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Any 3D printing fags out there?

submitted by 3Whuurs to AskUpgoat 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 01:29:45 ago (+6/-0)     (AskUpgoat)

I’m a woodworker so it’s way out of my wheelhouse. But I’ve spent over $400 in the last month on shit that could totally be 3D printed.
And can think of a cpl grand of shit I want to buy that could be printed to.

The problem is the space seems to be entirely dominated by spurgey hobby fags printing toys they immediately throw in the trash while kvetching about $400 machines being expensive lol, but modifying the shit out of every model they get their hands on.

I’d like to print high resolution, high strength mechanical parts at high speed for shit like tool accessories, “hunting” accessories, or a roof rack attachment for a kayak, or fishing rod holder. Or a new winch remote etc etc.
Actually functional shit that’s strong and looks good.
But the web is full of either faggots printing trinkets with $300 machines, or guys bragging about printing better trinkets on $6000 machines.

From what I can tell “high res, high speed” implies resin printing? But I’m not sure if FDM machines offer superior strength with all the different materials they can run like Carbon fibre nylon etc.

Is there a no bullshit machine for under $2000 that can just make high quality shit without taking 2hrs of maintinence for every 20 minute print?


32 comments block


[ - ] Anannymouse 0 points 3.1 yearsMay 1, 2022 20:59:19 ago (+0/-0)

Did you decide on a printer?

[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsMay 1, 2022 22:51:10 ago (+0/-0)

Pretty sure I’ll go with the QIDI X-max or X-Plus.
But I started thinking it might be better to go with something like the Ghost Gunner 3 and CNC mill parts from aluminum billets instead.
They’re actually the same price

[ - ] Anannymouse 0 points 3.1 yearsMay 2, 2022 13:27:47 ago (+0/-0)

Awesome. Cost of material about the same? I have gone through 3x the cost of my printer in the plastic it uses.

[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsMay 2, 2022 23:52:21 ago (+0/-0)

I suppose it depends on what you’re trying to make but for small items I think the cost of aluminum would be negligible.

Depending on the structural integrity required, you can even melt down free aluminum scraps into your own billets.

What kind of stuff are you printing that you’ve gone through so much filament?

[ - ] Anannymouse 0 points 3.1 yearsMay 3, 2022 07:09:01 ago (+0/-0)

Well to be fair I haven't used as much as I have stored. I sell printed stuff so I've made the cost back either way.

[ - ] NotMyFaultYourWrong 2 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 03:12:36 ago (+2/-0)

your looking at more like hours long prints. for bigger things it's not unusual to get print time in the days.

[ - ] deleted 2 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 02:21:56 ago (+2/-0)*

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[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 1 point 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 03:46:50 ago (+1/-0)

I’d rather just pay for a fancy model that already has all the decent mods.
But from what I can tell, the only difference between these $200 machines and $3000 is user experience cause the resolution is the same. So I’m hoping maybe there’s a model that can do something better. Either speed or resolution.

Resin printers are good for high detail trinkets, not particularly fast though and resin prints aren't that strong.

From what I’ve seen, you’re right about the strength difference, but I’ve been watching side by side comparisons for a week and the resin printers are like 5-10x faster. Messy af, but WAY faster.
At least the ones I seen cast each layer in 3-5 seconds.

[ - ] deleted 2 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 04:28:19 ago (+2/-0)*

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[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 26, 2022 19:37:37 ago (+0/-0)

By resolution I mean can you see or feel the build layers, and how fine is the detail.

[ - ] deleted 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 27, 2022 01:06:00 ago (+0/-0)

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[ - ] quidgybo 2 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 02:06:29 ago (+2/-0)

well 3d printing is literally printing with melted plastic. your durability is going to be tied to what filament you use. i dunno bout you, but id use 3d printing to make a plastic counterpart of some piece i need. make a mould and make the part out of some regular strong material. like epoxy or metal.

but that being said im sure there are some damn good filaments out if your going for strength the prints with take alot longer because you just lower the slicers settings so the increase infil on whatever your building thingiverse is a decent place to find parts you wish to print if your not skilled enough to create the .obj files yourself. i say this as a guy who wanted a 3d printer but never bought one because.....i feel its too early to jump on this bandwagon.

