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Finally made the jump to 3D-Printing.......
- Thread starter brino
- Start date
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- Tags
- 3d printer cnc
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2014
- Messages
- 9,392
Thanks, Marcel.
I watched a couple of your videos.
I like your honest, laid-back style and enthusiasm.
Thanks for sharing!
-brino
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2016
- Messages
- 251
congrats Brino, that's a great printer you have there.
I'll also say that you are absolutely right, 3d printing is a great way to get into CNC. In fact both 3d printers and traditional CNCs use the same programming language (gcode). Next time you slice your part, save the code as a text file and take a look at it. It's interesting to see how simple the language really is, and yet you can do so much with it.
Welcome to the 3d printing family!
Edit...and in case you haven't already seen this page, it's a life saver:
https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/
I'll also say that you are absolutely right, 3d printing is a great way to get into CNC. In fact both 3d printers and traditional CNCs use the same programming language (gcode). Next time you slice your part, save the code as a text file and take a look at it. It's interesting to see how simple the language really is, and yet you can do so much with it.
Welcome to the 3d printing family!
Edit...and in case you haven't already seen this page, it's a life saver:
https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2014
- Messages
- 9,392
@xalky
Hi Marcel,
I am currently _trying_ to use Fusion 360 and outputting that to Cura (Lulzbot edition).
I find Fusion 360 a nightmare in terms of "easy of use".......nothing is where I think it should be.
Maybe just growing pains, but it feels like I'm wasting a bunch of time.
And my son notices that our "special edition" of Cura doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the version they use at school.
I guess I could find the vanilla version and produce my own printer profile for the Taz 6.
Is there any advice you could give on software?
Any part CAD, slicers, etc.
What do you use?
I read that a lot of people like "Symplify-3D" (https://www.simplify3d.com/), have you tried that one?
$150 seems a little steep (says the guy with the expensive printer
).
I also saw:
AutoDesk MeshMixer (http://www.meshmixer.com/), free to use!
Blender (https://www.blender.org/) open source
but that last one looks more like an animation package, I picture way too many buttons and menus.....
Anyone with good/bad experiences with their software please jump in.
Thanks,
-brino
Hi Marcel,
I am currently _trying_ to use Fusion 360 and outputting that to Cura (Lulzbot edition).
I find Fusion 360 a nightmare in terms of "easy of use".......nothing is where I think it should be.
Maybe just growing pains, but it feels like I'm wasting a bunch of time.
And my son notices that our "special edition" of Cura doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the version they use at school.
I guess I could find the vanilla version and produce my own printer profile for the Taz 6.
Is there any advice you could give on software?
Any part CAD, slicers, etc.
What do you use?
I read that a lot of people like "Symplify-3D" (https://www.simplify3d.com/), have you tried that one?
$150 seems a little steep (says the guy with the expensive printer
).I also saw:
AutoDesk MeshMixer (http://www.meshmixer.com/), free to use!
Blender (https://www.blender.org/) open source
but that last one looks more like an animation package, I picture way too many buttons and menus.....
Anyone with good/bad experiences with their software please jump in.
Thanks,
-brino
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2012
- Messages
- 2,220
I use fusion 360, and I really like it. There's another guy on YouTube, Lars Chistensen, that has a 3 or 4 part series for absolute beginners that is great. Once you get used to it, it's very powerful. Don't waste your time learning something like tinkercad, you'll quickly outgrow it.@xalky
Hi Marcel,
I am currently _trying_ to use Fusion 360 and outputting that to Cura (Lulzbot edition).
I find Fusion 360 a nightmare in terms of "easy of use".......nothing is where I think it should be.
Maybe just growing pains, but it feels like I'm wasting a bunch of time.
And my son notices that our "special edition" of Cura doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the version they use at school.
I guess I could find the vanilla version and produce my own printer profile for the Taz 6.
Is there any advice you could give on software?
Any part CAD, slicers, etc.
What do you use?
I read that a lot of people like "Symplify-3D" (https://www.simplify3d.com/), have you tried that one?
$150 seems a little steep (says the guy with the expensive printer
I also saw:
AutoDesk MeshMixer (http://www.meshmixer.com/), free to use!
Blender (https://www.blender.org/) open source
but that last one looks more like an animation package, I picture way too many buttons and menus.....
Anyone with good/bad experiences with their software please jump in.
Thanks,
-brino
As far as slicers, I use the latest cura 2.7, it's free and a lot of people use it, so there's lots of community support.
Meshmixer and blender are mainly for altering meshes, not so much for creating them. There's a mesh tool in fusion 360 that does the same thing.
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2016
- Messages
- 251
hey Brino,
Cura is a bit funny. They recently overhauled their software and started naming it version 2.X.X...if you want all the goodies you'll need to download the older version of the software, version 15.04.06
Repitierhost and octoprint (web based) are other good, and free, slicers
Fusion is actually really nice for 3d printing. There is a 3d print button in the ribbon that will automatically convert your part to an STL and import it into your slicer for you. Pretty slick.
Cura is a bit funny. They recently overhauled their software and started naming it version 2.X.X...if you want all the goodies you'll need to download the older version of the software, version 15.04.06
Repitierhost and octoprint (web based) are other good, and free, slicers
Fusion is actually really nice for 3d printing. There is a 3d print button in the ribbon that will automatically convert your part to an STL and import it into your slicer for you. Pretty slick.
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2015
- Messages
- 833
Now that you are getting familiar with that, I would suggest an aluminum foundry, and beginning research on "lost-PLA casting". A good youtube channel is Makercise - he recently completed a Dave Gingery lathe, and has started on the Gingery shaper. Good and interesting information. Or, myfordboy does that. Having aluminum parts you can make without needing a mill (e.g. making your own car emblems by printing, casting, and adding enamel for colors) or to custom build anything you want is a huge win for your home shop, and actually gives you more resources than most professional shops.
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2014
- Messages
- 9,392
okay.........(way past) time for an update.
I've printed a few more small models/toys, but want to show that this 3D-printer is actually useful.
To me buying tools is about expanding the capabilities of me and my shop.
(Certainly a lot of learning goes along with it!)
Here's another small project to produce something useful.
I have two of these Lufkin measuring tapes:
They are my current favourites (since I lost my last favourite in the blown attic insulation, I dropped it and it disappeared, tried searching and finally gave up!). I like these for two reasons: i) they have both metric and imperial measures, and ii) the size is right...long enough for most jobs, but not too bulky.
The problem is with the little "brake" mechanism the locks the tape when you push the thumb button.
The original white plastic ones wore out.
I don't want to throw these away due to that minor issue, but sometimes it's a PITA when I need to pick up my pencil, but cannot let go of the measuring tape or it'll retract in a hurry.
It annoyed me enough that months ago I attempted a repair.....by CA-gluing on a piece of flat wood from a tongue depressor, and then adding a bit of hot glue as a gripping pad on the end.
Ugly? Yes, but they did work........for a little while.
Okay so can I 3D-print some replacements?
I can try..........here's my first model part:
The oval is meant to give some spring to the tip.
The little "bite" out of the tip is meant to clear the rivets that attach the edge-clip to the end fo the tape.
I printed four expecting to break at least one removing it from the "raft" support material.
Here's a picture of two removed from the raft, and one cleaned up.
Unfortunately, the first ones were too short...they did NOT stop the measuring tape from retracting.
Of course, I was guessing a little on size since the ones I was measuring were worn too short too.
However, the process is quick and easy to make a tweak and try again. This one is a little longer:
Fusion-360 model:
and actual parts:
The one on top-left is still attached to the "raft", the one on top-right has been removed and cleaned-up.
Here's the inside of the measuring tape:
Here's one of the old parts in the measuring tape:
....and here it is fixed and locked with the new 3D-printed brake part:
Both measuring tapes are back in operation with functional thumb locks!
These small parts but would have been tough to make any other way.
-brino
I've printed a few more small models/toys, but want to show that this 3D-printer is actually useful.
To me buying tools is about expanding the capabilities of me and my shop.
(Certainly a lot of learning goes along with it!)
Here's another small project to produce something useful.
I have two of these Lufkin measuring tapes:
They are my current favourites (since I lost my last favourite in the blown attic insulation, I dropped it and it disappeared, tried searching and finally gave up!). I like these for two reasons: i) they have both metric and imperial measures, and ii) the size is right...long enough for most jobs, but not too bulky.
The problem is with the little "brake" mechanism the locks the tape when you push the thumb button.
The original white plastic ones wore out.
I don't want to throw these away due to that minor issue, but sometimes it's a PITA when I need to pick up my pencil, but cannot let go of the measuring tape or it'll retract in a hurry.
It annoyed me enough that months ago I attempted a repair.....by CA-gluing on a piece of flat wood from a tongue depressor, and then adding a bit of hot glue as a gripping pad on the end.
Ugly? Yes, but they did work........for a little while.
Okay so can I 3D-print some replacements?
I can try..........here's my first model part:
The oval is meant to give some spring to the tip.
The little "bite" out of the tip is meant to clear the rivets that attach the edge-clip to the end fo the tape.
I printed four expecting to break at least one removing it from the "raft" support material.
Here's a picture of two removed from the raft, and one cleaned up.
Unfortunately, the first ones were too short...they did NOT stop the measuring tape from retracting.
Of course, I was guessing a little on size since the ones I was measuring were worn too short too.
However, the process is quick and easy to make a tweak and try again. This one is a little longer:
Fusion-360 model:
and actual parts:
The one on top-left is still attached to the "raft", the one on top-right has been removed and cleaned-up.
Here's the inside of the measuring tape:
Here's one of the old parts in the measuring tape:
....and here it is fixed and locked with the new 3D-printed brake part:
Both measuring tapes are back in operation with functional thumb locks!
These small parts but would have been tough to make any other way.
-brino
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2015
- Messages
- 562
When I got my first lathe I told my wife it was a hobby and laughed about the fact that I spent thousands of $ so I could make a part that could be purchased for pennies. Then I bought a mill / drill to expand my ability to make parts cheaply, lol.
But you, Brino, have got me beat. You even bought a 3-D printer to make parts that can be bought cheaply (or the entire part can be replaced for a nominal amount). I must tell my wife that I am not alone in this journey to find ways to save money
by making things ourselves and there are people that are even more committed to saving than me. 
Seriously though, I think this is very cool. I didn't know this technology existed (been out of touch since retirement). I hope this doesn't lead to another new hobby for me. I don't have enough time for all the ones I have now.