Halo
Well-known member
My son has just bought a 3 d printer. It’s a resin type with a 150mm x 100 bed. It must be good for boat projects -but what ? Any tips ?
3D Printer projects
- Thread starter Halo
- Start date
ashtead
Well-known member
Making a adapter to go on the tap fittings on the Thames ? The EA seem to have introduced some new taps which might attract a number of orders .
chris-s
Well-known member
Loads of boatie bits ... plate racks, mug & glass racks, winch handle, bulgin socket plates, curtain track sliders, switch faceplates, NASA Tri-colour masthead lamp bracket, shaped standoffs, angled deck gland, garmin gps antenna under-deck mount and countless ‘templates & drilling guides’ ... are a few that spring to mind. Designed/printed and used in the right way with regard to the strength properties of the printed item there are plenty of potential uses. I use PLA and ABS and usually add a coat of paint on items to be used externally.
Bobc
Well-known member
How about a place mat?
penfold
Well-known member
Sun covers for obsolescent instruments where UV light has destroyed the originals; would need something more durable than the usual PLA though. What polymers can it use? Plinths for instruments to angle them for better viewing/visibility when at the helm.
LadyInBed
Well-known member
Windlass chain stripper - mine keeps breaking ?
tudorsailor
Well-known member
I have printed lots for the boat. Thingiverse is a good place to start to find other peoples' designs
If you are designing for yourself, Fusion360 is relatively easy to learn
For indoor items, PLA is perfectly adequate.
For outdoors ASA is UV resistant
I have also printed things that I wanted to be flexible in Flexifil material. Comes out nicely
I even printed in wood like stuff which is PLA impregnated with saw dust. Not bad
Recently printed in copper impregnated PLA for some medical items as it is resistant to microbes
I wrote up some of my experience in PBO a couple of years ago. PM if you'd like a copy of the article
TudorSailor
If you are designing for yourself, Fusion360 is relatively easy to learn
For indoor items, PLA is perfectly adequate.
For outdoors ASA is UV resistant
I have also printed things that I wanted to be flexible in Flexifil material. Comes out nicely
I even printed in wood like stuff which is PLA impregnated with saw dust. Not bad
Recently printed in copper impregnated PLA for some medical items as it is resistant to microbes
I wrote up some of my experience in PBO a couple of years ago. PM if you'd like a copy of the article
TudorSailor
chris-s
Well-known member
Painted PLA is fine outside.
ashtead
Well-known member
smert
Active member
I am loving this idea. It's almost enough to tip me over the edge and actually get the 3d printer I have been thinking about...
Pirx
Active member
My daughter bought me a 3d printer for Christmas two years ago. It's relatively inexpensive from Aldi of all places ! Currently available online for about £250. I have been astonished by the quality of the prints: as with all fused filament printers they are not perfect, have a slightly ridged surface, but appear to be every bit as good as the prints from far more expensive printers. It is a little on the slow side but this is not a fast process and the difference between 1 hour and 90 minutes is not very significant in an amateur environment.
Boat bits: Four years ago when we bought the current boat one of my first actions was to throw the water filler cap into deep water and it was impossible to find a replacement. I managed to identify the screw thread it used, downloaded Fusion 360* and designed a cap with the idea that I could have one 3d printed by a bureau. This didn't happen for two reasons: expense, and I wasn't at all sure that my design would work. When I was given the printer one of its first jobs was the cap. I had the idea that I could test prototypes by home printing, refine the design, and then go to a bureau for the real thing. What actually happened was that the second iteration of the cap fit perfectly and it's still in use. In case that one goes over the side I printed a second one.
Our engine cover had nasty ventilation holes that were badly finished, not circular, and exposed the foam core in places. Simple to print some nice bespoke circular trim pieces.
The standard PLA filament filament is easy to print, doesn't smell much and can be used anywhere. For outdoor use I use ASA. a close relative of ABS and so far it appears to be happily weather resistent. ASA needs to be used away from the house and I knocked together an enclosure to keep the printer temperature constant(ish) and avoid drafts. This doesn't have to be complex: I used mounting board and gaffer tape, as one does, and it buzzes happily in an unheated workshop ....
* tudorsailor mentioned Fusion 360: It is an incredibly powerful professional 3D drafting design tool on a PC, free for use by amateurs. I cannot speak too highly of it; an absolute delight to use. There is a slightly bumpy learning curve if one is new to all this, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Boat bits: Four years ago when we bought the current boat one of my first actions was to throw the water filler cap into deep water and it was impossible to find a replacement. I managed to identify the screw thread it used, downloaded Fusion 360* and designed a cap with the idea that I could have one 3d printed by a bureau. This didn't happen for two reasons: expense, and I wasn't at all sure that my design would work. When I was given the printer one of its first jobs was the cap. I had the idea that I could test prototypes by home printing, refine the design, and then go to a bureau for the real thing. What actually happened was that the second iteration of the cap fit perfectly and it's still in use. In case that one goes over the side I printed a second one.
Our engine cover had nasty ventilation holes that were badly finished, not circular, and exposed the foam core in places. Simple to print some nice bespoke circular trim pieces.
The standard PLA filament filament is easy to print, doesn't smell much and can be used anywhere. For outdoor use I use ASA. a close relative of ABS and so far it appears to be happily weather resistent. ASA needs to be used away from the house and I knocked together an enclosure to keep the printer temperature constant(ish) and avoid drafts. This doesn't have to be complex: I used mounting board and gaffer tape, as one does, and it buzzes happily in an unheated workshop ....
* tudorsailor mentioned Fusion 360: It is an incredibly powerful professional 3D drafting design tool on a PC, free for use by amateurs. I cannot speak too highly of it; an absolute delight to use. There is a slightly bumpy learning curve if one is new to all this, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
tudorsailor
Well-known member
penfold
Well-known member
They look like Hozelock fittings on a large coarse external thread, so I guess they are for screwing into water tank fillers and retaining a hose.
ashtead
Well-known member
Yes absolutely. A kind soul at our marina in Gosport offered them free in 2 sizes for water tank fillers. The idea is your hose connects to it as opposed to being pushed down the filler with risk of springing back. Not certain they are essential however (they a solution looking for a problem maybe ?) but clever and obviously some work involved in creating I guess.
CFG98
Member
Not boaty, but good fun. Impossible Table by Oak600
or for woodworkers
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mjcoon
Well-known member
While I have no expectation of indulging myself to the extent of buying a 3D printer, I downloaded the free 1-year (what happens then?) version of Fusion 360 to see how one manages to specify a screw thread...
Pirx
Active member
Fusion has a 'create thread' module for a selection of internal and external threads that does most of the work for you.
If I had an email address I could send you the deck filler cap .f3d file
mjcoon
Well-known member
Not that I have a need for a filler cap CAD file, but I didn't know it was possible to be on-line and not have at least one email address! So many organisations assume we all use one as an ID... Here, we can all use the "Start conversation (PM)" button on our avatar photos instead.
Pirx
Active member
Err, sorry, what I meant was "if I had an email address for you ....." I do have several of my own lurking somewhere in the cloud, and I thought the filler cap might be a simple example of a thread for deconstruction ......
Ian_Rob
Well-known member
Great for creating drilling jigs when you need holes to be in exactly the right place.