FDM PLA 3D printing - with a model making inclination

[Dave Ward]

Something I found - I was extremely dubious about whether this would print out - if it prints out on the Monoprint, with poor filament, then it should be a breeze on the SunLu Model by Lemoine19 from Thingiverse

Left hand of the cylinder barrel of a Norton Commando. No scale is quoted, but I reckon it's 1/4 scale, - there are well over 100 parts, so it wouldn't be a fast project - I'd have to try and print a wheel to see if that is possible. If so, it could be something that printing a few parts occasionally might work.

Very little idea how this was printed - the modeller is French, so all the file titles don't mean a great deal to me!
Dave

[Dave Ward]

I tried printing the spokes for the wheels - a non-starter in PLA, even if I could get a clean, complete print, the parts wouldn't be strong enough to hold the weight of the model. It may be possible, using a smaller nozzle & ABS, but I'm not going down that rabbit hole!
I had to try, but I can't say I'm particularly bothered, the Norton Commando wouldn't be on my want list ( even if I had a motorbike one ) - a Brough Superior might be a bit different................
Dave_

[Tim Marlow]

I tried printing the spokes for the wheels - a non-starter in PLA, even if I could get a clean, complete print, the parts wouldn't be strong enough to hold the weight of the model. It may be possible, using a smaller nozzle & ABS, but I'm not going down that rabbit hole!
I had to try, but I can't say I'm particularly bothered, the Norton Commando wouldn't be on my want list ( even if I had a motorbike one ) - a Brough Superior might be a bit different................
Dave_

That’s a shame, but no point in wasting printing time if you can’t get it to work.
I would LOVE a modern plastic kit of a Brough Superior, by the way, Dave…….

[Dave Ward]

A minor hiccup - I've been prescribed a new medication - I was warned of a few side effects (! ) , and I seem to have had a few - drowsy, a bit of lethargy, with lowered blood sugar levels & worst of all constipation!!. This replaced a drug I'd been taking for about 15 years, so what with withdrawal symptoms from stopping one & side effects from starting a new one, I haven't been a happy bunny................
Luckily I'm getting used to the new stuff, & beginning to feel normal ( for me! ) the printers have been working & I'll be putting up a few pictures of the results. I hope to actually put a few put together & primed this week!
Still casting around for a bridgelayer I did think I'd found the right one, with a Churchill bridgelayer - but the 30ft bridge is just too big to print on my SunLu, without chopping it into bits, which would cause a lot of problems with alignment. I was hoping to find a folding bridge, but that's looking a bit doubtful - I might go for a Churchill ARK, if I don't have any luck!
Dave

[Dave Ward]

After a lot of searching I've decided................

Valentine Bridgelayer - a purchase from Wargaming3D at just over 8 Euros..................

Churchill ARK

Free download from Thingiverse
Both these have the separate track sides, so can be printed face up on the build plate. I've tried printing other ways, but that doesn't work...............
Dave

[Jim R]

Those two look nice Dave.
I hope you settle down with the new meds.

[Dave Ward]

Some of the prints that have been coming off the printers........................

Tortoise in 1/35

Churchill NA 75 in 1/35
Both of these on the SunLu, the build plate is big enough to print without slicing the pieces.
The Monprice has a small plate I had to cut the hull into 2 pieces...............

Pz.I Bison in 1/35. I made a glaring error with this model - I managed to print two left-hand track sides - I didn't notice until I tried to put it together - I'll have to print the correct one now.
Dave

[Dave Ward]

I've started to print out the Valentine Bridgelayer - I'm printing these at the highest quality that I can, without excessive print times
these track units took about 9 hours each to print = these are in 1/35

Sticking with my favourite filament, Geeetech Silver PLA, I think I've got the slicer settings just about right - if I changed filament, then I'd have to tweak settings. The supports on these prints came away in large sections with minimal effort.
I'm going to print one of the bridge sections overnight - the predicted time is 18 hours.................... I'll start it at around 8, so I can see that the first layers are sticking & lying down properly for a few hours. Just hoping that we don't have any power blips. The SunLu has a 'resume after power failure' feature, but you have to initiate the restart manually, fingers crossed.
Dave

[outrunner]

Those look really nice Dave.

Andy.

[langy71]

nice and clean prints Dave, they look fabulous

[Richard48]

Becoming a real 3D addict Dave.Impressive stuff.Like the look of the N.A 75 Churchill.
Richard

[Dave Ward]

Those look really nice Dave.

nice and clean prints Dave, they look fabulou

Thanks, Gents! Through a lot of mistakes, I think I'm getting the hang of things! Although FDM printing is never going to be as good as resin printing, it can come pretty close in certain areas! One thing is that you have to be patient! Slicing the layers on a model at 0.05mm layer height increasess the print time alarmingly, and slowing the print speeds does the same, but that's the way to get better quality. I've been trying to upgrade my original Anet A6 printer, so I can use that as well, but some parts are not easy to source. and that is still very much a work in progress
Dave

[Dave Ward]

The upper bridge section. Well, the prediction was 18 hours - but it actually took 22 hours 34 minutes.........................

I'll put up more pictures when I've removed the supports. Tonight, another overnight print - this time the hull - prediction is 16 hours, but I have little faith in these long predictins!
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Print prediction was pretty close. The hull printed OK, needs all the supports removing.
I've cleaned up the upper bridge section a bit. It needs a lot. Sometimes it's difficult to differentiate between supports & actual model & I had a few breakages, luckily nothing complicated, easily replaced

There's only one overnight print left, the lower bridge half, then there's a load of parts, which comprise the launcjing gear, which looks pretty complex.
I won't be putting any more pictures of the bridgelayer up here........................... when I've got all the parts printed, I'll do a blog of the assembly ( might be quite a while )
Dave

[Dave Ward]

I was looking for an armoured car - and I came across this

Guy armoured car - I was surprised that no-one made a 1/35 model of this - which saw limited action in the Battle of France in 1940.
On further digging, I found that, due to their commitment to making artillery tractors, Guy couldn't do any more production, or development. The whole package was handed over to Rootes & produced as the Humber armoured car

I'm printing out a1/35 model of the Guy at the moment
Dave