3D printing thread - Who's printing what?

[tyella]

3D printers are cool, and I recently picked one up for not much cash. There are likely many others here on AK with these cool tools and, given how the price of entry has come down, many more that will be getting one soon.

Let's have a 3D printing thread where folks can share the audio-related things they're making.

I'll get the ball rolling:

Here's a 4 position switch faceplate. It is intended to indicate which position a selector is at. I've put together a few TPA3116 amps, some with these switches to click between a CD player, aux, or Bluetooth and needed a way to know which input was selected.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3419804



Here is my attempt at a Rectilinear badge, painted with some gold acrylic.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3379468


I'm also working on a couple of other TPA3116 parts, but they're definitely not ready for prime time yet.
Anyone got anything to share?

 

[ETLS]

Cool stuff.

 

[toxcrusadr]

I know a guy whose brother has one and he's making a copy of a vintage knob for a Philips tabletop radio from the mid-50s that was missing when I got the set.



This thing is bigger than it looks and the knobs are 2" diameter with brass trim pieces. This being a Euro set and a higher end one, there are not many anywhere and few in the US, much less spare knobs.

So far I've seen some rough drafts and awaiting a final. I think I'll have to paint the brass parts on the way you did with the Rectilinear badge.

 

[tyella]

That looks totally make-able! Let me know how it turns out. I'd be happy to help out, too. All it will cost you is a beer and a couple of hours listening to those AR9s.

 

[toxcrusadr]

I'll see if he comes through with a good final.

I also have an antique radio or two that could use some knobs. The Philco Slant series are notorious for bad auto tune pushbuttons, they disintegrate. I have most of the models in the Slant series and at least one has crumbling pushbuttons.



I'm not sure what's involved in the design end - you have to make a 3D CAD file to program the printer, correct?

Beer and tunes are quite doable.

 

[tyella]

My software skills are preschool level at best, but I'm learning. I'd need to measure a few things from a (preferably) non-crumbly knob. I imagine it will take some tweaking of prototypes.
Something like this might be better printed in ABS plastic. I don't have any at the moment, nor do I have any experience with it.

Browse around at Thingiverse. You might find something that matches. Here's a search for "radio knob". If you find something similar, shoot me a message with the link and I can bring it over when I collect my beer and tunes!
It would be a starting point.

 

[toxcrusadr]

I've heard of Thingiverse but hadn't been there, cool.

Not seeing any square buttons there but I'll see what I have for intact ones and what they look like on the back side. Maybe not too hard to draw out (says the guy who doesn't use CAD).

 

[TudorTurtle]

Looking good Tyella.

What are you using for CAD?

 

[tyella]

Thanks!

I'm using this digital equivalent of a blunt pair of scissors (to continue the preschooler analogy).
https://www.tinkercad.com/
It's worked for my simple needs so far and it's a breeze to use, though occasionally glitchy. Someday I'll graduate to something more powerful and complicated.

 

[cpt_paranoia]

I use SketchUp, and export to .STL files. These are accepted by the MakerBot slicing software, which spits out the .x3g file that the printer needs.

I model at 10x actual size, as I've found SU has trouble with small segments on curved surfaces. The slicer figures out the 10x factor when it loads, and automatically scales it down...

I've built cases for small electronic boards (for work & home), connectors for a Sony home theatre amp/sub, bike light and mudguard fittings, etc. I started at work, modelling up the design of a prototype low power radar, exporting the design from SU to .dxf, which we sent out to be fabricated using CNC machining. It all came together perfectly...

 

[tyella]

I use SketchUp, and export to .STL files. These are accepted by the MakerBot slicing software, which spits out the .x3g file that the printer needs.

I model at 10x actual size, as I've found SU has trouble with small segments on curved surfaces. The slicer figures out the 10x factor when it loads, and automatically scales it down...

I've built cases for small electronic boards (for work & home), connectors for a Sony home theatre amp/sub, bike light and mudguard fittings, etc. I started at work, modelling up the design of a prototype low power radar, exporting the design from SU to .dxf, which we sent out to be fabricated using CNC machining. It all came together perfectly...

Interesting. I've used Sketchup, but not for years. I'll give it another go. It might be my kindergarten or 1st grade software.
When you scale down to print, are the dimensions still accurate? Did you have to do some math ahead of time? I'm wondering about getting screw holes to line up, etc.

 

[tyella]

@Pete B posted a 3d printed AR tweeter/mid baffle in another thread.

 

[cpt_paranoia]

When you scale down to print, are the dimensions still accurate? Did you have to do some math ahead of time?

Yes. Well, as accurate as the printer.

No. Using x10 scaling for the model is easy; either measure in mm and set the SU default unit to cm, or just add a 0 at the end of every value you enter. Provided you use a decimal entry format. The slicer scales correctly, I'm assuming because it suspects an obvious mm vs cm scaling error in the model, and adjusts automatically (it does ask first).

 

[analoge4ever]

I have a Tevo Turantula and I use Fusion 360, to duplicate obsolete parts, but I wouldn't consider myself an expert by any means.
ABS shrinks and cools very fast which can make some designs a real challenge if not impossible to print.
Typically I scale an ABS print up by 2% and see if it fits. Reprinting a part 2 or more times is not uncommon, but ABS is cheap, though the fumes are toxic.

You might want to try Carbon fiber which tends to be much easier to print, dimensionally stable, and quite durable.

 

[Pete B]

@Pete B posted a 3d printed AR tweeter/mid baffle in another thread.

Here's a picture, it bolts in place of the AR 1.5" mid and mounts a 1.5" mid and .75" tweeter.

 

[TudorTurtle]

Yes. Well, as accurate as the printer.

No. Using x10 scaling for the model is easy; either measure in mm and set the SU default unit to cm, or just add a 0 at the end of every value you enter.

I use the Scale tool in Sketchup, and set to .1. (same small curve issue BTW) Doing design work for CNC router.

 

[cpt_paranoia]

I use the Scale tool in Sketchup

You can do that, and it works. I discovered the slicer would do it automatically, when I forgot to scale in SU first... So now I don't bother with the SU scaling step.

[edit] If you're not using the MakerBot slicer, but targetting a CNC router, then I can see you''d have to scale in SU...

 

[tyella]

Yes. Well, as accurate as the printer.

No. Using x10 scaling for the model is easy; either measure in mm and set the SU default unit to cm, or just add a 0 at the end of every value you enter. Provided you use a decimal entry format. The slicer scales correctly, I'm assuming because it suspects an obvious mm vs cm scaling error in the model, and adjusts automatically (it does ask first).

Ahh! I forgot the magic of the metric system!

 

[tyella]

I have a Tevo Turantula and I use Fusion 360, to duplicate obsolete parts, but I wouldn't consider myself an expert by any means.
ABS shrinks and cools very fast which can make some designs a real challenge if not impossible to print.
Typically I scale an ABS print up by 2% and see if it fits. Reprinting a part 2 or more times is not uncommon, but ABS is cheap, though the fumes are toxic.

You might want to try Carbon fiber which tends to be much easier to print, dimensionally stable, and quite durable.

I'm very hesitant to print in ABS because of the fumes. Though I occasionally abuse them, my lungs are important to me.

 

[Pete B]

I wonder if anyone has done a tweeter or mid dome 3D printed or even
a cone? It is interesting that all sorts of fill patterns can be chosen for objects
that are not 100% solid.

Pete B.