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Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
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Idea! MRE boxes in resin?
HermannB
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 04:13 AM UTC
This goes to manufacurers. Instead of fiddling with to thin paper, why not making MRE and pther combat ration boxes from resin with matching decals? Various set will be needed, WWWII rations, Cold War/Vietnam rations, todays MRE`s, even some foreign rations boxes like British, German or IDF. What do you think?
ptruhe
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 04:19 AM UTC
Paper is cheaper. I've made my own modern British ration boxes.
HeavyArty
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 05:14 AM UTC
I agree with Paul. Paper is cheaper, easier, and looks like a paper box. I don't see the point in resin ones.
panzerbob01
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 05:21 AM UTC
In resin with decals? Frankly, I would have to ask "Why?" I must be missing something here - I cannot see any advantage to going resin for this stuff! You would have to do all the usual cleaning and possible sanding of resin, plus prepping for and applying decals - and what would be gained over cutting, folding and gluing a paper "decal"? Printed paper will yield as high a resolution as a decal, so no gain there. Printed paper boxes allow you to easily damage the box, and have it open - and empty.
If you want a solid box for the paper, cutting a filler form from gardening / floral or art foam is easy. And hey! You can actually print your own paper boxes! And I think a resin item would likely cost more...

But all said, this is only my opinion, and I am sure that. some would like a resin alternative. Different preferences lead to opportunities for providers!

Cheers! Bob
terminators
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 05:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Paper is cheaper. I've made my own modern British ration boxes.



How did you made them ?

I have just seen this:

http://www.fcmodeltrend.com/35338-modern-english-ration-boxes-multiclimate-135-scale-p-1-51-58-o-7/


Kenaicop
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 05:35 AM UTC
I’ve copied paper MRE’s onto plane white paper to use as a master. Then I cut regular brown paper bags or butcher paper into 8.5x11 sheets and run them through a copier. I now have an unlimited supply of rations for all my modeling needs
terminators
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 05:43 AM UTC
Paper boxes are not really difficult to build if you have a good glue and if the paper is thick enough.

But you need patience.
terminators
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 06:00 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I’ve copied paper MRE’s onto plane white paper to use as a master. Then I cut regular brown paper bags or butcher paper into 8.5x11 sheets and run them through a copier. I now have an unlimited supply of rations for all my modeling needs



I've copied too.

Color photocopy of an original MRE paper sheet from Tamiya on white paper (bristol 150 grams).

And we have to add 2 straps on each MRE box.
matt
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 06:37 AM UTC
There is a company doing resin for the pouches, both individually and in the box, but the box itself is still paper.

Dtoys I believe.
HeavyArty
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 06:39 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I’ve copied paper MRE’s onto plane white paper to use as a master. Then I cut regular brown paper bags or butcher paper into 8.5x11 sheets and run them through a copier. I now have an unlimited supply of rations for all my modeling needs



Pretty much the same thing. I digitized them and removed all color so they are pure black and white. Print onto paper bags cut to 8 1/2" x 11" and run it through the printer. Perfect every time. I can leave them open and still have cardboard showing, not white, too
18Bravo
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 07:04 AM UTC

Quoted Text

There is a company doing resin for the pouches, both individually and in the box, but the box itself is still paper.

Dtoys I believe.



Legend does them as well. They come in the M109A6 stowage set among others.

As for the value of resin boxes, well... Pro Art did some really nice ones, which I've used. Sometimes there's no point in reinventing the wheel - unless you drive a Gremlin. Some folks might actually prefer resin to the paper. One need only look at some of the folded ones people have posted on here to realize not everyone is adept at their construction.
amoz02t
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 09:53 AM UTC
Slight and careful scoring of the fold lines with a duller #11 blade makes for sharp edges and corners. Good luck
Scarred
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 12:03 PM UTC
I'm surprised no one has offered them as 3D printed parts.
HeavyArty
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 01:16 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm surprised no one has offered them as 3D printed parts.



Why would that be any better than resin boxes? I still think folded paper is the most realistic way.
gogs007
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 05:51 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I'm surprised no one has offered them as 3D printed parts.



Why would that be any better than resin boxes? I still think folded paper is the most realistic way.


Silly question but what size bales would you use.
Scarred
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Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 09:14 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I'm surprised no one has offered them as 3D printed parts.



Why would that be any better than resin boxes? I still think folded paper is the most realistic way.



Didn't say it would be better. I agree the paper ones are superior but they make printed parts for just about everything else so I'm surprised no one has came up with printed parts for all the things you find on military vehicles. Water bottles, ammo boxes, rucks, packs, cammo bags, cases of ramen and all the stuff that soldiers stash about their rigs.
ptruhe
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 12:46 AM UTC



I found a webpage for people that collect and eat military rations for fun and asked them for dimensions.

