3D printing

[MartyS (Gromit)]

I used Tamyia acrylics to paint the light saber, they stick just fine to plastic, they are made for styrene models after all.  I had those colors left over from my big TOS Enterprise model build (see the collectables thread from March to May for pictures of that if you missed them).

As for the gun questions, it is actually illegal to make a hand gun at home without a license.  I read the list of what you can build at home a long time ago so can't remember all the rules.  The receivers that turn a gun automatic have different rules.  That's the big controversy now, but again people have been making their own receivers without 3D printing.  Of course that is a part that is much easier to make with a printer.

I'm going to watch that documentary now, I wonder if it's new enough to go into the boycott.  After all the talk of open source Makerbot went ahead and patented some stuff extremely similar to mods done by the community, caused a bit of an outrage...

[RandyMistie]

Yes. The doc goes into the open-source controversy. All the idealism in the world, falls to the money...

It is illegal to make a gun at home without a license. I studied law for about 5 minutes, (contract law is mind numbingly boring... and you can't get to criminal law without the horror of contract law.... I still have PTSD from contract law... at night I still hear the screaming....!)

Gun law, very murky area. A defense lawyer would say, what constitutes a gun? Is a crossbow a gun? Perhaps it is a toy...

I think the point is, however, to address your issue, it IS illegal to make a gun without a license.... it is also illegal to smack a guy in the mouth, or fly planes into buildings. But, people do.

This is what I am saying, "...people are no damn good..." Lex Luthor...

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Watched the movie, pretty good stuff.  I actually didn't know Makerbot was sold to a bigger company, no wonder they have moved to the model where you can't really fix it yourself.   I've read that on the newer ones if you get a filament jam in the head you can't take it apart to clear it, you have to buy a new assembly from Makerbot.  It was one of the reasons I didn't get one, that and the higher cost.

That Form 1 is a nice printer, but pricey.

Wow, that 3D printed gun guy, much ego?  Look up narcissistic douchebag and his picture should come up. 

Edit: The Documentary must have been finished very recently, they mention the CEO of Makerbot being replaced in the slides at the end, just looked that up and I think it only happened a month ago.

[Darth Geek]

http://io9.com/3d-print-your-very-own-working-stargate-1666385136?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+io9%2Ffull+%28io9%29

Stargate for 3D printers.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

 That is very cool!  Love how it is put together.  I've looked at some of the stargate models but haven't gotten around to printing any. 

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Since I've only been using my simple metal I took apart the wooden simple and have the idea to design my own printed printer with that hardware.

Slight miscalculation in fitting the motor for X:



I had been concentrating on the box that connected to this one, that has the motor for Z in it, got that height and then subtracted for the X bearings without realizing the motor would then stick out the bottom.

Oh well, time to redesign the whole thing, it was good to use this for testing, going to need slightly beefier supports for the Z rods, and slightly smaller holes for those bearings on each side of the stepper motor since the bolt threads are not biting into the plastic as well as I'd like.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Version 2 is better:

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Starting to look like a printer:



First try at build plate holders was close but had issues, belt slots were a millimeter too high so the belt was coming off the bearings, and I made the attachment slots for the plate screws centered instead of skewed towards the Y zero side.  So you can see new redesigned ones printing in the background there.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Rainy day stuck inside so, progress!:



That part for the Z axis is just a test piece for taking measurements from as I try to figure out the rest of this thing.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

3 more parts to print and we'll see how she works...

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Well, my crazy printer project is done, but it sags..   

The Y rods are just not long enough to clamp onto.

I've got it propped up now with glue in the holes for the rods, we'll see if that will help.



But it actually works, the leveling software can even compensate for the print head moving at an angle...



Even if the glue doesn't work it was an interesting thing to try and build, my CAD skills have been improved quite a bit.

[Darth Geek]

I like http://grabcad.com for browsing cool stuff to print.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Lots of cool stuff on that website, I might have to create an account there (required if you want to download).

So, 1 week to go from some crazy ideas in my head, to this on the computer:



To this physical thing:



After propping it up and gluing Y it is now only sagging about 2mm end to end, so the leveling software is easily dealing with it and prints are looking fine:

[MartyS (Gromit)]

This is what makes 3D printers so cool, need something you can't buy anywhere, just print it:

Little part so I can attach my new GPS to my dashboard without interfering with the window or the air vents.

[k1]

Very cool!