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Posts
Desktop Printer 3D Printable Chair With Cushion – Chair Design Series, Part 7, Iteration 2
I consulted Emilia Hb, an industrial and graphic designer on Fiverr, for a fresh perspective on connecting the design elements. Emilia’s enthusiasm and zeal provided a welcome boost. I will begin printing chair parts on March 11 and I hope to be finished in April. The files are available for download on Thangs for those…
3D Printed Acoustic Wall Partition
Last Fall, downsizing to a convertible studio with a separate bed nook felt like a step towards cozy living. However, that illusion was shattered the first morning. Each footstep in the hallway reverberated like a loudspeaker through the gap beneath the solid door. I’d naively blocked similar gaps in past apartments, only to suffer air…
Tackling Print Adhesion Challenges with My Satin Sheet
In April, I eagerly invested $58.05 in an original double-sided satin powder-coated spring steel sheet, shipping included. Anticipating seamless printing, I was met with frustration when I couldn’t get my prints to adhere. Despite trying a plethora of adhesion solutions—painter’s tape, kapton tape, masking tape, purple glue stick, regular glue stick, scouring, dishwashing liquid, alcohol,…
The Missing Piece of My Extruder Upgrade
Squeaking sounds were coming from my CR-10 Mini for months until I realized the cause. It was the timing belt; x-axis belt to be specific. I was hoping that all I needed to do was look for a CR-10 Mini replacement belt online and change the belt. I felt I would not have an issue…
Printing the Impossible: How ICON Overcame Challenges to 3D Print Homes on Earth and Beyond
This is a short post referencing a video by 60 Minutes on ICON. I thought I knew everything about ICON as I have followed their progress for years. What I learned from watching this video was that I lacked key information. I will not spoil the video by stating the key information I was missing.…
Solar Oven August 2023
Today was the third test of the year for the solar oven. The oven reached almost 185° without reflectors (see video). I expect adding reflectors will increase the temperature at least 115° to 300°. My expectations are based on the temperature range of the SunTaste 200 solar oven which utilizes cork. After the first test…
Empty Filament Spool & Scrap Wood Wagon
It is almost consistently warm enough in Chicago to continue with the solar oven trials. Thinking about last year’s trials, I realized that the solar oven peformed best during the first day on the ground in the park. It makes sense to return to the park this year. A means of transporting the oven to…
Desktop Printer 3D Printable Chair With Cushion – Chair Design Series, Part 6, Iteration 1
The first iteration of an entire chair is complete! Chair dimensions are 16″ L x 13″ D x 36″ H. All chair parts were printed on desktop printers CR10 mini and MK3s+; bed sizes – 12″ x 9″ and 11″ x 8″. The filaments used to print the chair were 3dPrintlife Pro PLA, PLA/PHA, and…
Can Vases Be Printed Watertight in Vase Mode?
In the “Dura: PLA based biodegradable Nylon Analog” blog post, I mentioned that I had not tried using the optimized bottom/ ironing-enabled method with other filaments. Later, I performed tests on vases using three types of filaments; Dura Nylon PLA, Pro PLA by 3D Printlife, and PLA by Push Plastic. The definition of watertight for…
Solar Oven Year End
The final test of the solar oven for this year was performed yesterday, Saturday, October 22, 2022. Trials will begin again next year, in early summer. The highest oven temperature reached yesterday was about 142° Fahrenheit. That is more than 20° below the temperature from the last test (see video). The trials take place on…
Dura: PLA based biodegradable Nylon Analog
A couple of months ago, I received an email from 3D Printlife about Dura nylon. After reading the description, I thought it might work for making a cushioned shoe sole and for the chair cushion, so I ordered a spool. I was hoping it would make a softer cushion, where covering the top with cotton…
Chair Design Series, Part 5 – Precursor
Precursor is the first prototype chair. The final version will have all 3d printed parts (Including a printed cushion) and a higher back. The cushion has already been tested. I found a chair design that informs about improving the design of this chair project. An Instructable for the K’NEX chair explains how to make a…
Can A Solar Oven Melt Failed Prints?
