Sibi - July 29/07/2022

E3D community shoutouts: Harvey from Compound Creations 

E3D community shoutouts are your chance to get your best 3D printing projects in front of a global audience. Contact us for your chance to get featured! TL;DR: We chatted to Harvey from Compound Creations to find out what he’s all about.

Hi Harvey! Tell us a bit about yourself 

Hi E3D! I’ve been into making for as long as I can remember - Lego, Mechano, pencils and rubber bands, any excuse to make something. I vividly remember disassembling an old cassette player as a child, and just being fascinated with how complex it was with all its levers and springs and had to know how it all worked. I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve worked a few IT jobs whilst continuing to make/3D print as a hobby. Along the way I secured my Autodesk certification and now I work on 3D model-making projects full-time as a freelance contractor. I also work on CAD designs too. For my personal projects, I love making props that have some form of functionality and replicating them using animatronics, lights, sound, etc. The goal is to make them look as realistic as possible. 

How long have you been working with 3D printers & what got you into 3D printing? 

Almost 10 years! I remember seeing James Bruton’s projects and being totally inspired. The fact that I could buy a machine and use it to turn my own designs into real-life objects at home was incredible. I have never looked back since! I didn’t choose the maker life; the maker life chose me 😏  

Tell us about some of your ongoing projects and how you got into cosplay?  

For my first big project, I decided to dive straight into the deep end and created a full Ironman suit. It took me 8 long months to complete. I spent most of the time planning, designing, and learning new skills to complete the mammoth task! I was extremely proud of how it turned out and decided to display it at my first cosplay convention, and I've been doing it ever since. I have quite a few ongoing projects, mostly from Portal as it’s a great game with some great characters and props. The full-scale Portal Turret animatronic always gets attention, it’s not so easy to transport though!  

Your workspace looks awesome. How did you get it? Is there a story behind it?   

I repurposed a small shed/outbuilding when I bought my first ever printer. It has been expanding along with my projects and is now stacked with even more 3D printers, tools, and storage solutions.   

What’s the best 3D printer you’ve ever used?    

I’d have to say my first one, the Flashforge Dreamer. It is based on the old Replicator 2X Design, it’s been a workhorse needing little maintenance and has dealt with most things I've needed without a fuss. It’s old, it’s outdated, but it works. Reliability is king!   

What would your dream printer set-up be?     

A reliable, fast print speed, 400³+, IDEX/Tool Changer. I’m eagerly awaiting the teased IDEX Ratrig VCore3! 

What advances would you like to see in 3D printing in the coming years?   

I’d love to see super high-flow/speed printing becoming commonplace. The industry moves quickly, and we’ve been seeing weekly if not daily advancements. This is sure to raise the bar across the industry.  

Attending any industry events this year?    

MCM October London Comic-con is the main one for the remainder of the year, but I’ve attended TCT, MakersCentral, and a few smaller conventions and I recently exhibited at CosprintOnSea.  

What’s your next big project?     

A full Doom suit cosplay from Doom 2016, with a plasma rifle and the chainsaw, with plenty of moving parts and as much functionality as I can fit in.  

Is there anything else you'd like to share with the community?      

I’d just like to say RIP Sanjay. Every TCT I used to talk to Sanjay. We spoke about everything 3D printing and despite only being a hobbyist at the time, he always had time to speak to me. His signature on my TCT badge sits with pride in my workshop.  

Get involved in the E3D community!      

A huge thanks to Harvey for sharing his work with us. You can support Harvey’s work on his website. Keep an eye on what Harvey’s 3D printing by following him on Instagram and Facebook.

Find lots of other hints and tips from other 3D printing enthusiasts to make your 3D prints better! Join the conversation on Discord, follow our blog, and keep in touch on our socials. Do you have an impressive 3D printing project you’d like us to highlight? Get in touch and we can feature you!