3D Printers

[saac]

3 hours ago, Synchronicity said:

I hope it's ok to hijack this thread for a bit and ask about combined 3d printer / CNC / laser etching machines.  I stumbled across an article about the forthcoming SnapMaker 2 and see that there are a few manufacturers doing these.  I've also found some articles on how to add the functionality to a standard Creality CR-10. 

Does anyone have any experience or recommendations?

A cast iron justification for needing one would also help as my wife is somewhat sceptical 🙂

Thanks

Michael

Michael, I have a dedicated laser engraver/cutter.  You will want to think about exhaust extraction for the laser engraver it's essential when cutting plywood and some plastics. This will have an impact on where you would site your unit.  Extraction can be noisy and depending on the type  of laser you go for (gas or solid state ) you may need also to think about a water cooling supply. Personally I would avoid these combined units; quite often it will try to be good at everything but end up being poor at each (different design criterion for each mode).   I guess what you need to ask is what would you be using it for and how often would you be using it .  

Jim 

 

[Synchronicity]

Thanks Jim

This would be very much a boys toy to see what can be done.  There are a few things I'd like to print and I'd like to experiment with the CNC for making decorative bits for woodwork.  From your comment I'm guessing you have something more substantial than I'm thinking of.

All the best

Michael

 

[upahill]

8 hours ago, Synchronicity said:

Does anyone have any experience or recommendations?

Probably not the answer you are looking for but I would steer clear unless it was 100% for fun project use.

The rigidity needed for CNC is overkill for 3D printing, the dust/debris from CNC will not to a 3D printer/laser any good. The movement from a CNC will throw a laser out of alignment.

It's a pain - I have all three in various states of disrepair at the moment and the thought of combining them all into one machine is appealing - but having used all three I just can't see the interoperability ever being ideal.

However.....

Machines like the Snapmaker are kind of strictly hobby only. The CNC is more of a carving module so im assuming you wont be trying to mill alluminium, the 3D print head appears to be a single nozzle and the laser is engraving light duty only so not really going to be cutting anything much thicker than card.

Get yourself a good air compressor for cleaning out between jobs and you will probably be fine.

If you are happy to limit what you make to the sort of projects shown on their website then they are a great space saver. And they probably come with a custom software to make the whole process a bit easier than trying to learn how to use three different machines.

If it was me though I would get a 3D printer, and build something like the RootCNC or MPCNC to complement it, this could also have a 4W laser diode or similar strapped to it. This would be slightly cheaper, allow you to do more but have a much steeper learning curve.

Just my thoughts.

8 hours ago, Synchronicity said:

A cast iron justification for needing one would also help as my wife is somewhat sceptical 🙂

My wife values the alone time when im pottering in the barn, so actively encourages 🤣 Maybe show her all the amazing, practical things that can be made on Pinterest...... works for me (sometimes)

[JamesF]

51 minutes ago, upahill said:

If it was me though I would get a 3D printer, and build something like the RootCNC or MPCNC to complement it, this could also have a 4W laser diode or similar strapped to it. This would be slightly cheaper, allow you to do more but have a much steeper learning curve.

Oh, now, those look like fun.

James

[upahill]

1 minute ago, JamesF said:

Oh, now, those look like fun.

James

They are, although I confess I never finished mine, ended up going down the OXCNC route using OpenBuilds hardware. Almost finished the build and get a larger 4'x4' area to play with

Although the RootCNC can get pretty big if you want to.

[JamesF]

I think four feet square is somewhat larger than I might find necessary

James

[dyfiastro]

On 19/11/2019 at 19:25, Thalestris24 said:

Yes, fusion 360 creates an image of a standard thread from the McMaster-Carr database but it makes it into a real thread if you check 'Model'. Unfortunately, McMaster-Carr don't include a M42 x 0.75 thread . The only alternative I've found is to use the coil tool to create a T2 thread from scratch. If anyone knows an another way, I'd be interested to hear. I used the coil tool to create a T2 lock ring. The challenge is really to print threads precisely enough so that they mate properly and work as expected!

Thanks

Louise

I have only been playing around with tinkercad so far but I have found that it has a metric thread generator built in.
I am currently in the process of designing an adapter for my 130PDS so I can mount the MPCC inside the focuser tube.
For this I needed T2 and M54 Threads, the generator only goes upto 50mm but the T2 threads have so far worked after a few trial and errors to get the correct internal thread sizing correct.
Nothing stopping you using tinkercad for the threads and then importing them into fusion for the rest of the design.

As a side not regarding print beds, my ender pro came with a magnetic bad which has been a godsend. the fact that you can just peel the bed of and then peel the print away makes life a lot easier.
I have cut a number of mirrors for when I want to have a glossy surface as the magnetic bed leaves a matt one. I have found that a small amount of IPA applied to the bed and print make the print pop right off (you can almost hear it cracking and releasing as the IPA is evaporating)

[Thalestris24]

7 hours ago, dyfiastro said:

I have only been playing around with tinkercad so far but I have found that it has a metric thread generator built in.
I am currently in the process of designing an adapter for my 130PDS so I can mount the MPCC inside the focuser tube.
For this I needed T2 and M54 Threads, the generator only goes upto 50mm but the T2 threads have so far worked after a few trial and errors to get the correct internal thread sizing correct.
Nothing stopping you using tinkercad for the threads and then importing them into fusion for the rest of the design.

