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Friend of mine has had an Ender 3d Pro printer for over a year, but for one reason or another, never got help building it. So she brought it here.
I've been interested in these things for a while, but it's always been "meh, it's one more hobby that I don't wanna sink money into" but now that it's here, i'm having fun with it


She bought pink PLA with slightly non-standard temp ranges, so it took a couple tries to dial it in since default temps were failing.

I would use it specifically to turn HeroForge characters into minis.

Dave said:

I would use it specifically to turn HeroForge characters into minis.

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that's what she wants to do for sure

3D printing is something that would solve SO many of my day-to-day issues, but would not be worth it because it would be endless one-off project after one-off project, each one requiring a different filament or different head or etc or…

—Patrick

I just want a pop-out sword:

PatrThom said:

3D printing is something that would solve SO many of my day-to-day issues, but would not be worth it because it would be endless one-off project after one-off project, each one requiring a different filament or different head or etc or…

—Patrick

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We have a Prusa Mk 3 filament printer and my husband uses it for making custom/prototype parts and the like all the time (everything from shelf spacers to race car parts). We just have the assortment of nozzles that came with the printer (and use the .4mm for the majority of prints) and spools of PLA & PET (depending on the project). Unless you're getting into some really crazy materials or want to print in multiple colors, you only need a few basics. He uses the free version of Fusion 360 to create objects.

I print miniatures and the filament printer kinda sucks for that. If all you want to do is print miniatures, resin is the way to go. We have a Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k resin printer and an Anycubic Wash & Cure. Resin requires more work on the printing side, since you're dealing with resin (which can be stinky and should be handled with gloves since it can cause skin irritation) and it requires rinsing (with alcohol) and UV curing, but it requires much less work on the finishing side and the results are absolutely worth it. Filament miniatures will require a lot of finishing work and there is a high risk of breakage of the tiny arms/legs/weapons when you're prying them out of the supports. Resin miniatures essentially come out ready to paint, though the longer you let them cure, the better. After doing the intense curing with the UV light they're still a little soft, just letting them sit for a few days in sunlight will finish hardening them.

Star Wars Legion-scale miniatures (about 32 mm, 1:47 scale), filament & resin. I don't have any pics of the same model in each material, but these models were created by the same person so are very similar in design and detail.


When Padmé came off the printer, she was completely encased by support material. I used clippers and dental picks to remove the supports. You can see a lot of filament bits and strings still on her that would need to be sanded or picked off. Her face is kind of blank and the gun is a mess because filament printers have trouble with fine details at this scale (0.25mm nozzle for this one).


Resin only needs a few supports (they look like a few bits of scaffolding) that I just snipped off. Echo has sharper fine detail, which is what makes resin ideal for miniatures. He just needs a little touch-up sanding. (His prosthetic arm is missing because it was printed as a separate piece).

I printed a 6" Captain Rex figure in filament and it turned out fine (except I snapped off his viewfinder while removing the supports *cry*).

Before


After (about 5 hours to clean him up)

Oh, I’ve done 3D printing as part of my job before, but all that did was impress upon me how expensive it would be to have my own setup. Between initial cost and consumables, it would be more than I could keep up with right now.

—Patrick

I'm just printing at "medium quality" and not fiddling with things to make them smoother or better. I'm just getting a feel for the machine and printing random stuff.

This was a life-size skull model that I scaled down to about an inch across.

If you haven't found it already, MatterHackers is a great source for filament (and pretty much anything else 3D printer related). We mostly use their MH brand PLA & PET and have had good experiences printing with it.

Sara_2814 said:

If you haven't found it already, MatterHackers is a great source for filament (and pretty much anything else 3D printer related). We mostly use their MH brand PLA & PET and have had good experiences printing with it.

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I ran across them in my googling, but it's good to know they're a decent source

I've been using a coat rack as a cap holder, but as I've accumulated more caps, it's outlived its usefulness. There were a ton of options on thingiverse for wall-mounted cap holders, but most of them were for baseball caps. This one, however, seems to do nicely

four part print, assembled. This is the first print I've done that required supports, and I'm pretty happy with the end result. (Incidentally, I have some filament other than pink arriving very soon lol)

So I was sitting here thinking tonight and I had an idea. I googled it to see if it was possible and it is. Right now the technology is pretty bad, but it's going to get better and better as people work on this.

3D printed albums.

Dave said:

So I was sitting here thinking tonight and I had an idea. I googled it to see if it was possible and it is. Right now the technology is pretty bad, but it's going to get better and better as people work on this.

3D printed albums.

