DIY 3D Printing Tools and Parts Thread

[Joesmallwood]

Originally Posted by David

I print almost exclusively in ASA since I'm more concerned with heat and UV resistance than surface finish.

My latest project worked great this last weekend. Good vent flow when open and nothing when closed:

This is awesome. Curious, what did you use for the flapper? I am working on something very similar, but tied to a ClassicRetro A/C Unit.

[David]

The flapper/butterfly is 1/16" thick aluminum with a 5/16" aluminum rod machined flat for the butterfly. I had to make a few iterations of the actuator arm until it cleared everything. The final version is sort of banana shaped. Then I used a small heim joint on the end of a short 1/4 aluminum rod through the underside of the dash to the actuator arm. I reach under the ash tray to open and close it.

[pdxdan]

Apologies for the VW derail, but I find this thread fascinating and informative. I'm curious for insights about the gear and material necessary for creating this Eurovan speaker cover...

https://www.printables.com/model/538967-703035793c-front-speaker-cover-for-vw-t4-1996-2003

It seems like Eurovan parts are made from an even higher grade of unubtanium as old 911 parts. Anyhow, thanks in advance and, again, apologies for thread highjacking.

--Dan

[Cloggie]

Originally Posted by pdxdan

Apologies for the VW derail, but I find this thread fascinating and informative. I'm curious for insights about the gear and material necessary for creating this Eurovan speaker cover...

https://www.printables.com/model/538967-703035793c-front-speaker-cover-for-vw-t4-1996-2003

It seems like Eurovan parts are made from an even higher grade of unubtanium as old 911 parts. Anyhow, thanks in advance and, again, apologies for thread highjacking.

--Dan

I can only speak from short experience, but I would not hesitate to print that on my Bambu X1.....probably in ABS, ASA or PETG-CF, all of which the Bambu just handles.

I do not see any long runs that would give the print grief and if printed on a textured plate, it would look pretty stock.

D.

[fanaudical]

Not a thread hijack - that looks like a viable part for Porsche stuff too.

I've downloaded that file and taken a look. I think most any FDM printer with a large enough bed will print that. Better printers will get better results (to a point). I think some care needs to be taken to get the pattern on the bottom looking right.

If you want a "professional" part, there are some local companies/people in PDX who will print that for you if you don't have a printer. Half the fun is doing it yourself...

[Mollymill]

Wow awesome job Tom

[pdxdan]

Thanks for the helpful responses. A few issues I am grappling with... OEM VW grilles are about $100 bucks each, steep, but I know there are reasons. I don't have a printer, but have friends of friends who do and trying to help inform one of them maybe making them. In my initial look at 3D shops, it seemed like there wouldn't be much cost savings from buying the OEMs.

Thanks for listening, Dan

[Showdown]

Look at someplace like 3D Hubs or Shapeways for outsourcing if you don’t have a printer. They offer dozens of materials and processes and are relatively cheap. I’d imagine those grilles would be $25-30 each.


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[Tom Elder]

Pdxdan, you should get your part quoted on a HP Multi Jet Fusion machine in dyed black nylon, it will look nicer than FDM printed part. If you have access to someone with modelling skills get them to add the dome for a more original OEM look to the speaker cover. HP MJF process does not require supports. As Julian suggested Hubs is a good company, I have bought from them in the past, nice parts, good delivery. But over an 11 month period they had a 50% price increase, made my commercial part unviable. I now use JLCPCB.com. Pricing a tiny bit better than my original order with Hubs. From order to delivery was 9 days.

[pdxdan]

Thanks, Tom. Having poked around the JLCPCB ordering site, your advice is extremely helpful.

And, thanks to all for your indulgence.

--Dan

[ErrorMargin]

Originally Posted by Peteinjp

RMS seal tool

Did you happen to make a tool for the front crankshaft seal as well?

[Cloggie]

Hi guys, been awfully busy with the car and quite a lot of the work is 3D printing including finishing the centre console and making some rear speaker boxes to handle the slightly larger speakers I am using.

Anyway, one fun one was replacing the hose from the auxiliary footwell blowers to the side vents. This is the state of my current ones and the size is not easily obtainable aftermarket and Porsche shows them as NLA.



