Reefers4U
Active member
+1
I just purchased a MakerGear M2 because of this build -
this guy can get me to come out of my pockets quicker than Gwyneth Paltrow - ha!
180 gallon build: Modular control system, 3D printed equipment, open-source
- Thread starter jrhupp
- Start date
+1
I just purchased a MakerGear M2 because of this build -
this guy can get me to come out of my pockets quicker than Gwyneth Paltrow - ha!
Reefers4U
Active member
+1 lol
Reefers4U
Active member
Was going to ask this in a PM but realized those searching for this might also need to know
Ok. This is complicated and amazing - I didn't realize there were so many settings. I'm currently printing off a spatula for s&g
1) What are your settings in the splicer and what do you use as a splicer?
2) Are you printing in PLA or ABS for this stuff?
3) The max my printer goes is 240c, is that a problem for this stuff?
Ok. This is complicated and amazing - I didn't realize there were so many settings. I'm currently printing off a spatula for s&g
1) What are your settings in the splicer and what do you use as a splicer?
2) Are you printing in PLA or ABS for this stuff?
3) The max my printer goes is 240c, is that a problem for this stuff?
Reading through the last few posts has made my day! I'm so happy to see folks getting into this. Thank you!
Reefers4U, agreed. For these kind of questions please add them to the thread.
I'm using Cura 15.04.02. Print speeds will be printer dependent (for me 50 mm/s works well) and may take a bit of fooling around to find the right values. For infill I'm printing most objects with 30% infill. Wall thickness is between 1 and 1.2 mm depending on what I am doing (using a 0.4 mm nozzle). 0.2 mm layer height. 0.6 mm bottom and top layer thickness. I'm using retraction and combing.
For print material, everything I do is ABS. PLA is a poor choice for the aquarium as it will brake down over time. I'm working with filament from two sources currently; OnlineFilament which seems to be a reseller for a manufacturing facility in Ohio and IC3D. The first stuff is hit or miss. The IC3D stuff is of really great quality and I have had no issues with it. Despite cost its my preferred filament these days.
I extrude at 225 C (sometimes higher with thin walls and black ABS, then 230 C) and run the bed at 105 C for the full print. You should be fine with a max of 240 C. For ABS 235 C is the max you will likely ever go.
I am printing on glass with PET film covering it and ABS juice (dilute ABS/acetone slurry). The PET film is a translucent green plastic tape used as masking tape for powder coating. This works very well for me with an enclosed printer. Those with open printers seem to be preferring ULTEM as a bed material these days. I tried and couldn't get the print off with out destroying it. So no ULTEM for me.
Reefers4U, agreed. For these kind of questions please add them to the thread.
I'm using Cura 15.04.02. Print speeds will be printer dependent (for me 50 mm/s works well) and may take a bit of fooling around to find the right values. For infill I'm printing most objects with 30% infill. Wall thickness is between 1 and 1.2 mm depending on what I am doing (using a 0.4 mm nozzle). 0.2 mm layer height. 0.6 mm bottom and top layer thickness. I'm using retraction and combing.
For print material, everything I do is ABS. PLA is a poor choice for the aquarium as it will brake down over time. I'm working with filament from two sources currently; OnlineFilament which seems to be a reseller for a manufacturing facility in Ohio and IC3D. The first stuff is hit or miss. The IC3D stuff is of really great quality and I have had no issues with it. Despite cost its my preferred filament these days.
I extrude at 225 C (sometimes higher with thin walls and black ABS, then 230 C) and run the bed at 105 C for the full print. You should be fine with a max of 240 C. For ABS 235 C is the max you will likely ever go.
I am printing on glass with PET film covering it and ABS juice (dilute ABS/acetone slurry). The PET film is a translucent green plastic tape used as masking tape for powder coating. This works very well for me with an enclosed printer. Those with open printers seem to be preferring ULTEM as a bed material these days. I tried and couldn't get the print off with out destroying it. So no ULTEM for me.
Thanks for all the awesome pointers! I'm sure these will help some of out when we start printing some fishy accessories.
Gorgok
New member
Any opinions on this http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_337314.html
It's pretty big yet priced in a range I agree with (I'm cheap). Might not be terribly rigid being acrylic but then it's not hard to add pieces to stiffen it up being acrylic... While they don't seem to say it's got a heated bed as far as I understand.
Never done printing myself yet and would like to (only modeling and cnc stuff). Not just because of this thread but yeah, this didn't help dissuade the desire at all.
