The Eric Mc honorary thread on 3D printed model thingumies.

The Eric Mc honorary thread on 3D printed model thingumies.

Author
Discussion

AER

Original Poster:

1,142 posts

277 months

Saturday 24th February 2018
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So, Mr Eric Mc has kicked us of his thread for talking too much bks about 3D printed Corsairs (see here) so here's a thread all about 3D printed models - let us know what you're up to!

I am currently printing a monster (1.7m) Spifire MkIX which I plan to turn into a MkVIII and paint it up like A58-303 because it's aloooominum and super cool.

I have a fully printed but half-finished P38 that needs some work and re-work.

I'll post some pics when I find some place to host them.

In the meantime I want to hear about dr_gn's 3D printing exploits and other interesting stories. Fire away!

AER

Original Poster:

1,142 posts

277 months

Saturday 24th February 2018
quotequote all
Anyway, here's another project that I've design, mostly printed but haven't yet finished and flown.





Need to pull my finger out...

Eric Mc

122,854 posts

272 months

Saturday 24th February 2018
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Fantastic.

The topic deserves an obvious thread of its own.

I don't think I'll be acquiring any 3D printed model technology any time soon but it's a really interesting area and I expect many of the after-market accessory operations are already looking at how they can harness this technology.

I'm not sure what your design is supposed to be but has an aeronautical feel to it.

dom9

8,208 posts

216 months

Saturday 24th February 2018
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Looks like a quiet drone to me but I'm neither into aircraft, nor 3d printing so I am probably wrong.. but I'll be following this with interest as when I can pop to Maplin and pick up a printer that'll do metal - I'm going to be living in my garage!

perdu

4,884 posts

206 months

Saturday 24th February 2018
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The technology scares me, because I don't understand the mathematics and am not clever enough to master the computer science part of it because - old

BUT isnt it a fabulous time to be living when we are seeing this beginning to make massive inroads in even our hobbies as well as 'real life'

I love the 'look' of your printed aerial being is it a bird?
Is it a plane?

Whatever it is a marvel

Equus

16,980 posts

108 months

Saturday 24th February 2018
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Interesting topic!

I'd like to know more about the technology everyone is using for this stuff (both design software and printers).

WolfieBot

2,111 posts

194 months

Saturday 24th February 2018
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I haven't really progressed on from boaty mcboat faces yet.

I don't know why it's sideways either. laugh

Eric Mc

122,854 posts

272 months

Saturday 24th February 2018
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Next task is to master picture orientation smile

Yertis

18,652 posts

273 months

Sunday 25th February 2018
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More of a general 3D printing question than model making – are we yet in a situation where the plastics you can use in this gear at home are stable enough for real automotive applications? (ie bits of trim and so forth.)

WolfieBot

2,111 posts

194 months

Sunday 25th February 2018
quotequote all
It's not so much the stability as the resolution. You need ultra fine nozzles and layer height which leads to a really slow print time.

There are ways of finishing them afterwards to smooth them out too.

allegerita

259 posts

204 months

Sunday 25th February 2018
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I designed a drone that doesn’t look like a traditional drone with 4 or 6 helices but rather like a plane designed to both fly very fast and silent and to have outstanding hoovering capability.

It comes very close to AER’s design. I haven’t detail-modelled the aircraft yet but we are working on it.

Yertis

18,652 posts

273 months

Monday 26th February 2018
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WolfieBot said:
It's not so much the stability as the resolution. You need ultra fine nozzles and layer height which leads to a really slow print time.

There are ways of finishing them afterwards to smooth them out too.
But once made, will the components last, or fall to bits at first sign of rain/sunshine/cycles thereof?

WolfieBot

2,111 posts

194 months

Monday 26th February 2018
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PLA isn't supposed to be great, it absorbs moisture which can really affect its structural property, eventually causing it to break down (it is biodegradable). At a guess I'd suggest after a year or two outside it wouldn't be faring well. If using it for trim in a car you'd have to be mindful of general temperature, the temperature cars can get inside could easily start to see PLA deflecting and going soft.

ABS is the other main material used but I don't really have experience with it.

AER

Original Poster:

1,142 posts

277 months

Monday 26th February 2018
quotequote all
I think ABS is commonly used for injection moulded parts throughout vehicles these days anyway so it's pretty robust. Not too sure how UV-stable it is though.

As far as printing with it, most of the cheaper printers (Prusa-style etc) will struggle to print it. Ideally it needs an enclosed and heated print bed and a printer head that can maintain a 260°C+ extruder temperature. Even then, controlling thermal distortion during print can be challenging

The flying wing I posted above is printed in ABS. I've had to compensate in some areas for warped part ends to make it work by printing extra length and trimming/filing/sanding. This is usually not necessary with the 3Dlabprint-style aircraft printed in PLA.

ABS can be acetone smoothed and glued with acetone-dissolved ABS parent material whereas PLA generally cannot and is glued with CA adhesive.

Edited by AER on Tuesday 27th February 00:01

WolfieBot

2,111 posts

194 months

Sunday 11th March 2018
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I've still got a few hardware issues to iron out before I can print anything too detailed or high tolerances, but I'm at least getting useful prints now. smile




allegerita

259 posts

204 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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hello AER, did you ever get the flying wing flying?

Boatbuoy

1,950 posts

169 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
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Numerous parts of my RC Canberra have been 3D printed, notably:

The Nosecone/radome
Engine nacelle starter cones
Canopy mould plug
Retracting landing light assembly



These were made using a Hewlett Packard Multi Jet Fusion machine - a £230,000 printer yikes

Eric Mc

122,854 posts

272 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
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Impressive - but a bit more than my budget will run.

sausage76

360 posts

130 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
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At last a model topic on 3d printers. Hurray.

Got me a cheap Prusa i3 and does more than I want it to I'm using mine to make small parts for RC drift cars and about to start on a scale garage project over winter that i will use it to make benches and tools etc.

They really are fantastic bits of kit. But so frustrating, took me three months to get mine working right but now it works great.

I'll get some pics up of stuff I've made at some point.

I'm thinking of making an RC boat with mine as like the idea of making it and then floating round the local pond.

julian64

14,317 posts

261 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
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I've been using a home one for the last year. Currently in the process of taking it apart and improving it with re printed parts to be a dual printer.

Steep learning curve to learn a 3d modelling program to design for them but very rewarding.