A few posts in 3d printing Facebook groups have shown flat masses made by melting shredded failed prints and filament scraps. I do not want to melt PLA in my oven due to the fumes that would be generated, so I never tried, despite wanting to recycle prints instead of throwing them away. Having large,…
3D Printer Enclosure Fan Assembly 3
This is fan assembly iteration 3. It is similar to the first iteration with its compact size. It has a removable door like iteration 2. Unlike the other iterations, it is mounted on top of the enclosure. Initially, the plan was to have a recirculating filter, but after a few months of testing a draft…
Asking Yourself the Patent Question
As active owners of desktop 3d printers, we inevitably arrive at a point where we ask ourselves about pursuing a patent for something we have invented. Inventiveness is one of the intangibles emanating from frequent use of a desktop 3d printer. Inventions may be insignificant at the beginning; still, the potential for significant ones constantly…
Save Heat Energy Printing PLA During Summer Months
I designed a coffee table but I dreaded printing parts for it as I didn’t want to create a heat source in my living space during the early dog days of summer. The parts were to be printed on my Prusa MK3s+. The power supply unit (PSU) was on the outside of the enclosure I…
Mahogany Striped Hamper
3D printing gives you the ability to create what you desire and imagine. When I was unable to find a hamper that suited my needs after searching in stores and online for over a year, I designed one. The design went through a few iterations before I settled on making one using Mahogany edge bands…
Simple Spring Hat
The arrival of Midges in Chicago this year incentivized me to make hats for the spring. The midges are no longer swarming, but my idea to make hats has taken flight. In designing the hat, I wanted something that was light in weight and colorful. I decided to keep it simple with a model that…
FDM 3D Printers Under $1,000 By Build Volume
3D printers that build objects by fused deposition modeling (FDM), also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF), currently selling under $1000, are listed in the chart below. Category Build Volume Printer Inches Millimeters A 5.91 X 5.91 X 5.91 150 x 150 x 150 Flashforge Adventurer 3, Flashforge Adventurer 3 Pro 9 x 5.91 x 5.91 230…
Chair Design Series, Part 4
It has been a little over 2 years and the chair design I was close to printing has not been printed. I was having difficulty trying to figure out how to prevent the chair from collapsing in the middle. My goal was to have an entirely 3d printed chair that could be printed on a…
Solution to Resume after Pause Problem
After installing a Microswiss Direct Drive extruder, I had one issue – the print end would not return to its last position after pressing pause. Since I did not use the pause feature often, I was not in a hurry to find a solution. However, I started to really miss being able to make multicolor…
Storage Bin From Scrap Wood & 3D Printed Parts
I wanted to make one of the closets in my apartment look tidy. Since I had wood left over from old or failed projects, which was contributing to its untidy appearance, I decided to use some pieces to make it look better. A bin for tall objects has been a desire for some time. I…
3D Printable Cushion, Part 2
As I mentioned in the April post, the sound coming from the 3d printed Helix Composite Model I made was a bit noisy. I continued working on finding ways to eliminate the noise and eventually put together a small storage trunk with wood scraps from other projects (excluding the legs which were newly purchased) and…
Empty Filament Spool Jewelry Box
The idea for this jewelry box was spawned by Instructables’ organization contest. I decided not to enter the contest before I finished as not many instructions are needed to put the box together. Instructions are necessary for modeling the individual boxes and it was too much to explain, simply. I used Blender and Tinkercad for…
Living Hinges
Living Hinges aren’t just for CNC work, they can be 3d printed as well. Stereolithography files of models designed with hinges have popped up on various online printing communities. Recently, I entered Instructables’ Lamps and Lighting contest with a project called Hinge Shade Empty Filament Spool Lamp. It features hinge pattern one from another Instructables…
Free Software & Slicers for Desktop FFF* Printers
*Fused filament fabrication Modeling Software Slicers Combination Slicer/ Printer Mgmt 3D Crafter Cura 3D Builder Klipper/fluidd Blender KISSlicer IceSL Klipper/Mainsail FreeCAD Repetier Host Idea Maker OctoPrint MeshLab Slic3r MatterControl Printrun OpenSCAD Meshmixer SolveSpace PrusaSlicer Tinkercad Wings 3D In the coming months, I will present a detailed description of each program listed above. For the programs…
Spool House
Sometimes, you end up doing something you didn’t know you had an interest in doing and you become obsessed with it. Such is my now near addiction to empty filament spools. I’m not at the point where I want to buy filament just to print models for empty spools, but I feel myself drawing close.…
DIY Kitchen Cart with Aluminum Legs
A spot for a large garbage can. When I moved to my current place a couple of years ago, I was unable to find an area to put my garbage can. Sadly, I wrapped the can in plastic and stored it in a closet. I bought a smaller can and endured. It took a while,…
Empty Filament Spool Ideas
What to do with empty filament spools? That question has been asked for some years now. I have seen it asked more frequently in Facebook printer groups during the past few months. The answer has not changed much over the years. Some filament providers have changed from using plastic to cardboard, but there are plenty…
Is A Chair Cushion Possible With colorFabb LW-PLA?
