3D printing

[MartyS (Gromit)]

I printed a 2nd one for painting, my airbrush was acting up so wasn't getting even coverage, but it's not bad:

[MartyS (Gromit)]

 Longest print project I've done yet, just over 30 hours total time printing these:



After gluing and putty and sanding it's starting to look good, still more putty and sanding to do:

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Here's the Galileo model all pretty:

[Darth Geek]

So does anyone here have a laser cutter? I am interested in getting a K40. I'm just wondering how loud they are and how much smoke they put out. I live in an apartment complex and I don't know if my neighbors would have a problem with it, or if the smoke vented out the window would be enough to cause some concern.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Simple little design to hold a shower curtain rod using command strips:



Always hated putting pressure on the wall tiles with the press fit rods, and at least once a year they fall down.  Also didn't want to drill into the tile for anchoring, although some of the curved rods I looked at were tempting. 

So, I just pulled the rubber feed off the press fit rod, measured the diameter of each end and made 2 holders to fit the 2 different sizes of the ends.  Used the command strips made for bathroom use so they should stay up, the tabs to pull the command strips off are hidden behind the ends of the rod. 

[MartyS (Gromit)]

So does anyone here have a laser cutter? I am interested in getting a K40. I'm just wondering how loud they are and how much smoke they put out. I live in an apartment complex and I don't know if my neighbors would have a problem with it, or if the smoke vented out the window would be enough to cause some concern.

Just looked those up, wow, I would not risk my eyesight with one of those.  A momentary reflection off a smooth surface is all that would be needed to cause permanent blindness.

At work we had to dismantle one of the lasers because of regulations put in place about 10 years ago (maybe 15?), it wasn't even as powerful as the 40 watt one in these machines and to use it required cut off switches on the doors to the room, room had to be light tight.  I was willing to install the switches but there were other regulations that no one wanted to deal with.

There are videos on how to make those chinese 40 watt devices safer, basically do not trust the clear cover they put on them to block the wavelength of the laser completely, so cover it with something opaque, also installing some safety cut off switches to kill the laser if the cover is opened would be the minimum to do first.  Also spend at least $100 on the proper glasses for the type of laser in the device (I think those machines are all C02 lasers).  The low cost of the machines makes people think they may not use good filter material for the window looking into the chamber.

I also watched some videos where people put in flow sensors for the cooling water, that laser will kill itself if it's on and the water stops flowing.

One video also said to throw out the blower that comes with the thing, get a good high flow exhaust fan because you are burning what ever you put in the thing.  With good dilution from good air flow wood should smell like someone using their fireplace, but plastic will smell terrible so the neighbors might complain. 

[Darth Geek]

So does anyone here have a laser cutter? I am interested in getting a K40. I'm just wondering how loud they are and how much smoke they put out. I live in an apartment complex and I don't know if my neighbors would have a problem with it, or if the smoke vented out the window would be enough to cause some concern.

Just looked those up, wow, I would not risk my eyesight with one of those.  A momentary reflection off a smooth surface is all that would be needed to cause permanent blindness.

At work we had to dismantle one of the lasers because of regulations put in place about 10 years ago (maybe 15?), it wasn't even as powerful as the 40 watt one in these machines and to use it required cut off switches on the doors to the room, room had to be light tight.  I was willing to install the switches but there were other regulations that no one wanted to deal with.

There are videos on how to make those chinese 40 watt devices safer, basically do not trust the clear cover they put on them to block the wavelength of the laser completely, so cover it with something opaque, also installing some safety cut off switches to kill the laser if the cover is opened would be the minimum to do first.  Also spend at least $100 on the proper glasses for the type of laser in the device (I think those machines are all C02 lasers).  The low cost of the machines makes people think they may not use good filter material for the window looking into the chamber.

I also watched some videos where people put in flow sensors for the cooling water, that laser will kill itself if it's on and the water stops flowing.

One video also said to throw out the blower that comes with the thing, get a good high flow exhaust fan because you are burning what ever you put in the thing.  With good dilution from good air flow wood should smell like someone using their fireplace, but plastic will smell terrible so the neighbors might complain.

Thatnks. I was definitely not planing on being anywhere near it when operating for fear for my eyes. But I did see a video of it actually operating and there was a lot of smoke. So even well vented it would be visible and likely get me in trouble with my landlord. So I think it's a no go for now. I would need to get a proper work space. In order to do that I would have to have it at one of my friends' houses or something.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

I noticed someone on Thingiverse took the models of the long lost Duchamp chess set and modified it for easier 3D printing.
I had tried printing these years ago but with certain pieces the overhangs required supports that came up from the smooth base, that pretty much ruins the smoothness of the base unless you a lot of sanding afterwards.

But these remixes don't require any supports, and look very close to the original models.

Broke out my 1988 chess computer and scaled the pieces to fit it.  Got white done, black pieces will print overnight tonight.

[RVR II]

Neat!
I'm a chess fan though I haven't played in a few years since I went to Mexico and taught a nephew there how to play

[MartyS (Gromit)]

I haven't played in so long I have to set that board to the lowest level in order to win.

Found a very nice free chess program for Windows called Lucas Chess, has all kinds of tutoring and many different levels of opponents.  Playing against the opponents for children is starting to get my skills back.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

You would think when you buy a $700 digital piano it would come with something better than a $5 sustain pedal, but nope, from what I've seen even the ones twice as expensive are the same.

3D printing to the rescue:



I could buy one for $20 on Amazon but I may eventually get the wooden stand and 3 pedal unit for this thing.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Another piano related print, some brackets to link the stand I made to the piano.
Not really necessary but it's nice if you want to move the entire thing, without them when you lift on the piano it just comes off the stand.

[Darth Geek]

I've been seriously thinking recently about finally getting a 3D printer. The Creality Ender series seems to be the best reviewed from the videos and Top 10 lists that I have found. If I'm going to get one I think I'd go a little upscale and get the Ender 5 Pro instead of the more typical Ender 3. Does anyone here have experience with them, or any suggestions?

[MartyS (Gromit)]

The only drawback of those Creality printers is the lack of auto leveling, so you have to use the thumbscrews to get the bed level with the nozzle.  Getting an even and well stuck first layer is just about the most important thing in 3D printing, so getting the bed perfectly level with the nozzle over the entire surface is vital.

It's certainly possible to do it by hand, it just takes a while and you have to check it before each print, a change in the bed height by 0.1 mm can be the difference between a good first layer and a bad one where the print falls off half way through, so you do have to check all the time.  I did it for a while before switching to printers that have auto-leveling and would not want to go back.

Other than that I've seen good reviews of the Ender 3 printers, not as nice as a Prusa but they are half the price...

[Darth Geek]

The only drawback of those Creality printers is the lack of auto leveling, so you have to use the thumbscrews to get the bed level with the nozzle.  Getting an even and well stuck first layer is just about the most important thing in 3D printing, so getting the bed perfectly level with the nozzle over the entire surface is vital.

It's certainly possible to do it by hand, it just takes a while and you have to check it before each print, a change in the bed height by 0.1 mm can be the difference between a good first layer and a bad one where the print falls off half way through, so you do have to check all the time.  I did it for a while before switching to printers that have auto-leveling and would not want to go back.

Other than that I've seen good reviews of the Ender 3 printers, not as nice as a Prusa but they are half the price...

I have heard about the leveling issues as well. Which one do you have that has the auto-leveling?