It's pretty big yet priced in a range I agree with (I'm cheap). Might not be terribly rigid being acrylic but then it's not hard to add pieces to stiffen it up being acrylic... While they don't seem to say it's got a heated bed as far as I understand.
Never done printing myself yet and would like to (only modeling and cnc stuff). Not just because of this thread but yeah, this didn't help dissuade the desire at all.
I have no idea on how this one would perform. But man, at 150$ even if you ended up swapping out a number of parts I have think you would probably still come out pretty good.
While they don't mention a heated bed, it does look as if it has one. Note the bundle of wires going to the bottom-back-center of the bed and the three green connectors on the board; One is likely the hot end, one the input power and I am guessing the third is for the bed. I don't recognize the board, so that is just a guess.
yea, at that price that's pretty tough to beat. I'd be curious as to just exactly how accurate it is with it being acrylic.
That said there are quite a few x and z braces for prusa i3's on thingiverse that I've seen. Some even specifically stated for the wanhao that I purchased even though it's all metal construction.
I'm hoping mine should be here next week. I wish I wouldn't have nitpicked so much and just bought one, I could be making stuff already lol
That said there are quite a few x and z braces for prusa i3's on thingiverse that I've seen. Some even specifically stated for the wanhao that I purchased even though it's all metal construction.
I'm hoping mine should be here next week. I wish I wouldn't have nitpicked so much and just bought one, I could be making stuff already lol
more motivation sir. I've got mine up and running now, been focusing on doing a couple upgrades guys suggest (how cool is it to make the parts for the equipment on that equipment)
Surprisingly I've had some pretty good success with ABS right off the bat. I used some test PLA they sent with it that printed wonderfully, then went straight to a roll of ABS. First print didn't stick but the bed temp was only like 70 when it started, since going to 95 it's been flawless so far.
Surprisingly I've had some pretty good success with ABS right off the bat. I used some test PLA they sent with it that printed wonderfully, then went straight to a roll of ABS. First print didn't stick but the bed temp was only like 70 when it started, since going to 95 it's been flawless so far.
It's a vase from one of those over stock stores. Nothing fancy.
I've been tinkering solely in ABS, and have been having great results with the wanhao buildtak surface. I've yet to have a print fail, which from reading is pretty amazing.
That said, I did notice that no matter what I did in cura, I couldn't get dimensionally accurate parts that would fit together. Last night in a "%^&$%^*$%" moment I splooged for simplify3d, ran 3 interlocking objects, all came out great and dimensions were spot on. Now I can actually get into making some useful things instead of all these test blocks/items lol
That said, I did notice that no matter what I did in cura, I couldn't get dimensionally accurate parts that would fit together. Last night in a "%^&$%^*$%" moment I splooged for simplify3d, ran 3 interlocking objects, all came out great and dimensions were spot on. Now I can actually get into making some useful things instead of all these test blocks/items lol
ChitownBrickie
New member
Following
Thats excellent to hear!
On the dimensional accuracy of Cura; interesting. I have not looked into this but maybe I should be. For interlocking parts I generally leave a small gap between pieces and have not had issues with things not fitting together.
you could easily design that into the stl to makeup for the offset, but that to me was going to be more work then it was worth knowing I should be able to get better precision off of the machine.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:264782
That was the test block I had originally ran in cura (as well as the s plug alignments) that were nowhere near close to fitting. I had my line width down to .4mm which exactly matched the nozzle, and no matter what I did I couldn't get pieces to work together.
For instance, that test block in cura, the notch printed @ 9.47mm wide (should be 10mm) and the block printed @ 9.85mm wide (again should be 10mm wide). If you really really forced it, you could get it to go in a bit but that was it.
That same .stl, not modified one bit, in simplify3d printed printed the notch @ 9.91mm and the block @ 9.87mm. Still not absolutely perfect but way better tolerances then I was getting with cura (and believe me I tried a lot of prints with cura). Also keep in mind these are now cooled ABS pieces, and most estimates of shrinkage ratio are .6-.9% from what I've read. A 9.91mm part with .9% added in for shrinkage is.... 9.99919mm.....
So yea, I'm super pleased with my accuracy right now.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:264782
That was the test block I had originally ran in cura (as well as the s plug alignments) that were nowhere near close to fitting. I had my line width down to .4mm which exactly matched the nozzle, and no matter what I did I couldn't get pieces to work together.
