3 ms·
Not to take something away from what he did and what he learned doing it, but there are plenty of ways to fix that part that would be a good bit quicker. I'm a
by robbrown451 10y ago
Not to take something away from what he did and what he learned doing it, but there are plenty of ways to fix that part that would be a good bit quicker.
I'm a big fan of Bondo, fiberglass/fiberglass resin, and my trusty dremel tool. Recently a plastic part to a dryer cracked, and those approaches didn't seem strong enough and would probably make it not fit any more, so I heated up some little nails on the gas stove and pressed them into the plastic, which melted around them, making a very strong part that was no bigger than the original.
And I say this as someone who has a long, long history with 3d CAD modeling.
- asimuvPR 10y agoI have similar experiences. In the case of the OP, it seems that the person found value in being able to simply print a new part whenever needed. With a fiberglass part you need to store the mold somewhere safe. Composites are a great way to build parts (I build lightweight parts for race cars), but they are not as convenient as 3D printed parts.
- robbrown451 10y agoNot sure what you mean about storing the mold. I just do the fiberglass and resin directly on the broken part to repair things (after cutting away some of the plastic). It's sort of like gluing it, but when you need more strength. Would he really need to print more parts? I mean, it could break again, but this seems like a one-off fix.
- asimuvPR 10y agoI assumed you were replicating a part by making a mold. :)
- analog31 10y ago3d print and Bondo are a great combination. You can test your idea with the raw part, then dress it up with a skim layer of Bondo and then sand and paint. I've seen prototype assemblies with glorious looking enclosures, and when you flip it over, the inside has that "fabric" look of a 3d printed part. If it only has to look good, the skim layer can be drywall joint compound, which is super easy to work.