3D printer thread - what have you been printing? - Creationism Corner

[QUOTE=Paul-Simon;52846916]PLA can be melted down and respooled, but the equipment is kinda expensive at the moment. I still recommend keeping the stuff until a machine like that becomes cheaper.[/QUOTE] There are some videos on Youtube that show how people have built their own melting/extrusion devices, but the main problem I've seen with them is that there's always air bubbles.

[QUOTE=Zero-Point;52850821]There are some videos on Youtube that show how people have built their own melting/extrusion devices, but the main problem I've seen with them is that there's always air bubbles.[/QUOTE] If you had the means, I bet you could remove bubbles with a vacuum pump. I know that's how people get resin out of casts.

[QUOTE=ElectricSquid;52854259]If you had the means, I bet you could remove bubbles with a vacuum pump. I know that's how people get resin out of casts.[/QUOTE] It's a bit trickier with molten plastic, as you'd have to keep it heated while under vacuum, while also not letting the thick, viscous molten plastic bubble out of the extruder in a nasty foam.

[QUOTE=Hey I'm Grump;52849660]I've been messing around with the College's 3d printer, which is a Makerbot Replicator Z18, and I think it's pretty cool. Prints are alright for the D&D models, but I feel like I want something more high-resolution. I saw last page those Duplicator 7 prints and goddamn do they look fine, resin printing seems to have some high-quality stuff, and at around 500$ that printer seems like a steal for it's quality. Probably some horrible issue to it though. Can't get quality and cheap without some issues.[/QUOTE] From my experience with my D7, here's what I think the trade-offs are: Resin sucks to work with. It stinks a lot and gets everywhere. You need to wear gloves when handling it and need to ventilate the room well. In order for the print to work the build gets stuck onto the platform really well, meaning you need to pry it off with a knife or similar object. After a print is done you have to then bathe it in alcohol to clean the print and then leave it out in the sun/under a UV lamp to fully set the resin. Resin is a lot more expensive than filament too, (AU prices here) we're talking $70-$100 a litre which is equiv to ~1kg of filament which goes for about $20-$25. And the resin tank and build platform (and in the case of the D7, the LCD mask) are all consumables. (You don't have to replace them often from what I've read, but it's still a replacement) So if you want accuracy and price isn't too much of an issue, resin is the way to go. If price matters, it's not that easy to recommend. It also has the "nice" feature that it takes the same amount of time to print 6 minis as it does to take 1 mini, assuming they're all the same height. This is due to each layer taking a set amount of time regardless of contents.

I'm thinking of making a music box for my gal, with the ability to swap cylinders for different tunes. The actual teeth I plan to have be made of metal, since the printed teeth I've listened to online sound awful. The rest of the system (cylinder, gears, box, etc etc) I plan to print. Probably through Shapeways. Any recommendations? One primary concern I have is accuracy and tolerances for the gearing/lever system. I don't want it to be rattly.

[QUOTE=ElectricSquid;52846468]Is there any reason to keep excess print material, like the scaffolding bits I've removed? I don't know if they can be melted back down into additional filament or what.[/QUOTE] We have a small production line at my school where students make their own plastics and filaments, it's about the length of a small truck Only picture I could find right now, it's about half of it: [img]https://i.imgur.com/MPIR63E.jpg[/img]

For a quick laugh: I got greedy and rushed a print of 4 minis at once without checking it properly. Only one of them worked. [t]http://s.hruhf.in/2017-11/IMG_20171110_165530.jpg[/t] One of them somehow got a really stretched out face and a messed up base and two of them had their supports completely fail and fell to the base of the tank. Note to future self: Maybe check that the items are actually supported before printing next time.

Suddenly got the idea of doing a 3-color print. Basically, the source of the model is a panel from the Berserk manga. The brightness is translated into layer height (darker = taller) There's a solid white bottom plate at 1mm to keep it together, and in total it's 2mm thick. [img]https://puu.sh/yjoWk.png[/img] I set it to do 20 layers printed at 0.1mm layer height. (2mm total) I used the Flashprint software to create automatic pauses at layer 11 and 17, so that I could change the filament. [img]https://puu.sh/yjRU1.png[/img] - Layer 0-11: Phosphorescent white - Layer 11-17: Gray - Layer 18-20: Black (what a messy build plate, I know) This last image shows the phosphorescence when photographed in a dark room: [img]https://puu.sh/yjVHh.png[/img] Thought the end result was pretty neat.

Today in Hruhf's failed prints: I tried to print another tank, and then my resin tank ran out mid print and I didn't realise: [t]http://s.hruhf.in/2017-11/IMG_20171112_170856.jpg[/t] Decided, fuck it, close enough. I guess it just got blown up in battle. And so I painted it accordingly: [t]http://s.hruhf.in/2017-11/IMG_20171114_215655.jpg[/t] Yep, I swear I meant to only print half of it. Also the first tank I printed is now painted: [t]http://s.hruhf.in/2017-11/IMG_20171113_204504.jpg[/t] (Missing a few tracks)

Well done making the most of a botched print. I'll have to do the same - I tried printing off my print-ready copy of the frigate from Halo and ended up with an almost-complete print. Unfortunately I ran into some odd errors... [t]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/209040257859977219/380222678209921025/image.jpg[/t] [t]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/209040257859977219/380223198622384128/image.jpg[/t] [t]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/209040257859977219/380223533697204225/image.jpg[/t] [t]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/172489821334274048/380244709420826625/image.jpg[/t] Anyone know what might have caused the weird tendril/wisp effect? It looks like the printer kept losing track of where the object's slice was supposed to be and shifted it over repeatedly. There was also some filament that looked like it was burnt, and I thought maybe the print head might have overheated (it was a six-hour print), making the plastic more pliable than intended and leading to sagging and other problems, but I'm not really sure.

