3D printers...who has one?

Lord Tin Foilhat

TCG Conspiracy Lead Investigator
TCG Premium
Jul 8, 2007
60,686
56,744
Privy Chamber
Finally getting around to getting this thing back in operation....

Sitting so long it had a layer of dust. Did a level and going to try a print in the morning.

20210511_210744.jpg
 

FESTER665

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Apr 13, 2008
39,951
66,070
Streamwood
Okay, so you all are much more knowledgeable on this than I am so I pose to you guys the following question.... Do finished goods need to look like this, or can something be done in the settings or something to make it look better?

A new customer is having these made for them and I think they look terrible, and am curious if the guy is having problems with his settings or what the deal might be?

Plastic is ABS if that matters:
IMG_2444.jpg


It seems like every line of print is very noticeable, and on some of them it's like they didnt even bond together and you can see a light gap between the rows? :dunno:
 

Lord Tin Foilhat

TCG Conspiracy Lead Investigator
TCG Premium
Jul 8, 2007
60,686
56,744
Privy Chamber
Okay, so you all are much more knowledgeable on this than I am so I pose to you guys the following question.... Do finished goods need to look like this, or can something be done in the settings or something to make it look better?

A new customer is having these made for them and I think they look terrible, and am curious if the guy is having problems with his settings or what the deal might be?

Plastic is ABS if that matters:
View attachment 90761

It seems like every line of print is very noticeable, and on some of them it's like they didnt even bond together and you can see a light gap between the rows? :dunno:
I mean you shouldnt see gaps between the lines... usually that is bad layer adhesion.

But as for the lines being visible, yeah thats just 3d printing. You can sand and smooth them out or use smaller layers to make the lines less visible, but it also increases print time drastically.

as for the quality, It isnt horrible, but could be calibrated to be a little more accurate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FESTER665

FESTER665

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Apr 13, 2008
39,951
66,070
Streamwood
I mean you shouldnt see gaps between the lines... usually that is bad layer adhesion.

But as for the lines being visible, yeah thats just 3d printing. You can sand and smooth them out or use smaller layers to make the lines less visible, but it also increases print time drastically.

as for the quality, It isnt horrible, but could be calibrated to be a little more accurate.

I have a feeling theyre going to look into a different box or having a mold made and doing it differently, because it doesnt look great and considering theyre going to be wanting to make thousands of these supposedly I can't see them continuing with these, unless they pay the guy to 3D print them then sand them all the way around or something. :dunno:
 

Lord Tin Foilhat

TCG Conspiracy Lead Investigator
TCG Premium
Jul 8, 2007
60,686
56,744
Privy Chamber
I have a feeling theyre going to look into a different box or having a mold made and doing it differently, because it doesnt look great and considering theyre going to be wanting to make thousands of these supposedly I can't see them continuing with these, unless they pay the guy to 3D print them then sand them all the way around or something. :dunno:
he would use vapor smoothing for ABS. But I agree, for thousands you would use 3d printing for the mold, then send it off. It will be cheaper, faster and look better.

But this is what acetone smoothing does to ABS

1622659299305.png


1622659321995.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: FESTER665

Turbocharged400sbc

3800 & 4T80E > ALL
TCG Premium
Jun 16, 2007
32,540
15,847
hangover park IL
Also I would guess that the bed might be moving around a bit since at the lower layer Heights everything looks good until you get up near the top.
If this is a Gantry machine where the table is moving then it very likely could be that the whole assembly is rocking back and forth oscillating like an upside-down pendulum.

There appears to be very little deviation in the x-axis all of it in the y-axis which is typically the moving bed. The guy should probably at least get rid of his Springs and go to the newer silicone type spacers for leveling the bed

This would probably come out a lot better on a Core X Y or cube type Cartesian
 

Fish

From the quiet street
TCG Premium
Aug 3, 2007
40,517
7,871
Hanover Park
Real Name
Fish
Im telling you. Library. $.10 a gram. Ive done some big prints for pretty cheap the few times Ive sold them. IIRC I was charging like $10 for the few fantasy football losers trophies but I know a few people kicked a few extra bucks to be nice. Which I did appreciate. :)
 

Lord Tin Foilhat

TCG Conspiracy Lead Investigator
TCG Premium
Jul 8, 2007
60,686
56,744
Privy Chamber
I'm so lost on 3d printing, I think it would be cool to fabricate things but there is just so much to learn.
There is a learning curve if you want consistent good prints and understand how to make adjustments based on how it is printing and the design of the model.

Until they develop software that can analyze a model and adjust print settings based on that automatically, there will always be a slight curve.

But it is much easier then it used to be and the support on the internet is outstanding. Tons of videos, forums, reddit, chat rooms and aftermarket for a good amount of major brand printers that are under 300$. Just have to dedicate the time. My wife wasn't the happiest the first couple months with how much time I spent on it :rofl:
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 90 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant. Consider starting a new thread to get fresh replies.

Thread Info