Inqism-07: Bug Zone

[Inquisitor]

Another couple of rainy days... so another foo-foo, indoor project.

How about a bug screen to put in the hatchway to use on those warm summer nights? Over the years, I've always needed something, but just... haven't gotten around to it. Doing it in wood, would just take so long to make it look nice. So... throwing the 3D printer at the problem, I came up with the this. It took a couple of hours to CAD it up, but after that, the printer does most of the work. Besides it makes me more efficient that its working while I work on another project out in the boat.

My printer only has a 210 x 250 mm bed, so I have to partition it up into 12 panels.


Using ABS, its very simple to just fuse the pieces together using Acetone.


Here is the assembled screen so far...


Need some cleanup, painting and then add the screen material...

[Brian]

I like your design but the things I like about the fold up screens is that you get ventilation overhead, and they fold up into a small package.

This is the one that I bought back in 2005 and still use:

https://shop.macgregorowners.com/pbm.ph ... 5/2009/164

[Democritus]

That's beautiful! I wonder if you could print a mirror image and then glue them together with the screen in the middle? That way it would hide the bonding areas and maybe give it more structural integrity?

[Jimmyt]

Another couple of rainy days... so another foo-foo, indoor project.

Here is the assembled screen so far...


Need some cleanup, painting and then add the screen material...

That is beautiful. You are definitely setting the bar high!

[Inquisitor]

I like your design but the things I like about the fold up screens is that you get ventilation overhead, and they fold up into a small package.

This is the one that I bought back in 2005 and still use:

https://shop.macgregorowners.com/pbm.ph ... 5/2009/164

I wasn't aware of such a beast. I probably would have gotten something like that years ago and I like that it goes on the upper section with top retracted and can wad it up and throw it on the bunk. Might still get that. Thanks.

I'll have about $3 counting plastic and screen... so no big loss.

[Inquisitor]

That's beautiful! I wonder if you could print a mirror image and then glue them together with the screen in the middle? That way it would hide the bonding areas and maybe give it more structural integrity?

Great minds must run together... That is the first half and the mirror has been started. First is getting trimmed and painted and will use thinned ABS as the glue to bond the netting and other side to it.

[Inquisitor]

Another couple of rainy days... so another foo-foo, indoor project.

Here is the assembled screen so far...


Need some cleanup, painting and then add the screen material...

That is beautiful. You are definitely setting the bar high!

Thanks JimmyT,
I press a mean print button.
VBR

[Inquisitor]

If anyone is interested, I can publish the models... Takes about 200 grams of ABS and twenty print hours ($2) and got the cheap chiffon from Wally World for $1.49 a yard. A little Acetone and Paint and wa-lah! Although you'd have to have a printer. (Inq - Master of the obvious). Don't waste your time with PLA... won't last a New York Minute.

[OverEasy]

Hi Inquisitor!

That looks ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!

What a beautiful "bug screen" and only a 'foo-foo' project!
(We can only wonder what you would call a 'real' project? )

Couple of Questions:
1) Does the 3D printer come with it's own CAD software?
2) Not being uptospeed on the current world of 3D printing, How hard is one of these machines to learn if someone has a general knowledge of something like AutoCad?

The only time I worked with 3D printing was over a decade ago and the models made were just for visual concept being rough, brittle and didn't age well (particularly in sunlight).
3) How well does the ABS modeled parts stand-up to weather, sunlight and active use?

[Inquisitor]

Hi Inquisitor!

That looks ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!

What a beautiful "bug screen" and only a 'foo-foo' project!
(We can only wonder what you would call a 'real' project? )

Couple of Questions:
1) Does the 3D printer come with it's own CAD software?
2) Not being uptospeed on the current world of 3D printing, How hard is one of these machines to learn if someone has a general knowledge of something like AutoCad?

The only time I worked with 3D printing was over a decade ago and the models made were just for visual concept being rough, brittle and didn't age well (particularly in sunlight).
3) How well does the ABS modeled parts stand-up to weather, sunlight and active use?

Thank you for the complement.

Foo-foo = easy project, printer did most of the work. Inqism-2 and 7 are foo-foo. 1 has a bunch of 3D printing in it, but still required structural help. 5 is definitely non foo-foo.

Your questions:

1. Typically... the printer doesn't have much (or any) software with it.
2. You're way over qualified. AutoCad is way at the upper end. But AutoDesk with AutoCad, Fusion 360 and Meshmixer is a major player in the 3D printing world. For the full gambit from building you're own models to printing them successfully in ABS is pretty steep, but the CAD is by-far the hardest aspect. If you are reasonably proficient at AutoCad you're 80% there already.
   