3D Printed Record

3D Printed Record: In order to explore the current limits of 3D printing technology, I've created a technique for converting digital audio files into 3D-printable, 33rpm records and printed a few functional prototypes that play on ordinary record players. Though th…

www.instructables.com

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That sounded much better than expected. It reminded me of when I tried to play an old shellac 78 on my 1980s record player.

I know people have been trying to do this for a while, but the printing technology hasn't advanced enough to print at actual size.
But what it really calls into question is how faithful does a copy have to be before a human can't tell the difference? How long until a 3D-printed record can pass a turntable test?

--Patrick

I wonder if an industrial SLS would sound significantly better.
I mean, it's totally impractical from a manufacturing standpoint...stamping vinyl would still be the faster and cheaper technology. But industrial SLS printers can have a layer thickness measured in microns...(Formlabs Fuse 1 prints at 110 microns, .004 inches, for instance).

Nevermind...he's using an Objet with a print thickness of 40ish microns. lol

Right but just think. Soon maybe we can take MP3 files and press them ourselves into "vinyl" that will add the pop & hiss. Sound wouldn't be as good but for record player peeps it would be interesting.

So, my own 3d printer arrived today (recall, the one I've been playing with has been my friend's).
Bambu P1S. Shown here next to the Ender 3 pro.


This thing auto feeds, will allow you print multiple filaments/colors in a single print, and is *fast*. It came 99% assembled. That little green tugboat in the bottom right of the pic is "Benchy"...a benchmarking print to troubleshoot print problems.



I printed Benchy in 19 minutes on the P1S..by comparison the Ender 3 Pro prints it in around 2 hours.

That's a fine looking Benchy. No stringing, only a little bit of ringing.

Will you move on to more advanced tests like the torture toaster?

figmentPez said:

That's a fine looking Benchy. No stringing, only a little bit of ringing.

Will you move on to more advanced tests like the torture toaster?

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Maybe some day...but at the moment, as long as I'm getting decent prints, I'm not gonna nerd out about it.

Decent prints like this 2-color bed scraper. Bambu sent a razor blade, 2 screws and stick-on magnets and a 3d file to print your own bed scraper and holder.

If you want to print something cool to show off 3D printing, do a planetary gearset: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:53451 is one of many on Thingiverse.

It's print-in-place (no assembly required) and it blows people's minds.

Sara_2814 said:

If you want to print something cool to show off 3D printing, do a planetary gearset: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:53451 is one of many on Thingiverse.

It's print-in-place (no assembly required) and it blows people's minds.

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That looks like just the kind of impractical wizardry that will blow my friends' minds when they ask me "but why do you need a 3d printer?" when all the practical things I'm already lining up won't impress. lol

Edit: and with Bambu Studio and the AMS system I have, I can print the gears in different colors

Tinwhistler said:

impractical wizardry that will blow my friends' minds

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Also print yourself a Gömböc to put in that pile.

--Patrick

So far, in every print, the Bambu prints about 6 times as fast as the Ender.
Same pumpkin and witch hat--hat in sparkly PLA, and the pumpkin in random spool of orange they fortuitously sent me with the printer. (they send a random partial spool..they sent me partial spools of orange and green. Maybe because it's spooky season)

Hey 3D Printer enthusiasts, I have been eyeing the Swingrail trainer as I am coaching 9 YOs in a competitive baseball team but it seems so simple that 30 bucks is hard to swallow. Is this a thing that could be easily assembled with, in part, 3D printing? I don't have a printer but I have a buddy.

Picture for reference and also to grab your attention:

Everything can be "easily assembled" with a 3D printer.
The only real issues are going to be ones related to precision and to material properties, and that shape looks like one fated to immediately snap like a wishbone if printed with standard PLA. I suppose if you want to fab up a few dozen and have "Ah! It broke!" be the indicator of a poor swing, then ... sure? Otherwise you'd want something more durable, and then you're looking at either using the printer to make a sort of lost-wax model for casting, or else having them SLM/DMLS'd, which would be pricey.

--Patrick

Tinwhistler said:

So far, in every print, the Bambu prints about 6 times as fast as the Ender.
Same pumpkin and witch hat--hat in sparkly PLA, and the pumpkin in random spool of orange they fortuitously sent me with the printer. (they send a random partial spool..they sent me partial spools of orange and green. Maybe because it's spooky season)

View attachment 46314

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I love the sparkly black.

We got the multi-material upgrade for the Prusa a couple weeks ago, but haven't had time to install it yet. Maybe that needs to be moved up the priority list.

