Photogrammetry with Cross-Polarization and Scanning Spray: Charred Log
My photogrammetry skills are getting better thanks to some new equipment and a podcast that inspired me to invest in some new equipment. My first model…
3D Models
Baking Photogrammetry Textures in Blender: Use OBJ, Not FBX
I just spent the last hour in Blender trying to bake a diffuse texture from a model created with photogrammetry to a lo-poly model created in Blender. I…
Photogrammetry of a 60 Amp Fuse: Fixing Label Textures in Zephyr and Blender
And I went down to the demonstration To get my fair share of abuse We’re gonna vent our frustration If we don’t, we’re gonna blow a 50-amp fuse
Start/Stop Combo Button
I posted a start/stop button on CGTrader today. I was looking for something to model in low poly and I was inspired during a walk through our machine shop.…
Safety Barrier Video
I have animated my latest CGTrader model and posted it to YouTube .
Safety Barrier
When I sit down to create a new model, I try to come up with something that will be helpful to someone creating a complex scene. Today’s addition is a…
Photogrammetry for Reverse Engineering Old Machines
When I am tasked with modeling old equipment, I like to do a photo scan (photogrammetry) first. This allows me to go back when I’m done with the design and…
Luggage Cart
I suppose the platform truck has limited use, so I try to think of a similar model that would have more use. I’m guessing more stories are told in hotels…
Platform Truck
I took a break from creating CGTrader models for a while. When CAD work fills my day, it’s hard to get motivated to do even more drawing when I get home.…
How to Export OBJ Files with Textures from Blender
This one drove me crazy. When I would post my models that I created in Blender and exported as OBJ files, people would complain that the textures weren’t…
Hotel Nightstand
With COVID-19 making an insane world crazier, I haven’t had to travel for work in a while. Almost a year after lock-downs, I had my first onsite trip to a…
Pressure Gauge
I modeled it trying to keep a balance between lo-poly, software compatibility and realism. I frequently create my models by drawing them in Solidworks and…
Residential Oil Tank
My day job has me designing an oil recovery system for a hydraulic coupling. It’s a complex oil system that uses a residential oil tank. I was surprised to…
Dirty Plastic Bottle
By day, I work in a machine shop where we have tons of items: Some common, some uncommon, but all dirty. Today’s model is a yellow container we used to…
3D Models in Microsoft Office
My latest model of an Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguard chair was created in Blender and exported as a GLB file. The GLB files can be imported into…
Blender Tutorial: How to Model a Knurled Cylinder
Knobs have knurls. A knurl is that hatch pattern found on cylindrical surfaces. They are easy to create on a lathe and, believe it or not, it is easy to…
Resistor Collection
Wasting time is such a waste (duh). Once you have modeled an object, it is great to have a library of parts. The question is…how do you organize them in a…
Picnic Table
3D models can be from your imagination or from real world items. Today’s model is from the real world.
Handscrew Clamp
My latest model is an attempt to combine PBR materials with a low poly model. The handscrew clamp has simple geometry and you can save a lot of computing…
A collection of knobs
I’ve been working on this collection of knobs for a while. I thought it would be simple. But like most things…simple is rare. I ran into difficulties…
Pedestrian Crossing Sign
I went for a walk with my wife and dog yesterday and came across a pedestrian sign in the middle of the crosswalk. This morning, I checked CGTrader and…
Traffic Cone 3D Model from Photogrammetry (Zephyr + Blender)
I walked past this cone the other day. I had some time to kill, so I modeled it. I created one with the dirt and then cleaned it up.
Lamp Model
I spent last weekend out of town working the night shift. While I was waiting for my shift to start, I modeled the table lamp in my hotel room. The model is…
Texture Painting
I was having a hell of a time this morning with Blender. I couldn’t get the Texture Painting to work. I searched online for a solution, but every answer…
Soccer Goal
I created a soccer goal in Blender a while back. Most of the goals I see available on CGTrader have nets that look like they were strung tight and frozen in…
Blender Quick Tip – Photogrammetry Lighting
Photogrammetry scans already come with their own lighting. When using these scans in Blender, you can get a natural look and speed up Blender with a few clicks.
Blender Compositor Denoise Node: 95% Faster Cycles Renders
A new model has been posted on CGTrader . It’s a rocker switch with power on and off markings. It was modeled in Blender 2.80, but it was rendered in the…
Blender Quick Tip – Auto Merge
Update: 5/27/2022: They keep moving auto-merge. In Blender version 3.1.0 while in edit mode, the auto-merge has a convenient on-off toggle and link to the…
3″ Flanged Swing Check Valve: Free SolidWorks Model on GrabCAD
I posted a 3″ Swing Check Valve on GrabCad today. Within a couple of hours, it got 6 likes and 3 downloads. And if you didn’t know…all downloads on GrabCad…
Bayonet Adapters
I am in the process of locating parts for building thermocouple (TC) probes. The probes we used are held tight against the part with a spring loaded…
Blender Units for 3D Printing: Inches, Millimeters and STL Export Scale
Here are my go-to settings for Blender when I am modelling for a 3D Print
Photo Reconstruction without Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is a cool technology, but it’s difficult to get a usable model. Most of the models I make have large holes or areas where the mesh is way…
Quadcopter
I got a drone for Christmas. I would make a Blender model of it, but it is hard to replicate when it’s 50 feet in the air, stuck in a tree. On the flip…
Fireplace Model
Clock Model
I spent a lot of time making this model. It is the clock that sits on my fireplace mantle. It is available at CGTrader
Art Station Portfolio
1/8″ NPT Grease Fitting: My Most Downloaded Free SolidWorks Model on GrabCAD
This 1/8″ NPT grease fitting is my most downloaded model on GrabCAD