Vaping Conveniences

[CraigHB]

I bought a 3D printer some time ago and finally got around to setting it up.  Been wanting to make a little vape tray since stuff was always getting knocked off my desk.  Here it is.  Have a few other little odds and ends I want to make with it as well.

[Breaktru]

That is so cool having a 3D printer  To bad it can't do a hvy dty mod enclosure.

[CraigHB]

Well, I could make an enclosure with it, but being ABS, it wouldn't have the highest heat tolerance and it wouldn't be as tough as the nylon GF used for SLS.  The fiberglass composite used with SLS is quite a bit stronger and has a considerably higher melting point.  Though, most electronics enclosures you buy off the shelf are ABS and people do use them for battery mods.  Pretty sure you've used a few yourself. 

[fsors]

Craig that is really cool! I think you are very talented and Thanks for the great connector! I owe you one!!!

[CraigHB]

Welcome, glad you got it okay.

[utak3r]

Heh, nice one 
Do I see a needle ontop of this syringe?

[Breaktru]

Well, I could make an enclosure with it, but being ABS, it wouldn't have the highest heat tolerance and it wouldn't be as tough as the nylon GF used for SLS.  The fiberglass composite used with SLS is quite a bit stronger and has a considerably higher melting point.  Though, most electronics enclosures you buy off the shelf are ABS and people do use them for battery mods.  Pretty sure you've used a few yourself. 

I didn't realize that the 3D printer uses ABS. Your right, I have used ABS boxes. Sounds good enough for me. Is there a limited thickness that the printer can produce?
I have some PacTec boxes that are ABS and nice and thick and has a Material Datasheet
I don't know what I'm looking though 

[CraigHB]

If you can imagine it (or draw it) and it's less that 6" in any direction, the printer can make it.  The limitation within that 6" is that it can't make any feature less the 350 microns (.35mm) in the X or Y axis since that's the width of the bead that comes out of the print head.  It has more flexibility with the Z axis having the option for a 100 or 300 micron resolution. The Z axis is controlled entirely by bed height so it can support higher resolution than the print head.

One thing the printer has a hard time with is gaps in the Z axis where you ask the printer to lay down plastic with nothing underneath.  You either have to design the part so the printer is always adding plastic to a filled area underneath or add support material to be cut away after the part is printed out.  That's one limitation that SLS does not have.  It can make empty spaces in the Z axis with no issue.  Of course, SLS machines start around $20k.

ABS should be fine for an enclosure if you are not concerned with high heat tolerance.  The only thing I don't like about ABS is it starts getting pretty soft around 150C.  It actually flows out the print head at 195C.  The nylon GF used for SLS doesn't soften up until about 250C.  Other than that, ABS is a pretty good plastic, fairly rigid, good impact tolerance, high solvent tolerance.

Keep in mind, you're not going to get parts right off the bed that look like they came out of a mold.  However, after some finish work, they can look just as good.

[CraigHB]

Do I see a needle ontop of this syringe?

No worries, it's a blunt tip.  I'd have to hit it fairly hard to puncture myself with it.  I could puncture myself easier with my mechanical pencil.

[Breaktru]

I was watching CNN last night and they were reporting concerns on people making parts for fully automatic weapons using a 3D Printer.
Oh-oh looks like Congress may get involved and target 3D printers now 
http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/12/20/n-3d-printers-make-guns.cnnmoney/

[CraigHB]

Pretty ridiculous.  Just media looking for some new angle to stir up fear and uncertainty.  That's why I don't pay any attention to that journalist crap.  BTW, that's all SLS equipment and SLS parts they were showing.  It's the only additive 3D process that can create load bearing parts.  There was one shot of a filament printer and there's a pretty vast difference between the two in terms of process and final product. 

You wouldn't want to fire a bullet through a gun barrel printed on an additive 3D printer.  It would just blow up in your face.  That's not going to change any time soon.  Of course, CNC is the subtractive form of 3D printing that's been widely used in industry for decades.  Many gun parts are already made this way.  CNC can use any material you want.  They neglected to mention that since it would pretty much defeat the point of their story.

[steamEngine]

Even the so-called plastic guns have metal such as the barrel. On a hand gun like the Glock they use a reinforced polymer frame.

[Breaktru]

Even the so-called plastic guns have metal such as the barrel. On a hand gun like the Glock they use a reinforced polymer frame.

I have a Walther P99 and yes only the frame is polymer. The Slide, barrel, recoil spring, magazine, trigger mechanism are made out of metal. They wouldn't withstand the pressure of firing ammo if they were other than metal.

[fsors]

I have a Walther P99 and yes only the frame is polymer. The Slide, barrel, recoil spring, magazine, trigger mechanism are made out of metal. They wouldn't withstand the pressure of firing ammo if they were other than metal.

Q would'nt make a plastic one 

[utak3r]

Q would'nt make a plastic one 

Why not, just for the proof   He could do anything