Frequently Asked Questions
What is 3D Printing?
3D Printing is a fabrication proccess where a user can translate a 3D design into a usable real-life model. This is achieved via dedicated 3D Printers which commonly consist of a heated bed, chamber, a set of motors, and a hotend used to extrude plastic layer-by-layer until the model is complete.
How long does it take?
It all depends on the size and volume of the finished product. For a single print, it can take anywhere between a few minutes up to multiple days. Even larger jobs that don't fit into the printer can be split into seperate chunks, printed seperately, then re-assembled afterwards.
You'll be able to find out how long a specific item takes to print on the product page itself, usually expressed in hours. One of the major factors of the price of the products comes from its print time. You'll also be able to see the processing time, and the average turnaround time. Please keep these in mind when ordering, as we'll need this time to create your order before shipping.
What are you selling?
Pancake Customs primarily offers 3D-printed items and accessories specifically designed around for use with airsoft. Be it for specific guns, equipment, gear, or creating specialised or niche products. Most of what is offered is based upon fleshed-out ideas that have been worked on for a number of years. Some are just printed models, and others may contain circuits, spring, bolts, and other components that are also reflected in the price.
How strong are the prints?
The strength will be based on which material you choose on checkout. We offer two main materials; PLA-ST, and PA12-CF. PLA-ST is the cheaper option that has reasonable strength and should stand up to most casual airsoft use. PA12-CF is the more expensive option and offers enhanced strength and temperature resistance. Perfect for people who want their items to deal with more serious use. Please note: Not every item we offer has the option to select between these two materials. Some are fixed and can only be made in a specific material.
My item does not fit, what can I do?
You can either choose to modify it yourself, or contact us for a return. PA12-CF responds well to cutting, sawing, sanding, filing, carving, etc. due to it's high temperature resistance. Meanwhile PLA-ST responds better to simple carving and cutting, but not sanding/filing due to it's lower temperature resistance.
Unfortunately, due to the myriad of different versions, generations, makes, and models of products within the airsoft market, you may find sizes/tolerances differ. We can only offer a hard guarantee when fitting onto items we can either verify ourselves, or on items that buyers have been able to confirm with us. Most of the time brands can share parts, but there are edge cases where things end up not being compatable. Please let us know if this happens, and we can adjust our items accordingly and offer refunds/replacements where appropriate.
I have a great idea for something that could be made! Can I share it?
Sure! Just send us an email to pancakecustoms@gmail.com. We'd love to hear any ideas and design suggestions. However, please keep in mind though that we can't consider every idea we recieve as it can take weeks or even months to design and prototype a single model.
A part you make isn't compatable with my gear, what can you do?
Somtimes we make things that are compatable with specific models or brands, but not others. Feel free to send up an email with the problem, and in some cases we can make adjustment to the model to help fit your specific equipment. Please keep in mind if there are any heavy adjustments or customisations made, this may incur a design fee. We may also need to ask you to take measurements (ideally with calipers!) to help us make the design. In some cases we may also deem it unfeasable to adjust the item to a specific model.
Do you do custom jobs?
Custom jobs are possible, but are not the primary focus of the business. If you're seeking something custom-made please send an email though! You can either send us a existing model to print, or request something made from scratch or adapted from something else. This usually evokes a design and modelling fee which works out at about £25.00 per hour of work on top of the usual printing fee.
A part I had bought has since broken. Can I get a replacment for a specific part?
Absolutely! Pop an email over to us, and we can draw up a custom discounted invoice to get the replacement part made and shipped over to you. We may need to ask for an original order number, or the date in which you bought the original item.
Pancake Customs cannot be held responsible for any damage that sustained to your items once they have been brought onto an airsoft field, or have been opened up/tampered with or customised in any way.
Can I paint my model?
Painting is a great way to add an additional protective layer to models, or to add your own custom flair. Both PLA-ST and PA12-CF respond well to spray-painting, and a layer of primer is usually reccomended to help the paint grip to the model. The only time we do not reccomended painting is if the item contains electronics. In these cases disassembly may be required so the electronics are not damaged.
My item looks a little bit different to the pictures, what gives?
Designs are often revisted and slight improvements are made in response to the ever-changing world of logistics and engineering. This may result in small details being tweaked such as the height of buttons, the length of an accent, the chamfering of an edge etc. We try to keep the images as up-to-date as possible, but you may find there are tiny differences. If we ever do a major re-design, the images will be updated prior to the new part being made available.
Additional notes
Pancake Customs reserves the right to cancel an order (with refund) for any reason, and without needing to provide a reason.
Prices for items may change to reflect material costs, demand, design changes, logistical issues, international tariffs, supply chain difficulties, or postage costs.