A Different Direction..............

[Gary MacKenzie]

You could have a look @ Josef Prusa's site @ https://www.printables.com/

Some of the free models include


[HEADING=2]1:35 Marston mat landing surface WW2 @ https://www.printables.com/model/103...ng-surface-ww2 [/HEADING]
[IMG width="209px"]https://media.printables.com/media/prints/103603/images/1041194_79f6831e-cf0b-44c2-84d0-521b7ed7fc0d/thumbs/cover/640x480/jpg/mrston2.webp[/IMG]


N-Scale - OIT - 6ts freight yard crane @ https://www.printables.com/model/302...rd-crane-1-148


[IMG width="208px"]https://media.printables.com/media/prints/302160/images/2640689_7c54cce4-5b24-4675-8be6-85f568c6a770/thumbs/cover/640x480/jpg/title.webp[/IMG]

If you are in to some high quality busts of characters from films like Lord of The rings , Batman etc , try this link @ https://www.printables.com/search/models?q=fotis
These were all models that cost money , now donated to the above site as a thankyou to the creator Josef Prusa.

One of my favourites being

[IMG width="557px"]https://media.printables.com/media/prints/347974/images/2960578_73a1de80-0070-4248-80e1-2a1ed932f17a/thumbs/inside/1920x1440/jpg/render.webp[/IMG]

I found a number of really good models all over the net , it takes a bit of hunting , but many are getting rave reviews.

examples :

Panzer IV individual links for tracks.
Lee Enfield Rifle
Bailey Bridge section

[Dave Ward]

You could have a look @ Josef Prusa's site @ https://www.printables.com/

Some of the free models include


[HEADING=2]1:35 Marston mat landing surface WW2 @ https://www.printables.com/model/103...ng-surface-ww2 [/HEADING]
[IMG width="209px"]https://media.printables.com/media/prints/103603/images/1041194_79f6831e-cf0b-44c2-84d0-521b7ed7fc0d/thumbs/cover/640x480/jpg/mrston2.webp[/IMG]


N-Scale - OIT - 6ts freight yard crane @ https://www.printables.com/model/302...rd-crane-1-148


[IMG width="208px"]https://media.printables.com/media/prints/302160/images/2640689_7c54cce4-5b24-4675-8be6-85f568c6a770/thumbs/cover/640x480/jpg/title.webp[/IMG]

If you are in to some high quality busts of characters from films like Lord of The rings , Batman etc , try this link @ https://www.printables.com/search/models?q=fotis
These were all models that cost money , now donated to the above site as a thankyou to the creator Josef Prusa.

One of my favourites being

[IMG width="557px"]https://media.printables.com/media/prints/347974/images/2960578_73a1de80-0070-4248-80e1-2a1ed932f17a/thumbs/inside/1920x1440/jpg/render.webp[/IMG]

I found a number of really good models all over the net , it takes a bit of hunting , but many are getting rave reviews.

examples :

Panzer IV individual links for tracks.
Lee Enfield Rifle
Bailey Bridge section

Thanks - a lot of these may be more suited to resin printing, but they're certainly worth a punt!
Dave

[mog]

Just been looking at thingiverse & a few minutes turned up these
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1193044[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]n1193045[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]n1193046[/ATTACH]
You can scale these up or down to suit whatever scale you need.................
Dave

Good find Dave , this is the kind of things I'm looking at

[Dave Ward]

Good find Dave , this is the kind of things I'm looking at

I will be trying out one or two of those, when I'm happy with the printer settings!

I fitted the magnetic build plate - I had to strip off all the tape, which was annoying, then carefully cleaned the be late with IPA before applying the adhesive base. You have to careful to centre the magnetic bit, as if it is off centre, movement of the Y-axis can pull the plate off.
I levelled the bed - I went round 3 times & it's now better than before - I've started printing the Spool Nut

I haven't used any glue stick - this sort of surface allegedly doesn't need it - just kept free from fingerprints & dust, a wipe down with IPA ( when the bed is cool ) should be enough. When a print is finished, the magnetic plate can be removed & the print should pop off...............
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Good luck……

[Dave Ward]

Spool nut printed - it stuck well - I think I've got the bed temperature a little high - the bottom surface has the texture of the new build plate....................

