3D printing prototype parts.

[estarzinger]

I'm interested in a recommendation for 3d printer? Home use. Would like to be able to make functional 'plastic' parts (nylon, carbon, etc) - would prefer to avoid really bad smells. Something I figure out as a beginner but also grow into. Lets say less than $10k. What do you all suggest?

I have experience with 2d CAD, will need to get more up to speed with 3D

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

I'm interested in a recommendation for 3d printer? Home use. Would like to be able to make functional 'plastic' parts (nylon, carbon, etc) - would prefer to avoid really bad smells. Something I figure out as a beginner but also grow into. Lets say less than $10k. What do you all suggest?

I have experience with 2d CAD, will need to get more up to speed with 3D

$10k is a very generous budget for a home 3d printer. You can get simple ones as low as $150, and you can get half-way decent prints. For $4-5k you're looking at some high-end stuff, pretty much professional quality. Of course you can always spend more, but it all depends on your needs.

[Davidhoy]

Fitted the 3D printed part on the boat today to see how it works. A couple of minor design tweaks needed, but overall a big success. Now to get it into metal...

[geoffr]

David,

Did you find a place to get the metal version created?

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by geoffr

David,

Did you find a place to get the metal version created?

Yes, but not at a price I was willing to pay. I'm looking at some alternatives, when I have the time.

-David

[Homeward13]

Can you find someone to oilsand cast it? You can do it or have it done at a very reasonable price. Might look a bit funky in bronze (or more expensive materials) but it could be functional, non-corrosive, and more importantly CHEAP!

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by Homeward13

Can you find someone to oilsand cast it? You can do it or have it done at a very reasonable price. Might look a bit funky in bronze (or more expensive materials) but it could be functional, non-corrosive, and more importantly CHEAP!

I'm planning on 3D printing the part in wax, making a reinforced plaster mold and then melting out the wax. Once I have the mold, or several in case I mess up, I can then melt down some aluminum scrap (I have a good source for 6061 shavings) and pour into the molds. With a little cleanup, I should have something decent, and then anodize it to make it pretty.

[Eigenvector]

David, just a word from a lesson learnt.............


I bought a heat treat oven and Mini-mite furnace at an auction for $10 total a 5 years ago. Best $10 ever spent.


Done a lot of stuff with the heat treat oven. However............


Me and some buddy's decieded to melt down some aluminim to make some ingots for makiing cool stuff TBD.


We gathered up over a week all the scrap aluminum we could find. We got enough to based on calculation make an ingot equal to 1 gallon. We poured into a 1 gallon paint thinner can with the top cut off.


Long story short........5 gallons of propane and case of bud litght later we had 1 gallon of molten ingot of aluminum in a paint thinner can. (We did wear safety glasses).


Next day it was cool and stripped off the metal can and everything looked great. A week later had something cool to machine so we decieded to cut it in half on the band saw. WE MADE A REALLY NICE GEODE!!!!!!!!!! Had a void the side of a baseball right in the middle. Dooohhhhhhhh.!


As usual we didn't bother to look into or research the proper way to cast material. Not that we didn't have a good time or have a good tale to tell, but my advise is to do more research than we did (nothing) on flux, an whatever else to make good castings.


Let me know how it turns out. One day we'll try something the scientific way rather than the hold my beer way.

[Looking4Neptune]

Any thoughts on buying a 3D printer and using it to make money while out cruising? I know people who make $ with a heavy duty sewing machine (sail repair, canvas covers, etc) or servicing diesel engines.
Can you use a 3D printer on a boat? I am concerned about:
- Power. Probably need to run a generator the whole time.
- Motion of the boat. Even in a pretty calm anchorage, the boat moves quite a bit (44 ft cat).
- Humidity. Some materials really don't like it. I'd mostly be in humid areas.
- Fumes. Probably need REALLY good ventilation in a room closed off from the rest of the boat.
- Being on a boat is not good for lots of tools and equipment.
But I guess you'd have to spend a lot of time in locations with MANY other cruisers to find enough business. Also would need to be able to use a range of materials, especially those having strength and weather / UV resistance. And there is always the potential to upset the locals who feel you are taking business from them (and as I would not have a local business license, they have a point).

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by Looking4Neptune

Any thoughts on buying a 3D printer and using it to make money while out cruising? I know people who make $ with a heavy duty sewing machine (sail repair, canvas covers, etc) or servicing diesel engines.
Can you use a 3D printer on a boat? I am concerned about:
- Power. Probably need to run a generator the whole time.
- Motion of the boat. Even in a pretty calm anchorage, the boat moves quite a bit (44 ft cat).
- Humidity. Some materials really don't like it. I'd mostly be in humid areas.
- Fumes. Probably need REALLY good ventilation in a room closed off from the rest of the boat.
- Being on a boat is not good for lots of tools and equipment.
But I guess you'd have to spend a lot of time in locations with MANY other cruisers to find enough business. Also would need to be able to use a range of materials, especially those having strength and weather / UV resistance. And there is always the potential to upset the locals who feel you are taking business from them (and as I would not have a local business license, they have a point).

I think you've correctly identified many of the factors that would make it very hard to run a 3d printer on a boat. They are inherently quite bulky, need a level and stable surface, require stable power, etc. PLA and many of the commonly used filaments are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture from the air. So you'd need to keep your spools in airtight containers, or else they'd be ruined. Regarding ventilation, it's a double edged sword - you need to control the fumes, but airflow can cause uneven cooling of your prints, and warping can result. You'd pretty much have to have an enclosure, which adds to the bulk, and we all know how much space is at a premium on most boat. Lastly, most consumer grade 3d printers can handle prototypes quite well, but not so much when is comes to production parts that have to stand up to abuse. You'll need to shell out a lot of money for a printer to make parts that can handle the stress of a marine environment.

But, if you can find a way to make it work, it could be an interesting way to make a few extra bucks. Let us know if you are successful