Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

This forum is dedicated to those Hobbyists Interested in CNC machining & 3D Printing in their home shops. (Digital Read Outs are also topical, as is CAD/CAM as it relates to CNC)

Moderator: Harold_V

Geezer
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Dec 13, 2017 7:14 pm

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by Geezer »

Geezer wrote: Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:47 pm Our son , designed and printed over 100 pieces
for this assembly of the Santa Maria last year.
Using wood filament , very solid.


Santa Maria.jpg
His printer is Anet A8 kit , Cheapy from China
User avatar
ctwo
Posts: 2996
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 12:37 pm
Location: Silly Cone Valley

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by ctwo »

There is no reason this should be a dead stop for you Steve. Wish we could help and a good enthusiast forum surely could help. In my case, I lowered my expectations of 3D printing so much that I'm impressed with what I'm getting. It is not impressive but functional. At the very least, you should have that too...
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
User avatar
neanderman
Posts: 896
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:15 pm
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by neanderman »

Geezer wrote: Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:47 pm Our son , designed and printed over 100 pieces
for this assembly of the Santa Maria last year.
Very impressive! What is the scale?
Ed

LeBlond Dual Drive, 15x30
US-Burke Millrite MVI
Atlas 618
Files, snips and cold chisels

Proud denizen of the former "Machine Tool Capitol of the World"
atunguyd
Posts: 199
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:39 pm
Location: Durban South Africa

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by atunguyd »

I have a prussa i3 printer that I assembled about 3 years ago.
My lathe is a sieg sc8 (not a mini lathe) and has a metric leadscrew. In order to do some imperial threads I determined that I would need to swop out one of the gears in the drive train to a 33 tooth. I designed and printed it on my 3D printer.
The gear held up well for this task (although I expect it will fail at some point)

If I can create a plastic gear that holds up to lathe work I am sure an enclosure will be fine. In fact I have printed many electronic enclosures.

Use ABS not PLA and use a high nozzle heat to ensure layers bond to each other well.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

User avatar
SteveHGraham
Posts: 7788
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by SteveHGraham »

I lowered my expectations of 3D printing so much that I'm impressed with what I'm getting.
I think that is key. Reminds me of a story my grandfather told. He was a judge in Eastern Kentucky. A man he knew came up to him on the street and complained that he couldn't find a wife. My grandfather told him to lower his expectations. Some time later, the man approached him again with a woman on his arm, and he introduced her as his wife. My grandfather said, "See what I told you?"

I believe Cura is the program that refuses to see the printer. I haven't been fooling with it because it's a low priority. I put it together with a friend's 7-year-old, and he is upset that nothing has happened. He calls his older brother "Prancey the Unicorn," and he is eager to start printing unicorns.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
DavidF
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 12:28 pm
Location: Delaware

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by DavidF »

Steve whats the problem exactly? Did you load the firmware up yet? Is it a connection problem when trying to do so??
User avatar
SteveHGraham
Posts: 7788
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by SteveHGraham »

I can't tell you "exactly," because I don't remember, but basically, the software refuses to see the printer.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
DavidF
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 12:28 pm
Location: Delaware

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by DavidF »

Which software??
Most of these printer kits require you to upload the firmware to the controller. Have you done that??
If not I'd start looking for the firmware and also download the arduino ide. There may also be a driver out there to get your computer to recognize the printer.
DavidF
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 12:28 pm
Location: Delaware

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by DavidF »

Just looked it up, your driver is on the sd card supplied with the printer. Need to install that on your computer so it recognizes the printer.
User avatar
ctwo
Posts: 2996
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 12:37 pm
Location: Silly Cone Valley

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by ctwo »

I am not familiar with the A6 and I have not tried connecting a PC directly to my printer. I watched an RCLifeON youtube review of the A6 and the illustrated process and interface looks exactly the same as mine.

Cura "slices" the STL design file and writes gcode to SD card, and then I carry the SD card to the printer and use the printer's LCD/interface to print from SD. I had to enter some printer parameters into Cura - settings based on the CR-10 where I just changed the print volume and saved that as a custom printer. I'd expect the printer to already have firmware installed on its controller.
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
DavidF
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 12:28 pm
Location: Delaware

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by DavidF »

WJH
Posts: 1417
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:29 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?

Post by WJH »

I would feel lost if I no longer had access to my Prusa i3 Mk2.5 with Bear upgrade. It is a valuable tool for unlimited things.
Post Reply