3D Printing - Have Been Honing My Skills: Open To Help

[TheShaman]

I haven't visited SS in quite some time. Life Happens. Well.. fast forward to today and since my last visit to SS I have acquired several 3D Printers over the past several years and have gone from simple prints to extremely high-quality prints that require little to no post-processing. I have two specific printers that are my workhorses and I run them almost daily to help friends and buddies I often find myself having to remind myself to knock out things I need done. As 3D Printers, available Polymers and filament types have come a long way over the past 4-5 years, I have fallen in love with several key types and I specifically love PETG and have found a manufacturer of PETG that is my daily " go to ". I try to keep a core backstock of PETG, but I have been printing so much in the past few months that I have been purchasing at least 1-2 standard rolls a week. My main printers can print ABS, PLA, PETG, TPU, and Wood and I am upgrading one currently to handle higher temperatures for Carbon fiber and some interesting new variations.

I know from personal experience that taking on any new hobby and especially one that requires a good bit of experience, general knowledge, technical knowledge of the printer as well as what each polymer type is capable of as well as how to dial things in for each print.

That being said, I would like to extend my set of printers and 3D printing out to those who may need something printed. I will be honest, I have a degree in Civil/Structural Design, worked for an Engineering firm over 14 years ago, and spent the last 13 working for a Global Audio Company that was born and raised in Louisiana. I along with 300+ others globally were laid off at the end of last July out of the blue after the entire company received the standard boilerplate email...etc. I have done more printing and searching for proper open-source designs over the years than I have spent working within the 3D Design Space ( that I am familiar with ); as well as I also have been building up a vast personal repository of all sorts of useful, utilitarian, unique, commonplace, and highly useful designs from all over. I am a wiz at querying the web in such a way that I can 98% of the time find whatever it is I am looking for as well as I have gone from creating collections on various sites to spending more time downloading as much as possible and keeping thing as organized as possible on HD's. That way if whatever changes come down the road, I have basic and core designs that not only are highly useful, but I can utilize those designs in the modeling software as a building block to adapt them to whatever use and or solutions to needs can be easily met without an excessive amount of initial design work.

They also have just come out with some AI-based software that I am about to start playing with that takes 2D pictures/models and some prompted text-based instruction and generates the 3D Model from there. This in theory should really be highly beneficial in such areas as fabricating long-lost or no longer-produced components needed to keep these amazing machines running for years to come.

So, if anyone here happens to be in need of parts, pieces, connections.. whatever ( that can be 3D Printed ), I am happy to help out. Years back when I first joined SS, everyone was extremely helpful, and informative, and I was even invited out to North Louisiana for an opportunity to check out a member's collection and drive a few on their property. Unfortunately, I was unable to take that open-armed member up on his offer at the time.

This amazing community does what it can for one another, sharing skills, knowledge, and all sorts of other things with the simple focus on the love of any of the various Military Vehicles that are still being kept alive, running, operational, and or even as daily drivers. - It is in that spirit that I have taken the time to put myself out there and offer 3D Printing assistance when and where possible.

 

[signalcorps]

Thanks for the offer of help here. This is what makes Steel Soldiers such a great site.

 

[bluesteel01]

What is your print size capability?
Any examples of some of the items your printing.
This is very new to many people and probably not fully understand the potential for such a service.

 

[signalcorps]

Do you think you could make a Smoke Grenade Launcher firing box?

 

[HDN]

Do you think you could make a Smoke Grenade Launcher firing box?

Anything can be printed with a big enough printer It's even possible to 3D print entire structures with pumped concrete!

Reproductions like that involve some reverse-engineering. 3D scanners might help too, but only having read about them, consumer-grade ones like what I could afford aren't perfect just yet.

If it were me, I'd make a 3D model in Autodesk Fusion 360 based on measurements taken of the box and print one out of ABS plastic (my go-to material). There will be some layer lines that can be sanded or painted over to be reduced in visibility - acetone treatment works too.

 

[TheShaman]

What is your print size capability?
Any examples of some of the items your printing.
This is very new to many people and probably not fully understand the potential for such a service.

Very good point. I am currently getting a portfolio together of all prints; especially my most recent.

Print Capacity ( for a single print ) aka the Print Bed size is: 245 x 245 x 260 mm
- this does not create specific limitations to each print and or to a much larger print, depending on what the print is. Most prints can be easily broken down into sizable portions which can later be fused as if it was a singular component.



- To just help to try and illustrate what 3D printing is and or can be ( in this case ): any fitting, part, connection, custom parts, air intake connections... all sorts of automotive, leakproof, and even capable of keeping various automotive fluids in reserve. From the tiniest pin... to windshield washer motor mounts.. replacement brake light covers and any sort of custom work that you can dream up.



Replacement Dome Light Cover

LUG COVER

Radio Dash Kit

Even Print Custom Tools:
Headlight Tool

Scaled down models of your favorite ride:
Blazer

Hemtt Truck


Various CAD Drawings, CNC Models...etc can be converted into a file type that I can either send straight to the printer or take a little time to ensure a solid and clean print.




I will add some of my completed prints ASAP. I'm always running at least 2 Printers as non-stop as possible and always willing to help.

 

[TheShaman]

Do you thView attachment 907459ink you could make a Smoke Grenade Launcher firing box?

A signaling device depends on the deployment methods. There are rules a guidelines that have to be followed, as well as a whole slew of completely legal ways to fabricate such enclosures. I'd prefer one with the classic "flip-up safety ". I would also need additional information about the aforementioned deployment methods and other data per various licenses some of us hold and or do not hold. Even non-lethal deployable items are regulated and or require some level of permit. Feel free to DM me to discuss further.