What 3D-printing projects did you do for your truck and shop?
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- #62
If you have not already, check out how to 3Dprint hinges in-place. Quite the concept! I can't quite wrap my head around how you can print those without intermediate supports, but it seems to work well from what I saw on YT.
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- #63
I just realized that one of the type of things I've been printing quite a few of are *Spacers*. It is just so convenient to be able to dial the thickness or dimensions so well with so little effort when 3D printing. I have at times printed some in a wide assortment of thicknesses for later fine-tuning of processes. Very useful. And printing solid with PLA gives me surprisingly strong spacers that I'm not too worried about squishing down. Didn't realize until now how many ill-fitting improvised spacers I had around in various contraptions that I can now replace for the better.
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- #64
PSA: It helps to think a bit before embarking on a 3D printing exercize...!
Today I wanted to print some Tslot nuts for an 80/20 series 10 frame I'm building to hold some solar controllers. I could of course measure the Tslot dimensions directly but the shape of that thing is weird and hard to measure and I would like the nut to fill it up pretty much fully so there is no slop. So direct measurement is perhaps not the best way to go I thought. So I decided on something else. I went on the 80/20 site and found a drawing of the cross section with dimensions. Then I screenshotted the drawing and imported it in Fusion 360. I then traced it in a sketch and scaled it to the point where I got one known dimension right. At that point it seemed done. Cumbersome, inaccurate and took an hour or so. Of course, that was all assuming the drawing in question was correct and to scale and I don't know that for sure but was hoping that it would be the case, as I figured they got the drawing out of a CAD file. I printed the thing (not tried it yet, probably will be off as usual). But...
... a bit later, I realized (yet again) I am an idiot. (It's getting old TBH but I blame old age and a wild youth
) Because:
I did not think at the time that I actually have access to full CAD drawings for Tslot nuts (and thousands of other hardware items) by simply downloading an actual CAD file from -you guessed it- McMaster Carr!
Yup, if you didn't know already, they have CAD drawings for a lot of their items, free to download. Want to incorporate some hardware in your design that will take time to model yourself? Get the CAD model from them. Easy Peasy... Hopefully, I'll remember that next time. But probably not...
Today I wanted to print some Tslot nuts for an 80/20 series 10 frame I'm building to hold some solar controllers. I could of course measure the Tslot dimensions directly but the shape of that thing is weird and hard to measure and I would like the nut to fill it up pretty much fully so there is no slop. So direct measurement is perhaps not the best way to go I thought. So I decided on something else. I went on the 80/20 site and found a drawing of the cross section with dimensions. Then I screenshotted the drawing and imported it in Fusion 360. I then traced it in a sketch and scaled it to the point where I got one known dimension right. At that point it seemed done. Cumbersome, inaccurate and took an hour or so. Of course, that was all assuming the drawing in question was correct and to scale and I don't know that for sure but was hoping that it would be the case, as I figured they got the drawing out of a CAD file. I printed the thing (not tried it yet, probably will be off as usual). But...
... a bit later, I realized (yet again) I am an idiot. (It's getting old TBH but I blame old age and a wild youth
) Because:I did not think at the time that I actually have access to full CAD drawings for Tslot nuts (and thousands of other hardware items) by simply downloading an actual CAD file from -you guessed it- McMaster Carr!
Yup, if you didn't know already, they have CAD drawings for a lot of their items, free to download. Want to incorporate some hardware in your design that will take time to model yourself? Get the CAD model from them. Easy Peasy... Hopefully, I'll remember that next time. But probably not...
Just finished building this new table for the printer station, and filament storage
The top is actually a hollow core door I found at the local Habitat Restore for $10. I cut it down, hacked out the cardboard spacers at the edge and reinforced it with some 2x4 scraps, then applied a hard edge of cherry. It was kinda beat up so I applied a layer of gray Formica laminate. Aprons are poplar, legs are pine.
Gonna try some Gridfinity modules in one of the drawers
The top is actually a hollow core door I found at the local Habitat Restore for $10. I cut it down, hacked out the cardboard spacers at the edge and reinforced it with some 2x4 scraps, then applied a hard edge of cherry. It was kinda beat up so I applied a layer of gray Formica laminate. Aprons are poplar, legs are pine.
Gonna try some Gridfinity modules in one of the drawers
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- #66
that is some good-looking fine woodworking there, Sir!
With a bit of luck (and foresight), in 20 years we'll all have a dedicated room in our houses with a full room-size printer that we'll be able to print a *metal* table like that on ... !
(have you looked into the need -or not- for a venting system for an inside printer?)
With a bit of luck (and foresight), in 20 years we'll all have a dedicated room in our houses with a full room-size printer that we'll be able to print a *metal* table like that on ... !
(have you looked into the need -or not- for a venting system for an inside printer?)
The body bois broke an 80 fender flare mount, so I made a replacement they panel bonded in.