MindDetective said:

Hey 3D Printer enthusiasts, I have been eyeing the Swingrail trainer as I am coaching 9 YOs in a competitive baseball team but it seems so simple that 30 bucks is hard to swallow. Is this a thing that could be easily assembled with, in part, 3D printing? I don't have a printer but I have a buddy.

Picture for reference and also to grab your attention:

View attachment 46315

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That thing looks dangerous even in the molded plastic version, LOL! It's attached to elastic, yes? Most objects, I'd say "Yeah, go for it", but since it's under stress from the elastic and kids are the intended users, I say spend the $30 for the molded plastic that is less likely to snap and put their eye out.

From a design perspective, it's kind of complicated. It has the curved part that has to be fairly precise to fit snug to a bat, and then that thin T-intersection "wishbone" bit that's under stress. Besides the material issues @PatrThom mentioned, layer adhesion is a weak point in 3D printing and that intersection is a big weak point. It could potentially be redesigned to be stronger at the intersection when 3D printed, but that's going to take some work in CAD. This would only be worth it if you weren't happy with the design and wanted to customize it and cost wasn't the issue.

Thanks! That answers my question.

Another cool model to amaze your friends: a print-in-place articulated dragon. https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/articulated-dragon-mcgybeer

Sara_2814 said:

Another cool model to amaze your friends: a print-in-place articulated dragon. https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/articulated-dragon-mcgybeer

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I already have that one, an articulated snake, and an articulated axolotl in my 'to do' list
I'm waiting until I have cooler PLA to print them with.

Right now, I'm playing with Bambu Studio's ability to take a monochrome shape file and 'paint' colors on it to print multi-colored prints. I'd printed a set of coasters in pink (the only PLA my friend had with her printer), and I'm currently trying to print in blue/grey and green.


As of this posting, it *just* started the green layer.

final result

Ooo, like inlay.

—Patrick

and this new printer is so much faster....that coaster single was a 3.5 hour job on the old printer. After I saw success with the coaster, I printed 5 more and the holder last night..

It's crazy how fast I went from "where can I buy this thing I need?" to "I wonder if I can print this thing I need."

Stackable filament storage made with 3d printed shelf walls and cheap EMT conduit from Lowes. (The last bit of the righthand wall is still on the printer for a few minutes yet)

Tinwhistler said:

It's crazy how fast I went from "where can I buy this thing I need?" to "I wonder if I can print this thing I need."

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Let us know when you print (and hand-finish!) your first tinwhistle.

—Patrick

PatrThom said:

Let us know when you print (and hand-finish!) your first tinwhistle.

—Patrick

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I have 3d files for them already. I just am afraid FDM will lack the print dpi required for a good tinwhistle. Tiny tiny tiny variations can make a big difference in sound and tuning. Back when I was running that particular experiment, I was sending the files off to be printed SLS

saw a few cool files on thingiverse labeled "lithophane"....so I learned how to make them myself



With light behind it


If I get cyan, magenta and yellow filaments, I can do full-color prints of these.

Tinwhistler said:

If I get cyan, magenta and yellow filaments, I can do full-color prints of these.

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For anyone who is curious about how those look, and what the process is like:

Well, i think I've got struts figured out

Fully articulated, no assembly, print in place silver dragon

I'm not gonna bore you guys with all the little things I print here and there. But I thought you might like this one. I got some rainbow Silk PLA in, and printed a fully articulated rose dragon overnight.

2 5x9 chainmail squares attached together. It would take 36 squares to recreate the 22.5 lb steel hauberk I currently own.

figmentPez said:

I just want a pop-out sword:

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I am looking at various options for these now

Not consumer 3D printing, but still really cool. Medical 3D printed casts:

This one failed a couple of times before I got all the settings dialed in. Dune Striker..fully articulated rock/dragon/scorpion thing.

Tinwhistler said:

This one failed a couple of times before I got all the settings dialed in. Dune Striker..fully articulated rock/dragon/scorpion thing.

View attachment 46431

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I love the filament. We haven't tried gradient yet.

Sara_2814 said:

I love the filament. We haven't tried gradient yet.

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I dove right in with gradiant silk PLA...just started playing with PET-G day before yesterday. I like the feel of the finished items in pet-g...they feel less brittle, and the material properties (chemical resistance, strength etc) are amazing, but it doesn't make nearly as clean-looking finish.

I've been using TTYT3D for the gradient silk, because they had color combos I wanted. It has a few bad reviews on amazon, but I find that drying mine for 4-6 hours in my big Cosori dehydrater at 110F made it print just fine.

--Patrick

Twisty pentagram vase

made a collapsing light saber similar to the katana. But with a pink blade.