Upon seeing an announcement about colorFabb’s LW-PLA, my first thought was cushions. The filament was on back order at the time and I waited a few months for it to arrive. I waited again before I tried printing with the filament as I learned a direct drive extruder was best. Finally, in February I was…
Installation Notes – CR10 Mini – 2nd Z-Axis
There are two reasons I installed a second z-axis; one reason was to balance the weight of a direct drive extruder I planned to install. The other reason was to balance the weight of the x-axis in general. I noticed in December that the axis was lower on the right side of the machine by…
Installation Notes – CR10 Mini – Direct Drive Extruder
I installed a Micro Swiss Direct Drive Extruder a few days ago. Since I watched a video before buying the extruder, I knew the extruder motor would be stationed on the x-axis. I decided then that a second lead screw was needed and installed it the day before installing the extruder. There will be a…
Thanksgiving 2020 3D Prints
My birthday is on Thanksgiving this year. This is something I didn’t enjoy at all in the past. There were usually no events I wanted to attend as many places were closed. I don’t recall ever blowing out birthday candles on Thanksgiving. Anyway, it doesn’t matter this year. I have learned to see Thanksgiving as…
Sage Advice for Makers Wanting to Start a 3D Printing Business
Michael, of YouTube channel Teaching Tech, posted a video yesterday that is chock full of advice for Makers who desire income from Desktop Additive Manufacturing (AM). In the video, Michael interviews Maker Myles, the proprietor of a successful, unnamed, auto parts business. When asked about the secret to his success (10:37), Maker Myles utters words…
What’s Special About Ender 3?
Occasionally, when I am cruising through a Facebook 3D printing group to find answers to questions or wanting to help others looking for answers, I get the feeling that Creality Enders are all the rage. I see what seems to be endless announcements of new Ender 3 purchases. I own a different Creality printer and…
3D Printer Enclosure Fan Assembly
This is fan assembly iteration 2. The first iteration can be seen in a prior post. I have been working on this assembly for months, trying to find a 120 mm fan that works (literally), is powerful enough to blow air through a HEPA filter, and has a connection for a power outlet. Most 120…
Orbelisk
Orbelisk is another design emanating from the raft created when I printed a table bracket. It was inspired by a glass object I saw in a home decor magazine I read while sitting in a doctor’s waiting room. To obtain size variations, I simply scaled the model in Cura slicing software. It was printed with…
Sterilizing PLA for Medical Use – How PLA Survived Autoclaving
3DPrint.com published an article a few days ago concerning research on using PLA filament for objects in the “sterile surgical field.” I can barely contain my excitement! Last week, I printed a mask using Atomic’s Clear “No Yellow” PLA. In order to thermoform the nose portion to my face, I dipped that part in boiling…
Umbrella Stand
I thought of designing this Umbrella Stand Divider while trying to think of an attractive and convenient place to store my compact umbrella until it dried. There is enough space for putting a sopping wet purse or bag should that become necessary as well. I really appreciated having this during the last summer and fall…
Chair Design Series, Part 3
The chair is nearly ready for printing. I will try to choose one of the filament colors from above this week as Atomic Filament has a sale going on now. First, I must estimate how much filament is needed. I will do that by cutting the chair into parts and placing the parts in Cura.…
DIY 3D Printer Enclosure Guide
Building Your Own Enclosure Essential elements of an enclosure are filter assembly box and light. It is best to place the control box on the outside of the enclosure due to its propensity for overheating. An automatic fire stop device is useful if one tends to leave their printer unattended for long periods of time.…
Contemporary Lamp
The inspiration for this lamp emerged from the raft generated during printing of table brackets. I know it’s odd, but that’s what happened. When I peeled the raft from the print I thought it looked like a double-sided spade. It reminded me of home decor I saw in a magazine while waiting in a doctor’s…
