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#277444 - 11/04/15 05:40 AM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Tom_L]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Anytime, Tom.
For the strength, I believe, it is very close to the injection molding tech. But I understand that my own prints might be quite far from perfect yet. I'm at the very beginning of mastering this process. So far I've printed just about a dozen of useful projects, all of them hold very well under the daily stress (nothing very demanding though), but definitely they have their limits. For example, I had some test prints which were done with some deviations from ideal printing parameters. Their major problem was the delamination of horizontal layers. I'm sure that's the primary weak point of all my prints still. So, when I'm constructing something to withstand a stress, I'm always trying to keep primary force vectors parallel to my slices. Industrial grade printers are calibrated at the factory, and professionals are using filaments with precise properties, which they can input into the software to make necessary adjustments for optimal printing conditions, thus preventing any chance of delamination. Finally, 3D printed plastic parts are widely used in very demanding aerospace tech already, that is something, I think.

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#277449 - 11/04/15 06:57 PM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Alex]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Designed and printed a simple key chain carrier for the magnetic wide angle and macro lens attachment to my smartphone. The macro lens turns your phone into a quite useful EDC microscope, which has a survival potential, IMO.

The original magnetic carrying plate lanyard could not withstand varying forces in my pants' pocket; I almost lost the lens once due to its failure. Also I've noticed that the lens size is close to the split rings' (which I have on both ends of my braided paracord key chain) inner diameter. So, I've decided to exclude another piece dangling from the key ring, but rather embed it right within that ring. Some sanding for smoothing the thing is pending (dark spots are from the attempt to sand the insides with the Dremel's sand band on the rubber mandrel). "Engravings" on the locking piece are the failed attempt to write a text on it (the custom font rendered bad).

See the Gallery. And the 3D model (use mouse to rotate and zoom).



Attachments
20151104_092057.jpg



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#277451 - 11/05/15 06:19 PM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Alex]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Have printed the hollow handle capsule for my Cold Steel Bushman knife. It's basically a thin walled cone with a lip on each end for snap caps. But I had to print several test cones first to get to the exact angle of the handle's inside shape for a truly snug fit. The right length is also important, as at the blade's side opening the handle is squashed somewhat, which starts crushing the capsule if you force it in too far. Still, the inner volume of the capsule is slightly more than 4 inches in length. It sits inside the handle very tightly, so I cannot just shake it out. To remove it you need to press with your finger from the blade side, and it will pop out. But I plan to melt a little piece of plastic into the small side hole in the handle to fix it there semi-permanently. Also I may decide to make it completely waterproof, it's easy to seal both caps with the nail polish over the inner lip. Just as an example I put inside a magnesium stick with small ferro on the side, large plain ferro rod, and a small diamond sharpener. There is plenty more space left inside for maybe some fishing stuff and tinder, at any rate I plan to stuff it tight to prevent any rattling.

The Gallery.



Attachments
20151104_215919.jpg (724 downloads)


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#277751 - 11/28/15 08:30 AM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Alex]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Just printed a conic diffuser for my new EDC light. It's very simple, not too long (1" tip), has a square shape at the barrel to stop rolling, and with a little hole in the corner for a lanyard. Works fantastic illuminating the entire room on high. Fits snugly, as I've done multiple hole printing tests a while ago for many round things I plan to 3d print. Needs some sanding inside and outside as usual. On some of the images in the gallery you can see dark horizontal stripes, as the flashlight was blinking on low power settings in sync with the camera's V-sync.




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#278471 - 01/04/16 06:47 PM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Alex]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
The new 3D printing material just unveiled - a high temp.ceramics: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/351/6268/58.abstract
But that polymer requires laser curing, so a special printer required to print (they are mainstream, but less affordable).

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#278585 - 01/06/16 05:49 PM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Alex]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Another 3D printed add-on to my 1xAA flashlight. The tripod mount. Experimental, as I've decided to use a 1/4"x20 steel threaded insert (usually used for wood disassemble-able fasteners) instead of 3d printing it entirely (what could allow a much smaller size of that thing). Works great on my aux mini tripod, can support the flaslight without a tripod, and also very convenient in the mouth (I hate biting metal) for hands free flashlight use (the headlamp adapter is in the plans as well, there is a chance I can make it universal out of this mount design). By the way, I've figured I can easily switch the brightness modes with the touch of my tongue! Another sweet feature of that flashlight smile The gallery.

By the way, I've decided to use a #8 nylon thread as a lanyard, it is very strong (cannot break it by hands) and allows to hang it over the shirt button or thread through the zipper pull hole easily.

The knuckle function of the diffuser is questionable, actually, as I'm not sure how much force it might withstand, should rig a proper target first for testing smile

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#278605 - 01/06/16 11:04 PM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Alex]
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078
A 3-D printer seems to be ideal for prototyping parts. I am looking to get a prototype part made for a digiscope adapter for a 1080HD camera (A Pentax Q-S1) for a P8079HP 3 stage cascade tube Image intensifier and 85mm F1.5 Lens on a C-Mount lens adapter for my UFO spotting project. It will also compensate the barrel edge distortion of the $120 Gen 1 Tube with a digital pin cushion filter.

What design software would you recommend? I've tried Autodesk 123D Design but it is pretty horrible to use.


Edited by Am_Fear_Liath_Mor (01/06/16 11:07 PM)

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#278607 - 01/07/16 06:31 AM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Nice project! Is that for patrolling the sky, or for target imaging? 85mm is too much for the first task (I have experience building bolide patrolling camera) The 3D printing prototyping is a game changer, as you can define and use special settings to save time and filament printing your draft parts. Also the software allows you to slice larger parts and merge components later, so you can test-print fragments of your prototypes i.e. for best fit tuning (by the way, there are certain specifics for tight fittings design of 3D printed parts). At the moment I'm waiting for the Black matte finish ABS filament in the mail to start fiddling with optical attachments to my telescope. So far I've printed several end caps and boxes to my eyepieces, focusers, binoculars, the universal binoculars tripod mount with green laser pointer holder (the later went through 4 prototypes), many other small things (e.g. some weird Lego parts for my DS smile ). Another nice project still in the development - the custom high rise stock shoulder pad for my Saiga-12 kushnapup (bullpup) conversion with AK tools capsule holder.

To answer your question - see my extended post on that above
In short: try to obtain the SolidWorks - truly ultimate solution.

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#279494 - 02/13/16 03:13 AM Re: 3D Printer for prepping and survival [Re: Alex]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Made the new version of the flashlight mount. It's more compact now and provides several holes for strapping and various lanyards as well as a diffuser holder. Note the headlamp mount option with the piece of paracord threaded through the special opening in the side of the flashlight's well (on the bottom left), with the diffuser cap attached to the tripod stand pin making an "ear temple", which allows to properly direct the light beam up/down - works great! The tripod mount hole was printed without the thread and threaded with the 1/4"x20 tap. The head is 8 sided which allows to lean the flaslight at different angles when it's free standing.
Gallery

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