3D Printing question

[Anthonyexmouth]

Any 3d printers out there know if it would be possible to print a graduated ring to slip over a rotator which doesnt have any markings? the rotator is 77mm diameter. 1 degree marks would be nice but 2 degree wouild be ok. I've never dont any printing and not sure whats possible with it. I'm looking for options to get a scale on my rotator. 

[Ratlet]

15 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

Any 3d printers out there know if it would be possible to print a graduated ring to slip over a rotator which doesnt have any markings? the rotator is 77mm diameter. 1 degree marks would be nice but 2 degree wouild be ok. I've never dont any printing and not sure whats possible with it. I'm looking for options to get a scale on my rotator. 

Probably.  I'm not an expert, but I've printed lens caps with threads which are quite precise. 

Might need a bit of iterative design to get a best fit but it's certainly possible.

 

[vlaiv]

Not really sure if that is going to be possible.

Even if it is possible - it won't be easy on regular printer - you would need one capable of printing with two filaments.

Marks that are in same color are rather difficult to spot so you need two color printing. There are tricks to do filament change on printer with single extruder and in principle - you can "write text" or do similar things on top of print - so that can be used, but I'm not sure about precision.

You say that you have 77mm diameter and you need single degree marks?

77mm diameter will have around 242mm of circumference. That divided with 360 degrees leaves about 0.67mm per "tick" / "mark". That is very small for regular FDM printer with 0.4mm nozzle. Positioning of the print nozzle is not a problem - it can position itself with enough precision - it is the width of extrusion that is the problem - you would have something like 0.4mm mark (single extruded line) then 0.27 gap and so on. Too close for comfort really.

You could switch to 0.25 or even 0.2mm nozzle and then have extrusion of up to 0.3mm in width so in principle you could do 1 degree marks on such circle, but I'm not sure if it would be the best looking.

I think that much better option is to find someone with desktop cnc router. That can cut plastic sheet to wanted dimension and then use laser as engraving tool to put marks on it.

[Happysolderer]

I'm sure it's possible

Edited October 17, 2022 by Happysolderer

[teoria_del_big_bang]

I have printed in 5 colours with my printer, but it does play up from time to time so not used it for a bit.
Also agree with @vlaiv that trying to print 1 degree markers would make it pretty unreadable although with the right nozzle and extrusion width would be possible but would not recommend it and marks a say every 5 degrees with maybe a smaller one in between (making markers every 2.5 degrees)  would be sufficient as even with 1 degree marks I do not think it would be accurate to that amount.

You maybe better designing the ring and giving it to a professional company that can print in two colours, there are a few in UK but if you want draw your design and put on this thread it may give is a better idea if we know exactly what it is you are after.

Steve

[Anthonyexmouth]

1 hour ago, vlaiv said:

Not really sure if that is going to be possible.

Even if it is possible - it won't be easy on regular printer - you would need one capable of printing with two filaments.

Marks that are in same color are rather difficult to spot so you need two color printing. There are tricks to do filament change on printer with single extruder and in principle - you can "write text" or do similar things on top of print - so that can be used, but I'm not sure about precision.

You say that you have 77mm diameter and you need single degree marks?

77mm diameter will have around 242mm of circumference. That divided with 360 degrees leaves about 0.67mm per "tick" / "mark". That is very small for regular FDM printer with 0.4mm nozzle. Positioning of the print nozzle is not a problem - it can position itself with enough precision - it is the width of extrusion that is the problem - you would have something like 0.4mm mark (single extruded line) then 0.27 gap and so on. Too close for comfort really.

You could switch to 0.25 or even 0.2mm nozzle and then have extrusion of up to 0.3mm in width so in principle you could do 1 degree marks on such circle, but I'm not sure if it would be the best looking.

I think that much better option is to find someone with desktop cnc router. That can cut plastic sheet to wanted dimension and then use laser as engraving tool to put marks on it.

It  doesn't have to be every degree or even a different colour, I'm sure every 2 or 3 degrees and I could use a paint wash to fill the indents of the markings to avoid 2 colour printing. 

Only throwing it out there as an idea, at present when I do framing in NINA it tells me how far I have to rotate but since moving to a mini pc on the pier running in and out of the house to make guesses on the rotation is getting tedious. I tried remote desktop on my phone but it's too fiddly. 

[vlaiv]

Maybe best approach would be to make grooves rather than markers that are tall - that can make them narrow without having to worry about accidentally damaging them (single width extrusion is not exactly strong and can break off easily).

You'd need some sort of paint to make marks visible enough (think miniature painting).

If you want to print letters and numbers - then they need to be a bit larger, and there is new feature called Arachne slicer engine that is supposed to be much better at fine detail - worth having a look.