That's no moon...but it is a lamp printed from a Nasa-provided 3d render of the moon

3d printed low g whistle

THERE it is.

—Patrick

PatrThom said:

THERE it is.

—Patrick

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I'd feel better about it if it was my own design. But it's not. And I also don't have much use for a low G whistle.
So...I've been working on designing my own D whistle. I have the body pretty much nailed down and am now iterating on the head design. The following is my printed whistle body stuck on an Abell brand whistle head. I'm super happy with the results so far.

Sounds a lot more airy than I think you'd really want, but I guess you can't beat the price!
(assuming you already had a head lying around)

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Sounds a lot more airy than I think you'd really want, but I guess you can't beat the price!
(assuming you already had a head lying around)

--Patrick

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Airiness is an artifact of the microphone I'm using to record. It'd also be caused by the mouthpiece and not the whistle body--it's not evident at all in person except as a little complexity in the tone (which is a desirable trait). This is the whistle head I play in sessions all the time.

speaking of whistle heads...

Next is to experiment with orientation.
Which direction of "grain" sounds the best?

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Next is to experiment with orientation.
Which direction of "grain" sounds the best?

--Patrick

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I think I'm printing the only way possible on this printer without having to clean out a bunch of support material. Basically printing them standing up. If I print them on their side, the whole tube is a giant overhang, and rather than a little tree of material on the outside I can grow up to support the mouthpiece, the entire inside has to be supported.

Tinwhistler said:

I think I'm printing the only way possible on this printer without having to clean out a bunch of support material.

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I figured you were, I just didn't know if you'd endure the headache of the other orientations in order to see whether something like "60/45/30deg angle, holes up" made any difference to playability/sound/etc.

--Patrick

I think i can get away with up to a 45 degree angle on this printer without excessive supports. It's worth experimenting.

Been a busy little beaver

Had this idea yesterday, and designing whistles gave me enough Fusion 360 to make it a reality

Does it say, "I'm already disturbed enough" on the back?

--Patrick

Wee little baby crystal dragon

Baby mistletoe dragon for the yuletide season

A change in filament can make a world of difference

Been making a lot more little babies of various kinds. I can hardly keep up. I sold 11 last night, and I'm supposed to vend these things at an event tomorrow.



About two weeks since I started offering stuff for sale, and I've earned half-way to a 2nd printer in net proceeds.

Those who can, do.
Those who can't...will happily pay $7 for someone else to do it.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Those who can, do.
Those who can't...will happily pay $7 for someone else to do it.

--Patrick

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Hah..those are $10..or $15+ if you get them on Etsy and the like.

2nd printer arrives today (Saturday's vending was very successful).

New model: Little fidget wolves, printed in dual-color filament that shifts from black to white depending on which angle you look at them.

I may have a problem....lol

Winter dragon, clover dragon, coral dragon. Saturday is my last vending opportunity before Xmas. Then i expect sales will dry up considerably

3d printing..not just for silly fidget dragons.
Friend of mine is moving from Houston, and her bed in storage had a couple of broken frame slats. She was gonna go to home depot and buy and cut wood, and I was like "It's a non moving part that sits on the floor, right? You just need it to not, you know, fall apart?
Measured with calipers and whipped up a support/patch in Fusion 360. Printed in PETG for a little more strength, and threw in some wood glue for extra hold.

The printed patch covers 3 out of 4 sides, and is fairly dimensionally stable. If it was weight-bearing, I would have said this wasn't a workable fix, but it rests on the floor, so I think it's gonna work out.

THIS is the kind of stuff I want to get a printer for. Not the trinkets, but for the bespoke "Nobody makes this part any more" stuff.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

THIS is the kind of stuff I want to get a printer for. Not the trinkets, but for the bespoke "Nobody makes this part any more" stuff.

--Patrick

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Yeah, she also has a missing plastic foot to a table, and I'm gonna re-create that too. My aunt sells vintage collectible toys, and they're always having to whittle replacement parts out of wood (because that's what her husband does) but would love to get them 3d printed.

I mostly got my printer for practical uses, but decided to vend stuff to help it pay for itself (well, pay for both of them, now that I have 2)...but now that the Christmas rush is over, I can use one to restock inventory and the other to do other stuff with.

Foot I'm copying.


recreation in Fusion 360. We'll find out in a couple of hours if it does the job

Forgot to mention that you could have also added a piece of flat bedsheet to the glue layer between the wood and the patch, which would've acted like fiberglass and given it more long-term rigidity.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Forgot to mention that you could have also added a piece of flat bedsheet to the glue layer between the wood and the patch, which would've acted like fiberglass and given it more long-term rigidity.

