3D Printing Ideas?

Eldritch

Eldritch

is insensitive
I just got a late Christmas gift delivered from a buddy of mine, he sent me a 3D printer. It is a Creality Ender 3-Pro.

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I like the idea of 3D printing, but honestly I do not know what the fuck to use this thing for.

What do you guys use your 3D printers for? Have a favorite widget you like to make?

Where the makers at out there?
 
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wilit

wilit

Well-known member
Start by looking at Thingiverse.com for ideas on cool things to print. Then as you get used to printing and come up with ideas for useful stuff that doesn't exist, learn to draw it in Fusion 360. There's a great Youtube channel by Lars Christensen that teaches you how to 3D model in Fusion.

I make all sorts of stuff.

The seat belt guides for my racing seats broke and at $40 each and needing 4 of them, that was going to be a hard no. So I modeled them in Fusion and printed them.
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Also, I'm working on my '68 Mustang's gauges and needed some spacer rings and clamp for the tach.
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TylerW

Agitator
Dude, that's a good friend. Ender 3 pro is a brilliant starting place with 3d printing right now. Certainly not top of the line, but it is presently the ak-47 of FDM 3d printing.

For me, 3d printing has always been about being able to design my own parts and send them to the robot for manufacturing. I've printed a few of other people's designs, but it's mostly been a dissatisfying experience.

I'd recommend printing some calibration cubes and benchys just to get your head around understanding what slicing software does and how it interacts with your printer.

Then I'd start getting into cad - Either tinkercad or Fusion 360, you'll be able to design parts for FDM manufacturing to your hearts desire.

LMK if you want any offline help with this.
 
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TylerW

Agitator
Also: before too long in your 3d design journey you'll want some digital calipers. If you don't have these already, every asshole on the internet will yell you you need a set of Mitutuyos.

They are excellent but are reliable for a precision that this machine will never achieve. If you're buying strictly to design from this machine, anything from Amazon or Harbor Freight will do fine.
 
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Sharxfan

Well-known member
TylerW said:
Also: before too long in your 3d design journey you'll want some digital calipers. If you don't have these already, every asshole on the internet will yell you you need a set of Mitutuyos.

They are excellent but are reliable for a precision that this machine will never achieve. If you're buying strictly to design from this machine, anything from Amazon or Harbor Freight will do fine.
Click to expand...

I love my Mitutuyos I use them for everything. I don't use a tape measure for anything under 6 inches anymore I need the precision it offers.

Thingiverse is a good place to start it has ready-made models and you can edit them to make them yours.it is hard to find things sometimes as project titles don't always match your criteria.
 
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TylerW

Agitator
Sharxfan said:
I love my Mitutuyos I use them for everything. I don't use a tape measure for anything under 6 inches anymore I need the precision it offers.
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Mitutuyos are great if you already have them, but the cult around them is pretty frustrating. If you're a machinist you absolutely need tools that accurate. But the reality of FDM printing is that it's only accurate to around .005", so the accuracy of those $150 calipers gets wasted, and the cheapie pittsburgh ones are better suited.
 
Hooli

Hooli

Big Ugly
I want a resin printer, but due to the fumes it'll have to go in the garage, which is far too cold this time of year so I'll just have to wait until spring. :teeth

Had my eye on the Elegoo Saturn but it's been sold out since it was released. But it looks like the Anycubic Photon X is an Elegoo killer, so I may well move that to the top of my list. Of course, it doesn't help that Elegoo has their Jupiter model in development... :wow

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R3DS!X

R3DS!X

Whatever that means
Awesome gift.

Just start thinking as it being a problem solving machine. look for problems in your life and the things you use and a lot of the time a 3d printer can print you out something to solve it.

yeggi.com is like the google of looking for pre existing models

try to get handy with some 3d modeling software. if you need really basic tinkercad is free and super simple
 
Climber

Climber

Well-known member
Wow, it's surprising how many STL files there are out there for butt plugs and fleshlights! :laughing

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GPzPop

GPzPop

Ask me about my B-1-D
I also got a Creality Ender 3 for xmas,

thingiverse has some cool items for practice runs

There is a downloadable model of the Razor-crest spaceship, for you Mandelorian fans

waiting on more filament (PLA)

PLET filament wouldn't stick to the platen. I suspect it gets too cold, even at the heated 85 decrees c recommended temperature.

maybe I need to build an enclosure for the printer to keep temps up
 
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Sharxfan

Well-known member
Hooli said:
I want a resin printer, but due to the fumes it'll have to go in the garage, which is far too cold this time of year so I'll just have to wait until spring. :teeth

Had my eye on the Elegoo Saturn but it's been sold out since it was released. But it looks like the Anycubic Photon X is an Elegoo killer, so I may well move that to the top of my list. Of course, it doesn't help that Elegoo has their Jupiter model in development... :wow

rxsKrrT.jpg
Click to expand...

Dam that thing is large....Are you trying to print yourself a full-size love doll?

GPzPop said:
I also got a Creality Ender 3 for xmas,

thingiverse has some cool items for practice runs

There is a downloadable model of the Razor-crest spaceship, for you Mandelorian fans

waiting on more filament (PLA)

PLET filament wouldn't stick to the platen. I suspect it gets too cold, even at the heated 85 decrees c recommended temperature.

maybe I need to build an enclosure for the printer to keep temps up
Click to expand...

Maybe verify that the temps are correct. Also check some forums sometimes the answer can be something simpler.
 
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Sharxfan

Well-known member
Just don't cure it all the way.....:laughing

mmm soft and wet perfect recipe for Lucy the love doll....
 
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TylerW

Agitator
Wondering if I want to add SLA printing to my tool collection this year. They've gotten so cheap. I'm not sure what I'd want to use it for.
 
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