[Anthonyexmouth]

Just now, vlaiv said:

Maybe best approach would be to make grooves rather than markers that are tall - that can make them narrow without having to worry about accidentally damaging them (single width extrusion is not exactly strong and can break off easily).

You'd need some sort of paint to make marks visible enough (think miniature painting).

If you want to print letters and numbers - then they need to be a bit larger, and there is new feature called Arachne slicer engine that is supposed to be much better at fine detail - worth having a look.

Yeah, I was actually thinking indents rather than raised markings. Even an emulsion brushed over and then wiped off to leave it in the grooves would be ok. It's just something to make less trips running in and out of the house. It's a real shame it was something missing from the rotator in the first place. Everything else on the scope is so nice and yet graduated marks are missing. 

[vlaiv]

Depending on how DIY person with 3d printer is - here are some alternatives:

so you can write marks on 3d printed part ...

[Ratlet]

Or you could try this.

https://m.all3dp.com/4/transfer-images-onto-3d-models-using-a-laser-printer/

 

Been meaning to try it myself.

[vlaiv]

4 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

Or you could try this.

https://m.all3dp.com/4/transfer-images-onto-3d-models-using-a-laser-printer/

 

Been meaning to try it myself.

That is sooo cool

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

This is the focuser, I've added 2 arrows to show the 2 points of rotation, it's the thin red one where I was thinking about being able to slide a 3d printed ring. 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Ii could probably be done with a good, well configured and maintained 'stock' printer, but for the level of accuracy you are looking for, I'd use an SLA printer e.g. https://www.prusa3d.com/category/original-prusa-sl1s-speed/

 

[Alien 13]

If it were me I would print a strip on a normal 2d printer and wrap it around, could use normal photo paper or that plasticky stuff..

Alan

P.S. Think the special waterproof paper was by Raymark.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Alien 13

[kbrown]

How about just laser printing the markings on a paper strip of correct width and length. Then laminate the print and superglue it onto the 3D printed ring?

 

EDIT: Ah, @Alien 13 beat me to it

Edited October 18, 2022 by kbrown

[Anthonyexmouth]

25 minutes ago, kbrown said:

How about just laser printing the markings on a paper strip of correct width and length. Then laminate the print and superglue it onto the 3D printed ring?

 

EDIT: Ah, @Alien 13 beat me to it

I had looked at the self adhesive rulers on Amazon but wanted to avoid gluing anything to my new scope. Maybe I'm being a little over protective due to it being new. 

[vlaiv]

1 minute ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

I had looked at the self adhesive rulers on Amazon but wanted to avoid gluing anything to my new scope. Maybe I'm being a little over protective due to it being new. 

There is always a combination of the two

3D print simple mounting ring on which you'll stick self adhesive ruler or regularly printed granulation.

[Anthonyexmouth]

9 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

There is always a combination of the two

3D print simple mounting ring on which you'll stick self adhesive ruler or regularly printed granulation.

Now that sounds like a plan. 

[teoria_del_big_bang]

What about a different approach:

3D print a clamp that fits around some diameter (could be a spacer), fit felt inside if worries about marking the diameter, that is flat on one side and can fit a metal strip to so you can put a magnetic clinometer on it, zero it and then rotate the desired amount of degrees, remove the clinometer and away you go. Clinometers are cheap and I think very accurate these days.

Similar to This one

Steve

Edited October 18, 2022 by teoria_del_big_bang

[vlaiv]

9 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

What about a different approach:

3D print a clamp that fits around some diameter (could be a spacer), fit felt inside if worries about marking the diameter, that is flat on one side and can fit a metal strip to so you can put a magnetic clinometer on it, zero it and then rotate the desired amount of degrees, remove the clinometer and away you go. Clinometers are cheap and I think very accurate these days.

Similar to This one

Steve

That is very interesting solution.

How well will clinometer work if OTA is pointing up (in that case - it won't start in horizontal position and we only need it to measure angle along one axis).

[teoria_del_big_bang]

2 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

That is very interesting solution.

How well will clinometer work if OTA is pointing up (in that case - it won't start in horizontal position and we only need it to measure angle along one axis).

I knew you would find a hole in the solution 🙂 , I guess it wouldnt work, it was just a quick thought off the top of my head and would probably only work if you returned the scope to be level and make that park position so you can easily send it there and then back after the rotation, so I guess you could get it to work but maybe not a nice solution 😞 

Steve

[Synchronicity]

I'm still fiddling but plan to use a printed scale as suggested above, fixed on with clear sellotape along with a slightly modified one of these.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/393917-asi1600-utility-belt-with-rotation-pointer-3d-printed/#comment-4236946

Michael