--Patrick

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good to know! I have a 2nd slat to fix if this first one works out, and I'll add that idea to the fix

I forgot to post the update....fit like a glove!


Also: I would totally pritnt this if it didn't look like $50 worth of filament

Tinwhistler said:

good to know! I have a 2nd slat to fix if this first one works out, and I'll add that idea to the fix

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T-shirts and the like are made and meant to stretch, but flat sheets usually aren't woven that way, so they make a halfway decent reinforcing matrix. You can also just pick up a chunk of appropriate fabric from the scrap table at a craft store to have handy if you don't want to carve up a sheet.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

T-shirts and the like are made and meant to stretch, but flat sheets usually aren't woven that way, so they make a halfway decent reinforcing matrix. You can also just pick up a chunk of appropriate fabric from the scrap table at a craft store to have handy if you don't want to carve up a sheet.

--Patrick

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I have a craft room. There's plenty of scrap fabric in there lol

Practical print--vape stabilizer, so I quit knocking it over


Fun print: Stingray and display stand

Local gaming store that is going to be selling my prints has asked if I can do more gaming-related 3d prints. So I designed this last night and printed it this morning

Tinwhistler said:

Local gaming store that is going to be selling my prints has asked if I can do more gaming-related 3d prints. So I designed this last night and printed it this morning

View attachment 46904

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Look into dice towers, those will probably sell like hot cakes!

Far said:

Look into dice towers, those will probably sell like hot cakes!

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you would think. But at least in this area, they do not. At the comic-con here, there was a guy with a million 3d printed dice towers of various cool designs, but they just don't sell. And the gaming store here said they don't want any because the various ones they already have aren't selling. And my intuition says that gamers will spend big money on dice, but they like to roll them in their hands and give them the juju--the dice tower takes that human superstitious element out of it. They seemingly enforce randomness--and gamers, in the hearts of hearts, don't want randomness in their dice. They want their special "I roll 20's on this" die and their "this is my die for low rolls" lol

Tinwhistler said:

you would think. But at least in this area, they do not. At the comic-con here, there was a guy with a million 3d printed dice towers of various cool designs, but they just don't sell. And the gaming store here said they don't want any because the various ones they already have aren't selling. And my intuition says that gamers will spend big money on dice, but they like to roll them in their hands and give them the juju--the dice tower takes that human superstitious element out of it. They seemingly enforce randomness--and gamers, in the hearts of hearts, don't want randomness in their dice. They want their special "I roll 20's on this" die and their "this is my die for low rolls" lol

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Will you be printing giant, novelty dice then?

Print a set of 3d6 but print them instead with only 1's or 6's on each face. Tell everyone they're designed special for people who like to min/max their character stats.

--Patrick

Tinwhistler said:

you would think. But at least in this area, they do not. At the comic-con here, there was a guy with a million 3d printed dice towers of various cool designs, but they just don't sell. And the gaming store here said they don't want any because the various ones they already have aren't selling. And my intuition says that gamers will spend big money on dice, but they like to roll them in their hands and give them the juju--the dice tower takes that human superstitious element out of it. They seemingly enforce randomness--and gamers, in the hearts of hearts, don't want randomness in their dice. They want their special "I roll 20's on this" die and their "this is my die for low rolls" lol

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Fair enough I figured since they are usually super expensive that the 3D printed ones could undercut the prices of the retail ones but I totally get that.

Far said:

Fair enough I figured since they are usually super expensive that the 3D printed ones could undercut the prices of the retail ones but I totally get that.

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Yeah, my initial thought was dice towers too..there's lots of good designs out there. But they just don't sell

evilmike said:

Will you be printing giant, novelty dice then?

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Funny you should ask....I just got a commission to make this thing.

What about initiative trackers? Might be a little extra work adding dry erase to it, but they’re pretty useful. Might not be a high demand item though.

Shakey said:

Might be a little extra work adding dry erase to it

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This could be done easily as an inlaid panel.

--Patrick

Shakey said:

What about initiative trackers? Might be a little extra work adding dry erase to it, but they’re pretty useful. Might not be a high demand item though.

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The game store owner thinks "ability tokens" might be popular--think 'second wind', barbarian rage, etc. Something the character can 'spend' during the course of an adventure to track these limited-use abilities.

Is it worth it to have them be two-sided?
Like, for Barbarian rage, it could be face on one side, and then all Clash of Clans on the other side. Keep it face-up, flip it over to Clash side to "activate" it, then turn it in when spent.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Is it worth it to have them be two-sided?
Like, for Barbarian rage, it could be face on one side, and then all Clash of Clans on the other side. Keep it face-up, flip it over to Clash side to "activate" it, then turn it in when spent.

