3D printing
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Lenny HB
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Have a look at this thread.
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Tombola
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Cal54
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PaulandChrissy have been very successful with their 3D printer and have made loads of stuff for vans. I purchased a few bits and my Best Buy is definately the water filler funnel - my feet haven’t got soaked since I bought it!!!
Photo is of the lpg European adaptors holder.
Photo is of the lpg European adaptors holder.
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Have the Prusa that makes a nice job, have printed brackets, hooks and mounting brackets for my Netgear and CCTV camera in the van.
Thought I would use it more than i have though
Thought I would use it more than i have though
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Mine has to be the fresh water cap remover...
cliffanger
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I went to the Uke Jam last night, and Al, our jam leader is ‘3D printing’ capos for those who don’t have them. He brought one along last night and I was amazed!
However, I think they should change the name. I will forever link printers (3D or not) with paper!
However, I think they should change the name. I will forever link printers (3D or not) with paper!
My latest print to sort out the melted fridge fuse in the Sargent EM50 interface box. Now fitted with a standard blade fuse rather than the mini fuse on the circuit board. Only gets slightly warm with the standard 20amp fuse
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That is quality. Do you sell them?
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The re-designed catch for my fridge gets my vote. Its far stronger than the original.
Garratt
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I've got a Prusa MK3S+ which replaced the Ender 3 that I learnt on. Most of the printing I do is either functional or for my model engineering hobby.
If you want to design and print your own stuff rather than just print designs that others have done, then you will need to be able to use 3D CAD of some sort. I use OnShape and Fusion360, both of which are available free to hobbyists. A lot of the things that I design and print are quite easy to draw and print. For example this is a block that is used in my van to hold bungee cord along the front of the shelves, and which is pretty much identical to those used by Rapido, but I don't have to pay through the nose to get extras from a dealer.
Hints and tips:
If you want to design and print your own stuff rather than just print designs that others have done, then you will need to be able to use 3D CAD of some sort. I use OnShape and Fusion360, both of which are available free to hobbyists. A lot of the things that I design and print are quite easy to draw and print. For example this is a block that is used in my van to hold bungee cord along the front of the shelves, and which is pretty much identical to those used by Rapido, but I don't have to pay through the nose to get extras from a dealer.
Hints and tips:
- YouTube is your friend and you can learn a lot from some of the better channels that focus on 3D printing. When I had my Ender 3, CHEP was a really good source of information. I also subscribe to Makers Muse, Teaching Tech, Aurora Tech and Thomas Sanlanderer.
- Speed isn't everything. I find that slowing down the print speed or reducing the layer height is worth the improvement in quality for finished items.
- Learning how to use the slicer software properly is essential.
I only made this one for myself, but if you need one the same let me know. We are in Spain at the moment. Back middle of March. Give me a nudge around the 15th March and I can make one for you.
Cheers PaulandChrissy
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Love the Prusa machines despite a friend of mine that bought one recently and has had nothing but agro with it right from the off. I think he has been really unlucky. Love the Prusa Slicer and the continued software improvements that other manufacturers just don’t do.
Some good tips Garratt.
Some good tips Garratt.
I have the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon combo (with the AMS multi-colour unit). It's my first 3D printer so hard to compare with anything else, but I'm very impressed so far. Been printing with it since November doing all sorts of things such as lithophanes, Christmas gift boxes, etc. It is incredibly fast and I've also been very impressed with the quality too.
It's given me the opportunity for a little side hustle to repay its cost. Currently it's printing away over 19 hours a day making me some money.
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A couple of simple 3D prints for our new van. We only picked it up last weekend and there are already a few things that annoy me. The first two are some different clips to hold the awning crank in the garage. The supplied Fiamma clips were so tight it was very difficult to get the winder in and out of them, this was probably why they'd never been fitted. I designed a slightly different clip in Onshape which is much easier to use yet still secure and also has a larger surface area for the double-sided "nano" tape to fix it in place. If you haven't heard of this tape, it's like magic. It sticks like sh*t yet can still be peeled off and leaves no residue. It works on the same principle as gecko's feet apparently.
The other print is a guard for the touch buttons on the Dometic fridge. Every time we went past it and brushed against the buttons, it would make unwanted changes to the fridge mode. Now we can brush past it without inadvertently triggering it and the buttons are still accessible when necessary.
The other print is a guard for the touch buttons on the Dometic fridge. Every time we went past it and brushed against the buttons, it would make unwanted changes to the fridge mode. Now we can brush past it without inadvertently triggering it and the buttons are still accessible when necessary.
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I like the fridge display guard. Same happens to us. Will definitely be making myself one of those. Excellent idea. PaulandChrissy
Is this what you’re looking for. Do you want the STL files. I designed this a while back for our fridge. I call it the fridge brick.
I started with a Printrbot that was plywood and used fishing line over a Dremel sanding drum for actuation because toothed belts were still stupidly expensive at the time. The hobby was fixing the machine. Because it was very rare that you'd get a print out of it.
I upgraded to the Prusa i3 Mk2 when it came out. It's not particularly quick and it's noisy. But it's bloody reliable. I can point to about 20 things I've designed and printed in the van. Loads more practical things I've made around the house. I might finally get around to upgrading it this year. Maybe a Prusa MK4?
If you want to make practical things, you really need to know CAD. I've tried quite a few of them. OpenSCAD is fun if you like code. But most of the time I fire up Fusion360. I need to try OnShape at some point.
Something I've learnt: if you're making a replacement part, don't copy it precisely. Anything metal or made of moulded plastic will have been designed to work with that material. FDM printing has different limitations... Mostly that it's weaker along the layers and overhangs are hard.
I upgraded to the Prusa i3 Mk2 when it came out. It's not particularly quick and it's noisy. But it's bloody reliable. I can point to about 20 things I've designed and printed in the van. Loads more practical things I've made around the house. I might finally get around to upgrading it this year. Maybe a Prusa MK4?
If you want to make practical things, you really need to know CAD. I've tried quite a few of them. OpenSCAD is fun if you like code. But most of the time I fire up Fusion360. I need to try OnShape at some point.
Something I've learnt: if you're making a replacement part, don't copy it precisely. Anything metal or made of moulded plastic will have been designed to work with that material. FDM printing has different limitations... Mostly that it's weaker along the layers and overhangs are hard.
How easy is it to do the designs? Presumably some sort of cad programme?
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Good advice about designing and the limitations on strength. I’ve just ordered a MK4. Should have it in 5weeks hopefully. My MK3 and Mini+ have been so reliable with minimal maintenance. Occasional hot end rebuilds and that’s it.
I'm currently learning to use fusion 360. It's not easy if you don't use it regularly, there are sooooo many things to remember.
If you don’t know CAD it’s a steep learning curve, but there’s tons of help on U tube to get you started.
I use fusion and it’s hard at first, but well worth the effort.
Lenny HB
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I gave up didn't have the time, wish my daughter lived nearer her hubby teaches Fusion 360 at school but they live in Bangkok.
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