Looks like your steppers aren't getting the right amount of current - either too much, or too little. When they start getting hot, the resistance will go up and they'll draw even more, and if that's beyond the upper limit of the stepper driver (sorry I'm doing a terrible job explaining this but you should have trimpots on the control board) then the stepper will 'hiccup', stop, and appear to have shifted a step or two in any particular direction.

Unfortunately I don't have that level of access to the printer... I'm using a publicly-accessible one at my school library. Is there anything I can do on my end to prevent this, or is it entirely the responsibility of the technicians?

I have a Prusa i3 Mk2s Here are some of the things I've printed [t]https://feen.us/dkvjka.jpg[/t] [t]https://feen.us/v8k9gh.png[/t] [t]https://feen.us/g4iemo.png[/t] [t]https://feen.us/3prgkq.png[/t] [t]https://feen.us/wflxc5.png[/t] [t]https://feen.us/xdx3h6.jpg[/t] [t]https://feen.us/5tjtdz.jpeg[/t] [t]https://feen.us/r2frxo.jpg[/t] [t]https://feen.us/riphvj.jpg[/t] [t]https://feen.us/8jj6ws.jpg[/t] [t]https://feen.us/uxxoj8.jpg[/t] [t]https://feen.us/qssaef.jpg[/t]

[QUOTE=ElectricSquid;52894038]Unfortunately I don't have that level of access to the printer... I'm using a publicly-accessible one at my school library. Is there anything I can do on my end to prevent this, or is it entirely the responsibility of the technicians?[/QUOTE] What level of settings do you have access to? The trimpots, if that is indeed the problem, aren't software accessible usually, but you shouldn't have much trouble convincing the tech to turn a screw all of like 10 degrees.

[QUOTE=ramirez!;52897958]What level of settings do you have access to? The trimpots, if that is indeed the problem, aren't software accessible usually, but you shouldn't have much trouble convincing the tech to turn a screw all of like 10 degrees.[/QUOTE] Pretty much none; the extent of my input is submitting STL files online, there isn't even an option to include comments/instructions. That said, I think it was just a fluke or something, because my stuff printed out fine today. I talked to the tech on duty and he said the printer glitches out sometimes and they had to replace the nozzle last week because it somehow became clogged or encased in extruded filament. If the quality of the queue software that the company makes is any indication, it's just kind of a cheapo printer. Anyway, finished stuff, crossposting from the Halo thread: [t]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/172489821334274048/382069822592385024/image.jpg[/t] [t]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/172489821334274048/382069846126624774/image.jpg[/t]

Just finished one of Alucard's guns. the 454 Casull, working on the Jackal now. [t]https://feen.us/yqnh4t.jpg[/t]

Recently got my own 3D printer, a Tevo Tarantula. I don't (yet) have an auto leveling sensor, so I have to do that all manually. My prints have odd artifacts in the first layer when it actually decides to stick... [quote] [t]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/249535342741291009/385903861610709001/IMG_20171130_222303.jpg[/t] [/quote] Most of the time it just tears up the first few lines it have just drawn, or the filament does not stick at all to the glass plate on my heating plate. I have came up with a theory that the head is too close and it smears the first layer instead of sticking it to the plate, but if I move the bed even lower the filament won't stick. What am I doing wrong?

I just finished my biggest print so far [t]https://feen.us/rov49w.jpg[/t] With working jaw and extendtion

Cross-posting from the DnD thread, I printed out my paladin character the other day: [t]https://68.media.tumblr.com/c3bc4b253e11b5a344388e4fe3bff517/tumblr_p2fyc1xHOv1ruwbq8o1_1280.png[/t] [t]https://68.media.tumblr.com/15e5eb6053fb95f3eee272cad045d99e/tumblr_p2hmajH6Ox1ruwbq8o1_1280.jpg[/t] I had to omit the halberd because it was causing errors with the print; the guys handling the printer tried it twice before I had to submit a fixed model. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with how it came out.

So my printer has been dead for a few months (mostly my fault) how's the tronxy x5s? I'm looking for a new one when I can afford it.

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if3gE-E4dvw[/media] Short timelapse. Camera ran out of storage before it finished. Whoops.

