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They are all fantastic! What’s the red box thing? Was that entire piece 3D printed?

Exactly what I want a 3D printer for - life’s little hacks. I’m pretty comfortable with google sketch up. How easy is fusion to learn? Is much the same thing if your used to working and editing polygons etc?

Louis

Sorry I only just saw your reply...

The Red box things is basically a Grr-Ripper Clone, it can do exactly the same stuff as the Gripper., it was printed in multiple parts, then put together, I used m3 brass inserts to make the screw together parts which push in easily with a soldering iron, then m3 bolts screw it together. (Lots of tips about this on youtube). More Pics below.

I design everything in Fusion360 using the free personal edition, though I'm very IT minded as its what i do for a living. Everything is then printed on a Ender 3 V2. I used to use Sketchup, but moved to fusion 360 as I find it far more powerful, and then I export directly to STL and print on my printer. (Though you can do that with Sketchup)

I latest project is that i have created 100mm Magnetic Quick connects for my dust system and hoses for quick change.

If you have the time and inclination 3d printing is really useful. as example the cost of the plastic for the Gripper Clone I made was about £2.50. But time to design and having a 3D printer added costs but the same as woodworking tools :)

Happy to help anyone which their 3d printing questions or fusion questions just drop me a message.

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A friend of mine likes to build small sailing boats, and asked me to design a 3D printed spar gauge for him. A spar gauge is used for marking square stock so that you can plane it into an exactly 8-sided beam, which is the basis for a round mast.

I added a center hole so you can also use it as a center marking tool. Because it's 3D printed, the dimensions are very accurate, which is a bit more tricky with DIY wooden spar gauges, especially if you don't own a drill press.
View attachment 101632
If anyone's interested in printing this spar gauge, I've just uploaded the STL files here. There's also a short instruction file in the ZIP with a link to the exact fitting threaded inserts.

At the moment I'm also working on a flip stop for a miter gauge fence, which can be fitted on a cheap aluminium extrusion.

Small preview, 600mm 3060 extrusion + sliding block + flip stop, total cost was around €10:
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IMG_0839.JPG
 
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Worked a little more on the flip stop miter fence design. The version of the previous post had the problem that it had a little too much flex when you pushed hard against the flip stop arm.

So I've added two 'teeth' that fall into the extrusion slots. Now it won't move anymore, so repeated cuts will all be exactly the same, regardless of how hard you push them up against the flip stop.

The flip stop 3D print files can be downloaded here, along with some instructions.

Flipstop-1--2048x1365.jpeg

Miter-Fence-with-Flip-Stop-How-To-12--1365x2048.jpeg
 
This is all very good stuff.
I particularly like the flip stop and the gripper clone.
I really must unblock my ender 3 and do more stuff with it.
I think its blocking due to budget filament as I was getting inconsistent flow and blobs.
Can anyone recommend their favourite filaments before I buy some more.

Ollie
 
This is all very good stuff.
I particularly like the flip stop and the gripper clone.
I really must unblock my ender 3 and do more stuff with it.
I think its blocking due to budget filament as I was getting inconsistent flow and blobs.
Can anyone recommend their favourite filaments before I buy some more.

Ollie
I’ve had good experience with sunlu filament. It is dimensionally very good.
 
I’ve had good experience with sunlu filament. It is dimensionally very good.

Cheers paulbarnard. I will try it out.
Someone recommended the Prusa stuff to me as very high quality a while ago, but when I went to order some was not allowed due to brexit as they are in Europe somewhere. Then I forgot about it for a bit till today.

Ollie
 
This subject is spot on for me. Thank you for starting it.
I work extensively with my 3D printer (Prusa Mk3) to make tools and models, many RC planes, 00 gauge railway accessories and many dust extraction adaptors to name a few.
Endorse the Sunlu filament suggestion, but most medium priced materials work nicely for non cosmetic applications.
Happy to add my small experience to anyone contemplating the jump in. Be warned though, the addiction factor should carry a health warning!
 
I use quite a bit of Sunlu filament too, PETG and PLA of various colours. Apart from the different colours requiring tweeking to get the first layer right I've never had an issue with it. Amazon basics has performed well for me too.

Gerry
 
I’ve had good results with Amazon Eono PLA+, and eSun PLA+. PLA+ is a mixture of PLA and another polymer (PET, if I remember correctly) that prints at similar temperatures to PLA but is a bit more resilient and a bit less brittle than PLA.
 
I print my functional parts with FormFutura ApolloX, which is some ASA based mixture. Prints really well with 250°C nozzle and 90°C bed temperatures. The color selection is not that great, but there is white and black that I consume a lot for functional parts. I use TierTime UP Mini 2 fully enclosed printer for that.
 
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