Desktop 3D printers
#46
nachoman Wrote:Looks fun to play around with. The discussions about 3-d printers have certainly gotten me interested.

Since you mentioned you were looking for a job - have you thought about somehow using this new device to make a little money on the side?


It is fun Icon_lol

I have to sharpen my drawing skills on the computer before trying to make a buck or two, besides I have to wait and see how the Job situation turns out so I can gauge how much time I can devote to 3D printing, but it is a possibility down the road. All that I have printed are files that came with the included SD card and the downloadable Makerware that converts some rendering file extentions to G code which is what the Makerbot Replicator 2 uses to generate tool path. It took 4 hours and 38min for the skull to print out, whereas the chain took about 15 min. .

Will keep updating as I progress with the experiments on train parts such as boxcar sides, doors, ends and chassis maybe roofs.
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#47
Looking good, I'm just wondering about the cost of the plastic media you have to use. For example, what was the materiel costs for the skull that you printed out? And what size is it?
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#48
EZ-days,

I will have to figure that out and get back to you on that. The printer comes with a 1 pound spool of PLA plastic(a bio based plastic that has a low odor and is environmentally safe). The plastic comes in an assortment of colors. Will have to look and see how much a spool is. The process this 3D printer uses is called FFF, if I remember right it is fused filament fabracating.

At the end of a print the lcd display on the printer will tell how long a print took to complete, not sure if it tells how much plastic was used, will not be printing untill this evening as I have an appointment this afternoon.
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#49
Still not sure how much plastic the skull took but here are 2 size comparasions to give a general idea of the size.

   

I thought I had 2 pics but there is only one.

I test printed a basic rectangle with a smaller rectangle hole that is aprox. the size of a 40' box car side in S scale it was half a success as the ends started to curl up and caused a slight jam, I need to clean up the build platform as oil from hands and fingers will cause the plastic not to adhear to the build platform 35 Getting closer to useable train parts 2285_

In case sumpter is following this theard I printed half of the enterprise from a file on thingaverse :ugeek:
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#50
The plastic used by this model 3D printer is called PLA(Poly Lactic Acid)
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#51
I did a bit of searching and found that a 1 kg (about 2.2 US pounds) runs around $48.00 and up depending on the color. That would come to something like $1.35 an ounce, so you just need to weight your part and figure out the cost. Assuming there isn't a lot of waste, you should be able to make an HO boxcar for just a few dollars. That's not all that bad, and just think of the fun you get when doing it. 2285_
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#52
Hi all here are some pics from today's adventure, had the printer tore down and adjusted some things and now it is working fine again 35 It takes some patients and the manual nearby. they suggest that you have a thin metal craft spatula to aid in the release of objects from build platform.

   

   

   
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#53
Are they smooth? Looks like they have a bit of a texture to them. Nice job - looks like you are having fun.
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#54
Yes they have a slight texture, but I think a light sanding job and a coat of paint might fix that, also the spool of PLA plastic that came with the printer is clear so you can see the layers which looks like cross-hatching(an artist's term for a process of creating texture in a drawing).

May be awhile before I print any thing else as I need to clean off the bench where it will be permanetly reside. I use a combination of rendering software(Google Sketchup, Wings 3D, Blender and Maker ware(converts drawings to G code so the printer can generate a tool path)
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#55
Are these items that you've crated solid or hollow? What would be the thinnest layer you could create? This is really fascinating that this technology is available to the individual modeler. I know I would have owned one when we had our business years ago. The same goes for a CNC router. I would have loved to have had both but they just weren't available at a reasonable cost back then. Nope
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#56
ezdays Wrote:Are these items that you've crated solid or hollow? What would be the thinnest layer you could create? This is really fascinating that this technology is available to the individual modeler. I know I would have owned one when we had our business years ago. The same goes for a CNC router. I would have loved to have had both but they just weren't available at a reasonable cost back then. Nope



Depends on how the object was drawn as to weather it is hollow or solid. The skull has thick walls but a hollow brain cavity. The enterprise as well as the test prints of box car sides are made of layers first left to right and then top to bottum alternating untill the object is complete.

Speaking of CNC routers Plasma Cam has a neat one the has a tool mount where you can use a plasma torch or a metal/wood router. Another neat machine is made by Torchmac uses a spark to cut out 3D objects including die cast molds for injection molding and has an optional add-on 3D scanner. The Plasma Cam was around $19k and the other was quite expensive as well so much so that I can not remember.
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#57
Yeah, I've seen metal routers in the magazines in the $15K and up range. Wood routers were a bit less. It's hard to justify one just to have fun with.... but who knows, maybe someday Santa will stop by and put something nice in my size 48 stocking 357 357
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#58
Well the Replicator 2 now has a permanent home in the workshop. Kinda frustrated with it today, need to clean up the build platform and relevel it if there is not enough room between the nozel and build surface it makes a mess, if too much room between the nozel and build surface the plastic will not stick properly 35 there are a few varibles to watch 1) level the platform 2) clean the platform skin oil will make the plastic not stick 3)there is a preheat item on the menu screne it helps some. Will work on it some more this weekend. And I thought the drawing of parts would be the most challenging. Icon_lol But then again I have only been working with it 4 days Eek
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#59
Well the latest on the 3D printer is a few more adjustments and I had a perfect print first time out today, it almost looks like build platform needs tweaked before each print for best results. also the feed of the filament needs to be just right or too much or too little pressure from the plunger will cause the bot to stop extruding. Did a test on the print from today to see how enamel paint reacts to the PLA plastic, will try sanding down the texture as well.
Will have to see what resolution I am printing at that may make a big difference.
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#60
Well the PLA plastic took paint with no negative reactions. Next is to see if it can be smoothed by sanding. Also will have to check the resolution setting. I will not waste anymore plastic until I have a decent box car side drawn up(getting close). Did a test print was a near perfect print....one corner warped at some point in the print as it would not stick to build surface will have to do two things adjust the tension on the feed pully and relevel the build platform.
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