Chair Design Series, Part 2
In this part, I will be making adjustments to the chair following recommendations from a Wood Magazine article, Must Have Measurements For Comfortable Seating; Pallozorodcarlocom; and measurements from sitting in chairs. The adjustments I make will be specific for me. If you are following along, alter dimensions for your personal comfort. Must Have Measurements for…
3D Printer Enclosure & Indoor Air Quality Guide
With reports of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ultra fine particles (UFPs) emissions from 3D printers, you may have wondered if you need an enclosure with ventilation. Expert reports recommend ventilation if you are operating your printer in a poorly ventilated space. 3D printers are electronic devices that heat material to a melting point and…
3D Printed Parts to the Rescue!
This cabinet marks my first attempt at building a cabinet with pine wood. I made many mistakes; however, I was determined to complete the cabinet. With a little imagination, I put wood pieces together with dowels and 3D printed parts to make an attractive piece of furniture for my bathroom. 3D Printed Panel & Handle…
Chair Design Series, Part 1
This is the first of an undetermined number of posts in a chair design series. My goal is to make a completely 3D printed, functional chair based on Enzo Mari’s chair from his book, Enzo Mari – autoprogettazione? My plan is to spend a fair amount of time designing the chair before I begin printing.…
3DBenchy & Me
I have seen photographs of Benchys for years and I did not understand why so many people printed one. It was not until I found a benchmark tool created by Kickstarter and Autodesk last month that I bothered to find an answer. I did not realize that it is an actual bench-marking tool. After owning…
Fascinating Finials
I designed this finial and hook for my bedroom windows and along the way I fell in love with the color magenta. Somehow, during my life, I missed the fact that this color is between red and blue. I always thought of it as a pink and it isn’t. Pink is a whitened red. This…
Digital Craftsperson
“…we’re getting to a point where people understand that 3D printing doesn’t exist for the sake of 3D printing. It’s a tool that unleashes creativity. It’s an instrument that enables all of us to become digital craftsmen.” Avi Reichental (cited by Davies, Leaders of the New School…, March 29, 2019: TCT MAG) 3D printing has…
Novelty Shelving Unit
The novelty of this shelving unit is that it was made without using any screws or glue. When it’s pushed, it wavers, but items do not fall off unless they were already unsteady. The video above shows me pushing the unit with glass milk bottles on the top shelf. The bottles did not fall off.…
Material Choices – Cabinet Comparison
It occurred to me that it would be a good idea to keep track of costs while planning future furniture pieces. After I calculated the cost of materials for making an end table, I realized it would be quite expensive to make and I re-visited my floor plan to be sure I had enough space.…
Cabinet Project, Part 4
The 3D printed cabinet I designed almost 2 years ago is now a reality. When I struggled to finish printing parts on my RepRap Prusa I3 printer, a voice inside me said, “You are not going to be able to finish this.” I refused to listen to that voice. I struggled to find a way…
Making Color Prints in Shapeways
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been working on some canisters I designed and 3D printed for spices. I made the canisters at the end of August and have been using them since then. My printer is incapable of making food-safe items, therefore my design intent was to keep my spices in the…
Hamper Stool, A Year Later
It has been over a year since I finished the hamper stool. The photograph above shows its current condition. The front has not changed much since I finished it. Only a couple of the spiral inserts have popped out on occasion. I cannot say the same for the inserts on the sides. I did not…
Display Table
This is a relatively easy table to make using the 3D printed brackets I designed. Besides having a place to display crochet pieces, making the table myself allowed me to curve the corners. If you are into Black Hat Feng Shui, then you know that sharp corners create arrow ch’i. Arrow ch’i “causes great upheaveal…
Thinking Of Buying A 3D Printer For Your Home? Read This First.