As a side not regarding print beds, my ender pro came with a magnetic bad which has been a godsend. the fact that you can just peel the bed of and then peel the print away makes life a lot easier.
I have cut a number of mirrors for when I want to have a glossy surface as the magnetic bed leaves a matt one. I have found that a small amount of IPA applied to the bed and print make the print pop right off (you can almost hear it cracking and releasing as the IPA is evaporating)

Thanks for the suggestion re Tinkercad. I can do it in Fusion 360 and the original lowspec stl files already had T2 threads. At the end of the day it's trial and error to try and get the print to work properly however you generate threads. I have the magnetic bed also and it does make it fairly easy to remove most things.

Louise

[RolandKol]

Hi guys,

Has anyone found any non-glossy PETG?

I am planning to print some baffles for my SW 130PDS...

Cannot find anything in UK... I think I will end up painting them, but I would like to avoid that

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Have look @ https://e3d-online.com/filaments-3d-printing?material=41   or  https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/42-prusament?id_category=42&n=27   both are fine printing materials, if a little pricey (& watch shipping costs), and even though they appear 'shiney' in the pictures, aren't as bad when printed..... 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Louise (and any other newcomers), another quick tip to pass on....

… and that is, to keep your hot end \ heating block clean, especially internally, where over time deposits will accrue, resulting in blobs, stringy-ness, blockages, bad bed adhesion etc.

Externally its relatively easy to use a fine wire brush to gently clean off any deposits, but internally it will probably require stripping down the nozzle \ heater block \ heat break, into their component parts. This may well require that the block is heated to working temperatures to 'break' and seals, SO BE CAREFUL, and use suitable tools etc. Also when hot, its then much easier to dislodge any caked on deposits....

 

 

[Thalestris24]

3 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Louise (and any other newcomers), another quick tip to pass on....

… and that is, to keep your hot end \ heating block clean, especially internally, where over time deposits will accrue, resulting in blobs, stringy-ness, blockages, bad bed adhesion etc.

Externally its relatively easy to use a fine wire brush to gently clean off any deposits, but internally it will probably require stripping down the nozzle \ heater block \ heat break, into their component parts. This may well require that the block is heated to working temperatures to 'break' and seals, SO BE CAREFUL, and use suitable tools etc. Also when hot, its then much easier to dislodge any caked on deposits....

 

 

Thanks for the tip! I think the printer came with a length of stiff 'wire' thingy which I presume is for cleaning the nozzle? Not used it yet. There are also some spare nozzles - maybe I'll need a new one at some point...

Cheers

Louise

[upahill]

5 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Louise (and any other newcomers), another quick tip to pass on....

… and that is, to keep your hot end \ heating block clean, especially internally, where over time deposits will accrue, resulting in blobs, stringy-ness, blockages, bad bed adhesion etc.

Externally its relatively easy to use a fine wire brush to gently clean off any deposits, but internally it will probably require stripping down the nozzle \ heater block \ heat break, into their component parts. This may well require that the block is heated to working temperatures to 'break' and seals, SO BE CAREFUL, and use suitable tools etc. Also when hot, its then much easier to dislodge any caked on deposits....

 

 

I can highly recommend the silicone socks too for keeping the heatblocks/nozzles fairly clean externally. Got mine included with the E3D kit, but available for a variety of hotends on eBay.

[Stub Mandrel]

15 hours ago, upahill said:

I can highly recommend the silicone socks too for keeping the heatblocks/nozzles fairly clean externally. Got mine included with the E3D kit, but available for a variety of hotends on eBay.

+1

[JamesF]

Close call this evening whilst printing a part for the rain gauge.  I knew I was quite near the end of the reel of filament, but on the basis of no evidence whatsoever I gambled on having enough left to finish.  I got lucky.  This is how much was left on the reel at the end of the print.

I think that must be less than the last two metres from a reel of somewhere around three hundred and forty?

What can you do that's useful with two metres of filament?  I was thinking of printing some T2 spacers, but I think I have enough for the time being.

James

[saac]

 Filament anxiety, I know it well James😀

Jim

[Gina]

I currently have a 4.5Kg reel of white PLA in my printer I've just started - should last a while.  🤣

[saac]

Think of the possibilities that await for it Gina, whatever will be will be😀 

Jim

[Gina]

Currently printing a part for my latest All Sky Camera.

[PeterW]

Amateur, recently watched a colleague print a part and the end of the filament had just disappeared inside the feeder as the print ended.... 

peter

 

[JamesF]

9 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Amateur, recently watched a colleague print a part and the end of the filament had just disappeared inside the feeder as the print ended....

That would be a pain if you wanted to do the next print in another colour

James

[JamesF]

I managed to use another 50cm today, printing a grommet for the new cable for my rain gauge.

So there's still about a metre and a half left.  It's become a challenge now, to find useful things to print that will get me as close to using all of the remaining filament as possible

James

[RolandKol]

2 hours ago, JamesF said:

I managed to use another 50cm today, printing a grommet for the new cable for my rain gauge.

So there's still about a metre and a half left.  It's become a challenge now, to find useful things to print that will get me as close to using all of the remaining filament as possible

James

Bag clips are quite good for leftovers !)

[JamesF]

12 hours ago, RolandKol said:

Bag clips are quite good for leftovers !)

I shall remember that

I did actually realise this morning that I need another grommet for the cable entry into the screen for the rain gauge.  I kicked off a print that would have used almost all the remaining filament, only to have it snap about a quarter of the way into the print.  I tried to feed the snapped piece back in, but I think the bend it had taken on from being on the centre of the reel meant that it wouldn't go into the teflon tube without faffing about.  I'll try reprinting it at a lower infill percentage and see what happens.  It's not like it needs to be really strong.

James

[Chriske]

On 05/12/2019 at 00:22, upahill said:

I can highly recommend the silicone socks too for keeping the heatblocks/nozzles fairly clean externally. Got mine included with the E3D kit, but available for a variety of hotends on eBay.

+1