3D Printer

[PuG]

More of a kitchen table project...

Last five months been building my first 3d printer on and off, basically so I can fabricate bits for the farm, bucket clamps, tractor plastic bits, new fence post insulators for the hotline metal ones which always snap..!

Just done my first test print yesterday, still need to refine it and sorry the picture are not brilliant. Trying with cheap PetG filament (intend to print mostly with PetG or Nylon).

Large bed size, 450 x 450 mm using a E3D Aero Titan hot end. Ramps 1.4 circuitry with Marlin firmware and will be plugged into OctoPrint (https://octoprint.org).

The most expensive single items where the aluminium extrusions, the printer extruder (plenty of cheap ones available though) and the 3mm borosilicate glass.

Cheers, James

 

[fermerboy]

Well done!
Really clever stuff.

 

[Mursal]

Lovely bit of kit, well impressed ...............

 

[Dave W]

Impressive stuff.
Just shows the pace at which technology moves on these days.
It’s not many years since 3D printing was conceived and now there’s a farmer making one on his kitchen table.
That’s not to take anything away from it. I wouldn’t know where to start

 

[Pilgrimmick]

But it is the way forward, Imagine something breaking on the tractor/combine etc. Just pop into the workshop and print a spare! Almost instant, no waiting for delivery.
In time the plastics will improve so engine parts can be printed! Someone in america (where else?) has already printed a working pistol!

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Being nosey...what did it cost to make?

 

[Mur Huwcun]

But it is the way forward, Imagine something breaking on the tractor/combine etc. Just pop into the workshop and print a spare! Almost instant, no waiting for delivery.
In time the plastics will improve so engine parts can be printed! Someone in america (where else?) has already printed a working pistol!

When we had a tour of the Perkins Plant in Peterborough last year in the development area they had a 3d printed model of one of their new engines. Reason for this was as the engine was not yet in production but they wanted to design and produce ancillary items such as manifolds, oil coolers, Brackets etc ready for when the blocks would be machined. They were using the 3d printed block to bolt all the other items onto it to evaluate how they all would fit and integrate together!! Fascinating stuff

 

[fermerboy]

Being nosey...what did it cost tomake?

I wanted to ask that too but didn't have the nerve.....

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I wanted to ask that too but didn't have the nerve.....

Balls of steel me

 

[PuG]

In principle its all simple stuff - I think the most difficult bit is getting the whole assembly ridged and making the initial fixtures for the motors and rails, if you already have a 3d printer that's easy friend up the road with a CNC machine and chunk of aluminium, kindly milled, but sadly was a complete failure as he drilled the bushes out crooked hence my dodgy bit of wood work.

Mistake I made was trying to go to large and perhaps skimping alittle on the rails. 10mm dia, 2 x 500mm and 2 x 800mm from China, about £7 delivered each but the quality is pretty awful, though hardened.

Actual print area is 450 x 450 x 450 so its large.

The X axis (left to right) was a total mess, originally was again suppose to be on round rails but swapped out for what you can see for about £30 quid. 600mm long.

Ramps 1.4, with Ardunio mega (small micro computer) from Ebay. Delivered, £25
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3D-Print...uino-Reprap-/271634392336?hash=item3f3eabe510

Endstop switches, pack of 10, £7
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pcs-Me...l-Ramps-1-4-/331743405454?hash=item4d3d72a58e

Nema 17 motors x 4, total £24
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nema17-S...epper-Motor-/382020316118?hash=item58f22f6bd6

E3D Aero Titian extruder, £120 (but you can get Chines clones for about £24 - 34.

Glass made to size, £45 450 x 450mm
Silicon heat bed £36

Lead screws and belts £30.

Aluminium profiles I think was about £150 for 6 x 40mm x 1000mm with right angle fittings.

I reckon just under 380 - but I was buying in bits and could have probably saved allot by making it 300 x 300 with less trial and error. I reckon £250 - £300 and thats still getting a quality extruder...

Printing adapter plates to go in my teleyhandler light fittings at the moment (replacement light reflector to fit in existing light unit).

But it is the way forward, Imagine something breaking on the tractor/combine etc. Just pop into the workshop and print a spare! Almost instant, no waiting for delivery.
In time the plastics will improve so engine parts can be printed! Someone in america (where else?) has already printed a working pistol!

Exactly!

Will post some pictures next few weeks as I get through my make list also what people don't show you is how many failed attempts of prints espeicaily when setting it up...

For actual modelling of the parts you can use nearly any 3d program, Google Sketch up, another free one which going to try is Tinkercad - https://www.tinkercad.com

Cheers,

 

[Mursal]

And the knowledge and expertise to make it all work, priceless ..........

 

[A1an]

And the knowledge and expertise to make it all work, priceless ..........

I agree

I can barely get the wifi working on my normal printer let alone build one.

 

[TheTallGuy]

A cheap starter kit for £170 here https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0...3d+printer&dpPl=1&dpID=51AIWE3tDyL&ref=plSrch
A lot of folk start with the basic kits and use them to print upgrades etc. I keep mulling over getting one, but it'd be a distraction from doing all the other projects that need doing first.

 

[Mursal]

But possibly a good distraction, very interesting even if it never worked .........

 

[PuG]

no more difficult to use than setting up a seed drill!

 

[joe soapy]

Warning, do not open this link, It will rob you of any spare time
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/337629303299600842/

 

[Philip Watkins]

Warning, do not open this link, It will rob you of any spare time
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/337629303299600842/

I've already been reading some of those "build your own cnc router" links

 

[bkg]

I've already been reading some of those "build your own cnc router" links

Here you go this is a good start, the rest is straight forward

STOP SLIDESHOW
STOP SLIDESHOW

BladeRunner 4 Combo
$1,705.00

Blade Runner 4-Combo is a 4 Axis XYZ controller with motors and cables.

Operating System *
LINUX based systems run CommandCNC for CNC control. License included with controller. All options include either refurbished Desktop PC or new MINI PC. All PC’s have Solid State Hardrives (SSD) and 2 Ethernet Ports.

The CommandCNC MINI PC is an ultra compact fanless computer with 32GB of internal memory, 2GB RAM, two LAN ports for table operation and internet connectivity, HDMI connectivity, and one USB 3.0 port.

An optional 64 GB SSD is available only for Linux systems. Cost: $65
This will be added as the main drive and the original HDD will be the secondary drive.

 

[aidan]

So what items could you make which would be useful for the farm ?

often thought about buying one but couldn't figure out what I would gain from having it

https://www.google.ie/search?q=gall...QsAQIeg&biw=1600&bih=769#imgrc=apAnJM55MtCwHM:

how much to print one of these gallagher insulators

 

[PuG]

Will keep you posted on that, picture of one of the light adaptors I've made so far for replacement reflectors.



I think what you've got to keep in a mind is its not really for mass production. Something like fence insulators are better to buy, relatively cheap and the plastics are designed for long term UV exposure. Worth reading to give an idea of the filaments available:

https://www.matterhackers.com/3d-printer-filament-compare

Saying that I'm doing hotline metal stake insulators and going to test them over the year. Basically the nylon onces perish and snap so I've upped the design and hoping PetG will be up for it, about third to quater the price cheaper than buying (not taking in account of failed prints!). Its actual strength is impressive, light adapter above is 2.3 mm thick and I struggled to pull it in half.

Something I do want to make and reckon worth while is alkathene water pipe fittings.. specially for the cost of them now. My next bit is a bolt spacer to go on our drum mower so it cuts higher.

My 1kg roll of PetG cost me 17.99 euros, its cheap budget stuff.

Its the bits you can't easily get, or ridiculously over prices and anything you want to design.