--Patrick

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I don't really know what Clash of Clans is, but I think I get the reference. But yeah, my thought was on some coins to put two sides, if it's appropriate to the ability. I am still mulling over the details, but I think I'm going to try to make "character class packs"...with enough tokens to cover all the abilities for a specific character class all way through level 20.

Since there are subclasses, with varying abilities, that gives me an opportunity to really make a bunch of different designs.

Tinwhistler said:

I don't really know what Clash of Clans is, but I think I get the reference.

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--Patrick

got a bit of a breather from making vending goods and can get back to my true love

Do you have to do any hand-finishing of the blade? Or is your printer accurate enough to not need any smoothing?

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Do you have to do any hand-finishing of the blade? Or is your printer accurate enough to not need any smoothing?

--Patrick

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The first batch of "for sale" whistles I made, I had to do a lot of hand-finishing on the blade. But I've made some tweaks to my process....that whistle there has no work on the blade whatsoever.

PatrThom said:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/8o7bd5/why_is_every_single_mobile_games_icon_a_picture/

--Patrick

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I'm glad I got out of mobile gaming around the time "Bad Piggies" came out

Custom order for someone. Turned out pretty nice!

this little guy can stand up on its tail!

Tinwhistler said:

Custom order for someone. Turned out pretty nice!

View attachment 46995

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Cool. Now that you've managed giant dice, you should start crocheting giant dice bags!

Tinwhistler said:

this little guy can stand up on its tail!

View attachment 47006

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I don't think I ever considered whether we would one day be able to 3-D print nudibranchs, but here we are.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

I don't think I ever considered whether we would one day be able to 3-D print nudibranchs, but here we are.

--Patrick

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I knew they reminded me of something

evilmike said:

Cool. Now that you've managed giant dice, you should start crocheting giant dice bags!

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No money in crochet lol
That's actually a giant dice BOWL...the lid comes off, and maybe 100 dice or more would fit in there.

Printing more stuff for the market that happens in a couple weeks.

Tinwhistler said:

I knew they reminded me of something

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Glaucus marginatus - I didn't know which one exactly when I saw the pic, but really what else could they be?

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

View attachment 47011
Glaucus marginatus - I didn't know which one exactly when I saw the pic, but really what else could they be?

--Patrick

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designer calls them "frostphin" and their tails are very much ice-crystal-like in closeup. I think they're supposed to be some kind of ice/dragon/dolphin hybrid. But I definitely see the resemblance. And I can understand why I subconsciously made the color choices I made

I was looking into resin printers but then realized there is a lot of fumes to be concerned about even when it's not actively printing plus additional steps to finish that are also fumy and while it's something I'm still interested in, it's definitely more of a backburner thing at the moment.

Far said:

I was looking into resin printers but then realized there is a lot of fumes to be concerned about even when it's not actively printing plus additional steps to finish that are also fumy and while it's something I'm still interested in, it's definitely more of a backburner thing at the moment.

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I looked at them too..they're much better for doing miniatures. But I shied away for the exact same reasons.

While you're at it, take a look at the prices of the various resins, too.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

While you're at it, take a look at the prices of the various resins, too.

--Patrick

Click to expand...

Sure, but if you're 3d printing minis you're comparing against Warhammer and the like, and $10 of resin is nothing compared to $50-100+ for the same model in a store.

A printer is something I definitely intend to buy at some point, but the cost and ventilation requirements combined have it well outside of feasibility for right now.

I have a resin printer that I was using to print minis and honestly the detail felt really lacking. But it's 5 years old at this point so maybe they've gotten better since then.

Dei said:

I have a resin printer that I was using to print minis and honestly the detail felt really lacking. But it's 5 years old at this point so maybe they've gotten better since then.

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They definitely have. Top of the line (for individual use anyway) 8k printers are pretty incredible now.

Loving these multi-color prints. Fine details come out pretty good at .16mm layer height too

Hah, who needs resin? Printed at regulation 28mm size, and I didn't even have to break out my .2mm nozzle (which still sits in a box)! I had a couple meters of orange PLA left on a roll, and I didn't really have any print jobs that could use that small of an amount--but I felt terrible throwing it away. These things only take about 1.6m of filament, so it was a good test to see how much my techniques have improved. (My first miniature attempt, days after first getting my printer, were a disaster)

50 shades of 3d printing

This model was too much of a PITA to try to make in bulk but it was a fun one-off for a valentine's day gift.

