3D Printer is awesome
Discussion
So I decided that the business requires a 3D printer...for, er, stuff.
Following tons of research decided to get a Makerbot 3D 5th generation and its absolutely bloody brilliant. Have so far printed out everything from a plastic chain to a 1/72 scale Viper MkVII. Detail is exceptionally good, its pretty quiet and fast and the finished items are just great.
Currently printing in PLA which is good but needs hand finishing for real smoothness so a slight pain compare to ABS - but its damn tough stuff which is good for detail printing
Reason Im posting is that Id ideally like it to get as much use as possible - I want to find out if there really is any value to these in terms of being useful household/hobby thing (and to be fair we have already had a rush prototype job for a supercharger timing wheel which was completed in 2 hours start to finish)
So - if anyone would like anything printed...please shout. All free (unless you're going to use absolutely tons of plastic and that's only £45/kilo) - email over STL or OBJ file which you can output from any 3D program, and I can print overnight and post next day. would be very cool to do some modelling stuff
Cheers
Night
Following tons of research decided to get a Makerbot 3D 5th generation and its absolutely bloody brilliant. Have so far printed out everything from a plastic chain to a 1/72 scale Viper MkVII. Detail is exceptionally good, its pretty quiet and fast and the finished items are just great.
Currently printing in PLA which is good but needs hand finishing for real smoothness so a slight pain compare to ABS - but its damn tough stuff which is good for detail printing
Reason Im posting is that Id ideally like it to get as much use as possible - I want to find out if there really is any value to these in terms of being useful household/hobby thing (and to be fair we have already had a rush prototype job for a supercharger timing wheel which was completed in 2 hours start to finish)
So - if anyone would like anything printed...please shout. All free (unless you're going to use absolutely tons of plastic and that's only £45/kilo) - email over STL or OBJ file which you can output from any 3D program, and I can print overnight and post next day. would be very cool to do some modelling stuff
Cheers
Night
enjo said:
Very generous offer!
Any pics of the printer or printed parts so far? I'm thinking of getting one also to aid in freelance product design.
What did you pay if you don't mind me asking?
it's this printer (better than a crappy iphone pic i think!) http://store.makerbot.com/replicatorAny pics of the printer or printed parts so far? I'm thinking of getting one also to aid in freelance product design.
What did you pay if you don't mind me asking?
and it cost about £2500. Not cheap...but a real drop in price and increase in quality in the most recent ones so decided it was worth getting one now......some prints:
some random prints....
The cogged wheel for the supercharger:
Pendant by some designer someone i know likes
Viper
Owls and nuts
blueST said:
Hi,
This a bit cheeky, but my wife teaches in dentistry and has wanted an anatomically correct 3d skull for a long time. Is that something you might be able to do? It doesn't need to be 1:1 size, but the bigger the better. If I could present her one of those I'd be in favours for the rest of my life!
I don't know anything about the 3d software so I'd need to source a file already in existence. Any suggestions?
Sounds good to me! This a bit cheeky, but my wife teaches in dentistry and has wanted an anatomically correct 3d skull for a long time. Is that something you might be able to do? It doesn't need to be 1:1 size, but the bigger the better. If I could present her one of those I'd be in favours for the rest of my life!
I don't know anything about the 3d software so I'd need to source a file already in existence. Any suggestions?
You will indeed - luckily skulls are quite popular! Start at www.thingiverse.com and search there. I'll have a look in other places too and see what I can find. whether anyone has done an proper model Im not sure....but fingers crossed! If not....we can look at getting a 3D model done
Voldemort said:
Fascinating thread.
As a modelling request in general, could I ask you to print out some random part in different scales? I'd be fascinated to see how small it can go retaining detail.
Good idea - anything spring to mind? I've got to print my brother an Assassins Creed pendant - ill do a few in different sizes ...though possibly a bit simple for that plan.As a modelling request in general, could I ask you to print out some random part in different scales? I'd be fascinated to see how small it can go retaining detail.
Min step is 100 microns - so that's the min gap size as well I guess
blueST said:
Thank you! I'll trawl through that link, if you search skull tonnes come up. Any tips on what to look for in a "good" model. Is there some equivalent to resolution or quality?
This one looks very good - but it costs (not much), rather than being free which sucks: http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/anatomically-s...this one is free but not sure how accurate....http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3400/#made
also is missing a bottom jaw which i sense may be considered important by a dentist!
Gassing Station | Scale Models | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff