3D Printer build

[EL34]

I built a plastic extruder and bolted it to my CNC machine as a test.
The test came out great and so I decided to go ahead and build a dedicated 3D printer
Here's a video of the extruder test creating a small cup object
First print from my extruder - Part 2

And that test object looked like this when it was done



And here's my extruder post on CNC zone
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/general_3d_printer_discussion/174081-extruder_build_my_cnc_machine.html

I am posting the info on my printer build here
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/general_3d_printer_discussion/175337-new_printer_build.html#post1247112

It easier just to post in one place
Go to the link above to see pics and info

Here's a youtube movie of the X axis moving for the first time

http://youtu.be/INTkTemk-4k

My youtube channel has video of my progress
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0CC8AA3BFAF51042

[Ritchie200]

Doug,

THe latest issue of Make magazine has a big feature on 3d printing.  I have not read it yet, but if it is like their normal fare, it should be excellent.  You may want to pick it up for reference?(Plus all the other COOL stuff!)  Those things are so neat!

Jim

[EL34]

I installed the UHMW-PE bearing material in the bearing blocks and got the X and Z axis up and running

The X axis has a spring under the bed that keeps the belt tensioned

The Z axis has two shafts with two GT2 pulleys and belts
The bottom shaft is the drive shaft and the top shaft just free wheels
I can slide the top shaft up or down to put tension on the belts

Here's a video of both axis running some G code

3D Printer build - Testing X an Z axis

[pullshocks]

I read an article recently about the capabilities of 3d printers that really opened my eyes.  Prior, I had only seen a few 3d printed items, and the quality did not impress me.  This article showed some very impressive firearm parts made on a $1300 unit.  f you can make all the parts for a functional gun with one, it seems like the only limit is your imagination and CAD skills....

[tubenit]

Did you see using a 3-D Printer to make 30 round magazines for AR-15's?

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/145664-3d-printed-30-round-ar-magazine-brings-us-ever-closer-to-a-fully-3d-printed-gun

[EL34]

As far as the quality goes, there's a couple different methods
The plastic extruder can get very good results, but the expensive machine use lasers
The powders/resins and laser methods will trickle down to diy builds eventually


yeah,  I had seen a couple youtube vids a while ago

This guy on the Alex Jones show created a downloadable 30 round mag
Breaking Gamechanger: Printable Gun Magazines

And here is the receiver in action
3D Printed Assault Rifle Makes It 6 Shots Before Breaking

[EL34]

Got the Y axis running today

3D Printer build - Testing Y, X and Z axis - Part 3

[SILVERGUN]

Have you seen this application?....pretty cool stuff there  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jun/15/3d-printing-revolutionising-guitar-making

The Atom 3D printed guitar in action

[EL34]

The video was useless but I get the big picture

3D printing is in it's infancy
Sort of like DIY CNC machines were several years ago

[SILVERGUN]

Wasn't sure if you'd seen the 3D printed guitar application,,,,,,and just threw the video on there as a reference

The back page of my last Guitar magazine was all about a 3D printed guitar and that was the first I had seen of it......

I wanted the guitar pic to be the focus of my post,,,but because it was an attachment, it came after the pasted video url

I'm thinking about the possible use for custom faceplates.....or head cabinet fronts to add to your store....?....maybe

[EL34]

I'm thinking about the possible use for custom faceplates.....or head cabinet fronts to add to your store....?....maybe

The DIY printer technology is not able to do anything like a smooth faceplate

This little plastic cup 30mm in diameter took 1.5 hours and has a weaved texture

That guitar probably took 30 hours, just guessing, and that guy is using a much better technology that a DIY home printer

[tubeswell]

Got the Y axis running today

3D Printer build - Testing Y, X and Z axis - Part 3

Pretty kewl stuff there Doug!

[EL34]

I just ran the little black cup code on the new printer
The same cup shown at the top of this thread
The printer does not have an extruder on it yet but I wanted to see how fast it could complete that same little black cup that I made on my CNC machine

The CNC machine took over 1.5 hours to complete the cup
The new printer finished the cup code in 32 minutes

That's a huge speed increase because I built the 3D printer moving parts very light

I think I can crank up the motors even faster and maybe get the print time on the cup down to 25 minutes

[EL34]

I spent a couple days getting everything square, bolting down the electronics and got the A axis extruder almost done.

Here's a video of the 3D printer running the same cup code I did on my CNC machine extruder test.

The 3D printer is finishing the same code in 25 minutes that my CNC machine did in 1 hour 40 minutes

It hard to see just how fast the X and Y axis are in this video but if you lay your hand on the X axis bed, it feels like an intense vibration as it rips the code off in Mach3

I should have the extruder finished in the next couple days and be ready to print the cup code to compare it to what my CNC machine printed

http://youtu.be/vaPC09YgCWA

[EL34]

Yay, first run on my new printer just finished

Got to dial in some settings in slic3r, but no major problems on the first run.

From what I have read, the spider web strings and small blobs may just be a matter of more retraction on extruder moves
Any suggestions are welcome for figuring out how to dial that in

Here's a youtube video of the first run on my new printer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhFPXJW3WE

[Willabe]

What are you planning on making with it?

Bike light parts?

            Brad     

[EL34]

I could make thousands of things
prototype parts to see how they look, etc

It's like a computer or a power tool
What you do with it is up to you and your imagination?

If you want to see thousands of things that other people make, check out thingiverse
and you can download all the code to make the things

http://www.thingiverse.com/

[Willabe]

OK, looks like the skies the limit.


              Brad     

[EL34]

I finally had some time today to take a bunch of detailed pictures of the 3D printer

I have added several things to the printer since I last posted here

This page on my web site has lots of pics and info
http://www.el34world.com/Misc/Cnc/CNC21.htm

I printed this cool twisted shape the other day and it came out great.


I thought I would extrude some plastic on some copper clad board and then etch it to see how it does making a PC board
Of course it would then have to be drilled, but it sounds like a fun experiment
My machine can extrude at .1 mm so it should be able to make some fine traces

Here's an small image of the printer
Go to the link above to see large detailed images

[EL34]

I changed out the nozzle on my printer
The brass acorn nut was dragging material around and there was not enough brass on the end to be able to machine it down to a finer point

I purchased a makerbot style .4 mm nozzle and the prints are much cleaner now



I printed this skull in 4 parts and glued them together
I added some LED's behind the eye sockets just for fun

The lid comes off just above the eyebrows for access to the electronics




I added a few pics of some of the prints here
3D prints page

[tubenit]

That's remarkable!!

Just think ............... with that machine (at least in theory) one could reproduce copies of small famous statues like the one Degas did.

With respect, Tubenit

[EL34]

yeah and this is the home version that extrudes plastic
The really nice ones use lasers and different liquids or powders

You should se what those can do, it's amazing

here's a sample of some of the amazing things 3D printers can do

3D Printed Snake, Gears, Art, Wrench and more..

[Geezer]

The Feds are getting interested and want to regulate 3D printers, telling you what you can (or more importantly CANNOT) print or file share online.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/may/09/3d-printed-guns-plans-state-department

[EL34]

Yeah, I have been following that

It's because people have been printing guns

It's just another thing the government will fail at