For instance, that test block in cura, the notch printed @ 9.47mm wide (should be 10mm) and the block printed @ 9.85mm wide (again should be 10mm wide). If you really really forced it, you could get it to go in a bit but that was it.
That same .stl, not modified one bit, in simplify3d printed printed the notch @ 9.91mm and the block @ 9.87mm. Still not absolutely perfect but way better tolerances then I was getting with cura (and believe me I tried a lot of prints with cura). Also keep in mind these are now cooled ABS pieces, and most estimates of shrinkage ratio are .6-.9% from what I've read. A 9.91mm part with .9% added in for shrinkage is.... 9.99919mm.....
So yea, I'm super pleased with my accuracy right now.
Some updates: I've been working on things but have been too busy to post much. I have the valves functional and plumbed in, but have not tested the surge system yet.
I have the tank full of saltwater and cycling, and have tweaked the sump a bit. I'm still not happy with it. So I will wait to post details on that until I get closer to a final design.
I ran into an issue with supply voltage that messed me up for a bit. I did my original testing and stepper motor selection for the valves using an 18VDC supply. But I picked a 12 VDC supply for the reef tank. Turns out the stepper doesn't generate enough torque with a 12 VDC supply. So I needed to change out the supply for the tank, but not all my modules were able to handle a higher input voltage. Long story short I added a 12VDC regulator to the light controller and temperature controller. The problem is solved now and the tank will be moving to a 19VDC supply.
For the valves, here are some more shots of them coming together.
Here are the collets being glued into the valve body. These are sized for 2" pipe. The idea originally was that these could be resized so the valve could be used with other diameter pipes without changing the valve body. They went in with PVC glue as I wanted something clear with some body to it.
Here is one of the sleeves in one of the valve body openings all cleaned up and ground out (details on these are in an earlier post).
#8 stainless steel nuts pressed into the drive half of the valve body. There are ten in total.
Valve bodies all polished up and ready for assembly. These were too big to vapor polish in my jar on the hotbed. So they were done in a stock pot on the kitchen stove (while the wife was not home).
I printed templates and used them to cut the seals out of EPDM rubber sheet.
Stepper motor, drive electronics and one of the seals installed on the dive portion of the valve body. The round seals just snap into a grove on the valve body.
The small gear that goes on the steeper. It uses a 3x12 mm cap screw and a 3 mm nut.
Drive bushing and bottom pin getting o-rings and silicone grease. All the seals got a good brushing of grease.
The drive bushing being installed with the ball. The two machine screws are not needed to install the bushing. Those are incase the bushing needs to be pulled out, and are not installed normally.
I have the tank full of saltwater and cycling, and have tweaked the sump a bit. I'm still not happy with it. So I will wait to post details on that until I get closer to a final design.
I ran into an issue with supply voltage that messed me up for a bit. I did my original testing and stepper motor selection for the valves using an 18VDC supply. But I picked a 12 VDC supply for the reef tank. Turns out the stepper doesn't generate enough torque with a 12 VDC supply. So I needed to change out the supply for the tank, but not all my modules were able to handle a higher input voltage. Long story short I added a 12VDC regulator to the light controller and temperature controller. The problem is solved now and the tank will be moving to a 19VDC supply.
For the valves, here are some more shots of them coming together.
Here are the collets being glued into the valve body. These are sized for 2" pipe. The idea originally was that these could be resized so the valve could be used with other diameter pipes without changing the valve body. They went in with PVC glue as I wanted something clear with some body to it.
Here is one of the sleeves in one of the valve body openings all cleaned up and ground out (details on these are in an earlier post).
#8 stainless steel nuts pressed into the drive half of the valve body. There are ten in total.
Valve bodies all polished up and ready for assembly. These were too big to vapor polish in my jar on the hotbed. So they were done in a stock pot on the kitchen stove (while the wife was not home).
I printed templates and used them to cut the seals out of EPDM rubber sheet.
Stepper motor, drive electronics and one of the seals installed on the dive portion of the valve body. The round seals just snap into a grove on the valve body.
The small gear that goes on the steeper. It uses a 3x12 mm cap screw and a 3 mm nut.
Drive bushing and bottom pin getting o-rings and silicone grease. All the seals got a good brushing of grease.
The drive bushing being installed with the ball. The two machine screws are not needed to install the bushing. Those are incase the bushing needs to be pulled out, and are not installed normally.
