LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 29, 2024, 2:16 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 14, 2016, 8:55 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
So I have a 3d printer and think printing a locost would be cool. I wanted to build a 1/4 scale rc one but life and a lack of a shop has paused that project. I picked up a 3d printer on a trade and I am looking at stuff to print out and design then print. I have found a motor trans and a rear axle for a toyota pick up. Only issue is the trans dose not have a tail housing because it was designed with a gear reduction then a transfer case. Oh and they all rotate will all major components present.

I am at the very beginning stages of this idea. I dont know what scale I want to go with as my print deck is only 15cm wide 20cm long and a depth of 20cm. The link below is the motor then from there the trans and axle. I could scale it off those items rather easy or I can make it a RC then I have to scale it off of certain parts I cannot make like motor and batteries and the likes.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:644933
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:713815
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1344938

What do you guys think?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 14, 2016, 11:56 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: October 24, 2008, 2:13 pm
Posts: 5326
Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Those models are cool, but very, very complicated. Too complicated for an RC model.

You need to understand the limits of what you can actually print. Your table is 15x20x20 cm., but can you print something that large, or is it more like 13x18x18 cm. that you can actually produce? Find the answer to that question.

Start small and simple. Download the 3D chassis files from the McSorely site and figure out how to scale them down to a size you can print all in one go on your printer. If that works, look at how you might subdivide the desired finished RC model into pieces you could produce on your printer, and then join together after the fact in some way.

Cheers,

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 15, 2016, 8:58 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
I am really glad you brought that up. I ripped out a quick test print .stl file on google sketch up. It turns out it was a failure but a success at the same time. It failed because I really need to dial in my print bed more and printed off the bed. It appears to be a success as I can print a true 15x20cm. I will have to work at getting this set up perfect because if I print that engine it takes a full 1kg spool and takes some 40 hours just for the block. Before that I have to regain the issue I have lost the ability to send a .stl file to the printer and close the software on the computer. I have one part for that in the mail ,which is a micro sd to full size sd, then I need a WIFI SD card and I can regain that feature. It seems a bit convoulted but I can send the file to the SD card vs using a USB cable. Why who ever created the software didnt write that function in is beyond me I am sure it was not easy.

A back story on that is I have a XYZ Da Vinci 2.0a. It has two extruders and I can print say a part then use a water soluble material as support or part way through the print it will change colors so like a red back ground and white letters. I didn't like the propriety spool cartridges at a cost of 27 bucks for 600 grams. I can buy full 1kg spools for 22 bucks. Also I had little to do with the resolution I could print at. So I flashed it with Repetier and use Repetier host that uses Cura as a slicer engine. Let me tell you there are so many setting it will make your eyes roll into your head and froth at the mouth for a noob like me.

I have had several successful prints and a few of my own design with this set up. I will just have to make sure I have it set up better. I should be abel to scale a full frame down to fit on the bed and print it out. Then I should be able to print and glue larger pieces later.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 15, 2016, 9:46 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
I just unzipped the file and tossed the block on the print bed and it appears it will fit with out issue size wise.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 16, 2016, 10:44 am 
Offline

Joined: April 15, 2014, 1:54 pm
Posts: 470
Could you print out a space frame chassis? I analyzing some frames now in AutoCAD .dwg format and Risa .r3d format. Can you read or convert these files to your printer?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 16, 2016, 1:19 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
I need it in a .STL format. So if google sketch up or openscad can open it. I should be able to convert it to .STL. It will print it using support material.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 16, 2016, 1:22 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 15, 2015, 2:45 pm
Posts: 12
Autodesk Fusion is free for "enthusiasts" and you can use it to load a .dwg and ouput an .stl file.

Also, I like it way better than SketchUp.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 16, 2016, 3:25 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
I'll take a look at it. I know nothing of coding which is why I am using SketchUp.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 16, 2016, 3:53 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 15, 2015, 2:45 pm
Posts: 12
It's definitely worth a look. It's not programming based like OpenSCAD.

Feature-wise, it's at the level of all those expensive modeling / CAD software suites out there that cost as much as a Locost.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 24, 2016, 10:45 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
I have been doing some things to make it so I can print off a larger spool and well I have had a few failures. Prints are not doing too well in one particular spot, and sizing isnt as good as I would like.

I looked at that software and stopped at a monthly subscription, I just cant justify paying for something like that right now for a hobby. Unlike work and I budget 200 a month (which is woefully low) on tools.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 25, 2016, 11:14 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 15, 2015, 2:45 pm
Posts: 12
Here's the instructions for signing up for free: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/ ... n-360.html

The monthly fee is for commercial use. It is free for personal use. You just have to renew your free license every year, presumably in case you start making over $100k a year on whatever you are making.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: August 25, 2016, 11:40 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
Well that is what I get for stopping at the price thanks I will look further into it.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: September 5, 2016, 12:29 am 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
I made a couple steps forward in making my printer better. I now have it set to print off a larger 1kg spool vs the 600 gram spools the cartridges house. Second I played with the setting I have the X access printing full on the bed now. Just as I was about to get the Y access to not print so close to the glass holder my brother called. We spent a few hours Saturday and probably seven hours today trying to free his knuckle out to the wheel due to the chincy locking lug nuts busting off leaving the acorn part holding the wheel fast. That involved cutting hammering drilling and chiseling of the studs. The hub bearing were so bad that the tire was able to contact the shock mount. This is on a 2wd dodge dakota thats on air.

So maybe tomorrow I will get the print area more centered to where I feel better. It could go 1mm and be ok 2mm would be better. Then I can work on leveling the bed in such a way I get a even layer all the way around. After that I might try out printing a entire frame scaled down to fit on the bed.

Over all done. The holder I found on thingiverse and added to it to fit what I wanted.

ImageIMG_20160828_123123362 by Matthew Troiano, on Flickr

A back plate I designed.

ImageIMG_20160828_123133423 by Matthew Troiano, on Flickr

The hub I found that I could customize on thingiverse. The end bit I designed.

ImageIMG_20160828_123140655 by Matthew Troiano, on Flickr

Could not have assembled it with out her help.

ImageIMG_20160814_224923843 by Matthew Troiano, on Flickr


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: September 5, 2016, 9:02 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 25, 2013, 7:42 am
Posts: 91
It appears that the full 442 scaled down to fit at 0.063967 its actual size. Now I dont think that printing the full thing out is going to net a strong frame even for a shelf model. Id say its roughly 75mm wide and 200mm long to give you an idea on the scale. I may give it a shot anyhow just to see how it goes. It will take approximately 12 meters of filament and almost 3 hours to complete.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: 3d printed locost
PostPosted: September 5, 2016, 10:45 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: October 24, 2008, 2:13 pm
Posts: 5326
Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
That's roughly 3" x 8", so it should give a decent idea about what your printer can handle in terms of detail. If you later break your model into "chunks" that can be glued together to make a bigger model, that's when things will likely get useful.

Three hours, eh? Do you need to monitor it full time?

Cheers,

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY