Friday 14 February 2014

-=( variance )=-

One of the things I've been aware of the dramatic variance in filament behaviour between batches, getting proof is another matter entirely, so I've collected some samples from my last 40 spools and printed from them one on top of the other, and this was the result:


i suspect either it's just a difference in dye lots and maybe the different volumes of bulking materials used, 
the reddish tinge on the top one is rather interesting as is the 2nd one from the bottom.




Sunday 9 February 2014

-=( 3d printing multicolor and text )=-

Something i have always wanted to do was be able to 3d print signs and i've spent a little bit of time doing playing around with different methods of doing so,


having been finally successful i thought i would tell how i did it

- Step #1.  create a dxf file and make 2 layers
- Step #2. create your text on one layer and a square on another like so:


highlight the whole lot and in the menu system select "explode" in qcad/librecad it's :( modify>>explode selected[click]) then save the file in it's own directory eg "ishootraw.dxf"

-Step #3. start openscad , put this line in the code section
"linear_extrude(file = "ishootraw.dxf",layer = 0, height=4);"
and save the file to the same location as the dxf file

-Step #4. hit f6 then export the resulting stl
-Step #5. change the layer parameter to match the next layer (the text) and hit f6 and export the resulting stl
-Step #6. import the base layer in slic3r using your normal settings only for the end gode part put in:

G0 Y-50

and slice your stl
*make sure to remove any code that issues a G92 as the position will be compromised , as wel;l as any code that shuts down hotends, if you are feeling adventurous you can have it eject the filament out of the extruder as well

-Step #7. slicing the text is where things get tricky,  you need to turn off perimeters and brims and skirts
and in the beginning of the gcode file insert:

G0 Y0 

-Step #8. print the base first , then swap filament taking care not to move the extruder in either the X or Y direction then print the text layer right on top

your first attempt may or may not be successful (took me 5 goes to get the above) however the results are well worth it,