New 3D printing journey

Technique fascinates me :-) I was unsure if I should make a new blog about this project but then decided to keep this one because the end-product will be miniatures.

During the last years I have made a few 3D-printers. Some better than others but I learned a lot.

The last 3d-printer was made during november 2014. It was an Ultimaker classic and actually that printer was better than all the other designs I previously had built. It is reliable. It make nice prints. Why didn't I make the Ultimaker from the beginning? Well, because my cnc was too small for cutting the panels. After having made a few modifications to the cnc it was possible to cut the ultimaker panels..

Ultimaker

When I need a print I just power up the printer and start printing. I have not used the printer for making miniatures, but for making parts for other projects.

Printed parts

Well, I tried once printing a 1:24 Queen Anne chair but as the photo show the finish is not good enough for miniatures (as expected). Looking forward to print the same chair in scale 1:144.

So, What next? Answer is SLA (Stereo Lithography Apparatus)

During the recent years the materials for SLA has been better and cheaper and easier to get.
One of the SLA techniques is based on a liquid resin that cures (hardens) when illuminated by ultraviolet (UV) light. The UV-light can be from a special lowpower laser or from a standard homebio projector.

The SLA printer then works as follows.

The 3d-drawing is sliced in very thin layers (f.ex. 0.01mm) Every single layer is then projected on a thin layer of resin. When the resin is cured the printer moves 0.01mm up and the next layer is illuminated and cured. and so on...

I found a cheap used projector with few hours on the lamp.

Projektor

Next was to decide how to build the printer. A few hours browsing the net I decided to build something like the B9Creator.

B9Creator

My design is mostly based on materials I have in my junkbox except for the 6mm birch-plywood.

I was happy with the Ultimaker way of assembling sheets of plywood so based on the open source drawings and plans for the B9Creator I made drawings to be cut on my CNC-machine.

Cad drawings. Layers is a good thing.

Some of the panels are split in two because the cnc is too small :-)

Dry assembly of the panels. 

An essential part of the printer is called the VAT (I don't know what it stands for but it's not Value Added Tax) The VAT contains the uncured resin.
The plate that holds the object(s) to be printed is lowered into the resin leaving a small cavity between the VAT-bottom and the buildplate (0.01mm high). When the resin is cured the VAT slides away to release the object from the VAT-bottom. The VAT-bottom is covered with a silicone layer that prevents the cured resin to stick to the bottom, The sliding action is a way to overcome the adhesion between the build and the bottom.

Sliding VAT with guides. 

Next is to assemble the panels and make bottom half where projector will be mounted. Again I wan't a bigger cnc...

Have fun
Niels

Just a few links

N.J.Model&hobby

My facebook

I'll soon write a little about my current projects.

Have fun
Niels

Shop tour

A little tour of my nearly finished shop.

First view when entering from the street

Northeast

Northwest 

A shelf for woodsheet and wood strips is planned in the corner where the ladder can be seen

Southeast, seen from top of the stairs.

And southwest, again from top of the stairs.

Then the backroom. I haven't done much there yet.
 looking north.

Looking east.

South

West. Place for a small fridge and the indispensable coffemachine.

And at last the small room to be alone in.

Small and big boxes is becinning to arrive.

 

Grand opening of the shop will be on 30.august 2013 at noon.
You are very welcome to join.

Have fun

Niels

A little technique and a shop sign

I decided to make my shop sign from painted plywood. The sign has to be finished as one of the first things to do in the shop because the danish equivalet to "Tour de France" called "Post Danmark Rundt" passes on the way to the finish line so a lot of people will come and see the bikes (and hopefully my shop :-)

First photoshop layout

On the sidepanels I will place two large QR-codes one pointing to my website and another pointing to facebook.

I don't have a cnc that big so handcutting with a scrollsaw is the way to go. For transferring the letters to the plywood I learned this technique from one of the scrollsawers-blogs. First I draw outline of the letter with my cad-program and then print the drawing on a laserprinter. The drawing is then placed with the printed side facing the plywood. Then the paper is soaked with zylene and rubbed with a soft cloth. A photocopied drawing can be used too.

The drawing can be seen through the paper.

 And pattern ready for scrool-sawing. The zylene evaporate without any signs on the wood.

I have also used this technique for miniatures for both sawing and carving. Much easier than using transferpaper.

After a few hours scroll-sawing here is the result. Ignore the letters isn't on a straight line :-)

The dots after N and J should be a little larger. Next is a paint job.

And a first floor view of our garden. In the background is another real size project I have promised to finish this week-end. Removing old paint from a door and then repaint and giving some oil to the garden chairs

Have a nice week-end
Niels

New journey!

I have started a new journey

In the end of august I will open a brick&mortar shop: N.J.Model&Hobby.

The photo has undergone a little photoshopping. Today the shop sells knitting yarn and  fabric.

I'll try to sell nearly everything for making doll's houses. Woods, tools, tapestry, furniture, glue, paint, etc....

Progress of the shop will be published on Facebook. I'm told that is the way to spread the words :-)
Here is the link to N.J.Model&Hobby on facebook. Postings on facebook will be in danish only but google translate may be a little helper.

If you wan't to see the surroundings here is a link to google streetview.

Have fun
Niels

Spring is coming, time to change horses...

Well, long time since last time I wrote something here...

As headline says spring is coming after a long and cold winter.

I look forward every spring to see those flowers in our garden. They are Anemone nemorosa normally found in the woods but a few has decided to grow in our garden.  Yesterday I saw the first bumblebees and a butterfly

The 3D-printing story has ended. The technology is not mature enough yet, maybe in 3 to 5 years.
I know you can buy some small pieces of 3D-printed furniture but the quality is far behind the standards I'm looking for. So all my 3D stuff is dismantled and boxed away. It has been fun and I have learned a lot.

What to look forward to? Well here is a little preview of my current just for fun project.

The steel-balls is 2mm in diameter and the display case is h=32mm, w=39mm and d=32mm. If we translate from 1/12scale to real size that gives hwd=38cm,47cm,38cm.

More to come later.

Have fun
Niels

Merry Christmas

3D-printing is fun and takes a lot of time:-)

Here is my latest print plus a little painting afterwards

Same on table for a better view.
The three kings are bringing gifts to new born child. Of course they also have their Camel with them.
And of course the Christmas Crib with the new born child and his parents.

And a Google Sketchup screendump

Have fun
Niels

PS: I am not the designer of the set. I found it on http://www.thingiverse.com a site with lots of ideas of what can be made with a 3D.printer.