Source Nix91 "Replica" Parts Without Shapeways??

[rcmathguy]

Hi Everyone,

I am a longtime reader/user of rc10talk but not really actively contributing. I would really appreciate your advice. Back in 2019 I purchased the Nix91 carbon kit from Jake (Seabass) as well as all the metal parts (hingepins, turnbuckles) from Lunsford (before they disappeared). I never made it a priority to buy Nix91 parts from Shapeways since I was always too busy to work on it, and a few days ago I sadly discovered they are out of business. I know that iMaterialize still sells Niki's "racer" parts but I really wanted to get the white "replica" parts if possible for my build. So my initial questions are:

1) Has anyone in the USA purchased from iMaterialize and was the process good? Do you recall how much the customs were and how to pay them? I have never ordered outside the US. They appear to use UPS for my location (Arizona) which I have heard have crazy broker fees. Was this your experience shipping to the US? One option was, I was hoping to ask Niki if he could post his "Replica" parts to iMaterialise or maybe sell me parts direct if he has spares.
2) Does anyone know where I can purchase the parts if not from iMaterialize? Perhaps someone in the US has a spare set of "replica" parts they want to part with? I am an active ebay user so that would be one option. I do not want to turn this into a buy/sell/trade posting to avoid breaking the rules. Just trying to understand my options and how I can proceed.

As of right now I have many of the parts in hand, but need all the plastics or my dream of a Stealth replica years in the making is over. I have emailed both Niki and Jake using their email addresses posted on Facebook but have not heard back. They are probably pretty busy and I am not known or well-known to them so it's understandable to some extent. I do not appear to have messaging access on this forum but both seem not to be around here much lately, anyway.

Any help you can provide would be great. Thank you. Sorry for the long post and if this is wrong place for it. If I should repost somewhere more suitable please let me know. Thanks

[XLR8]

Although it's been a while, I have used iMaterialize many times but I don't recall ever paying customs fees. Maybe it's because they have (or at least, had) a facility here in the US - I could be wrong about that. My experience with them has always been good.

Anyway, I sincerely hope you are able to source the parts you need for your build.

[rcmathguy]

Hi Doug,

Much appreciated for sharing your good experiences about iMaterialise. I am glad to know this and it gives me some encouragement. Only issue is that Niki only put the "racer" parts up. Hoping he will add the replicas. iMaterialise are charging about $23 for UPS shipping to Arizona. From what I understand, it sounds like it is probably coming from Belgium. Their prices are much better than Shapeways (less than half actually), so the shipping is fine. Apparently UPS like to charge hefty broker fees for helping pass things through customs (in addition to customs fees), but despite a lot of online searching I cannot learn if this applies to the US as well. Most of the horror stories seem to originate from Canadians receiving packages from UPS as broker. As I understand it, we here in the US do not pay customs fees to the government for items costing up to $800.

Indeed, really hoping to get Niki's "replica" parts somehow. I don't want to sell Jake/Niki's carbon kit; it's too nice. The Nix91 was the original and I'm hoping to get it built. Thanks again, Doug.

Mario

[XLR8]

Niki had an impressive catalog of RC10 parts available through Shapeways but now that they're gone, I really hope he is able to locate another printing service to work with.
If we lived in a perfect world, we could offer our designs for home printing and trust they wouldn't subsequently be stolen for re-sale. Unfortunately, IP theft is so pervasive these days that it's becoming acceptable practice. So many want something for nothing and attempt to profit from others hard work. For them, morals and ethics have gone the way of the dinosaurs.

[RogueIV]

Niki had an impressive catalog of RC10 parts available through Shapeways but now that they're gone, I really hope he is able to locate another printing service to work with.
If we lived in a perfect world, we could offer our designs for home printing and trust they wouldn't subsequently be stolen for re-sale. Unfortunately, IP theft is so pervasive these days that it's becoming acceptable practice. So many want something for nothing and attempt to profit from others hard work. For them, morals and ethics have gone the way of the dinosaurs.

Yeah it's tough, would be cool if there was some sort of middleman type thing that could securely print items from whatever print house but not give the files to the end users. Copyright laws do apply to things but there are those who would ignore them and try to resell the designs as their own.

[silvertriple]

I.materialise.Com can play that role with shops. The only issue is that to be able to put a part on the shop there, you need first to print it thru their service, and while they are cheaper than shapeways was, they are still quite expensive. And for people who have already validate their parts using their home printer or alternative and cheap services, it is quite difficult to spend more money at the end... Shapeways allowed to put parts in their marketplace without having printed them thru shapeways, which is probably one of the reasons the marketplace was so much crowded of parts...

[Dangeruss]

Have you contacted GP3D? They sell a '91 kit. Not sure if you can get just the plastics or if you have to purchase a full kit but, worth an email to find out...

https://grandprix3d.store/

[scr8p]

Have you contacted GP3D? They sell a '91 kit. Not sure if you can get just the plastics or if you have to purchase a full kit but, worth an email to find out...

https://grandprix3d.store/

I doubt they would fit.

[XLR8]

Have you contacted GP3D? They sell a '91 kit. Not sure if you can get just the plastics or if you have to purchase a full kit but, worth an email to find out...

https://grandprix3d.store/

Yeah, as scr8p suggests, GP3D front bulkhead and rear arm mounts probably won't be a direct fit to Nix91 front shock tower and chassis.

Maybe you could sell your Nix91 parts and apply the proceeds toward a complete GP3D kit??