This one made me think of @GasBandit for some reason

continuing with the trash animals theme

Last of the 'types' of trashcan animals I'm doing (though I'm also doing this one in a calico and a striped tabby)

This one didn't come with a face. It was a 3 part print, intended to print each color separately, and they suggested painting the face on with acrylics last. Instead, I used my printer software and freehand painted a face on in the slicer, and printed it that way.

Not at all a serious video, but, from Emily the Engineer: How Dangerous are 3D Printed Knives?

I've been seeing 3d printed balisongs and such, and so, coincidentally, this thought's been on my mind

I know someone who might get a kick out of these... (cough cough @LittleKagsin cough)

Tinwhistler said:

View attachment 47172
I know someone who might get a kick out of these... (cough cough @LittleKagsin cough)

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I'm in LOVE

So, you know those coupon books for couples? The ones where instead of giving a 'real' gift, you give the promise of some future task?

Well, I know a fair amount of kink people. I've been doing a brisk business using the same idea, but with kink themed 'tokens'.


I originally thought i could just do regular sexy themed ones, but I realized that there's a whole lot of stuff out there in that market already, but not too many things out there that cater to non-standard interests. I've been letting people tell me the kinks they want represented and printing them on demand.

Tinwhistler said:

words on coins

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Do you pierce them? So they can be worn on a chain/hung from hooks/etc?

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Do you pierce them? So they can be worn on a chain/hung from hooks/etc?

--Patrick

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Nah..they're meant to be spent, like these things:


I mean, if a customer WANTED me to, I could print them with a hole in place. But nobody's asked me to yet.

bamboo dragon

Tinwhistler said:

bamboo dragon
View attachment 47195

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Waaaaaait a minute. That doesn't look like it's made of bamboo!

I feel bamboozled!

ThatNickGuy said:

Waaaaaait a minute. That doesn't look like it's made of bamboo!

I feel bamboozled!

Click to expand...

Of course not. It's a dragon. It's made of meat It's just got bamboo camouflage

Rough, but promising.

--Patrick

This was a difficult print, and there are imperfections, but I think it's good enough to give to my friend who's into hearts and skulls and roses.

Doing a Valentine's Day party this weekend, and we're doing Valentine's like in elementary school: Everyone is bringing a decorated box, to be filled by Valentines by everyone else. I'm making these cute 3d-printed secret message sliders

I feel like, with a little Fusion tweaking, they could also be redesigned to appeal to your kink crowd.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

I feel like, with a little Fusion tweaking, they could also be redesigned to appeal to your kink crowd.

--Patrick

Click to expand...

Lol, I imagine that's true

A new pattern for you?

Transformers: A toaster named Crumbs

cute
It's not for me, though. And it's not saleable due to it's non-commercial license on printables (which I'm not sure holds much legal weight as pertains to selling prints of legally acquired designs--otherwise companies like Shapeways would have been taken down long ago) and the fact that Transformers is trademarked IP.

Stepping away from cute and cuddly a moment to make this bone dragon. The local gaming store specifically asked for it for their display case.

My most ambitious print yet...about 54 hours total estimated to completion. Still got about 9 to go. Hopefully it will look pretty nice one all the support structures are carefully removed.



(For those who don't know, this is a Sleep Token Vessel mask. I'd never heard of them before getting this commission, but evidently they're a band that's become recently popular on the TikToks and the like)

Not a fan of the lore behind the band, but it's a cool aesthetic and they got chops.

May I ask why it was printed right-side up? Just to keep from having to post-process so much of the dome?

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

May I ask why it was printed right-side up? Just to keep from having to post-process so much of the dome?

--Patrick

Click to expand...

yup...upside down is often suggested if you're going to sand and paint, but as I was multi-color printing upon request, with minimal post-processing, I preferred the top be as blemish free as possible.

I vend at local popup markets. 3d printing fidget animals and stuff. People have told me I should sell more 3d printed weapons (I do a couple of very blunt swords). I've specifically been asked to make balisongs. This is why I refuse.

(trigger warning: Already dead chicken murder)

I've learned a lot since October. The designer of these dragons specifically say that if you print them lower than about 60% scale, the joints will fuse.

I present to you: A dragon made at about 25% scale, with a jump ring thru the snout so it can be an earring! This is just a prototype--someone asked me if I could do it. I suppose the answer is "yes" I'll be making them a couple in color.

4 down, about 4 more to go.

plus, I designed and printed this beside caddy to slip over my friend's Ikea bedrail

Almost done whee

Sometimes, you just gotta make something for yourself. Approximately life sized

Tinwhistler said:

View attachment 47450
Sometimes, you just gotta make something for yourself. Approximately life sized

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Now go get an MRI and ask to keep the disk.

