3-D Printers

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Tools
1

Hello all you tech types out there!

This is to show that even the old Tanker-Builder isn’t a shut in when it comes to high Tech, Just a little Weak on Method and Equipment! I have been getting some ship supplies from a friend whose had his own nightmares with High Tech! I have come away with this. If you cannot justify the cost, even for the simpler ones, and you are a wee bit shaky in the Electronic(Read Computers and associated Devices)(3-Printers fall right in center of the pond here) then don’t buy them!

My friend is an I.T. specialist! He has already gone through two of the things! They mess up after about a month and as he says, “Who has a house or workshop that is laser line level?” I was going to get one of the less expensive units to make model ship parts. He said let him make them for me. He has done a Kick-Butt Job getting certain Small Boats and Ship Parts for me. He says just pay for the material and a wee bit of time.(Setup) and whatever I do don’t waste the money. Unless you can afford a top of the line unit, Stay away from the things!

There are some that are in the under a Thousand Dollar or Five Hundred Dollar range. If you insist on buying them make sure your periphial Computer skills are up to it. If not, Fuggedaboud it!

2

I would like to buy something but cannot decide yet whether to get a 3d printer or a small cnc router. I had been worried that I have not reached even a novice level in 3D CAD yet. However, I am seeing such a plethera pf files for useful things like wheels and engines, that may not be so important.

3

You may want to consider a #D resinb pringer instead. It produces much smoother more detailed models. There are post produxtion steps like cleaning it with alcohol and using UV light to make sure all the resin is “set”. But the results are better.

4

I knew a kid who dated my daughter for a while and was a snipe (volunteer) in the Jeremiah O’Brien.

He thought it was funny that the big LeBlond lathe in the workshop down below had a bubble level on the bed.

Bill

5

Hey!

Bill, Don’t laugh. Really! My Lathe and Milling machine in my old shop both had levels on the machine beds. Come to think of it, My panel saw( A Table Saw with a 6’ Worktop all the way around the blade) had one too! Many of the older Large “Home Shop” tools had them and adjustable feet that you could lock when level. Mine were set on concrete that been finished with a smoothing grinder which rendered the shop floor as level as you could get a concrete floor.

I had some Line Printers and Blueprint machines that required that Proverbial " Perfectly Flat Floor". It is a fact. Many of your BluePrinting and other machines are required to sit perfectly aligned by levelers. I still use a 30’x48" sanding disc/belt unit that has the levelers and " Bubble" on the base! The hardest part now is getting the finer grit 48 inch belts! This machine was bought used, and I have replaced the guides and rollers on the belt twice now.

Remember, " Minshipco" was a commercial Miniature Company. So We worked off Prints and Contour maps too! The idea was two-fold. Models for Law Firms and Miniatures for Engineering firms. BUT, I was required to have a “Raw” shop just like any small manufacturer of specialty products had. The Most fun was a Log Loader for a Law Firm. 450 pounds when finished. But, From My seat behind the rail in the courtroom, I could make the model go through it’s paces. Very Much R.C.d!

6

what kind of printer do I look for to get started?

7

Before you buy anything I would take a few hours reading about the differnet type of printers. There are also hundreds of you tube videos discussing these machines in detail.

That being said, this is a well thought of company

https://www.anycubic.com/

8

I think I am done with my research. As soon as I put together the cash, I will be buying a Halot One.

BTW, even a cheap bubble level is quite accurate, and it is almost 3000 year old technology.

9

Personally, I would look at a different printer. While from what I’ve read, the Halot One is a perfectly competent printer, you can get a printer for the around the same or slightly lower price with a higher resolution screen. For example, an Anycubic Photon Mono 4k has a higher resolution screen, a slightly larger build volume, and can be used with more slicer programs for only $50 more. A Photon SQ is a bit less than the Halot, with slightly higher resolution and a unique square build plate. I use an Anycubic printer so that’s the line up I know, but I’m not advocating for them. You can get a Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K for about $100 more than the Halot with the same specs as the Photon Mono 4k.

