3D printers - messin' with resin

[Martin Wynne]

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Tip of the day when messin' with resin.

I just found a small piece of silver foil embedded in a chair.

It took me a while to realise where it must have come from. When opening a fresh bottle of resin, a small piece of the foil seal must have fallen into the bottle.

Take care removing the bottle seal.

Martin.

 

[Wayne Kinney]

Conductive chairs...hhmmm, I wonder...

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Got very excited at the mention of conductor chairs...
until I put my Specsavers on!

 

[Rob Manchester]

Got very excited at the mention of conductor chairs...
until I put my Specsavers on!

If you put brass filings in the resin mix maybe it would be possible to print conductive chairs you could solder dropper wires to. Must get a patent out for that before Wayne gets in there.....

Rob

 

[Wayne Kinney]

Jeez, I was thinking of nicking my gran's gold teeth and milling them!!! But you're idea's much better

 

[Martin Wynne]

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Glad you have your own resin printer?

https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/shapeways-bankrupt-5m-rescue-bid-rejected-231387/

"On July 2, 2024, after considering all strategic alternatives, Shapeways Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) ceased operations and filed a voluntary petition for relief (the “Bankruptcy Filing”) under the provisions of Chapter 7 of Title 11 of the United States Code, 11 U.S.C. §101 et seq. (the “Bankruptcy Code”). The Bankruptcy Filing was filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”). Each of the Company’s subsidiaries also ceased operations and filed voluntary petitions for bankruptcy relief."

Martin.

 

[Paul Boyd]

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Glad you have your own resin printer?

https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/shapeways-bankrupt-5m-rescue-bid-rejected-231387/

"On July 2, 2024, after considering all strategic alternatives, Shapeways Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) ceased operations and filed a voluntary petition for relief (the “Bankruptcy Filing”) under the provisions of Chapter 7 of Title 11 of the United States Code, 11 U.S.C. §101 et seq. (the “Bankruptcy Code”). The Bankruptcy Filing was filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”). Each of the Company’s subsidiaries also ceased operations and filed voluntary petitions for bankruptcy relief."

Martin.

I tried to place an order for work with them today and couldn’t get the website to work. A bit of googling later…. …oh!!

Fortunately my primary 3D print supplier was now able to take up the order, but they’re not suitable for hobbyists or prototypes except as part of a larger order.

And most of our products couldn’t be resin or FDM printed anyway!

 

[Phil G]

I have never used the Shapeways service, although I have looked at it a few times. As it always struck me as over priced.
Could this be a major contributor of there demise?

 

[Stephen Freeman]

Having read a little on this, it will probably happen that Shapeways will arise phoenix like in a slightly different form as the problems would seem to be US related rather than in the Netherlands. Time will tell.

 

[Stephen Freeman]

I have never used the Shapeways service, although I have looked at it a few times. As it always struck me as over priced.
Could this be a major contributor of there demise?

The problem apart from being expensive was that from a UK Point of View, Brexit has made it even more expensive and definitely cheaper to print your own. I am just coming to the end of the prints I bought before Brexit was implemented and will have to consider printing my own now.

 

[Paul Boyd]

The problem apart from being expensive was that from a UK Point of View, Brexit has made it even more expensive and definitely cheaper to print your own. I am just coming to the end of the prints I bought before Brexit was implemented and will have to consider printing my own now.

That does only work if the designs are suitable for resin printing. At work, we prototype designs with complex internal shapes which work well with SLS printing, but couldn’t be resin printed because of the need for supports - supports which you wouldn’t be able to get at to remove. For us, Shapeways was brilliant (but expensive) for prototyping. I hope that as Phil suggests, the Netherlands site will resume operation at some point.

I’d make sure designs for my own use would be suitable for resin printing!

 

[KHC1]

Ok the next issue has reared its head overnight. Yesterday I was messing about with Chitubox and sliced several files to be able to print on my Geeetech Alkaid. This morning I thought I would go back and try a few other files that I have designed. So I go to open Chitubox. It opens ok and I then hit the files icon but once opened it will not allow me to select a file and then Chitubox closes. So open several times but the same happens. Then Chitubox says there is a new version V2. I went to download and then open. The first screen that comes up is load a machine but the Alkaid is not listed. The software will not allow you to download a printer not listed. So I tried downloading any printer and then tried adding a second printer but it only allowed another from there list. So at the moment I am stuck with being unable to use Chitubox. Is there a free alternative or do we have to wait.

Keith

 

[Martin Wynne]

Ok the next issue has reared its head overnight. Yesterday I was messing about with Chitubox and sliced several files to be able to print on my Geeetech Alkaid. This morning I thought I would go back and try a few other files that I have designed. So I go to open Chitubox. It opens ok and I then hit the files icon but once opened it will not allow me to select a file and then Chitubox closes. So open several times but the same happens. Then Chitubox says there is a new version V2. I went to download and then open. The first screen that comes up is load a machine but the Alkaid is not listed. The software will not allow you to download a printer not listed. So I tried downloading any printer and then tried adding a second printer but it only allowed another from there list. So at the moment I am stuck with being unable to use Chitubox. Is there a free alternative or do we have to wait.

Keith

@KHC1

Hi Keith,

There should be an option to set up a custom printer of your own.

However you don't need to do that. Just tell Chitubox that your printer is an Elegoo Mars2 Pro.

The Alkaid is a clone of that and I use the CTB files interchangeably on either printer.

If still no joy, re-install the version of Chitubox which came on the USB with the Alkaid printer.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[KHC1]

Thanks Martin, that fix worked.

Keith