--Patrick

Am I officially a factory now?

Workshop, at least.

--Patrick

Oooh that's cool...

What it would look like if they made a French adaptation of Space Battleship Yamato.

drifter said:

What it would look like if they made a French adaptation of Space Battleship Yamato.

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More of an Event Horizon, really. In fact it has a lot of the same story beats.

I just meant the ship looks like it could have been made from a repurposed Eiffel Tower.

drifter said:

I just meant the ship looks like it could have been made from a repurposed Eiffel Tower.

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Yay for A.I., I guess?

--Patrick

People come up with some crazy mechanisms that can be 3D printed.

Now that I have 3 printers, I have time to print new stuff again.

Design just dropped, and I had to print it immediately. Cherry blossom dragon

and, an update on the 3d printed whistles..now in mutli-color wood fiber impregnated pla

Tinwhistler said:

and, an update on the 3d printed whistles..now in mutli-color wood fiber impregnated pla
View attachment 47647

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Did your post cut out or is there something called "impregnated pla"?

Dave said:

Did your post cut out or is there something called "impregnated pla"?

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"wood fiber impregnated pla"

From Dictionary.com


Though admittedly the phrasing is mine. Most places call it a wood-pla composite, or call it an "additive" or call it "infused". But it's a valid use of the word

Dave said:

Did your post cut out or is there something called "impregnated pla"?

Click to expand...

PLA, poly-lactic acid, a type of plastic. In this case it has wood fibers in it.

and video

Dave said:

Did your post cut out or is there something called "impregnated pla"?

Click to expand...

PLA ("Pee-ell-ayy") is the acronymic abbreviation for probably the most common raw material used in consumer 3D printing, as Pez sez, above.

--Patrick

It didn't occur to me that Dave might not know what PLA was, and that maybe I didn't get cut off trying to type "plastic" or something

My Saturday was full

I don't know if this is a good deal or not, but Humble 3D Beastmasters Compendium with $1, $15 and $25 bundles of files for printing tabletop minis.

figmentPez said:

I don't know if this is a good deal or not, but Humble 3D Beastmasters Compendium with $1, $15 and $25 bundles of files for printing tabletop minis.

Click to expand...

it looks good..but I haven't really looked into making minis aside from a couple of experiments. The local gaming store has a resin guy who does them, and I don't have enough personal need for them to spend a lot of time on it.

But I *did* make this bit of art yesterday while my printers have a little downtime...spoilered because art is often nudez

Friend of mine requested this, and it turned out pretty good

I've ended up with a lot of coinage, so I needed to print a piggy bank.
This one seemed a good one, and I dolled it up a bit with gold rub-n-buff

spoilered for nuuudez

Dulcimer player at the local Renaissance Festival asked me if I could replicate a dulcimer hammer she had. I don't know anything about dulcimers, so these could suck big time. But they look alright.

Even if you get the profile right, it's more about the balance/weight distribution, a bit like a tiny khopesh.
From observation--the finger holds near the neutral (balance) point with just a shade more weight towards the front. The head should be light enough to swing/move quickly via wrist motion, but have its weight loaded vertically (thin and tall) so that striking can be exact yet bring the full weight of the head to bear in a precise vertical profile. The back end should be beefy enough to allow the fingers holding it sufficient control to "soak up" any undesired rebound or sideways deviation, but still allow enough rebound to jump high enough off the string to head towards the next one(s).

--Patrick

I was talking about this same thing elsewhere and said something along the lines that "I'm sure dulcimer players geek out about their hammers the same way whistlers geek out about their whistles. thickness, weight, balance, striking area, etc etc etc. But since I don't have years of experience to inform my efforts, I'm just gonna use my eyes and calipers and if they don't like 'em, I warned them in advance that I didn't know what I was doing and PLA doesn't have the same weight as wood"

Hey all it makes me think about is whether it is possible to make hammers with ridiculous geometry, or make a dead blow version, or ones that "break" like a torque wrench when struck, or come with accelerometers and RGB, or silliness like that.

--Patrick

So, the dulcimer player said that the hammers were perfectly serviceable. They weren't her favorite, but the one she gave me to model them after weren't her favorite either, so I dunno what she was expecting

Also: I can wholly recommend the BambuLab P1S as a workhorse printer. 10 minutes ago, I lost power for less than a minute. I have print jobs going on 3 different printers.

Power came back on, printers rebooted, and I just hit "resume" on each of the printers and off they went, picking right up where they left off.