MakerBots, RepRaps and UP!s: It's 3D printers!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Hobbies, Crafts, & Houses > MakerBots, RepRaps and UP!s: It's 3D printers!

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

nolen posted:

Thanks for the reply! I just saw that there is a CNC mill thread going through DIY and repeated my question in there to get any other insight.

Maybe the answer will involve LASERS and I can finally have an excuse to get all Science Fiction with my sewing.

Its a cross between a jigsaw and an electric carving knife, but it cuts like 16" of cloth at once.

# ¿ Jan 18, 2011 03:51

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 07:36

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

Cuddlebottom posted:

I got a good Stanford rabbit out of mine so far. The stepper extruder did a great job, I only had a few strings below the steepest overhangs.

I've been trying to print this Vica Illusion Sculpture and have been having terrible luck. I got one really crappy print out of 6 or 7 attempts - the print head keeps plowing into the model, so it either skips or (on the one successful print) mushes it all up. Is there some trick to tall and skinny prints? I have cool enabled, which worked great on the rabbit. I also added a larger raft and reduced my Z height by 0.1mm, but this one curled edge caught the model 3 prints in a row.

How about a Utah Teapot? The stanford bunny came out drat nice I have to say.

# ¿ Mar 10, 2011 12:06

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

kafkasgoldfish posted:

A strip heater like this: http://www.drillspot.com/products/518294/tempco_csh00169_strip_heater_ss_heater would simplify things a bit over nichrome wire. You'd still need a thermostat of some sort.

Or tear up some $5 toasters, still need a controller and all, but the boards from a toaster would be nice.

# ¿ Apr 17, 2011 12:07

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

Mister Sinewave posted:

^^^ Well, use it for the "E" part anyway.

I learned a tip which I should have figured out long ago.

I am making some fixtures to fit onto some existing crap. After printing out my meticulously-measured-and-3D-designed objects, the sunofabitches don't fit.

PVC shrinks a wee bit but enough so that my 34mm cover is no longer actually 34mm ID and will not fit onto this pipe end I want it to go on. Not without sanding. Which is of course unacceptable. If I was going to start sanding this poo poo to make it fit, then what am I printing 3D crap from scratch (to fit) for?

PVC's shrinkage is supposed to be about 2%. That seems more or less backed up by my measurements.

I spent all afternoon tweaking new models to be slighty bigger than needed - then fretting about remembering that "34mm cover.stl" is not actually 34mm anymore - when I realized what I should have been doing is nothing of the sort!

Correct method:

1. Make 3D model with correct dimensions.
2. Fire up printer.
3. If the drat thing is not trivially small AND needs to actually be accurately sized (i.e. 34mm ID needs to be 34mm ID not 33.4mm or so) then simply:
4. SCALE 1.00 -> ~~0.98~~ 1.02

Yes but did it actually fit properly the 2nd time around?! :f5:

# ¿ Jun 5, 2011 02:04

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

echomadman posted:

Amazing solar powered 3d printer that uses a huge lens to melt sand into glass.
http://vimeo.com/25401444

AHAHAHAHA HOLY poo poo HE'S A RAVING MANIAC!

You'd have to pay me very, very large sums of money to pivot that collector array around without a goddamned cover on it like that(Or a mylar moonsuit, and even then!). Just like working on an optical table, don't put your appendages anywhere with the beam on, and it only takes one or two mistakes to cure you of the habit.

I cringed at about 1:15 or so as his torso catches some rays...

Anyway, seems like a brilliant idea, and it could just as easily work with polymers too.

Edit: Jesus put some louvers on it or something. I'm cackling maniacally watching him dig out his bowl while the beam makes a lump in the corner...

Edit2: Oh god they transport it uncovered too. Also there's no pressure involved, so is it truly sintering?

Sponge! fucked around with this message at 02:12 on Jun 26, 2011

# ¿ Jun 26, 2011 02:08

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

Hungry Gerbil posted:

Why do you think it's a hoax? Looks real to me.

"Going into space you just take a printer and print what you need." Yeah, right after we figure out how to do it in zero gravity, sure...

# ¿ Jul 8, 2011 11:37

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

Locus posted:

Throw it in a big centrifuge. Obviously less efficient, but that's the simplest solution to anything that normally needs gravity.

Or just pressurize the liquid I guess, but that would depend more on the specific materials.

Electrostatically charge the particles so they stick to what's been printed maybe... Like powdercoating...

# ¿ Jul 10, 2011 08:12

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

Mister Sinewave posted:

Ah, that did the trick. I was also given the 25.4 number but I didn't really clue in to what was going on behind the scenes. I understand now.

My print was OK and to the correct size, except that since it's a tall model, even with the heated build platform it lifted/curled enough to peel off the platform, and the middle-to-upper layers did not stick to each other well.

I'm thinking of enclosing the build area somewhat and maybe putting a small hair dryer on low just to keep the build area from getting too cool too fast.

Dig back a few pages, someone did just that.

# ¿ Sep 24, 2011 12:06

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 07:36

Sponge!: Dec 22, 2004; SPORK!

YeOldeButchere posted:

Fire's the best teacher.

I beg to differ. Pain is the best teacher.

# ¿ Nov 13, 2011 10:31

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Hobbies, Crafts, & Houses > MakerBots, RepRaps and UP!s: It's 3D printers!