporarily take our noses from the grindstone from time to time to snuff out these carpetbaggers. They give the rest of us a bad name...so I reckon we can consider it "community service" ;P
-If a rapid prototyping studio offers to print your digital models, work out a contract BEFOREHAND. You should be compensated fairly for the company's use of your model. They sure as heck will be using it to benefit themselves. Don't fall for the line of "Wouldn't you just LOVE to see your creation in REAL LIFE?!?".
-WATCH OUT for people who say that they have the absolute BEST, SHINIEST, FASTEST, MOST AWESOMEIFIED printer on Earth. If they emphasize the quality of their printers beyond "We try to stay on top of the tech", red flags should start going up. NO printer is the best at *everything*. Tech is constantly changing. We have no qualms about keeping up with the current best in technologies, and we're not married to one type of printer...neither should you.
-Don't be afraid to test the knowledge of someone who solicits you. Even if you don't really understand the process, tell them to explain it to you in direct, layman's terms. While building a printer may be rocket science, using one is for spacemonkeys....no kidding. Some of us used to have jobs running them, we know. This is by no means an insult to RP service bureaus. Some of these guys REALLY know their stuff and are the best in the biz. At the same time, they will never blow sunshine up your rear by keeping you in the dark and protecting "trade secrets".
-BEWARE "Trade Secrets". That's the biggest load of b.s out there. "We use our *own* proprietary cleaning processes" is a statement that I see and hear very often. At the risk of sounding like we have a big head, these guys don't know who they're talking to. We'll tell you what their big "secret" is......sandpaper. Yes.......sandpaper. *(Other "secrets" include files, picks, sandblasters, dremel tools, buffing pads, primer to fill the build lines, or any other standard method employed by a traditional fabricator). For cleaning off of the support materials, "proprietary processes" include either a water pick, varying solutions of water/acid (i.e. Drano), or heated vegetable oil....for real. Some guys actually have some tips and tricks to MacGyver and mod their stock printers, just like motorheads tweak their engines when racing for pink slips. These guys are likely legit, as you have to know your crud in order to start fiddling with these marvels of modern tech....but if they seem "hinky"...trust your gut.
Our commitment is exclusively to Sideshow in regards to work; however, since nothing we do is "proprietary" in process, we're always more than happy to speak about it publicly, write about it, or otherwise share any nugget of knowledge that we have....that is unless you're of the "hinky" sort....we have radar for that.
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