   I've used AutoCad in the past, but found it to be difficult to re-pick-up after a long absence. If you use it on a regular basis, that's not a problem. Fusion 360 was the same way. I used it, was off it for six months and had to go through the tutorials again. I personally use an old/free version of Google SketchUp before they sold it off to Trimble. Its not much more complicated than using a paint program. Most all CAD programs will export a STL file. It converts all complex shapes into nothing but a bunch of triangular facets.
   
   This is then imported into what is called a "Slicer" program. This converts the STL file into a series of stepper motor instructions that heats the nozzle and moves the printer and squirts the plastic. There are paid versions, but the free versions are incredibly powerful. I use Cura https://ultimaker.com/software/ultimaker-cura which is made by one of the higher-end printer manufacturer. Another very good one I've used is Prusa Slicer https://www.prusa3d.com/prusaslicer/. These and the others will export a GCODE file that you typically put on a SD card to plug into the printer. The printer has minimal software to select and print a file off the card. This last part does come with the printer.
3. Materials - The most commonly used material is PLA. It is very easy to work with and a great learning step. It also can print very fine detail... say figurine type detail. It is brittle. If you drop it on the floor, it's toast. I've made a few things that fell apart after about a month outside in the UV. Interesting aspect, you can make models with it and using a "lost-wax" type technique in plaster, make a mold to cast aluminum parts. My son has experimented doing this.
   
   ABS is a structural plastic and probably as common. In general, it is very tough. ABS is everywhere, very likely, your car bumpers are made out of it. It too, exposed to UV will deteriorate. Not near as fast as PLA, but painting it solves that problem. 3D prints in ABS are not as strong as say that injection molded bumper, but that is because of the nature of 3D printer layering... not the plastic. The biggest problem with ABS is making large prints. It tends to curl up on the edges. Using a heated box around your printer helps this as long as your printer can stand the extra heat.
   
   For instance in this project, the small "fingers" may easily be broken. They'll easily stop an errant gnat, fly, mosquito, but a Kamikaze seagull is going right through it. It also won't take a lot of abuse either. Someone sits on it, it's toast.
   
   In Inqism-01, the ABS is simply used as a male mold. For that purpose, it is far superior to foam or honeycomb core materials and it will never deteriorate due to water like balsa or wood. But it would not ever be strong enough to take the bending loads of a daggerboard. Fiberglass on the outside takes care of those loads.
   
   The next stronger is Nylon. In Inquism-01, I made a pulley wheel out of 3D printed Nylon. I don't expect any problems out of it.
   
   The next stronger is Carbon-filled Nylon. They're claiming near aluminum properties. I'm skeptical, but I have a roll and in a future project I will be making some high stress parts to test out their marketing verbiage.

Good luck. Let me know if you take the plunge.

[OverEasy]

Thank you for the 411!
Sometimes I feel like a high tech when it comes to some of this 3D home shop of today .

(In the former work life of not that long ago we had an organization that had specialists who got to play with making the models in a remote facility.)

There are so many times I’ve had to stop personal projects and spend a day hunting supply catalogs, hardware stores and the like only to find something that will sorta work but requires modifications with hand tools and reconfiguration of the layout to fit and creative reorganization to make it look decent. Being able to make functional durable parts and component assemblies for one-off needs is something that may help make the decision between a 3D printer or a similar sized envelope CNC machine.

Your time and consideration in providing such a great summary of this equipment is very appreciated.

Thank you!

[Inquisitor]

Thank you for the 411!
Sometimes I feel like a high tech when it comes to some of this 3D home shop of today .
...

Early in my engineering co-op days, they gave me access to nice metal mills and lathes. I thought I was in project heaven. I always dreamt that I'd some day have some of my own... It doesn't look like that will be in the cards. So these 3D printers that let me:

• prototype at the press of a button
• to a varying degree (with fiberglass reinforcement) make structural elements.
• Use Nylon for things like pulleys... a future project involves making tracks and custom block and tackles. The savings on something like this will easily pay for very nice 3D printer! Actually about ten printers!
  $2300
• I'm looking forward to my son helping me out making an aluminum/bronze forge so I can do "lost-PLA" castings...

3D Printers are the Mac Daddy!!!

[Inquisitor]

Well... the good and bad. I parsed out the prints (to fit the printer) in two different patterns with the thought that the butt-joints wouldn't be over the same point.



Totally by clumsy/stupid/bad luck I had an impromptu stress test of the first side. Well... it failed!

But... ... it did not fail at any of the ABS/Acetone fused butt-joints!

So, I didn't need to go to the hassle of creating two sets.

But... I was already well into printing the second side version... the last piece just came off the printer.

Now... I need the get some more paint, sanding, painting, fusing. This project should be done this weekend if I can find the color I want.