The ends were badly frayed and really they were too short at best.

Anyway, printed these in TPU, took a bit of fiddling to figure out how to make the hose actually bend, easy once you think about it, but then the trick was to print it.

Bambu did very well although it prints vertically with no supports and the top gets pretty wiggly. The end printed last shows some stringing but it seals and is plenty strong.



...and here it is in position



I think the TPU will be fine temperature wise, it is rated to 85c, but worst case I just go back to the drawing board and either try a more heat resistant plastic (not that likely) or hit up the aircraft guys for the closest size I can get and live with it.

D.

[eflight]

Originally Posted by Cloggie

hit up the aircraft guys for the closest size I can get and live with it.

D.

Thats pretty cool.

The other option to consider is just getting a different sized hosed and printing adapters for each end.

[Cloggie]

Originally Posted by eflight

Thats pretty cool.

The other option to consider is just getting a different sized hosed and printing adapters for each end.

Very true, but to be honest, I looked at is as a practice with TPU as I have other soft parts I want to print and wanted to see what the printer could actually make.

My experience so far with TPU in the Bambu is that I can make pretty well any custom grommet or plug with zero issues, its not quite as soft as some of the rubber grommets used, but plenty flexible enough and you can tune the sizes to fit as needed.

The hose was just fun to do...and cleans up a nasty looking part for "free".

D.

[tholyoak]

That hose is readily available. Search SCAT/SCEET air duct.

-Todd

[Cloggie]

Originally Posted by tholyoak

That hose is readily available. Search SCAT/SCEET air duct.

-Todd

I did, but my sources did not have the correct diameter....I think closest was about 5 mm too large, and if this does not work out then that would be the plan.

In any event, it was a whole lot cheaper and more fun to print them out....and we shall see how well they work.

D.

[pksystems]

I haven't seen it mentioned... Have you tried printing any parts out of polycarbonate? It was the strongest/most heat resistant filament when I was playing with 3dprinting years ago.

[Cloggie]

Originally Posted by pksystems

I haven't seen it mentioned... Have you tried printing any parts out of polycarbonate? It was the strongest/most heat resistant filament when I was playing with 3dprinting years ago.

So far I have only printed PLA, PETG-CF, TPU, ABS and ASA.

To be honest, the PETG-CF is the only one I noticed a difference in apparent strength, but both the ABS and ASA did well....they just stink up the house where as the PETG-CF is not that much of a problem.

ABS and ASA do seem a little more flexible in a good way than PETG-CF and all are perfectly acceptable for what I need it for.

The only times I have had problems with printing any of them on the Bambu is when I forget to put on the glue stick and/or design issues where the structure is wrong and ends up printing in a weird way...aka plastic mess.

D.

[Showdown]

I’ve been printing in polycarbonate and with the Bambu it’s stupid simple. The parts are incredibly strong and temperature resistant. I’ve printed in PLA-carbon fiber and that’s really nice too but not as strong or heat resistant.

The PC does require a ton more heat, a textured plate and a lot of glue and sometimes leaves spider web strands but those rub off easily. The finish is stellar and with the extra fine setting, they look machined.

The only other catch is that you have to remove the supports when the print is still warm otherwise they’re absurdly hard to remove.

I also have ASA on deck to try too but it’s gray and I want to use up my PC first.

[Cloggie]

Originally Posted by Showdown

I’ve been printing in polycarbonate and with the Bambu it’s stupid simple. The parts are incredibly strong and temperature resistant. I’ve printed in PLA-carbon fiber and that’s really nice too but not as strong or heat resistant.

The PC does require a ton more heat, a textured plate and a lot of glue and sometimes leaves spider web strands but those rub off easily. The finish is stellar and with the extra fine setting, they look machined.

The only other catch is that you have to remove the supports when the print is still warm otherwise they’re absurdly hard to remove.

I also have ASA on deck to try too but it’s gray and I want to use up my PC first.

Ok,that stuff is now on my list....and ditto on removing supports while still warm.

I let some PETG-CF rest over night and removing the supports was a pain on both ends of the spinal cord....and TPU is even worse, just hairs and strands that are hard to remove if you don't jump on it as soon as its finished.

D.