3D Printers

[David Da Costa]

I have been doing a little research into 3D printers and as a test I had printed the tow hook cover for my Panzer III that I originaly drew and made out of aluminum on my CNC mill.

The results from the printer are pretty good.



David

[Brian Leach]

David,

This is how I make many of my casting patterns.

Isn't it great?

What CAD program are you using?
I use SolidWorks. It has been a bear to learn,
yet it does a good job.

I only wish we could do 3-D printing in iron, steel, or
aluminum

Have a good day,
Brian

[David Da Costa]

Hi Brian,

I use Alibre design and like it a lot.


http://www.shapeways.com offer printing in various materials including bronze infused stainless steel.

I would like to get my own 3d printer but at the moment they are still to expensive to generate a decent return on anything I could make and sell.

Regards

David

[Brian Leach]

David,

I agree, I looked into getting one too, but i couldn't figure a way of getting a sure return. he prices seem to be plummiting, so amybe in a year or two...

Did you see the demo on Jay Leno's garage? they also had a scanner demo that was impressive.

I am not familure with the bronz/SS but I am not suprized.

I am not familure with your CAD program. I'll have to look it up.

A question to you, I am looking to possibly buy a CNC Milling machine. A Bridgeport seems to be too much machine for me and I am not sure I am up to converting my EMCO FB-1 to CNC. Any advice that you might like to part with?

Thanks and Cheers to you,
Those tracks look right on to me,
Brain

[David Da Costa]

Hi Brian, yes I saw Jay's demo.

As far as CNC Mills, it really depends on your budget.

As far as budget machines goes there are only two I would consider,

On the low end the Novakon NM-145 is $6,500 (I have the older NM-135) or if you have the budget and space the Tormach PCNC 1100 which is $9.500 looks like a great machine or the smaller PCNC 770 which is $8,400 and has a 10,000 rpm spindle speed which is great for aluminum.

I think the Tormach machines are better quality.

If you have an even bigger budget and the space I would look at the Mikin Mechatronics mill

I have been happy with my NM-135

http://www.novakon.net
http://www.tormach.com
http://www.mikinimech.com

Hope that helps.

Regards

David

[Brian Leach]

David,

Thank you.

I have been looking at the Tormach 1100.

I like that it has a lathe that can be linked to the CNC.
As I was reading Stephen White's post about milling the wheels
I was wondering how a CNC lathe would work on that. it seems to me that it would do the job well.

My poor EMCO works well, but has no DRO or readouts at all. That is what slows me down while using it and takes the fun away. It is a shame.

Thank you for your help. I will look into those other machines as well.

Have a good day,
Brian

[Adrian Harris]

> but has no DRO or readouts at all. That is what slows me down while using it

I find that quite interesting as I paid extra for DROs on my lathe but rarely use them, as I prefer to measure, take a cut, measure and so on.

Adrian.

[Brian Leach]

Adrian,

I agree about the lathe, but, for me, using the Mill is different. I think having a DRO would help doing the set-ups. Milling the Anhangerkupplungen was mostly measuring the set-ups, finding my lines and over all dimensions. I truely think it would have been half the work with DROs. I am inexperienced though.

The castings I make are irregular. If I could find my CL, set it than mill about that I think I would be better off. That is where I see the value in a DRO. I am working in a vacuum here. Because of liability (Insurance cost) the community collages here do not offer machine shop courses, which while inconvienient for me, tells of our future as a nation. I met with Mr. Taig who manufactures the little desk top mills and lathes. He had a lot to say about that issue. He is a smart man and has been very successful. He now has trouble finding people who have the machining knowledge and education and those who want it cannot get it. No wonder the manufacturing goes over seas.

I digress.

Well, as the Hash House Harriers say: On, On!

Cheers,
Brian

[Sarah Frazer]

Hi Guys,

I'm going to get the Tail Light 3D printed to get the detail. Below is a picture of my 3D model of the Tail Light.



I'll make the red lens separately. There are a few bits which I'm thinking of getting 3D printed, to get a bit more detail.

Sarah

[David Da Costa]

Nice Sarah, I look forward to seeing the results.

Regards

David

[Sven Strobbe]

Brian

There are 3D printers for making metal pieces...
The big difference is that not every shape is possible to make with such a printer and it is pretty expensive to. A year ago i did some inquiries to make the tracklinks in metal using a 3d Metal printer.
If it could be done it would of bin 2 or 3 times the price of those wich Armortek supplies...
The details wich are achieved with the plastic 3D printers are much higher than can be reached with the Metal ones.
So i think if you're into plastic you can make whatever your mind comes up with but when you want to make the step to metal...Maybe in a few years...?

Regards

Sven

[Armortek]

We have a 3D printer here at Armortek. We use it for prototyping and for casting patterns. The detail that can achieved is quite limited on our machine because it is a few year old now. Even the best modern 3D printers are limited when it come to fine detail. Rumour has it that the military have very high quality printers that can produce parts in any metal, including titanium and hard steel. Commercial metal printers cost about £500,000.00. Thats a bit expensive for us.

Mark

[Brian Leach]

Mark, Sven;

I have been using the 3D-Printer for my patterns too.

Like you said, sometimes the finer details get lost. I did some 3mm round extrusions and the profile was not too round. I have recently cast a set of Tiger I C-Hooks out of aluminum using patterns made on the 3D-printer. They came out great and I don't think I could have gotten the pattern right otherwise. But the handle for the c-hook being rather small and finely detailed didn't come out too well. I had to make that part by hand. I also had trouble with the ribs on the Anschlagsbock. They had a 1degree draft and that didn't come out when printing. It seems small radii are troublesome. Never the less, I so want to buy one for myself. I have been agonizing over a $10,000 CNC mill, but would buy a 3D-Printer at that price in a minute!

It just isn't fair that the military gets the cool stuff! printing in steel or iron would be really handy: want a set of chevron track links, presto! It might even be cheeper than having them made at a foundry.

Cheers!
Brian

[Sven Strobbe]

Heard the rumour of the military having such a device to...
Metalprinting is done here near my house by a Bussiness that uses it to produce moulds who than make plastic forms in mass.
The moulds have to be finished to be usable but once a mould is made they mak thousand pieces a month with it...
That's how the price of a 3D printed metal part is justified.

Coming back to the plastic (don't know what it realy is) 3D printer if you buy one in the higher price rate the accuracy is really astonishing but then again is it worth such an investment or is it justified.
It all depends on what its worth to you and how much you are willing to spend.
I think a good CNC mill is a better investment if you have to choose for now.
Maybe in the future it will be the 3D printer...

Regards

Sven

[Brian Leach]

Sven,

Reason prevals!

I agree with you, the CNC mill is more responsable, but emotionaly I think the 3 printer is cool. It seems that with a little patience and drive I could make a Pz II on the printer in 1/6th scale-one piece at a time.

I think I may be getting the Tormach 1100. I am going to take a look at one in a few weeks. (and thanks to Dave for the heads up regarding the Tormach)

Brian