What is Digital Taxidermy?

Then came our first major milestone.

Theo had an idea for ‘Cash 4 Organs’ while in the shower (we don’t ask) and set to task creating it.
During this time Neil had been playing with print in place moving parts and mechanisms, the two ideas got connected, tested and we released the first major 3D printable playset ‘Cash 4 Organs’ in January 2020 to a wave of acceptance.

We were overwhelmed with the response. Overnight we sold many copies of all the items in our catalogue and a resounding demand for more.

So we decided to go for it, we pooled some ideas and set about creating our first Kickstarter ‘OurDdystopian Future’ with an aim to produce an STL package for an entire 6’x4’ gaming table’s worth of terrain for people to 3D print at home.

We began designing and creating the major themed 3D printable playsets ‘limbs 'n' things’ and the pleasure pods as well as all the other vehicles and scatter that was required to create a detailed and exciting dystopian cyberpunk city for gaming tabletops.

During this time we also began work on the website which was to become our home, and we can hapilly tell you that was a hell of a mountain to climb. Who knew setting up a full E-commerce enterprise for the global distribution of STL files and 3D printed items would be such a lot of work?!?!?

'Our Dystopian Future' 3D printing kickstarter was a resounding success in our books, especially given the situation the world has found itself in during the same time. It really helped to drive the dystopian future into the cold light of day.

During this time we have started to find other homes for our 3D designs in tabletop skirmish games like Konflikt ’47, Fallout wasteland warfare, Strontium Dog, Epic 40k, Necromunda, Kill Team and infinity. There are also a variety of sci-fi RPG’s out there too such as SLA Industries and Paranoia!

After completion and distribution of the kickstarter we began to experiment with other types of model possibilities. The Ferris wheel construction set came from an experiment into 3D printed framework and printable jointing systems. The epic scale radar bunker, radar stations and fences came from experiments into the printer’s very kinematics.

This gives you a look into the train that brought us to this station and how we got things off the ground.

The next couple of years we continued experimenting with the limits of 3D printing technology and condensing our findings and warped imagination into even more STL 3D models for you to download and print for your gaming tabletop, or for those without a 3D printer, we offer a printing service for our models in both resin and FDM.

If you want to catch up with what came next in our journey from zero's to hero's then check out our Spool Tower page for more tales of daring do.

And for now we are always looking for cool new things to make, if you are looking for something and can’t find it then making it real starts by talking to us.

Q: How do I get my STL files?
A: When you purchase any 3D STL designs, you'll receive a download link via email. You can access it instantly there, OR you can go to your downloads area and you will always be able to access the most up to date version of that files.

 
Q: I have found an error in a file and I am not happy! 
A: While all models have been tested printed and verified the design and implementation process is a long and arduous one.
We have done all we can to ensure the quality of the products we are selling.
Should you find an error in the file or any issue that we may have missed, then please get in touch with us and we will be able to fix this for you in short order.
Once we have fixed the file and it is updated on the server you will just have to redownload from your downloads area and you will have the most up to date version of the file.

 
Q: What settings should I use when 3D printing my STL models?
A: Our 3D models have been designed mostly to adhere to FDM printers with a 0.4mm nozzle and 0.2mm layer height, some items can easily be printed with a 0.6mm or above but this will sometimes come at the cost of resolution.
Where possible we try to design without out the need for supports however sometimes it is unavoidable, if you are unsure then check in your slicer and add supports.
Some models are listed for resin printers, these contain details that are small and while they may work on FDM printers you will see much better results with a resin 3D printer

 
Q: What printers can I use the 3D print your models?
A: You can replicate our models on many commen end user 3D printers.
For FDM the Ender 3 is perfectly suitable, however any FDM printer with a print area of 200mm x 200mm will besuitable to reproduce most of our 3D designs, any special requirements will appear in the model listing. 
For resin printers you can use many of the entry level resin machines such as the Elegoo Mars or the Anycubic Photon. 


Q: Can I rescale the designs?
A: Yes and no, most of our designs can easily be rescaled to suit your needs however scaling can have adverse effects on small details and models with print in place moving parts. For more information please see our blog post on scales.
 

Q: Can I re-sell/share STL files and/or prints?
A: This is a definitive NO!
These files are for personal use only and not for resale in any format. To make this clear it is not a commercial licence you are buying with each purchase. For more information on this please see out terms and conditions.


Q: I am a 3D print retailer and I would like to sell your models, can I buy a license?
A: Yes we do sell licenses for some of our model sets, if you would like to purchase any licenses for our products please see our licensing page


Q: How long will my printed order take?
A: Depending on the size of the order will depend on the print time, we do not have a full print farm and so are running on limited capacity, we will allow a lead time of 14 days for manufacture however be assured all orders will be processed as soon as physically possible.
If you have any worries about an order, please get in touch with us and we can discuss your concerns.
 

Q: I love your models, but how much is shipping?
A:  Shipping is a difficult one but I have created rate tables to cover most of the globe. We have tried to make the cost as reasonable as possible but for protection, all items will be sent tracked and insured to ensure that all outcomes are covered.
We are searching for satellite printers in other countries which when they come online, will allow local postage costs to be applied to those countries.
The basic charge for shipping is £4.50 and we will fit as many items into one package as we can, International shipping starts at £12. 
We now have a distributor in America and are able to offer local shipping to American customers.
 

Q: I don't see a printed version of a model on the site. How can I get one?
A: We are working to make everything available to everyone, if there is something you want that is not listed on the website then you can check our Ebay store, if you don't see the item there please get in touch with us as it is either an oversight or we have not yet got to adding it to the item lists. 


Q: I am a designer; would you like to host my models?
A: You are in luck, Digital Taxidermy is now a multi vendor market place and not just a web store. If you would like to sell your models on our market place then just head to our vendor signup page.

 
Q: I made a sweet model of a Tyranid. Can I host it here?
A: Due to the problems with international copyright we are only accepting models and items that are free of other corporate IP. All models will be checked by us to make sure they conform to this and also the STL will be verified for correctness and quality prior to hosting 

 
Q: I had to sign up and give you my information, what will you do with this? 
A: Data used for purchases will not be used for any other purposes. The information we retain will be used to process your orders and ship your products. We will not sell your data, nor will it be disclosed to any third parties, without your express consent.