Learning 3D printing

with some more work I added the slots of the clear sheet and vastly minimized the supports and print time from before.


This is the sheet i am planning for. One 12x12 piece will work for all four sides.
https://www.amazon.ca/NORJIN-12-Plexiglass-Thick-1mm/dp/B0C8MNFPKD/ref=sr_1_10?crid=9BPGUIWKTUSX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8UsW6gh_kNA30w2z6sgrgNwmTs3dxy1fAr1-mPfXH4wysMP2Gbe7Upgj_L7gjGjpmAl8aLlc7Qq2cJ80OJG3gRSqIjZwsDYUnovi0jgRKrcGO8qGOFpF0217Bn0lLMbvJ9E8CMer92E82-OJybvQzj1q_TMEYcp6fwE85BkRL1MlrGZq9W5GVjVsOygPT4peY96T1POLff3LX1mzJRr5I6SdDy_cUrRqALOCeU7yfUPgctK6KjfznZO6pI5Y8ui0fDJp_znu6opTceoo8TtqMmQfrWJFmXopwUAjc91y-PU.P8CiV2lxp-UohbHWheJIZ4mg2_BTK_e3tbq1Uv6pKIM&dib_tag=se&keywords=poly%2Bsheet%2B1mm&qid=1732617097&sprefix=poly%2Bsheet%2B1mm%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-10&th=1

Also starting to look at these fire style solar lamps to harvest parts from.

Will update as construction continues

3D model


cross section

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The clear sheets are a good idea. You would never print something as clear, thin and strong.

I didn’t find this link.

Great project!

I talked with it back and forth with my wife and we ended up ordering those sheets above and these solar flame lamps. I’m thinking about using three of them in each of my constructed lamps. These flame lamps have a very convenient solar panel light tube assembly that can be removed from the shell.
Who knows when I’ll get anything though we have a postal strike on the go.

https://a.co/d/dxa5k9L

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I have been practical today. I needed to add another wire in an outside box and I already had four coming in the bottom. The last plug was a struggle so I knew a fifth would not go.

So I drilled a hole using a 1" hole saw and made a grommet out of TPU.

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Grommet One Inch Hole Saw Plug v6.step (513.0 KB)
Grommet One Inch Hole Saw Plug v6.f3d (436.9 KB)

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Grommet One Inch Hole Saw Plug 2 cables v2.f3d (448.3 KB)
Grommet One Inch Hole Saw Plug 2 cables v2.step (515.0 KB)

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I should add, I don’t own a 3D printer.

I have no experience using a 3D printer.

But I have received prints from different people using different printers, and a common trend I see is just how weak parts turn out to be.

It wasn’t until I saw a video discussing continuous glass fibers and identical parts made in CF and other materials proved to be even WEAKER compared to glass fibers being incorporated in the prints.

So, I wouldn’t know what kind of printer I would be looking at to add such a capability.

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You have to know what the part is being used for, and how much stress.

Print orientation and design are critical.

What flavor FDM is also critical. Some stuff is stupid strong if printed correctly, but brittle. Others are weak, but very flexible - Read, will have some give and spring back into place or absorb shock whereas others will simply snap under the same conditions.

Can you 3D print an OR Bumper mount - not yet. OR Light pod mount - absolutely.

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learned something new last night. Orca has a ‘bridging->counterbore’ hole option. Here’s a counterbored hole.
image

this fixes the problem of having supports for these types of hole. the bore can be partial or sacrifical layer, middle and right slices.


image

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New BL build plate for the large prints and PETG crowd

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Those are great. I printed one a weeks ago out from PETG-HF , it worked out excellent.





The one correction I would have made is how the on and off or both written and positioned.

This one was on makerworld I believe

Elikoll was the designer

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Printed the top of the lantern that hold two of these lantern solar panels. Running too low on filament to print the body of the lantern. Postal Strike Still on going I may have to start ordering from Bambu in the US soon.

Fits well




I made the top lid replaceable so I can try different solar panel and lights.


You can see the size comparison of the new donor lamp to the original lantern that I’m reproducing.

My reproduction one is 1.67 scale compared to the original. The left in on a true 6x6 and the right on a 3.5 x 3.5

This is the little circuit board that makes the flame effect.

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Man, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. FWIW, this type of bridging works perfectly; I’ve been designing parts with a 0.2mm bridge in all of the counterbored holes ever since Maker’s Muse (YouTube) did a video about it last year. The extra design step is a pain, and it has always bugged me that you can’t see through the holes on my 3D models.

I can’t wait to try it! Now if only we could get brick layers!

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Yeah, @holla2040, it blows my mind that none of these Chinese companies (who are known to have a somewhat loose relationship with IP laws) haven’t pushed this obviously weak (erroneous!?) 2020 patent, but then Bambu Slicer is forked from Prusa Slicer, and so maybe they’re waiting for Prusa Slicer to do the hard work for them!?

And still we wait…

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Orca slicer is the further upgrade that BL adopted some of the tweaks.

IIRC CNC Kitchen, makers Muse, or Teaching Tech have brought up the layering thingy, along with non planer layer lines.

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Some more progress I decided to print one prototype out of black pla while I wait for my abs CF.

I tried the glass panels they worked out great I decided not to peel the protective layer to use it as a diffuser for right now. It’s functioning.










ezgif-4-d6e3025f38
I’ll print out a mount and get it up on the post tomorrow

Fairly large print. about 8"x 8" x 8"

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Came out great.

Couple questions -

1 - why the prime tower?

2 - are you going to make a cap to come flush with the top of the solar cells?

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I am using support interface material, it is also black.

Not with this type of solar panel. but I do plan are buying another donor lamp to try something different. It’s one of the reasons I made the top lid as a separate piece so I could try different assemblies.

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Well it’s almost been a year and I’m starting to get the feeling that I don’t know when enough 3D printers.

Who else out there feels like they’re always waiting to start the next print?

It’s a bit of an addiction.

Last couple days in the bambu sale. I may buy one more ams to complete the collection…

It’s probably the holiday season is why I am using the printer so much but I can see the value of having more printers.

I think I can wait till March when the new Bambu printer releases and that can be my second printer.

Anyone else out there spending a little bit too much time and money 3D printing.

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