Ball joints, Fans, RPi, Hearts and fairy dust - #30DoC Days 19 to 22

Hello, and I hope you are having a good day? Here is an update of my RepRap adventures over the last few evenings -

For #30DoC - Day 19 I printed the Impossible Sphere for the weekly RepRap competition (see last post)-

Here is another one at 0.2mm layers - using the SCAD script richgain posted a few days ago -

I have not yet tried Greg's high resolution version, but it's on my list.

Day 20 was a Raspberry Super Pi Case - On thingiverse Here - It's a jazzed up version of the great case by HansH with added mounting ears and SD card support, light guides, etc.

Here it is in 'Special Edition' Gold and Glow in the Dark!

I also have my Printer running from my Raspberry Pi, with The Arduino, as it still does an ideal job due to the limited I/O on the RPi, I will do a separate post on setting up the RPi with Pronterface for RepRap printing. The Raspberry Pi is my excuse to finally learn more about Linux, so maybe you can give me some pointers along the way. There is also an active post in the RepRap forums on RPi, Pronterface and RepRap If you want to join in the development ideas with Raspberry Pi and RepRap.

Day 21 was an attempt to make a direct-able fan mount for MendelMax (and any other printer) - I have been using fans on and off for about the past year when printing in PLA, I'm really keen to understand how fans help with the build process, so in an attempt to learn more I wanted a mount I could direct airflow across, along, and even cyclone around my printed objects.

I used the ball joints from the great Fully printable PCB Vice by Sneakypoo as a starting point.

I love the Screw and threaded ball joint, it works perfectly.

The idea was to have it mount on the MendelMax 20mm Aluminium frame - but you attach it to any surface or bars with ty-wraps.

Above is the Vertical mounted fan.

As the ball joint can't quite do all angles, I have also done a Horizontal mount with M3 nut-trap (above), but not had time to test it yet, looks like it fits the 80mm fan just fine.

I have not yet had a chance to fit them to the MendelMax quite yet, but I'll keep you updated how well they work.

And for speed control I'm using a standard PC fan controller as they are just a few pounds, and give me individual control of four PC fans, it was easier to buy one than make up my own.
It also has one input power feed so you could still control it from the RAMPS Fan output but with the bonus of having individual power levels for all four fans.

The Universal 80mm Fan mount files are up on Thingiverse Here - 

For Day 22 we needed some urgent printed gifts for my daughters birthday party gift bags - after a bit of discussion and searching Thingiverse we decided on a secret box to store precious things or fairy-dust in, magic!

I first thought of the stratasys demo pot but that didn't quite hit mark -

Then we discovered the many twisted Boxed by Wizard23 and decided a Heart box would be great, check them out, they are all fantastic and they fitted together perfectly.

I needed to print 15 of them - here is a work in progress action shot -

Getting the size just right, they are very quick to print.

Printed in perfectly ideal colours from Faberdashery Buttercream and Cherry blossom pink - that reminds me, if you want a filament that sticks really well to your heated bed, I have yet to find a type or colour that sticks as well as Buttercream, from my experience with it, it's close to warp-proof.

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I have also just got my new extruder prototype assembled, and it works! with a simple first test - I just need to change the design a little as it's almost impossible to assemble at the moment. - More on that next week.
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Thanks for reading, more soon.

Cheers,

Rich.

Quick-fit Extruder mount and X Axis for the Printrbot 3D printer #30DoC day 5

For Day 5 of  30 days of creativity ( #30DoC ) I give you another addition to the Quick-Fit family, here is a Quick-Fit X carriage and mount for the Printrbot. Designed for any extruder's that can go on my Quick-Fit X carriage.

Mount with 3 LM8UU linear bearings and 4 x M4 bolts rather than the original 2.

Bad photo, but you get the Idea.

I have upgraded the dual bearing X Axis on the original Printrbot to a 3 bearing design, It should now perform better and be more stable doing this.

Above is the new design, below is the original - Note you don't loose any X axis movement or printing area with the Quick-Fit mount.

I'm calling it the PINKrBot for obvious reasons, if you need some ultra bright Pink PLA, Faberdashery have just launched an insanely bright and fluorescent range for the summer - * Punk Star Pink *

Files for the Printrbot Quick-Fit X carriage are up on Thingiverse Here.

While I was in the middle of drawing this for the Printrbot, a quick-fit adapter for Huxley was requested, as they share a vertical X arrangement, it should be possible. I'm just a little worried it will use up all of Huxley's X space!

#30DoC Day 5 - for inspirational work from around the world

I'm not obsessed with Extruder's and X carriages, I just really like them :)

 ** - Also Awesome things are happening over at the Unfold-Fab, right now, do take a look.

Thanks for looking, let me know if you have a Printrbot (built up) and also if you print one of these.

More tomorrow.

Cheers,

Rich

Mini Quick-Fit Huxley sized extruder #30DoC day 4

For Day 4 of  30 days of creativity ( #30DoC ) here is a miniature sized Huxley extruder, designed for my Quick-Fit X carriage.

Ideal if you need a small and lightweight 1.75mm extruder for your 3D printer.

It's a direct extruder (not Bowden) using a Nema14 Motor. 

It also has an inbuilt mount for a 30mm fan to keep your thermal block nice and cool.

It's designed to be used with the Huxley Herringbone gear set I did for Day 2.

It all seems to be mechanically working, but it's not fully tried and tested quite yet.

And I made a new Idler block with a bit more strength to it

The files you need are up on Thingiverse Here.

A little late publishing, but it's still just day 4 here in the UK, time for bed...


Don't forget to take a look at all the other wonderful work for 30 days of creation, * be inspired *
#30DoC the story so far - Day 1 -    Day 2 -   Day 3 -  Day 4 -

Thanks for looking, let me know if you print one.

More tomorrow.

Cheers,

Rich

Ballscrew and motor brackets

Ballscrew and Motor brackets now made.

These will connect the ballscrew to the Y and X stages.

R/H picture shows a NEMA17 motor mount for the X stage.

I will be fitting them later, more photo's if they fit.

Rich.