3d printing
I found out about this patreon on my favorite youtube channel 3d printing nerd (go check Joel out he is awesome). But he told me about Clockspring3d someone who designs really amazing print in place objects, and he has TONS of designs and takes suggestions. His Patreon is only $8 per month to be able to download and print his designs which is totally worth it, I’ve got a line up of things to print that I think are going to be awesome!!!!
I found a YouTube video about this application about a month ago and last week I tried installing it on docker but it didn't go so well. I read that it needed a 64 bit is to run mongo DB and everything I had seen said it didn't run on a raspberry pi. I looked again today and found an article on installing 64 bit Ubuntu on a raspberry pi using the new raspberry pi imager application.
So I grabbed a pi 4 and installed Ubuntu. It took me two tries to get vnc working but then I went through the steps for installing OctoFarm in a ‘production’ environment and got it up and running. The only issue I had was that the controls weren't working and then I found another YouTube video describing that you have to enable CORS on octoprint then everything started working.
Definitely check it out if you run octoprint and multiple printers.
Got started on printing the Full Sized Yoda I’ve been wanting to make for a long time. I used a program called LuBan and one of it’s features is being able to take a large 3d model and slice it up into pieces that can fit on your printer, along with keys to fit them together. Only bad thing is I need to get more filament :)
Work has been very busy lately, and that combined with the upcoming Maker Faire I haven't had a lot of chances to work on much. I still need to make some minor fixes to my printers to prepare for Saturday, and I have to make some signs and start printing out the Yoda heads :)
I have ordered another printer, this is actually a kit from Banggood for an acrylic Prusa I3. I'm going to add a heated bed to it and we'll see how well it performs.
I have also been working on cleaning up my two workshops at my house in preparation for the Laser Cutter build. I've finally got the last parts I needed (the laser tube, power supply and controller) so I'm ready to start the assembly. The first step is to hook up all the electronics and make sure that's all working, then I'll be starting on the frame. I still haven't decided what material to use for the panels, but I might get some panels from Inventables to use.
Then I have my Rostock 3DR to put together, I've had all the parts, but again no place to build it. I had let my workbench get cluttered and it's just not good to try and put together a printer in a cluttered workspace :)
I also want to put together my 1.75 extruder for filament, and also the chopper so I can do colors more consistently.
Finally got some free time this week to work on some of my project backlogs.
First I was able to complete my Libelle DLG completed, and I have to say that it went together very easily. This is a high quality kit, and the only modifications I had to do was trim one of the servo shafts a little bit because it was too long, and notch the rear housing for clearance for the linkage. I have it all balanced up with 18g of lead in the nose (well lead substitute ;) ). It's all setup and ready to go for it's first trim flights which I'll probably do tomorrow, as it's the first non-rainy, non-muddy non-freezing day we've had since I finished it!
I also worked on my printer, the Hippie had a problem with a bad auto-leveling servo. I think the one I used was one I abused in one of my robots, so I got a brand new one and installed it, and just had to make a minor adjustment to the bed leveling height and it's printing again great!
I need to re-work the next Arduino class at the ham club, as I'm having reservations about including a frequency counter in our VFO. I like having an amplifier in the box, and I've got the parts coming to make a simple one that we can put on the breadboard. But I want to do more with the Frequency counter, and I'd like to make it as compact as I can, so I think we'll put it in a different box by itself.
Tomorrow I'm going to test fly the Libelle, and hopefully do some first launches with it. I still need to add a dedicated launch button to my radio, but for now I'll just practice my 'flings' without the launch button.
I'm also going to reinstall the E3D V6 hot end in the Bumblebee II as I think the problem with it stopping extruding about 20 minutes into the print was because I was being too conservative with the tension settings on the extruder. I was having the same problem with a J-head and discovered another turn made it operate reliably, so I'm going to use the E3D again because I really like that hot end. I also purchased a 24v fan so I won't have to worry about step down voltage converter for a 12v fan.
Stay tuned for pictures of the Libelle!!!
Exciting news about the upcoming Burlington Maker Faire. I'm going to be attending as part of the WSMixxer maker space, which is a new maker space being formed in Winston Salem. If you're interested you can get more information at http://wsmixxer.org.
I'll be bringing my printers (as many as I have running at the time) and my filament extruder and demonstrating them. I'll also have my Structure.io scanner and I'll be scanning peoples heads and e-mailing them to them, and if they would like I'll be printing small busts on the printers.
The other thing I'm going to be involved in is the balloon launch being done by the Blessed Sacrament School of Burlington. I have a ham license and I'll be helping them with the tracking of the balloon by building an APRS tracker that will download the balloons altitude and location for tracking on a map in realtime.
It's going to be shaping up to be a VERY busy Maker Faire, I'm really excited to be involved in both the new maker space, and the balloon launch
They've successfully printed the first part in space, and not really a surprise it's a part for the printer itself :)
First 3d printed part in space.
Very cool stuff, and it opens up a ton of possibilities for the ISS and future space explorers!
I placed the order for the last bits and pieces I need for the 3DR. I wasn't able to make the orange filament yet, I have to make a chopper so I can chop up the filament and extrude it twice to get the uniform color in the filament, and that should be ready mid-November. So I ordered a spool or orange filament, the rods and ball ends for the actuators, and some other bits and pieces which should arrive tomorrow. Then I'll be able to start printing the parts and beginning the assembly!!!
Well, not surprisingly I'm finding issues with the Bumblebee. It's been sitting a while, and some of it is just needed maintenance, and other things are just because it's not been run for so long. I redesigned the x carriage to use the new E3D hotend (which I'm really liking) and I think I need a new serial cable, I'm getting lots of dropped commands and disconnects. The most surprising was my rock solid reliable extruder started to first skip steps, then just clicked. I though it was the pololu at first, but when I took the extruder apart and checked the planetary gearbox, the sun gear (the main gear on the stepper shaft) had worn down to less than HALF its original size.
Guess that just shows how much I print with this printer, the hippie is still running fine. I did have a new bulldog extruder that I was going to set up as a Bowden feed, but now with the new split carriage it actually is smaller than the geared extruder. First print I had it adjusted too loose, but I think I've got it dialed in now. I'm going to pick up another good quality serial cable, I've had bad luck with some cheap ones, and then I'll be rocking again.
Finally had some time this week to finish doing some modifications and repairs to my Mendelmax the Bumblebee II. I designed a new x carriage that is split to make it easy to install/remove the new E3D V6 hotend I installed, installed a mount for the webcam, fixed the raspberry pi octoprint installation, and it's running great!