I am thinking about the 3d printer for quite a few parts for this hobby. I do have a few questions before I would take the plunge. First, what kind of software would need to be part of the package? What would be a good, durable, entry level printer? And finally what material should be considered for structural sections of the ship hull?
I probably have a unique outlook as to what printer to buy so I'll throw it out there for consideration: Lulzbot Mini, Printrbot Simple, or Afinia H480 are what I recommend people start with. There are cheaper options, but I've watched so many people buy cheap printers and never use them because they are junk or can't make it past the troubleshooting wall. There will be a teething process with most printers but having community support is key. You have to be able to ask for advice or research a problem when something is going wrong. It's also nice to be able to buy parts. Most printers come with software but if not, Cura is the go-to free software. For material, everyone has a different opinion. I prefer ABS because it sands and glues really well. I think the best fit for 3d printed parts on our ships is superstructure details and internal mounting solutions. Check in your area if you have a Fab Lab or Maker space. This is a great way to get your feet wet before buying a machine. I see a lot of people thinking that these things are magic and when they see the reality, they are let down by the limitations, slow speed, and material costs.
If you have the extra money 3D could be a good idea. I thought you needed a transmission? can you guys get a boat ready for AUGUST 20?
I do but I think I have That figured out. I am going to try to have my liberty ready for then. There has been a proposal to leave the balsa at 1/16 instead of the 1/32 per rules. This is for test purpose for possible rule change. Any objections?
3d printers are fun.. but not really a time saver or money saver early on. To be effective, you'll need to learn some modelling software. Autodesk's Fusion 360, OnShape and TinkerCAD are all free options that have been recommended in the past. Depending on your printer it will likely come with a suggested way to control it. you can also set up something like Octoprint to give you a remote interface to it. The controlboard on my printer has a web interface that I use exclusively. You'll need a slicer. Cura and Slic3r are the two most popular free. Simplify3d has a lot of nice things said about it, but the price is a wallet opening 150$. Don't recommend buying it until you've exceeded what free can do for you. Printer choice depends on how much you're inclined to spend, what you want to build with it, if you want a kit or a assembled system. There are a lot of cheap kits out there, many of them need a lot of help to do more than print ok. If I was going to go with a kit right now and wasn't looking for maximum cheap, I would buy the official Prusa i3 kit. http://shop.prusa3d.com/en/3d-printers/59-original-prusa-i3-mk2-kit.html ABS can be a pain to print, and smells a bit, but it is my go-to material for most of my print projects. PET-variants are rapidly becoming very popular for their excellent rigidity and strength. I would not print structural sections of a large hull probably, and I certainly wouldn't concern myself with that problem right away if i was just getting into 3d printing.
to be fair... a lot of those people would likely never graduate from doing more than printing stuff off of thingiverse either.. Absolutely agree This 1000x over. This stuff takes a sizable investment of time and energy, I am fortunate in that I got into 3d printing as a work project, and have been able to expend much of the learning curve time and energy while being paid for it. Many are not so fortunate and as a result their printers end up as dust collectors, a neat oddity from the era we live in.
