Plastic, not fantastic …

Gumroad is a good website for 3d files by some really talented 3d designers. I'll check him out.

You are correct. 3d files come in several formats. There are basically 2 types of printer, one that's great for detail (resin printer) but not particularly strong, and the other (FDM) which is just good for detail but can be very durable. I think an FDM printer is the best way to go for chesspieces. The learning curve isn't very high for FDM, but is a bit higher for resin. Both are definitely within your abilities.

Here are a range of proto-types and different finishes.

The black pawn is amazing - very hard to distinguish from wood in look and feel. Other finishes have bamboo and copper dust added to the printing material! The translucent piece is resin.

I’d love to furnish more knowledge but alas, I’m not knowledgeable enough … but it’s great to have these samples and get a sense of what’s possible.

So, what´s not fantastic?

Fantastic to take O’Kane’s Ecliptic out into the wild this evening. Chips, crumbs, oily hands, spills … just wipe it off the board and the pieces. 👍
Moved through a pale ale, a hazy pale and a Porter across a couple of games. Great stuff. 👌 Cool design Conor and amazing production quality by Prevision. Very, very hard to see the seams in these injection moulded pieces.
PS - this specific board is not part of this set … just a silicone board that I cut the letters off to reduce size and look better.👍

I think this is on-topic. I've discovered that I really like these pieces with this board. It's got contrast, yet color coordinated.

OK, I'll add that the pieces are boxwood and bud rosewood. But that board is 100% plastic.

I have an ebony and maple board … and my favourite piece colour combination on that board is boxwood and bud rosewood. Much like above but not plastic.

If it's that one with the really nice wood grained border...then yeah I love that board!

Harry Potter Knights. They have flimsy, easily breakable details and I don't think they are playable, but I love the books and had to have them. And they neigh, when you pick them up, so there. 😄

I only have these two knights, though, not the whole set.

I hope the King doesn't neigh, when he gets picked up. 🤔 Oh well, I'll never know. 🙃

I like that larger board for the Ecliptic pieces. I need to get a decent sized portable board for taking my pieces out.

Here’s another of these beautifully formed plastic Homas Ivora sets. A different design from the one I started this thread with but again, very well made. I said, at the start of this thread, that it feels odd discussing plastic pieces in this forum - as opposed to classic wooden sets - but alas, once again - I think this set is plastic ‘fantastic’. Any help with the name of the design is appreciated. Cheers 🍻
The fine detail is very impressive. IMO.

The sworded sitting pawns are genius

I have searched a bit more for this set and as with the earlier post - it appears to be a set back in the early 1970’s - albeit they are hard to find now.

One description in one sales channel notes that the pieces were reminiscent of “German Medieval robbery crews”.

My feeling of what this set is trying to copy is - mid 1500’s renaissance vibe. .

The king does have a presence about him … even at night …in low resolution.😉

These Ecliptic pieces are very, very good. Such a satisfying set and … plastic! Fantastic. Notice too how they are essentially seamless … it’s there… but you have to look closely.

This is a gem. A plastic Danish Union with reverse coloured bases - a lovely touch: I wish I knew more about who manufactured these pieces and whether sets with reverse bases were popular or not. I cannot seem to find reference to them - only the more standard sets with same colour bases. It’s ridiculous how much I like this set. 😆

that IS rather cute

Are they really plastic? Must be a high quality plastic. Any idea how old they are?