A few weeks ago, I almost stopped 3D printing altogether. I was searching the internet, looking for information on how to make the canisters I designed watertight and stumbled upon an article about particulate matter emissions from desktop printers1. What I learned was that all filaments emit particulate matter. This explained the coughing I experienced occasionally…
Cabinet Project, Part 3
The bottom portion and a few side pieces of a cabinet smaller than the one shown in the render above has been printed. I decided to decrease the depth by removing the center parts for this first project. I was considering reducing the height as well, but I decided it was not worth making if…
3D Printer Enclosure
I have been working on a printer enclosure for the past month. I decided last year that I needed an enclosure for my Reprap Guru Prusa i3 printer when I coughed a little during prints even though I was printing with non-toxic filament and my prints were curling at the corners. Since printing with the…
Cabinet Project, Part 2
As I looked at the renders of the TV stand, I found that I did not want to have the square wood dowels showing when the door is opened. After making the small table using regular PLA filament, I thought PLA/PHA filament should be able to handle 25 pounds per shelf and a total of…
Table/Chair 3D Print Experiment
Is it a small table or is it a counter stool? I asked myself this as I printed the parts to what started out as a small table. I thought by adding a connecting bar near the bottom, it would make the table functional as a counter stool. It would be a test of printed,…
3D Print TV Stand/Cabinet Project
My October to November project is a TV stand/cabinet. I plan to make several similar cabinets to create a clean look in my small living room. I have modeled all of the 3D parts for printing. I may make adjustments to the design, such as adding dowels in the middle, but I won’t determine that…
Hamper Stool Project Finished
The hamper stool project is finished! It is a piece of furniture that combines 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) filament with wood. It started as a desire to capture the qualities of spiralising filament in a functional piece of furniture using a 8″ x 8″ x 7″ sized print bed. It ended with furniture reminiscent…
Hamper Stool Project, Part 6
The structure of the hamper stool is almost together. I have 4 additional side casings to make and 9 pieces for the back. I ordered a roll of filament on Sunday and I expect it to arrive Friday or Monday. In the meantime, I have been printing the spiral infills. I have never added wheels…
Hamper Stool Project, Part 5
The frame is almost together. The roll of filament I ordered on Sunday arrived yesterday. I have three more parts to print for the bottom. However, I do not have enough hardware to finish putting the parts together. I ordered more yesterday and hopefully it will arrive before the end of next week. I wanted…
Hamper Stool Project, Part 4
I have printed all of the parts for the top! I will need to drill holes to secure the hinge, but I know that will not be a problem, mainly because I drilled a hole through one of the mistake parts I made earlier. All of the top parts were printed from two stereolithography files.…
Hamper Stool Project, Part 3
After I printed the part shown above, I realized I needed to make decisions about the entire project before I printed another part. The printer was about 3/4 into the print before I noticed I did not bring the hole all the way through. I could have stopped the print there to save some filament,…
Hamper Stool Project, Part 2
The photograph above shows the first iteration of part 1. As it was printing, I said to myself that it was too tall. I don’t need that much material for the bottom. After it was finished printing, I thought it was a good size for a table top, but not for my current project. Plus,…
Hamper Stool Project – 3D Print & Wood Dowels
I have wanted a hamper stool for quite some time now. I failed to find one I wanted to buy, so I designed one for myself. The render above shows how I imagined it will look. However, today I changed my mind. I was 3 hours into a 10 hour print on my Prusa clone…
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