I’ve been using my printer so much recently, I’ve been looking into getting a second one. I’m stuck between a Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K or an Anycubic Photon D2

10

For under $200 I don’t think you can go too far wrong with the Halot One resin 3d printer. I still use its predecessor the LD-002r and have created some stunning detail parts with it and have used it in several scratch ship and armor builds in tandem with an ender 3 FDM printer used for the larger hull sections. The thing I really like about the LD-002r is the ease of use, hopefully the Halot retains this feature! It’s had extremely few print failures (that weren’t entirely my fault). The only real drawback for me would be the relatively small print area. But for sub $200? Should be a good gateway printer! [:)]

But be warned, most resins stink to high heaven and are toxic to man and beast, especially to cats and dogs that tend to eat little things they find on the floor… This is mostly a problem with semi cured supports which are still tacky and tend to fly all over when snipping them from their prints. Tiny pieces then stick to your pants, shoes or socks and turn up in the strangest places…
That said, there are now organic? resins that are non toxic – I just bought some and intend to try them out.

11

Let us know how they turn out.

12

I would love to get into the whole 3D print thing, but the toxic resins and the smell are a straight up no go for me. Besides, that a whole other rabbit hole to go down and I want to build kits not spend time working through issues getting a print to come out right. I’ll just go ahead a spend my funds on parts already worked up by someone far more skilled at it than I could be and I won’t have to stop building to mess around with a file trying to get it to work correctly. 3D parts are a game changer for our hobby for sure, I’ll just leave that to others while I keep building.

BK

13

I’m of a similar opinion to Brandon’s. 3D printing is interesting and the results can be impressive, but I’m not going to take it up myself. I can get 3D-printed items as necessary from sources like Shapeways, or from others in the clubs I belong to. I’ll focus on building kits.

A postscript…If you haven’t yet seen it, the January/February 2023 issue of FSM has 3D printing as its theme. Definitely interesting reading!

14

I have always been skeptical when it comes to consumer-level 3D printing—the glaring lack of detail was the biggest issue for me.

Yet when Phrozen 8K was rated the best in its class, with its highest resolution out there, I instantly knew it was time to get one. That thing can do 100 layers per mm, although for all practical purposes you’d want to stick with only 20 per mm or so. That’s the point when I can only see individual layers through a magnifying glass.

Man, I am glad I got one! It was like discovering the Internet for the first time, no kidding. Suddenly, everything became possible, or so it seemed.

I’ve had it for about a month now, learning the ropes, and I absolutely love it. If used right, it produces flawless prints. Thinking of it, I’ve only goofed up twice up until now: one time, I left my uncured print soaking in IPA for some extended time and that ruined it, as the layers started to separate close to the surface all around. Then, only a couple days ago, I simply forgot to put enough resin in the vat when I was printing large parts. Did not check the level on time, but then it was too late to pour some extra resin in it…

If you decide to get one, make sure to also get their own Phrozen 8K resin. They only make it in gray for now. I have no experience with any other, but I noticed that a lot of tips and tricks regarding the cleaning process seem rather excessive with this resin. I, too, started with an ultrasonic cleaner, and multiple IPA baths, only to realize that all that was not necessary in my case. I simply wash each print in IPA by wiggling it for about 3 minutes, and then wash it in warm water in a similar manner. No scrubbing, no residue, nothing; it comes out as smooth as peach, ready for drying and curing. IPA, by the way, can be reused many times: when it gets dirty, just “cure” it with a UV lamp and then filter out the cured resin.

My advice: start with Phrozen 8K Mini or 8K Mighty, if you want a bigger plate. The price difference is about $100, plus or minus. In addition, Phozen have been quite aggressive with their pricing lately, often providing discounts or giving free resin with printer purchase on Amazon.