Experimental Plug Track: 3D-printed, CNC-milled, laser-cut

[Phil G]

Hi Martin,
I was going to take you up on the idea of using some of the zoom meeting to go though how to be chair specific when using Templot 237C.
However given your last post where your already right into 238A there does not seem much point in that.
I would however very much appreciate of a zoom meeting, going over the current though process you have when using the new features
of 238A once you have it ready.
Please note there is no rush on my part, so please don't think I am pressuring you to realise 238A. You should take what ever time you think it needs to debug before such an update release.
Cheers
phil,

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Phil G

Hi Phil,

The problems in 237c apply only to double chairs with loose jaws. Single chairs with loose jaws are ok, and solid chairs, so there is plenty to talk about. But we must go more slowly than last time when I skated over a lot of stuff because it was getting late.

However, I currently have a bad head cold, which is unusual for me. If it's not better by Wednesday I won't be at the Zoom meeting, because I can't talk properly through a hail of coughing and spluttering.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Phil G]

Hi Martin,
Firstly hope your not suffering to badly and get well soon.
If you can do most of what I am trying to do in 237C, I do think there is logic in going though a structured approach to getting useful rafts for printing directly out of Templot.
Given you clearly under the weather, I think its better to defer to the next Zoom meeting.
I will watch the posts, but please don't put your health at risk for the sake of a meeting that can be rearranged with no problem.
Cheers
phil,

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Hi Phil,
I just suggested resin printing timbers for calibration purposes, although I have successfully printed them complete with clips to assemble into a test track.
I have already outsourced some 1.6mm lasercut sleepers which worked ok but did have to reduce socket width for 3.3mm wide sleepers. All part of the experiments.
Martin kindly sent me some samples of FDM printed timber bricks and these are impressive, so I am tempted to get an FDM printer as well.
My initial thought was to use 1.6mm sleepers located on some 3mm cork that had corresponding sockets only cut by laser, but jury still out on that method.
By the way once you have cured the resin suggest a thin coat of primer to protect your prints from further UV hardening.by default the chairs are designed to plug into 3.24mm thick timbers.
Happy experimenting
Steve

 

[Phil G]

Hi Phil,
I just suggested resin printing timbers for calibration purposes, although I have successfully printed them complete with clips to assemble into a test track.
I have already outsourced some 1.6mm lasercut sleepers which worked ok but did have to reduce socket width for 3.3mm wide sleepers. All part of the experiments.
Martin kindly sent me some samples of FDM printed timber bricks and these are impressive, so I am tempted to get an FDM printer as well.
My initial thought was to use 1.6mm sleepers located on some 3mm cork that had corresponding sockets only cut by laser, but jury still out on that method.
By the way once you have cured the resin suggest a thin coat of primer to protect your prints from further UV hardening.by default the chairs are designed to plug into 3.24mm thick timbers.
Happy experimenting
Steve

HI Steve,
Yes I now fully understand what you mean, its actually a great idea, thanks for suggesting.
My first go for 106.5 I got 109.5 for the 34 I got exactly the 34 and for the 3.24 I got 3.4 to 3.41. and a step down value of 1.66 for the top part of the timber. The finish is so good you could almost print a wood grain.

I just wanted to clarify before going any further x is the 106.5 right?
My machine setting are slightly different to Martin's. I am using a screen exposure time of 2.2 seconds after calibrating the machine for exposure time using the cones of calibration. with a Z height of 0.04
my X Y resolution with it being a 4K screen is supposed to be 0.035
what has surprised me is why is the 34 dimension spot on, but the other two are not. Were these similar to your results?
Cheers
Phil

 

[Steve_Cornford]

How long did you cure the finished print for?
I have a
N Elegoo Mercury was & cure machine, so I wash for 6 minutes, twice (2nd wash in clean IPA) I bought 2ndccontainer.
Then cured for 4. Minutes, then a scoosh of halfords red plastic priner to stop further shrinkage/cutting.
Yes there fo seem to be differences in x y axis.
Probably due to variation in effective pixel size?

Martin might have a better explanation.
Steve

 

[Phil G]

Hi Steve,
I wash by hand in an Ice cream tub of IPA normally for about 4 or 5 mins until the build plate washes clean,
than 5 mins in the Mercury wash, build plate still on. I can't get a spare bath right now, Martin give me the heads up this is a good Idea. My local NZ agent does not sell them and Elegoo online store is saying all sold out of stock currently.

Then 8 mins in the UV to harden of 4 min each side. I have a feeling I am over cooking the UV and will try a bit less.
I have not yet got a can of car spray, next thing on my shopping list. Do you think I am over curing?

 

[Steve_Cornford]

I balance the prints on an upturned glass tumbler & then just cure for 4 minutes with the print right way up.
As for length of timber base, if you real > heave timbers, then select A1 timber, then [crab] mouse button, but instead of moving timber click on the 0.00mm value it displays the actual x position M of cente of that timber, do same for A12 timber. Subtract one CB from t'other, then add width of a whole timber (3.33mm) assuming all your timbers are 3.33mm to get dimension of outside faces of th he two timbers.
Martin might know a better/easier way!
Could you have possibly got a 4mm timber at o e end of the template?

What gauge are you producing these in?
Another test would be to produce a shorter template & then print it in the same orientation, and then again at right angles.
My husband printer (Mars 2 pro) seems more accurate across the the shorter dimension of of the build plate.
Also it would be good to know what version of chitubox & elegoo firmware you are using also in chitubox a screen print of the advanced settings page.
Steve

 

[Martin Wynne]

Martin might know a better/easier way!

@Steve_Cornford @Phil G

Click A7. Click set zero. Click A1. Read centre: dimension. Ignore minus sign if there is one. Add on one width: dimension (3.33mm).

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Hi Phil,
Just followed Martin's instructions to get:-

A12 to A1 centre to centre = 106.17, then add one timber width of 3.33 gives 109.50mm
so I think you were spot on!
Also you can print the template out on paper and overlay the timber base as a further check.
Steve

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Phil,
ps
my 106.50mm was a typo when i transcribed my scribblings from the margin of the newspaper I was reading to the computer screen,so sorry for any confusion.
pps
All my eggs recently have been chocolate!

Steve

 

[Phil G]

Hi guys,
whilst I don't disagree my machine my not be 100% correctly calibrated yet, if you look at the attached photo it cant be far off
I was so impressed I could slide 52 chairs onto a piece of EM gauge track with very little effort I thin the chairs do have slightly more than 0.25% shrinkage and its certainly got slightly worse during the course of the day. suggesting at least to me the shrinkage carries on for several hours post initial cure.
All I need now is to progress the laser cut timbers

Cheers
Phil

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Hi Phil,
On the contrary, your sleeper base x and y seem to be spot on, 34mm and 109.50mm respectively.
The chair rafts will start to curl up as they shrink if left unpainted.
A scoosh of red primer plus say a scoosh of some sort of brown to represent rusty chairs seems to inhibit this tendency, the bounus being you get a a good contrast between the chairs and lasercut ply sleepers,.
I have tended to stain the sleepers with diluted indian ink which is available in different colours which you can mix to achieve your desired hue.
What thickness of ply are you aiming to use?
As Martin has suggested you might be able to source 1/16" or 1/8" plywood as these roughly equate to 1.6mm and 3.2mm. Popular thicknessess with Aero modellers
!.5mm 3ply might be available from https://www.plytech.co.nz/birch-model-ply

Glad to see you are enjoying experimenting with plugtrack, Steve

 

[Phil G]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for looking up NZ ply options,
I have been in contact with Ply-tech there product is Birch ply imported from the USA and cost $110NZ ( about 55 quid) for a single 12" x 12" sheet, and unfortunately currently no stock of 1/16 or 1.6mm. I have however found a source of 2mm ply 5 x 300 x 300 sheets for 25 dollars.
So a much better option for experimenting,. without breaking the bank. All be it there selling Gabon ply. not Birch.
for the purpose of testing I am quite happy to go 2mm laser and 2 mm battens above a cork layer, so 4 mm instead of 3 but that just means either a bigger cess or pack up under the cess with a bit of cardboard.
I like your idea of Indian ink for staining.
Much more work to do but the whole thing is very exciting.
Cheers
Phil,
Ps I am assuming Martin will still be under the weather by this evening your time. 7.00am my time so I think I will miss the Zoom meeting this time.

 

[Martin Wynne]

Ps I am assuming Martin will still be under the weather by this evening your time. 7.00am my time so I think I will miss the Zoom meeting this time.

@Phil G

Hi Phil,

I'm feeling better today thanks, so I will be at the 8pm Zoom meeting tonight. Usual 3 or 4 hours I expect.

Feel free to join in later if 7am is too early. Or if you say some other day/time I will try to be there for an ad hoc meeting.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Phil G

p.s. Phil, you know more about the time in NZ than I do. But according to Google:

"In January, February and March the time difference between New Zealand and the UK is 13 hours. In April the time difference is 12 hours. In May, June, July, August and September the time difference is 11 hours. In October the time difference is 12 hours."

Which makes it 8am?

edit: I think Google is wrong.

 

[Phil G]

Hi Martin,
Your spot on, we normally change our clocks either a week or two weeks after the UK but we are going in the opposite direction.
IE as you move into BST we are coming out of NZST and visa versa.
Given you feeling much better, which I am glad to here. I will set my alarm and be in attendance. This time I will just listen I promises
Cheers
Phil
PS I got some very weird results last night when trying to rotate a tiled map image. It may have some thing do with going out for a meal with my wife, and having a bottle of very good pinot noir, something NZ excels at.

 

[Martin Wynne]

Hi Martin,
Your spot on

@Phil G

I'm now totally confused! For your reference the time now in the UK is 12:15 , so you can work out the difference. The Zoom meeting will start in 7 hours 45 minutes from now.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Phil G]

@Phil G

I'm now totally confused! For your reference the time now in the UK is 12:15 , so you can work out the difference.

cheers,

Martin.

its 11.17 Pm on Wednesday the 12th here now IE 11 hours ahead of you

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Hi Phil,
With reference to Mars 3 drip bracket, I found this on thinguverse & printed it in resin:_

Took nearly 5 hours, cost £1.37
Tested ok:-

The benefit of this design is that it stays clamped to build plate so much easier to slide build plate off and on the printer bracket less faff than themars2 supplied Bracket.
Will post a link later when have laptop o
Steve.