Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
-
Hi Guest!
You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
3D printed Bugeye
- Thread starter aeronca65t
- Start date
Share this page
Offline
Nial
How many are you going to make?
BillM
Really!
OP
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
Nial
How many are you going to make?
BillM
LOL!
I have 6 siblings! I'm tired of sharing! :friendly_wink:
By the way, ~These~ are only $599 and there are others that are cheaper.
And some of our local (NJ) libraries have Makerbots available for use. Not sure about other areas.
Also, there are clubs based on the "Maker" philosophy that usually have 3D printers available (my brother is in one.....he printed a bunch of parts for his CNC router in his local Maker club in South Jersey).
OP
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
G
Guest
Guest
Guest
Offline
Nial, I would like to scan and print something about 27" around. What kind of a machine can do something like that, any idea?
bugeyepaul
Member
Offline
There are a lot of different kinds of machines that will print a bigger part. Cost of the machine and cost of the part goes up a lot with volume. There is also a cost associated with the support structure that you have to print. What is the bigger part, and what is the use?
I print parts for work all the time, and there are many different kinds of machines. Makerbots for example are fun machines that will make a lot of things, but at low resolution and not a lot of material choices. If you want high resolution ie smooth surfaces, then an FDM machine (Fuse Deposition Modeling- think fancy hot glue gun that extrudes plastic) like a Makerbot is not the best way to go. Sanding out ABS parts is not easy. We have a couple of machines like that, but a little more robust for professional use-essentially the same results though.
For really smooth parts that are sandable and really nice visually, you need to go to either an SLA or maybe a Stratasys Polyjet. Way, way more expensive machines, but super nice. Many of the materials are much more fragile though.
You can also laser sinter parts (SLS machnie) from plastic or metal if necessary. We don't really do that much anymore as there are FDM machines that will print wax, then we just have them investment cast. We can have that done by an outside service in a week for fairly reasonable prices compared to CNCing a complex part.
If you have someone do it, be sure to get it quoted more than once. I had a helmet done once for about $2000. Then the next iteration was about $700. The difference was in how they arranged it on the machine and what the internal structure was.
I print parts for work all the time, and there are many different kinds of machines. Makerbots for example are fun machines that will make a lot of things, but at low resolution and not a lot of material choices. If you want high resolution ie smooth surfaces, then an FDM machine (Fuse Deposition Modeling- think fancy hot glue gun that extrudes plastic) like a Makerbot is not the best way to go. Sanding out ABS parts is not easy. We have a couple of machines like that, but a little more robust for professional use-essentially the same results though.
For really smooth parts that are sandable and really nice visually, you need to go to either an SLA or maybe a Stratasys Polyjet. Way, way more expensive machines, but super nice. Many of the materials are much more fragile though.
You can also laser sinter parts (SLS machnie) from plastic or metal if necessary. We don't really do that much anymore as there are FDM machines that will print wax, then we just have them investment cast. We can have that done by an outside service in a week for fairly reasonable prices compared to CNCing a complex part.
If you have someone do it, be sure to get it quoted more than once. I had a helmet done once for about $2000. Then the next iteration was about $700. The difference was in how they arranged it on the machine and what the internal structure was.
OP
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
Jim_Gruber
Yoda
Offline
There is a thread on AHEXP I think about someone in South Africa redoing the Horn Contact and Column Surround. That may help point you in the right direction.
OP
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
The typical material (for a Makerbot and similar) is ABS, although there are other choices.
ABS is decent in terms of wear and would be fine in this application.
Here in the US, there are "3D Print Shops" that will custom print things for you if you provide a drawing in the appropriate format. Or you might be able to find a technical school that would do a small part for you.
~Here Is~ a simple example of something similar to what you want.
ABS is decent in terms of wear and would be fine in this application.
Here in the US, there are "3D Print Shops" that will custom print things for you if you provide a drawing in the appropriate format. Or you might be able to find a technical school that would do a small part for you.
~Here Is~ a simple example of something similar to what you want.
G
Guest
Guest
Guest
Offline
How big can these shops print?
bugeyepaul
Member
Offline
There are a lot of places that will do parts for you. If you don't find anything under 3d printing, look for "rapid prototyping"
All will have different machines, sizes, and capabilities including soft parts. Just call and ask, most of them are pretty hungry for work as it's getting competitive.
It's also not necessary for them to be local. We get parts made all over all the time.
Like Nial said ABS is most common on an FDM machine. But they're not all the same. Setting the machine up for good fusion is important for good strength.
There is also a "grain" like in wood. In other words, there will be a weak direction because the part is made in layers. If you consider that when making the part, you will have fewer problems.
I've been field testing a bunch of fairly complex ski pole grips for the last month or so and have only broken one. This is a good step forward as even a couple of yeas ago they weren't strong enough and would have exploded. Ski poles take a lot of abuse.
Here's a video of one of the newest machines- for me it's a super big step in making additive manufacturing really useful. Pretty exciting.
Not likely to have one in my garage anytime soon though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9IdZ2pI5dA
All will have different machines, sizes, and capabilities including soft parts. Just call and ask, most of them are pretty hungry for work as it's getting competitive.
It's also not necessary for them to be local. We get parts made all over all the time.
Like Nial said ABS is most common on an FDM machine. But they're not all the same. Setting the machine up for good fusion is important for good strength.
There is also a "grain" like in wood. In other words, there will be a weak direction because the part is made in layers. If you consider that when making the part, you will have fewer problems.
I've been field testing a bunch of fairly complex ski pole grips for the last month or so and have only broken one. This is a good step forward as even a couple of yeas ago they weren't strong enough and would have exploded. Ski poles take a lot of abuse.
Here's a video of one of the newest machines- for me it's a super big step in making additive manufacturing really useful. Pretty exciting.
Not likely to have one in my garage anytime soon though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9IdZ2pI5dA