I've Gone and Done Something Mental

[Parm]

Microwaves or HV?

What do you use to design then, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Solid Works etc?

None of the above. This is a whole new world of pain I’ve yet to experience

to begin with it will involve printing ready made designs

 

[northwest]

Ive lost track of the conversation now

Apparently I have to shoot you, allegedly?

 

[Parm]

Apparently I have to shoot you, allegedly?

your gonna have to catch me first

then you will need a big gun

 

[James1979]

Just ordered a Elegoo Saturn resin printer for my brother. Amazing detail on them. Prices have come down a huge amount due to swapping LCDs instead of UV lasers.

Resin is the way forward. I do a bit for a guy here that has an online modelling supplies shop. I do the metal bits. Guns for warships and that sort of thing.

What he can do in resin is phenomenal

 

[James1979]

Virtually all that except the hull is 3D printed in one medium or another I believe. Nowt to do with me, he’s a skilled guy.

 

[fizzy]

View attachment 295777
Virtually all that except the hull is 3D printed in one medium or another I believe. Nowt to do with me, he’s a skilled guy.

Omg that is exactly what I bought the resin printer for. My brother has been building model ships for years.
He wants to build a 1/72 destroyer which will be about 6 feet long. Filaments print the hull in sections. Resin for finer detail and then plate the hull.

 

[fizzy]

Send me some info on the metal bits if you can.

 

[James1979]

These are all commissions. He’s a pro model maker for want of a better word. Google the Royal Oak. It’s 8’ long. I’ve seen it up close, it’s mega.

I can put you in touch if you’d like

I will PM you rather than jam @parms thread up

 

[m_c]

Ender 3 is a reasonable printer.

Main tip for building it, is have an engineering square handy for making sure you get everything square when you assemble it.
Rollers/belts need adjusted so things still run smoothly, without being slack or too tight.

Starting point for the bed height, is home the machine, then use a sheet of regular A4 printer paper as a feeler gauge to level the bed.
You may find you need to physically adjust the Z home switch, so the bed springs have a bit pressure on them. A common upgrade is to replace the springs with silicon buffers, but I've personally never bothered.

The included SD card has 3 example files on it.
Dog, Cat, and a Piggy Bank. Dog is the smallest file to print.
I'd recommend some 3DLac for helping with bed adhesion/part removal. 3DLac is just glorified hairspray, but given how long a tin lasts, I've never felt the need to experiment finding a cheap hairspray that works.

Once you've managed a test print, I'd suggest looking at slicing software (this is what takes a 3D model, and slices it into layers, before generating the g-code the printer runs on).
Ultimaker Cura: Powerful, easy-to-use 3D printing software is probably the most common.
You will need to configure it for your printer. I would send across my file, but I'm not sure I still have one for my printer before I added an all metal direct drive head, but the key settings are saved at the top of example files if you open them in a text editor.

Using the built-in mini-sd card is a bit of a pain, but I'd endure it until you get a hang of the basics.
I personally upgraded my printer with a Big Tree Tech SKR mini E3 board (direct drop-in replacement for the original control board, but is 32bit based, with silent drivers), and their drop-in replacement touchscreen which has a full size SD-card slot and is much easier to handle than the mini slot in the controller.
I am however considering adding a RaspberryPi with Octoprint, as I have been doing more production type stuff lately, where clicking send to printer would be easier.

As has been mentioned Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects is probably one of the most popular sources for 3D files, but does have a bit of a reputation for being flakey.

 

[Bullet2012]

Google the Royal Oak.

It’s a pub in Wantage

 

[Bullet2012]

Royal Oak, Wantage: HMS Royal Oak

 

[Barking Mat]

That's not mental @Parm , that's a sound investment.

 

[Barking Mat]

Think of the sex toys you can fabricate....

You'll have @toddy in competition....

Ahh, I can't spell.

 

[Parm]

Think of the sex toys you can fabricate....

You'll have @toddy in competition....

Ahh, I can't spell.

I have seen those

.....only cause a mate told me to look

 

[toddy]

Think of the sex toys you can fabricate....

You'll have @toddy in competition....

Ahh, I can't spell.

More like we can build evil toys together, I can do wood and metal, he can do plastic

 

[Parm]

More like we can build evil toys together, I can do wood and metal, he can do plastic

Talking of which I need to meet you ......l

 

[Barking Mat]

Talking of which I need to meet you ......l

Fnarrr

 

[toddy]

Talking of which I need to meet you ......l

let me know when your free over a weekend and im sure we can arrange something....

the wife may put you to work helping to sort the house out tho.

 

[toddy]

Fnarrr

that is only because you want to be in on the action as well...

 

[Barking Mat]

let me know when your free over a weekend and im sure we can arrange something....

the wife may put you to work helping to sort the house out tho.

let's not involve wifie...