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- #68
Question: have you had good luck with making mating large threads? Picture a grease jar, a few inches OD. Say I want to make the jar body and a matching lid with a proportionally large thread. The issue is whether the 2 parts would screw together easily enough if I'd use the same standard thread on both. Would there be enough clearance for that to be smooth? If not, how do you create clearance best at the design or printing level? And what about the seams, better if aligned or random? Would an ACME thread work better than an ISO or UN for 3D printed stuff?
My experience with small 3D printed threads has been that they seem overly tight and -extrapolating that- it does seem like it would be unwieldy to screw large parts together repeatedly.
TIA!
Added:
pleasantly surprised! Did a trial with a 50mm thread. Standard Metric thread size on both sides. Printed with PLA with random seams. And it fits beautifully. Not hard to turn and not sloppy either. Very nice! Very usable as is. Maybe because both sides shrank a bit so that helped with the clearance. I measured the external thread at 49.3 - 49.5mm FWIW. Seats nicely, should be close to waterproof. Have to figure out a way to do a good chamfer on the inner thread, though, because it's a bit iffy to start for now.
Now to try bigger still.
Lots I can do with big threads like that: big parts assembly with or without gluing, containers etc.
My experience with small 3D printed threads has been that they seem overly tight and -extrapolating that- it does seem like it would be unwieldy to screw large parts together repeatedly.
TIA!
Added:
pleasantly surprised! Did a trial with a 50mm thread. Standard Metric thread size on both sides. Printed with PLA with random seams. And it fits beautifully. Not hard to turn and not sloppy either. Very nice! Very usable as is. Maybe because both sides shrank a bit so that helped with the clearance. I measured the external thread at 49.3 - 49.5mm FWIW. Seats nicely, should be close to waterproof. Have to figure out a way to do a good chamfer on the inner thread, though, because it's a bit iffy to start for now.
Now to try bigger still.
Lots I can do with big threads like that: big parts assembly with or without gluing, containers etc.
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- #70
oooh yea! Works a treat! (Finally... Can't believe I used an awful tiny quasi-rest for so many years....)
Primarily intended for my lathe cutting tools. Bonus: so easy to print jigs for different angles.
And if you're wondering, yes, it is plenty rigid.
added: Dang! The ground surfaces I am getting on my HSS cutters are perfectly flat and beautiful, well at least compared to the potatoes I'm usually grinding freehand...
Primarily intended for my lathe cutting tools. Bonus: so easy to print jigs for different angles.
And if you're wondering, yes, it is plenty rigid.
added: Dang! The ground surfaces I am getting on my HSS cutters are perfectly flat and beautiful, well at least compared to the potatoes I'm usually grinding freehand...
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- Thread starter
- #71
while testing some large threads (this one is 90mm IIRC - works great)... couldn't resist...
another (does a DIYer ever have too many?) cutting fluid container, but this one is a (almost) no-spill design:
(and -yes yes- I know, a tuna can is easier and would have the fluid taste better.... )
I may fill the base partly with lead shot so there is less fluid in there and it is more stable (but already very stable as is actually).
obligatory 3D printing tech content : since I didn't want to waste a ton of filament on supports, I printed the upper funnel separately, and then glued it on. (I am also curious to see if the fluid will affect the glue (IPS16) adversely.)
another (does a DIYer ever have too many?) cutting fluid container, but this one is a (almost) no-spill design:
(and -yes yes- I know, a tuna can is easier and would have the fluid taste better....
)I may fill the base partly with lead shot so there is less fluid in there and it is more stable (but already very stable as is actually).
obligatory 3D printing tech content : since I didn't want to waste a ton of filament on supports, I printed the upper funnel separately, and then glued it on. (I am also curious to see if the fluid will affect the glue (IPS16) adversely.)
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- #72
Played some more with threads. This is a hollow container with a screw-on cap. As printed, no sanding or smoothing of the threads (or of the body - you can tell the rough surface from the random seam feature). Check out how close to invisible the contact interface is. You can sort of see the cap but mostly because of a slight coloration difference -probably due to a different wall thickness- and a different surface finish. But seeing the contact interface as in there being a gap? Nope! Pretty impressive technology, really.
dogdaysindurham
SILVER Star
dogdaysindurham
SILVER Star
There is some PETG and PLA filament that is translucent but it's not perfectly clear.
PLA Translucent
PETG Translucent
Bambu PETG Translucent stands out with its exceptional printing characteristics, setting it apart from standard PETG materials. This specially tuned filament minimizes common issues like nozzle sticking, leakage, and clumping during the printing process, providing a hassle-free experience...
I want to try polishing the PETG and PLA with acetone to see if it will smooth out? I have done this some success with ABS 3d printed parts. On resin parts, you lightly sand and then apply more resin and it comes out pretty nice and clear.
That part you printed for a friend looks cool though. If the added an LED it would light up pretty nicely.
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