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Registered Member #3324
Joined: Sun Oct 17 2010, 06:57PM
Location:
Posts: 1276
I was thinking of getting one, i did actually but it arrived in peices and so i sent it back. Ive realised now that id rather save up 100-200 more and buy a small manual mill, then you can make things out of metal or plastic, and they are much stronger.
Registered Member #2431
Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639
Thomas W wrote ...
I was thinking of getting one, i did actually but it arrived in peices and so i sent it back. Ive realised now that id rather save up 100-200 more and buy a small manual mill, then you can make things out of metal or plastic, and they are much stronger.
Yeah but they won't be hollow parts, vertical mills have to be able to reach the lowest point, while leaving vertical sides.
So, manual/CNC mills vs. 3D Extrusion is always a trade off. If as you say, strength or hard parts are critical, I'd go traditional too Thomas.
As for iamsmooth's question, I think we should conspire in research, I need a 3D print ability too. Let me look up the ones you mention....
Artlav's work. But I don't know if he owns a machine, or had it mailed.
Registered Member #190
Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
Location:
Posts: 1567
Let me know what you find. I've called places and read a number of reviews. What I have so far:
Some of the nicer machines have small build volumes, which is ok if you never plan to make anything big. I don't want to limit myself.
Some machines only do PLA or ABS, but not both.
The biggest issue is that some machines fail after a few prints because of clogged injectors. Readjustments, calibration and maintenance seem to be very common. Some reviews love the machines; others say they consider them a frustrating failure. Maybe the latter have no mechanical skills and expect a perfect product. I am not sure.
I would really like to speak with someone that uses one other than a salesperson.
Registered Member #2431
Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639
IamSmooth wrote ...
I would really like to speak with someone that uses one other than a salesperson.
i totally agree.
i wanted big mill volume capabilities when it came to my CNC vertical mill here on the forum. but didnt come close to using the large area in the 3 years i had that machine.
Registered Member #96
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4062
There was an article about using carbon loaded materials as a substitute for copper in pcbs but yes this also works for electroplating. I also suggested a while back using electrostatic fields to encourage capacitor layers to form which would be interesting. EL materials can also be extruded it seems.
Registered Member #8120
Joined: Thu Nov 15 2012, 06:06PM
Location: Moscow, Russia
Posts: 94
I made three working and one dud.
Zeroth one was a set of plumbing parts that move, it never quite worked out.
First one was a Mendel-like RepRap - ordered the plastic parts online and used local parts for everything else. That one is a workhorse, and the most precise of the set. Semi-automatic, you need to tweak the starting Z position of the head often, and the build surface needs acetone coating every now and then. Was modded many times, being improved every now and then. Prints with ABS.
Second one was a custom design printed on a first one, printing with PLA. More or less a failure, the precision is low. Manual - no head homing or positioning, you have to set it into starting position by hand. I wanted something that could print large stuff, and PLA does not wrap thermally as badly as ABS. Eventually, i modified the first one with a heated bed and got that problem solved.
Third one, a delta printer based on RoStock design, also printed on a first one. This one is good for vases and decorative stuff. Fully automatic - the printing head resets itself precisely. Mechanics are dead simple, but controls are complicated, and i have not quite ironed it out yet, so it's not too good for precise dimensions or large and complex stuff. Deltas does not tolerate any stress - one skipped step, and it's out of plane, causing a cascade of failures, while a rectangular one just goes on.
In general, there are no maintenance-free 3D printers, they all need some maintenance. Mostly it's keeping the build surface clean, occasionally you need to clean the extruder (or it will start skipping and grinding plastic). Everything else works for years.
PLA is hard and does not wrap as you print it - simpler printer. ABS is more flexible, it bends where PLA snaps. Wraps a lot from heat, needs heated platform to print it on. I find ABS good for structural stuff, and PLA for decorative.
The quality and strength of the parts is quite high. You can make a lot of things with it. Support structures, various parts, moving and stationary. Adaptors, holders, nozzles - Robots - More 3D printers. Helicopters. A wood lathe. An electric generator frame. All sorts of nice gifts. Even full tesla coils with integrated "PCB".
A 3D printer is a great tool, well worth the effort to make. My advice is to make one with things you have around, and only buy a plastic parts pack. This way you will know how it works, so maintenance would be easy. And once you have one you can just print most of the parts for a new one :)
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