[ - ] localsal 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 14:03:28 ago (+0/-0)

This.

FDM printing of any item is just laying down layer after layer of melted plastic on top of another layer of already cooled plastic.

The inherent need of an easily melted filament immediately limits the amount of strength the printing has. The layering just makes it worse, due to the mechanics of adhesion and so on. One way around the layering is to "bake" the final print to get all of the layers to cohere better, resulting in a 10% or so shrinkage - which needs to be anticipated in the initial design sizing.

If the item will not undergo repeated stresses - go for it. Anything that requires standing up to heavy stresses would be better suited for other manufacturing processes.

Making molds is a perfect use of 3d printing. And making prototypes of things that aren't fully understood how they fit or where the stresses may occur, etc.

I have 3d printers and use them to make non-rated enclosures and other helpful addons for things, but nothing that needs to withstand any type of force or critical functioning.

I have been looking for some cheapish CNC machines that can do aluminum milling using the same process as a 3d printer - but not ready to commit the money at the moment.

[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 25, 2022 00:12:24 ago (+0/-0)

Interesting! I havnt heard of the stabilizing heat treat process for plastic before. Heard the acetone smooths it out but also didn’t know it strengthens it.

As for small CNC mills, I’ve never pulled The trigger on it yet, but I have done a bit of research. And from what I’ve heard and read the GhostGunner3 is hands down the best bang for your buck CNC mill in the world. And has a waiting list to prove it.

Besides, aluminum is cheap so maybe I should just go that way to.

[ - ] deleted 1 point 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 05:57:44 ago (+1/-0)*

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[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 25, 2022 00:26:00 ago (+0/-0)

How do you compare the Ender 3 & 5 to something like their CR-10?
It’s specifically advertised as having all those features and more. As well as advertising low setup time and reliability.
I guess at that point I’m just worried about materials it can print.

[ - ] deleted 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 26, 2022 10:56:14 ago (+0/-0)*

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[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 26, 2022 19:45:07 ago (+0/-0)*

Ya I guess I’m out of my depth then about what the CR-10 is. I just know it’s a model advertised on Creality’s site.

[ - ] KyleIsThisTall 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 25, 2022 00:23:47 ago (+0/-0)

got to https://www.cytu.be/r/sleepsnug and ask a guy called Erotomaniac

[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 26, 2022 19:35:43 ago (+0/-0)

I tried, no reply

[ - ] KyleIsThisTall 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 28, 2022 11:31:13 ago (+0/-0)

He often leaves himself logged in at work. He has to talk on the phone to niggers and commies all day.

[ - ] throwawayaccount 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 22:55:28 ago (+0/-0)*

high quality shit without taking 2hrs of maintenance for every 20 minute print?
Well, yes, but actually no. The "maintenance" is more aptly described as calibration and setup. Or tuning if you prefer. The strength, quality, and accuracy of your prints is highly dependent on how finely tuned your settings are and verifying they remain in spec. Typically, it takes the longest amount of time on initial setup (can easily take an entire day). Once you have it set up initially, usually after that it's just running a few quick checks to verify your machine hasn't gone out of tolerance.
That said, the best materials for strength are Polycarbonate (PC) and Carbon Fiber (CF) filaments. The downside to these is that they both require relatively expensive machines to print. Now, you will find machines that advertise they can hypothetically print these materials, but the issue is that they require sustained high temperatures to set properly. As a result, you'll need a 3D printer equipped with a heated bed AND an enclosure. As far as strength goes, compressive strength and shear strengths can be quite high, while tensile strengths are pretty low on account of the way layering works. You can, however, get around this in some cases by simply changing the print orientation of a part. So that any pulling forces will be parallel to the layers rather than perpendicular.

