3d Printer - benefits

[erasma]

Hi All,

Just wanted to share how much one can get out of a 3d printer if you make things. I at first did not see any value in them and saw them as toys and a waste of money...

I ended up buying one cheap on eBay and must say use to alot more then I expected. I use is for testing designs spacing and checking things will fit together as I want them. This can be done in cad software but nothing is better then having a physical object.

I make all sorts of crap from gears to mig protector, plastic enclosures to squirrel feeder.

If you on the fence buy one they have many practical uses. No they not perfect and they not going to be the same as moulded parts.

 

[tlovatt]

One thing I use mine for a lot more than I was expecting to is jigs and templates both for woodwork and general DIY. Recently I was fitting a new bar mixer shower (in place of an old electric shower), a couple of minutes in CAD and a few hours to print and you have a template with where to put the holes through the wall and where to drill the holes for the mounting brackets. I know it can be done by measurement and marking the walls, but I find it much simpler to make a template, check it against the shower and then use it for all the drilling in one hit.

I often print templates to use with a bearing guided woodworking router as well.

 

[indy4x]

I bought one off my BIL when he upgraded, it sat around for quite a few months doing nothing then over Christmas I started using it and now have no shortage of things to make

Wifey bought a new light shade for the bedroom yesterday, Ikea jobbie so the hole to attach it to the ceiling pendant was too big, 5mins with Inventor, 30mins to print 2 locating rings and the shade was up. Saved me going out to the garage and making someting out of steel

Printed a couple of BXA size tool holders last week so I can mount a DTI on the lathe toolpost

Last night modelled a bracket for the mini water trap by the lathe, will be printing that off tomorrow night then have some BXA tool holder mounts planned so I can store the tool holders above the lathe

 

[chris pruteanu]

Is there anyone that could print a handfull of plastic clips for me ? I have a pair o projektzwo headligths for a t4 that has a few brittle adjuster clips...I could supply pictures altough they are pretty simple to make...

 

[pressbrake1]

I have a pal who restores f1 cars and the such.
He 3d prints parts before committing to metal.
Keep trying to persuade my daughters into getting one

 

[mrsbruce]

Even someone like me with minimal experience of cad design finds 3D printers useful. Thingiverse provides a lot of useful files, and I always check there first to see if some kind person has done all the hard work for me (bless them, for saving me hours of frustration).

 

[hotponyshoes]

They do 3d printouts of ultrasound scans now for women who are blind.

 

[erasma]

Is there anyone that could print a handfull of plastic clips for me ? I have a pair o projektzwo headligths for a t4 that has a few brittle adjuster clips...I could supply pictures altough they are pretty simple to make...

Some 3d printed plastic does not like UV how big are these clips? And how strong do they need to be? 3d printing is not as strong as moulded plastic. The layers are melted one on top of the other so they has strength in 1 direction mainly

 

[chris pruteanu]

Some 3d printed plastic does not like UV how big are these clips? And how strong do they need to be? 3d printing is not as strong as moulded plastic. The layers are melted one on top of the other so they has strength in 1 direction mainly

They are not meant to be strong, basically they are holding the adjuster screws in place on the headlight lense/housing and allow the screw to turn whilst it changes the angle...

 

[Ali]

Don’t get them made in PLA, it degrades

 

[erasma]

They are not meant to be strong, basically they are holding the adjuster screws in place on the headlight lense/housing and allow the screw to turn whilst it changes the angle...

Do you have the design? PETG could be a good material to use