The big question - will the nut fit the thread??

The answer is YES!!! a bit rough at first, but once I'd run it up and down the thread, and taken off the sharp edges :thumb2:

The third & final part is the support arm - this has to be printed diagonally across the build plate, otherwise it won't fit.

This is different to the other parts, it needs supports - temporary props to support the overhangs. The slicing programme automatically adds these - you can do it manually, but having no experience of this, I want to see how the programme does it. The supports can be easily ( ?! ) broken away when the print has finished.
So far all is going well. I've ordered some cork matting to put under the feet of the printer - it's on a cantilever computer desk, with a formica surface, and it does vibrate & jump around a bit. It's not that noisy, but running for long periods ( hours + ), it could be annoying. I can't hear it in my bedroom, with the door closed, so overnight printing is possible, I just have to have confidence it doesn't screw up the minute I close the door. I've also ordered spare belts & a nozzle, as I reckon these are the parts that could give out!
Dave
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Support arm - about an hour into printing

Very complicated! - the bits at the top - the straight bar - are the actual structure of the arm - the zig-zag bits are the print supports for the overhang.
After 4 3/4 hours this is the final result, still on the build plate.

I'll leave this until tomorrow, when I can find out how easy it is to break those supports off.
I think I'll experiment with a few small models, reducing the layer height & speed, to see what that does for quality.....................
Dave

[Jim R]

Looks good. You've come a long way in a short time.

[Si Benson]

I bet you where grinning like a Cheshire Cat when you got the nut to run down the thread….well done Dave :thumb2:

[Tim Marlow]

Going great guns Dave. Layer lines look a little less pronounced on that one…..

[Dave Ward]

Going great guns Dave. Layer lines look a little less pronounced on that one…..

I think a new build plate & re-levelling it afterwards has helped!
The problem is that there are so many parameters you can vary, and it's difficult to know where to start - I've watched a lot of YouTube videos about improving quality, but 90% assume that you have prior knowledge ( which I don't ). The time taken for each print means that effects of changes to the parameters aren't quick to implement. There are several things that I haven't seen any answer for - like turning a model to point along the X-axis, or the Y, or diagonally across the build plate - does this have any effect on the print? I have absolutely no idea!!
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

I think a new build plate & re-levelling it afterwards has helped!
The problem is that there are so many parameters you can vary, and it's difficult to know where to start - I've watched a lot of YouTube videos about improving quality, but 90% assume that you have prior knowledge ( which I don't ). The time taken for each print means that effects of changes to the parameters aren't quick to implement. There are several things that I haven't seen any answer for - like turning a model to point along the X-axis, or the Y, or diagonally across the build plate - does this have any effect on the print? I have absolutely no idea!!
Dave

Sounds a bit like airbrushing……you can read and watch what you like, but in the end you’ve just got to do it a lot to get the feel for it…..

[Komedy]

Hi Dave

Coming along great guns. There are lots of downloadable calibration test prints that you can find to test and fine tune specific parameters. These are great as the print times are not to hefty, so you can print, tune and quickly get a comparison before moving on to the next

Warren

[Gary MacKenzie]

I think a new build plate & re-levelling it afterwards has helped!
The problem is that there are so many parameters you can vary, and it's difficult to know where to start - I've watched a lot of YouTube videos about improving quality, but 90% assume that you have prior knowledge ( which I don't ). The time taken for each print means that effects of changes to the parameters aren't quick to implement. There are several things that I haven't seen any answer for - like turning a model to point along the X-axis, or the Y, or diagonally across the build plate - does this have any effect on the print? I have absolutely no idea!!
Dave

As it is FDM printing I would look at all the stuff done by Josef Prusa, he is a long-term filament printing guru/designer/entrepreneur.
Unclejessy uses both filament and resin and is usually very easy to follow.

Prusa , showing how he sets up and calibrates one of his printers, but the general info should help @

another possibly useful tuning video @

test of slicers and support settings @

[adt70hk]

Dave

That really has come a long way already. Very well done indeed. Can't wait to see what else you do!!

ATB.

Andrew