3d printers and printing

[Tom@Crewe]

I have one Hictop (prusa) filament printer its good, useful and I learnt a lot...

But if I was buying one now would move to the Resin Printer type.

Filament has its limitations, Resin more expensive (and smell) I read and see Resin gives better smooth results especially with small items.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvAVYLcvVr8

[mattmay05]

I have 3 resin printers... 4th on the way.
They have been running my business for a few years..

Did a review on one on my channel, use it to produce parts, and body shells all on kit build section.

It's not just buying a printer... You have to learn CAD, best way to print and support an item... But before that you must understand what printer you need.... High detail small items or larger structure items....
I've been using printing since 2014... Its not cheap.. But getting cheaper.

[TimberSurf]

I bit the bullet and bought a Anycubic Photon S (DLP) resin printer, expressly for Model Railways this year!
When things come out right, I am ecstatic! But that is only about 70% of the times!
Don't let anyone let you think its just press the button like a paper printer!
I have no wish to put anyone off from buying one, but it is a very steep learning curve from a number of angles!
1a) There are limited designs available on the free websites, there are more (better) designs out there, but you will have to buy them! (and still limited choice). The standard files (.stl) offered are a given size and DO NOT inherently resize to any scale! (some latitude is possible)
1b) The alternative is to design your own. This can take a huge amount of time (both learning the software and designing individual items) and is a major skill in its own right. Not everyone will get on with CAD.
2) A 3D design will not inherently print as is! It has to be processed by an intermediate piece of software called a slicer. This is because different makes of printer need their own file type to print from (.stl files will not print directly!) If there are thin parts or overhangs, then supports need to be added to the file to allow the printer to make it without it failing. The intermediate step is easy to achieve, however, the correct orientation of the item and the optimal number/type/position of supports really is a black art that has to be learned!
3) Now you can print! there are two choices of machine, filament or resin. Filament uses a reel of plastic wire and melts it, depositing it on a plate, the size of which can be upto 600x600mm. Resin uses a liquid that is UV sensitive and creates layers on a 100x200mm plate. The resin is very messy and needs a lot of post work (cleaning, rinsing, UV cure) once printed.

The advantage of filament is the size, but the layer thickness is very apparent and limits the detail definition (small elements), while the resin has great definition, but is limited in plate size. read resin for N and OO gauge and filament for OO upwards

A new resin tech has just appeared called Mono, it prints 7 times faster than older (colour) resin printers!

I am gonna have to write this up on a page on my website! lol

This is a video blog of my endeavours https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... ephiIykEeH

I at least had the advantage of being an industrial 3D CAD designer as a profession, so don't think you can replicate my designs easily! Having said that, I struggle like mad with the rest of the process!

My advice is to search the likes of thingiverse for freebies, then have a go at CAD with something like TinkerCAD to see if it's your cup of tea!
Decide if you want a printer afterwards!

[Buelligan]

I'll agree about a steep learning curve! I struggled to get my cheapo printer working reliably since we moved house, being in the damp garage had affected the frame, causing a lot of flexing. Personally I wanted the larger print bed, so I replaced mine with another budget, but supposedly fairly good, filament printer. It's a Creality Ender 3 Pro, £140 inc P&P. I had been looking at resin printers, but the post print clean up put me off, also I wouldn't want to be messing around with resin in the house, but filament is fine, if a little noisy.

While levelling the bed can be tricky, as can a few other bits, getting my head around settings in the slicer is definitely the hardest part! Different nozzle feed speeds, print head speeds, layer thickness, nozzle temp, bed temp, supports etc. Not to mention the random prints that just seem to not work, right after a successful print of the same file!

[TimberSurf]

Now added a page to my website on the subject!
http://www.lumsdonia.co.uk/3dprinting.html

[TimberSurf]

My 3d printing has taken over the railway modelling! However, they are all designs that will be utilised in the future on the layout! I am currently on design number 250! Ther are just 35 showcased in this vid https://youtu.be/5MZKvwsI7rI, but in the coming weeks I will be organising a full set of pics for my website!

[TimberSurf]

The bug has bitten harder and I have now bought an Elegoo Saturn, its the new Mono type LCD, so supposedly prints faster than the older Colour LCD's! But the build plate is much larger, which means some of my bigger designs can now be printed whole, rather than as bits to be glued together.
Only had it a few days, printed about 9 items then forgot to remove one before starting the next print!
Result, the item crashed into the bottom of the tank and pierced the FEP clear film bottom ! I now have to wait 2 weeks for a replacement film to turn up !

[Buelligan]

Only had it a few days, printed about 9 items then forgot to remove one before starting the next print!

Been there, done that, thankfully on my FDM Ender 3. Build plate was all the way back, I wasn't taking much notice and just set the next file to print, and walked off. Came back and wondered what the noise was, to find the hotted dragging through the previous print! Thankfully nothing was damaged.

Apart from the mishap, how are you getting on with the Saturn? I've been tempted to get a Mars to print some smaller things for the railway, barrels, sack trucks etc

[TimberSurf]

Apart from the mishap, how are you getting on with the Saturn? I've been tempted to get a Mars to print some smaller things for the railway, barrels, sack trucks etc

I hit the ground running! Worked faultlessly (with water washable) The only issue I have, is that although it says it has ethernet, the only way to connect to it is via Chitubox, but I use Lychee which does not support the ethernet connection.

[TimberSurf]

My latest video is about my 3D setup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klpxKL5DBPI

[Bufferstop]

Don't let talk of learning to produce CAD designs put you off. I had an O level pass in Engineering Drawing from 1959, and a few years being cursed at by real draughtsmen for my overly detailed drawing requests and found that using all but the most heavyweight software was well within my drawing abilities and my modellers imagination to envision what the final object should look like.

[TimberSurf]

I have been doing 3D designs for over 2 years now and am getting better and better at getting the design right first time and the supports right with only 2 or 3 goes, lol!
It is hard applying 'modelling license' to make the design printable, but still finescale and looking right. I recently started using the prints myself, to make diorama's, to show them off fully painted and insitu. Although I have had many problems with my printers and and my wash and cure station, I have to say that Elegoo printers may have issues, but their back up service is second to none and they have replaced many parts without question!
The results speak for themselves as to what you can achieve:-

[Richard08]

Great results

[bootneckbob]

Great replies and excellent work!