The 3D Printer Thread

[AlwynTurner]

Great news Rob, that looks like your box for 3 crystals and a switch. Well done!

[Woz]

Glad you back up and running.

I've been playing around with Blender. I found a tool that'll let me change an openscad object into something a bit more organic (or in my case it'll make a cast effaect.

Openscad STL



Blender STL

[wibblywobbly]

Woz, if you created that Sherman part in Openscad then you are way ahead of me, lol. I took a look at Blender, it is an exceptional piece of kit, there are entire CGI movies made using it on You Tube, what the pro's use it for is mind boggling.

My next problem to solve is the dozer blade on the Kodiak, it's all designed in Openscad, but due to the width of the Leopard hull it has to be 220mm's wide. My print bed is 200mm, so I have to find a way to split it so that the two halves are invisible, but still give it strength. It's also a curved one, so printing it without it warping off the bed will be a challenge. My favourite sticky stuff is sugar/water, I tried the extra hold hairspray, but it isn't as good.

What was the tool that you found?

[RobW]

WW - had a quick look at a pic, would printing in 3 parts work? So you print part of the mounting on each section (outer L & R plus centre?). Other thought was to create a mould/former to hold it, assuming you can use the CAD to create a non-printed object.

In a way it's a shame the older style resin systems didn't make into domestic use, but then again if you had sensitive skin you were in trouble when handling it. Was quite brittle & absorbed water too.

[wibblywobbly]

I agree that three parts is the way to go, but with a step arrangement on the back of each section so that there is a straight line at the front and a stepped support behind each join on the back. That should keep it all aligned. Then superglue the whole thing together. If the join is still visible, I can face up the front with thin styrene.

I was tested for allergies early last year, had hundreds of different substances glued to my back for a few days to see what I reacted to....and it was resin.

[Tankbear]

I get my PLA off ebay-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200955218773? ... EBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131182410741? ... EBIDX%3AIT

.

What does 1kg reel equate to in length?

[wibblywobbly]

It's 'a lot'. 333 metres? I have a reel of the stuff and its heavy. Prints use a relatively small amount of PLA, it is only a bead on each level. The printer software tells you how much in length and weight each print will use before you hit print, so that you can check there is enough on the reel.

Although its cheaper in bulk, eg 1kg, the snag is that unless it is kept in damp proof, non-humid conditions, it absorbs moisture over time, and either has to be carefully dried or binned, which could work out expensive.

PLA is 1.75 - 2.00mm diameter, ABS is 3.00mm, so you would not get as much ABS in 1 kg as you would PLA.

I hope that explains it?

[Tankbear]

Sure does thanks rob.

I bought a 3dooler pen last week and the plastic is £10 a pack for 25 strips of 20cm so not cheap

[wibblywobbly]

I did read somewhere that some smartypants hit upon the idea of using one to touch up his printer prints, rather than reprint complete parts, apparently it does the job very well.

[Woz]

Woz, if you created that Sherman part in Openscad then you are way ahead of me, lol.............................

It wasn't that difficult, just "hull" some cylinders and spheres together-