Waiting for my 3D printer !!

[julian64]

So I just spent out £1300 hard earned on a 3D printer. A Big Box Dual from E3d.

Long story short the lead time is about a month and while I'm waiting I want nominations for the coolest downloadable 3d printed model to make.

So far this is the first thing I'll print

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1564731

But I can be encouraged to change if someone spots something cooler. If its ubercool I might even make two and post one to the suggester by way of thanks, so no elephant sized prints.

[julian64]

NoVetec said:

That thing on the link looks like a monster fetish fleshlight.

errr.....I'll take your word for that, I was just going to use it as a cool place to store paperclips.

[julian64]

silverfoxcc said:

Julian

I saw my first 3d printer at Sandown park model show a year or two back. whilst i am more metal bashing, i watched for about 30 mins as it printed out one of those balls within balls within balls etc etc (n...n+1) I thought they were a work of art when done manually, normally far eastern original in ivory, but this was brilliant. vowed that would be the first thing i would do if i ever got one!

Ah a kindred spirit. I too am a metal basher. Only for hobby/maintaining my cars but over the years have accrued things which took my fancy. I now have a garage with lathe/ mill/ crucible/ press. In the house I have a little X1 4 axis CNC mill for small metal work, and this 3d printer will sit next to it. The plan is that amongst other things the 3d printer will prototype stuff which will then be used as a mould for my aluminium casting. I'm quite excited as to what the combination might achieve.

[julian64]

silverfoxcc said:

I build railway locomotives 5in gauge. Havent got to the Bessemer stage, but might send you some details of a tender water scoop you could cast for me for a fee!!

Interesting I inherited a bunch of locomotives in the last year and have been trying to gently refurbish them. I might post a pic if you are interested, I have little idea of what they are or the history behind them, but I find making bits for them quite cathartic

[julian64]

holy crap

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1643878

not that this is remotely within budget

[julian64]

CoolHands said:

I can't see the point. What could you possibly make that you need, that you can't buy? It will end up sitting unused in 6 months.

I have a very small metal four axis mill. Cost about £1000.

Over its life its saved me countless time energy and money. Typical example. Bit breaks on my car. so either

1) Call any manufacturer ====== Endless being given one phonecall after another to chase parts, followed by we don't make that anymore
2) Talk to engineering shops ===== wow for a run of one that's going to be expensive in setup. We don't really want to do it but if you give us £1000 to set up we could try. Just write us a blank cheque. Then it gets given to the stupidest intern to do.
3) Bit turns out not to fit even with the mickey mouse instructions you've given, and god forbid if you try to improvise.

Or

Design it on google sketchup. Machine from block the same day over a hour or so, and if it doesn't work repeat every hour till it does. On the way you design new stuff which works better.

Of course if you lead the sort of vanilla life whereby your car is always mainstream with cheap parts, or when something goes wrong you just buy a new one, and you have no imagination to make anything that isn't already on ebay. Then it will pretty much sit unused in your house and this isn't the thread for you .

[julian64]

I have to say on the subject of that block. If it was an 'art' project, I would take that 3d printing of the ecoboost block out to my garage, deposit it in greensand to make a mould then pour molten aluminium in it.
It would look so much nicer as an aluminium sculpture.

Besides I tend to lean toward 3d printed objects which move/work. Was looking a tourbillon clock the other day. Might be a bit above me as I don't know how my 3d printer is gong to perform.

[julian64]

wildcat45 said:

Is there was of 3D scanning things? If for example II had a small model aircraft, a plastic switch for my car, something like that that I wanted to make a copy of, would that be possible?

Good question. On my CNCmill you can get a digitizing head which is a little electrical contact that when it touches something it reports back, this can be used to scan an object at high resolution but it would take a very very very long time to get an useful item.

Something like google sketchup is very quick and easy to learn and would have to making small switches in a few hours

[julian64]

simonrockman said:

For scanning - big things like people rather than switches http://reconstructme.net/ is good and free, I've not played with it for a few years and drivers were a real pain but I'd rather hope they have that sorted now.

Also have a look at http://www.123dapp.com/catch which I didn't have such great results with but again it was a long time ago.

Simon

That's kinda fascinating