[rcmathguy]

Hi Guys,

Right, I understand that people would be hesitant to give out their design files; it's natural. I think there is also a bit of a cultural thing influencing it, I mean tech culture. In the world of open source software people spend tons of time writing code and make it available for open usage, even in many cases for commercial usage, depending on the license. Maybe the CAD community already does this or can do this too? I am not very familiar with this so I don't want to make assumptions or speak for everyone. Even if I had the files, I would not be able to print since I've not invested in a printer. Maybe at some point I will.

I have looked at the GP3D kit, but I am quite invested in the Nix91 kit emotionally (it was the first one that got out there and got the unofficial "seal of approval" from Cliff Lett and the gang), in terms of time, and money. I mainly just need the plastics and a donor RC10T.

Right, I understand that the plastics from GP3D would probably not fit the Nix91 kit and was assuming that too. I honestly prefer Niki's parts anyway, to keep everything consistent.

My options remaining:
1) Somehow get in touch with Niki and ask him if he would be willing to place his "replica" parts on iMaterialise. The racer parts are already there.
2) Find some kind soul who has a full set of spare "replica" parts they are willing to sell me, Niki, Jake, or one of the numerous people on this forum that have built up a Nix91 and want to help.

Thanks again. I hope this thread will get some attention, and help will follow. If anyone can contact Niki about this I would really appreciate it. Thanks, everyone.

Mario

[silvertriple]

well, it might be there already on i.materialise.Com...
https://i.materialise.com/fr/shop/designer/nixconcepts

[rcmathguy]

well, it might be there already on i.materialise.Com...
https://i.materialise.com/fr/shop/designer/nixconcepts

Right, thanks for pointing it out. I have seen that set of parts, but they are the "race" parts which Niki also offered for those that want to drive the buggy and avoid breaking parts. The "replica" parts which he used to have on Shapeways are unfortunately not on iMaterialise. That's why I am hoping he will be willing to put them up since they closely mimic the original Stealth parts. Thanks, again.

Mario

[Frankentruck]

I understand that people would be hesitant to give out their design files; it's natural. I think there is also a bit of a cultural thing influencing it, I mean tech culture. In the world of open source software people spend tons of time writing code and make it available for open usage, even in many cases for commercial usage, depending on the license. Maybe the CAD community already does this or can do this too?

I understand your predicament and don't really mean to come down hard on you. It really does @#$*! me off when someone who doesn't do their own CAD work expresses that others who do should be 'open source' and provide their work to the world for free. There's a lot provided for free out there, but that should not result in an expectation that everyone should do the same. I don't think I'm a particularly greedy person (Stay away from my German recipe Gummy Bears!!! Mine mine mine!!!), but when it comes across as people should feel obligated to provide their work free I get a bit cranky. Those @$$hat Linux people and their software scheme sort of popularized the open source for all thing, however they can put whatever software gotchas they want in the compiled code to keep the important stuff internal to them. I occasionally get requests to make my work available and I usually discuss privately and politely decline. But any statements or implications that people not being open source with their work are not with the tech culture is a bit entitled sounding. Myself and others don't always need praise for our work, but it shouldn't be expected that others will just get it because they want it. Sorry for the rant. Good luck with your quest. Not having needed parts does suck. That's why I model the unobtainable parts that I need for myself and others.

[silvertriple]

One of the problem of open source is that there is not much support for the developers/designers, and a total lack of consideration for their work... I get more feedback on paid files than on free files (and the free files are very much more downloaded than the paid files, and I'm not even speaking about contributions).

[rcmathguy]

I understand that people would be hesitant to give out their design files; it's natural. I think there is also a bit of a cultural thing influencing it, I mean tech culture. In the world of open source software people spend tons of time writing code and make it available for open usage, even in many cases for commercial usage, depending on the license. Maybe the CAD community already does this or can do this too?

I understand your predicament and don't really mean to come down hard on you. It really does @#$*! me off when someone who doesn't do their own CAD work expresses that others who do should be 'open source' and provide their work to the world for free. There's a lot provided for free out there, but that should not result in an expectation that everyone should do the same. I don't think I'm a particularly greedy person (Stay away from my German recipe Gummy Bears!!! Mine mine mine!!!), but when it comes across as people should feel obligated to provide their work free I get a bit cranky. Those @$$hat Linux people and their software scheme sort of popularized the open source for all thing, however they can put whatever software gotchas they want in the compiled code to keep the important stuff internal to them. I occasionally get requests to make my work available and I usually discuss privately and politely decline. But any statements or implications that people not being open source with their work are not with the tech culture is a bit entitled sounding. Myself and others don't always need praise for our work, but it shouldn't be expected that others will just get it because they want it. Sorry for the rant. Good luck with your quest. Not having needed parts does suck. That's why I model the unobtainable parts that I need for myself and others.

Hello Brother,

I think it is possible your previous bad experiences with entitled individuals might have colored your response to my post. There are several assumptions that you are making. Anticipating a reply like the one you offered, I tried very hard to stay neutral by saying "Maybe the CAD community already does this or can do this too? I am not very familiar with this so I don't want to make assumptions or speak for everyone". This is the part you did not quote. I am just some guy in Arizona, who enjoys RC like the rest of you since the 80s, and is here begging for help, "hoping" someone will be able/willing, but not "expecting" anything. In fact I am offering to pay for things, not get anything for free. Open source or closed software (or anything) can be good or bad; I regularly use both as an engineer. I personally would not give away anything unless I was comfortable doing so, and don't expect others to do it either if they are not comfortable. By the way, CAD software (which I do not know well at all) and CAD users are very much part of the tech community and one of my close co-workers is very good at it, as well as being a good software engineer. Perhaps you misunderstood me. I do hope to get the parts I need. Wishing you a good day. I'm sure you are probably an okay guy, that just misunderstood my post, or my post was not clear enough, despite trying hard to be. Thanks.

Mario