Then I used a trial version of Adobe Illustrator to design the boxes after converting to scale. Had to make some of my own graphics and here is where the British boxes are more colorful and descriptive.

So with paper I can make the individual ration boxes and the shipping boxes with the individual ration boxes, show it open or I could make a whole pallet of rations on a truck.

GP Rations:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSX3ZGX01lTm9iQzQ
Multi Climate Rations:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSalYxSWRjZEg0c2M
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSSHB0c0I1QWtxUzg
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSN2txR2xQTG5YbkU
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSUGtNTFNDOWk3TlU

I got the ePA rations from FC Model Trend as I've got no measurements.
AmTrac1833
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 12:51 AM UTC

Quoted Text

This goes to manufacurers. Instead of fiddling with to thin paper, why not making MRE and pther combat ration boxes from resin with matching decals? Various set will be needed, WWWII rations, Cold War/Vietnam rations, todays MRE`s, even some foreign rations boxes like British, German or IDF. What do you think?



There is manufacturer who makes a mixed set. I have several but they're all stashed away in preparation for a move. I cannot recall the brand from memory. It has the paper for boxes and is the best I've yet come across. Then there are resin items to replicate opened boxes as well as resin individual MREs with decals for those.
Allows to create closed boxes, opened boxes filled with MREs as well as MREs to place in/around vehicles/figures.
matt
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 03:18 AM UTC

Quoted Text

There is manufacturer who makes a mixed set. I have several but they're all stashed away in preparation for a move. I cannot recall the brand from memory. It has the paper for boxes and is the best I've yet come across. Then there are resin items to replicate opened boxes as well as resin individual MREs with decals for those.
Allows to create closed boxes, opened boxes filled with MREs as well as MREs to place in/around vehicles/figures.



It might be the one from Dtoys that I mentioned above.
terminators
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 04:51 AM UTC

Quoted Text




I found a webpage for people that collect and eat military rations for fun and asked them for dimensions.

Then I used a trial version of Adobe Illustrator to design the boxes after converting to scale. Had to make some of my own graphics and here is where the British boxes are more colorful and descriptive.

So with paper I can make the individual ration boxes and the shipping boxes with the individual ration boxes, show it open or I could make a whole pallet of rations on a truck.

GP Rations:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSX3ZGX01lTm9iQzQ
Multi Climate Rations:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSalYxSWRjZEg0c2M
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSSHB0c0I1QWtxUzg
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSN2txR2xQTG5YbkU
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ue2MJDm7JSUGtNTFNDOWk3TlU

I got the ePA rations from FC Model Trend as I've got no measurements.



Thank you for the explanation.

This is cool ! Very nice work.

You talk about a pallet of rations as an example, this is one of my project with US rations boxes.

panzerbob01
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 04:51 AM UTC
The described Dtoys "combination pack" of resin items with printed paper boxes sounds both intelligent and near-ideal for us modelers! The real and useful role for resin in this context would seem to me to be in providing the small and sometimes irregular-form box solid contents: foil and plastic pacs of MRE type stuff, small cans and boxes in "C-rats", and models of plastic water bottles and the like. There is probably no more-realistic model box then one actually made of paper (or perhaps similarly thin metal or plastic for scale), if what you want is an open box with assorted goods inside. Looks to me like Dtoys may have hit a "homer" if they are making this sort of thing! Of course, what many of us really want are some ready-to-use / paint CONTENTS, as there are already available printed paper box options...

Cheers! Bob
HeavyArty
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 04:55 AM UTC
I have used the D-Toys set and it is really nice. The MRE bags look great and the decals are perfect.
tankmodeler
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 05:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm surprised no one has offered them as 3D printed parts.


I suspect the inevitable and noticeable build lines on what is a simple rectangular prism makes it just not worth the effort. The boxes would need a smooth sanding on every side to get rid of the lines for painting.

Some people don't seem to mind the lines on the 3D printed items they use. I think the lines are brutally obvious, S

Still, that would be my guess why.
bill_c
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MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 05:28 AM UTC
I wouldn't mind "blanks" that I could use to build the paper ones. They look fine but occasionally don't fit together exactly depending on how you cut them out. Having a "blank" to build them around would be awesome.
HermannB
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Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 06:16 AM UTC
I plan on building two 40 x 48 pallets full of MRE boxes. With 48 boxes each pallet, it would make a lot of cutting and folding. BTW the MRE box measures 438mm x 270mm x 224mm.
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