I'd say 3D printing's application is best viewed on a case by case basis. Most of the things you've listed would be perfectly fine for 3D printed parts.

I would highly recommend you look into Qidi printers like the X-Max. It's pricey, but it kicks ass.

Here are a few videos on Polycarbonate filament you can watch in your free time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXLroVcw1MQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDCvyALeN0E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onjT1Y7oFuU

[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 23:49:11 ago (+0/-0)

Thanks, I’ll check those printers out forsure. I havnt heard of them yet.
My problem is that I’ve seen just enough of the industry to notice everyone seems to modify their machines into something else that exists for a bit more money then they paid to modify theirs. So simply paying more, is highly likely to get you what you want right out of the box.
Yes I understand this is a bit oversimplified.

I’ll check out the machines you suggested though.

What kind of stuff do you typically print with yours?

[ - ] throwawayaccount 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 25, 2022 01:19:03 ago (+0/-0)

What kind of stuff do you typically print with yours?
I'll be honest I bought mine more out of novelty and interest as a potential hobby than for practical use. I've printed only a handful of brackets that I've used for holding a variety of wire harnesses on the undersides of vehicles as well as handlebar mounts for my GPS, GoPro, and music player. I don't use it super frequently, probably because I'm 1. Generally unimaginative and can't come up with anything unique I'd use it for 2. Not in a career field where having one would be an advantage
Although, I did always want to attempt to design and print my own custom helmet and see if I could get it to meet DoT standards.

everyone seems to modify their machines into something else
That's why I recommend Qidi printers. They come out of the box with all the bells and whistles any one could want. Including a massive print area. They can print just about ANY filament type too. It took me two years to find them despite them being in business for well over 6 years. I think the reason very few people have heard of/recommend them is because doing so would be actively admitting there is a Chinese company that makes a better product than everyone else (for once). I've also heard their support team and warranty policies are excellent.
The X-max is definitely worth the roughly $1200 total cost (taxes & shipping estimated). It's also a pretty big bitch. It weighs in at 60 pounds and is roughly the size of a large microwave. I recommend having a sturdy workbench to put it on.

[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 25, 2022 02:05:36 ago (+0/-0)

Those things look pretty legit. Thanks for the recommend

[ - ] deleted 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 26, 2022 19:50:05 ago (+0/-0)

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[ - ] account deleted by user 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 14:48:33 ago (+0/-0)

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[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 25, 2022 00:16:21 ago (+0/-0)

Oh shit… ya I do remember all those guys lol

[ - ] Anannymouse 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 13:59:58 ago (+0/-0)

Resin printing is better for small high detailed prints like miniatures for DnD. For the larger models you want you'd definitely need an FDM printer. You can get high quality strong functional prints with a >$500 FDM printer. Print speed depends on nozzle size and layer height. Standard nozzle size is .4mm with a .2mm layer height, but you can go up to .8mm nozzle size with .4mm layer height to cut the printing time in half, and still get high quality functional parts. And then you can expose the model to acetone to get a smooth finish, as another person mentioned, but it's not totally necessary.

Look at this nozzle size and layer height explanation/comparison to see what I mean.

https://3dsolved.com/best-layer-height-for-3d-printing/

[ - ] 3Whuurs [op] 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 23:53:47 ago (+0/-0)

Thanks, I’ll check that out.

[ - ] ButtToucha9000 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 09:54:28 ago (+0/-0)

If you want functional you use an fdm printer. If you want pretty use a resin printer.

It takes forever to print.

[ - ] RecycledElectrons 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 09:32:33 ago (+0/-0)

I had good experiences with a FlashForgr Adveturer 3 and PLA fillament.

I would trust a scope mount it made, but it's still plastic.

[ - ] Laputois 0 points 3.1 yearsApr 24, 2022 08:01:39 ago (+0/-0)

You are probably going to want to print in ABS you will need a good heated bed, an enclosed printer helps and then you will need to expose the parts to an acetone chamber to make the parts stronger and smooth.