[media]https://youtu.be/s9e7aSgdAUQ[/media] This was the biggest thing I have ever printed, took me a week to print all the parts

So I'm on a mission to adapt this little ~1950's Meopta Belar 75mm f/4.5 projector lens to my Canon camera: [img]http://puu.sh/z5ZXF.png[/img] As you'll notice, it wasn't exactly made for my camera. This lens is a bit of an oddball in a few ways. It has no focus ring, so you focus it by moving it closer and further away from the film (well, sensor in this case), so this requires the "adapter" to also have a focus mechanism. On another note, oddly enough, this lens has a perfectly square aperture: [img]http://puu.sh/z60LK.png[/img] Ever seen that before? Anyways, it doesn't fit. But I'm gonna make it fit. So here's how the Fusion 360 project has progressed: [thumb]https://puu.sh/z5NcJ.png[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z5O9Y.png[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z5OQD.png[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z5ZD2.png[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z5ZCv.png[/thumb] The encasing (red) has guide slits for guiding the linear focusing platform (yellow) The focusing ring (black) has threads on the inside that interface with the linear gears on the linear focusing platform (yellow) The Meopta 75mm lens (also black) screws into the soft plastic (hopefully) of the linear focusing platform with its threaded mount. The bottom piece (also red (color coding isn't my strong suit)) closes off the bottom and has a Canon EF mount that I've already designed and tested. In other words, turning the focusing ring should let me focus this lens - and without much rattle or unwanted movement. I'm currently in the process of printing. Excited to see if it all fits together.

Looks to be an enlarging lens. Aperture shape doesn't really matter for that application as in normal usage you're projecting a flat negative or slide onto a flat piece of paper, so everything is in focus and bokeh doesn't matter. I have a lower-end (and tiny) Schneider enlarging lens with a square aperture just like that. The higher end Schneiders and newer El-Nikkors I use all have rounder apertures though - not sure why exactly. [t]https://i.imgur.com/O5mCHzP.jpg[/t] As for focusing, enlargers are set up somewhat like most large-format cameras* and there are two separate boards connected by bellows that hold the film and the lens, respectively. For enlarging in particular this is nice because A) there's no need to add focusing helicals to the lenses and B) you get a much larger range of movement that enables a wider range of print sizes. *there was actually a kit available for the Graflex press cameras ("Graflarger") that replaced the film holder with a negative holder and flourescent "cold light" head and mounted the camera pointing down so you could use it as an enlarger - printing with the taking lens.

Yes, whoops. That's what I meant with projector. I forgot the english name for it. Didn't realize the square apertures were common, but I realize that aperture shape doesn't matter at all in the application they were made for. I have done quite a bit of enlarging work myself, but I never took a close look at the lenses in the machines I used then. The lens is from my own old enlarging machine.

First iteration done printing: [img]https://puu.sh/z6PEA.png[/img] It's working, but it could work a lot better. The bad: 1 - I had to cancel the printing of the focusing platform, because of my own shitty support structures not doing their job. 2 - Screwing the lens into the soft plastic just doesn't work right. It always ends up somewhat crooked. 3 - The bottom doesn't fit on as snugly as I wanted. It's click-in-place design is not really working. 4 - Having long linear gears sticking out the bottom on the focusing platform is clearly a bad idea. These, aside from instantly breaking, are bendy enough to cause the focus mechanism to occasionally skip a thread. 5 - Aside from the expected light leak from using colored plastics, there's some room for improvement in the design to prevent leak from the top of the lens. The good: 1 - Focus ring fits on extremely well, and turns smoothly without rattle. 2 - Mounts onto the camera really well. 3 - My guesstimations of the correct lens / sensor spacing are within tolerances! 4 - Long focus travel enables very precise focusing. Anyways, here's two photos shot with it: [thumb]https://puu.sh/z6PA2.jpg[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z6PAc.jpg[/thumb] These have not been colour corrected. You'll notice the low contrast and particularly strong red cast in the second photo. The prototype body is printed in red plastic, which is not really opaque enough for the application, so this is to be expected. (not wasting my black filament on testing)

results look good otherwise. I really want to see some of that square bokeh

I'll take it outside and do some photography when I've get the second revision done.

Design has grown in complexity, but is now fully printable without support: [thumb]https://puu.sh/z7lJZ.png[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z7lJ1.png[/thumb] I cannot begin to imagine how difficult it is to engineer real lenses, especially back when computers weren't a thing

Update: This all printed rather flawlessly, and fit together super nicely. In the end, it did need support structures on one of the parts though. Not that it matters. There's a few small issues: 1 - I missed the angle a bit for the bayonet mount, so it mounts a bit crooked (this is only relevant to looks) 2 - I missed the placement of the locking pin on the camera, so the lens doesn't "click" into place when you attach it. Likely related to the above issue) Anyhow - less words, more pictures: [thumb]https://puu.sh/z8cxh.jpg[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z8cxB.jpg[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z8cy6.jpg[/thumb] And a couple of photos, be sure to open these in a new tab. Bit of square bokeh in the first one. (second one was wide open, so the bokeh is circular) [thumb]https://puu.sh/z8cWe.jpg[/thumb][thumb]https://puu.sh/z8cWR.jpg[/thumb] All in all, the lens is wonderfully sharp. The construction works well, and it focuses easily. I've been recording the entire design and printing process, so I'll make a video on the process & results shortly. Consider this post a little preview of that. Now I need rest :v: