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

[Phil G]

Hi Steve,
That looks fantastic.
Was it supposed to be printed on an FDM printer? As I found a file similar to that on Thinguverse, but it was for a FDM machine, even though it was a STL file type. I had not made the connection that a STL designed for FDM could also be made to work on a resin printer.
Cheers
Phil

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Standalone picture

Shows the slot that marries IP with the build plate slot & the two M4 nuts & bolts for clamping onto build plate

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Hi Phil,
I believe it is designed for resin printing, there are 3 files, I downloaded the chitubox project one which already had supports, then opened in chitubox, at first it looks too large but that is just perspective view.
All I did was slice, save & print.
Be patient as it does not look as though it is printing properly, because of the nest if supports it is not easily visible, but it does, after washing I removed supports before curing.
Steve

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Steve_Cornford @Phil G

Thanks Steve. There appears to be a dozen designs on Thingiverse, although some are probably copies. I just need to choose one to try:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5601760

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3918095

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3895021

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4595547

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3538804

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4402323

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4430372

or maybe two, as I have two build plates.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Here is the link
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3895021

That is for version 5 that I printed, but he has a version 9 as well.

designer is psdesign and he has lots of other thingi's

As i have 2 build plates I am going to print a second one.

removing the supports from around the bolt holes was a bit fiddly but the bracket certainly works, just got to give it a couple of scoosh coats!
Steve

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Sorry I distracted you Martin!
Steve

 

[Phil G]

Hi Guys,
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3895021
this is the Type I found but it was for an ender 3 FDM printer!!! maybe I am doing something wrong in Thinguverse
cheers
Phil

 

[Martin Wynne]

Here is the link
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3895021

That is for version 5 that I printed, but he has a version 9 as well.

designer is psdesign and he has lots of other thingi's

As i have 2 build plates I am going to print a second one.

removing the supports from around the bolt holes was a bit fiddly but the bracket certainly works, just got to give it a couple of scoosh coats!
Steve

@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

This one:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4430372

seems to a development of that with a slight additional twist in the holder so that one corner of the plate is lower than the other.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Hi Phil,
3895021 is the one I printed, if you read the comments he printed it on a Mars printer, the picture looks like red resin to me.
I just downloaded the 2nd file in list, opened in chitubox , sliced , saved & printed.
Martin has found a slightly different that might be better.

 

[Martin Wynne]

Martin has found a slightly different that might be better.

@Steve_Cornford

There's a comment on it that it catches on the printer in some way, it's not too clear.

Martin.

 

[Steve_Cornford]

The comment referred to a previous version.
This version (v5) doesnt catch.
He has produced a version 9 that has the angled bracket
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3918095

I will give that one a try
Steve

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Well I am 4 hours 18 mins into printing the v9 drip bracket, only another 1 hour 27 mins to go!

It's the tallest print I have done so far, just hope I have enough IPA to fully immerse it in the wash tank!

 

[Martin Wynne]

.
Having messed up badly in 237c I'm trying to get back on track for 238a.

A lot of tickboxes have been removed from here:

and reappeared here:

I unticked the option above to have an inner gauge jaw on all S1 chairs on this template, or an outer jaw on all S1J joint chairs on this template:

What's the good of that? Well not much, normally those 2 columns would be left all ticked. But the new mechanism recreates the previous option to omit individual chair jaws. That might be useful in some complex formations where you want a short partial template with a blank chair base onto which individual cosmetic jaws can be glued after construction. It's going to be a long time before every possible special chair is directly available within plug track.

I'm hoping get 238a done this week. But this time it won't be released until I have tested it thoroughly!

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Just to report that https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3918095

Printed ok, and also works very well with my Mars2 pro.
Should be fine with Mars 3 pro also.

It's a lot less faff than the supplied bracket as you leave it permanently attached.
Steve

 

[Phil G]

Hi Steve,
I went with the one Martin highlighted as its angled in both directions,
please see photos note. I have not quite mastered a scooch of paint as you can see

 

[Phil G]

planning to give it a try tomorrow

 

[Steve_Cornford]

I gave mine a dusting of halfords red plastic primer, but discovered that this gets dissolved in IPA!
lesson learnt!

 

[Martin Wynne]

.
For 238a I have moved several tickbox options from the DXF dialog to this menu, where they are template-specific.

If you untick them, you get an explanation and a chance to change your mind:

In this case, this option makes it easier to create a scenic pile of chairs stacked outside a p.w. hut for example, or as a wagon load. Such items look a bit daft if they have keys in the chairs. Likewise if they have chair screws in them. We can remove the screw heads, but more work is needed on the screw holes:

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Terry Downes]

Hi Martin, Just a thought... and I do NOT want to distract You from your imminent release... but, within earlier releases 'I think' you were able to include S1 chairs in the missing crossing/vee areas. Am I imagining this? I know its not prototypical but, I was wondering whether the imminent release would have an option to include/exclude these incorrect chairs or holes or loose jaws as an interim to a full compliment of chairs etc?

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Terry Downes

Hi Terry,

I could put them back, but I'm mystified why you want them? They are completely unusable in any way to produce usable track. They caused a lot of trouble to folks wasting time and money laser-cutting for them and so forth. I couldn't understand why anyone would do that, and rather late in the day I removed them until I have the proper chairs done.

Essentially Templot puts an S1 chair everywhere until told to put something else. I was dismayed to find that folks couldn't grasp that when I kept saying the whole thing was still experimental, and seeing the obviously wrong chairs in some places.

Just as an example, all the chairs I have done so far have been square-on to the running rail. Those crossing chairs are different -- they are skewed square to the centre-line of the crossing, and not square to either of the rails.

cheers,

Martin.