I'm getting ready to order an Ender 3 Pro so I can make light shields for a homebrew I'm working on, suggests for newbie software for fairly simple shapes such as light shields? Will be printing with PLA black.

Onshape is a free, cloud based CAD program that is pretty user friendly and more powerful than Tinkercad if you want to try something with more functionality. There are some really good online tutorials to follow. Within a couple of hours, you will have the basics down and be able to make what you need.

I'll check them both out.

I'm sure like any tool that I have obtained in the past, once I start using it I find new and interesting ways to.use it further. No doubt light shields are just the beginning.

If you don't mind the risk of a changing licence term, Fusion 360 from autodesk is quite good, lot of functionalities. It's free for personal usage (reason I'm stating 'risk of changing licence terms' is because Autodesk reduced the capabilities, especially import/export of the free version, which is a pita)

I'll settle for "easiest to use" at the moment and then step up as I get practice and print ideas grow in complexity. If the software is too daunting to use at first, I'm not going to progress.

For the moment I need some rather basic shapes that frankly I could make out of other materials but wish to venture into 3D printing.

I have ZERO hands on experience with 3D printing or even CAD, I can read and work with blueprints though and at one time create them by hand.

This is why I think Onshape is the one to try. As I said, by following some online videos, in a couple of hours, you will have the basics down. I knew nothing about CAD 8 months ago, and now I am able to make my own designs pretty readily. It has helped me tremendously with a home brew project. And, I've been using it for electronics projects as well. Here is something I just did. It is the insert for an LED light cube I've designed. RGB LED strips go along the arcs. Again, I was able to do this with Onshape fairly easily. And, I by no means use the program that often or consider myself an expert with it.

LEDCubeInside (resized).JPG

I'll also add that I found the process of learning how to use a 3D printer infinitely more frustrating and difficult than the process of learning how to use a CAD program. It took me a very long time to figure out how to get rid of the imperfections in my prints. There's lots of online help and advice, including here, but there are just so many variables and little adjustments that affect things. It was and still is very intimidating for me.

I have a friend with a few printers whom does a lot of work, that aspect I'm not concerned about. He pays someone to do the software however.

In a nutshell, TinkerCad uses predefinded shapes (they have a lot), and you create something by combining and subtracting those shapes. Very easy to get started, but at the same time there are limitations. But once you get the hang of thinking of how to combine shapes...it's pretty easy to create something.

I sure would like to learn OnShape or even Fusion 360, but just haven't found the time.

TinkerCad: Here's a simple example for a socket to remove the tournament blank insert nut on a Stern (I install the remote volume control in its place).
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And here's the part turned into a 'void' (subtraction). So the socket body would be a solid cylinder, and the voids on the inside subtracts to make it a socket.
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i am so glad it fits, even the handle. I was most guessing and did some inch to cm transforming
It's nice to have a public place you can and print. Helps the hobby so much.

That is one area I wish TinkerCad would offer some more options. You can chamfer some individual objects, but that's about it. Everything I make has sharp edges.

The other feature I wish they had would be to align objects end-to-end (i.e. the left side of one object to the right side of the other object). I end up just scooting then together using a fine grid. Maybe there's some trick that I've missed?

Surprisingly, Microsoft's 3D Builder does some neat things and it's crazy fast, even with very complex imports (>1M polys). Don't think I'd use it to draw something, but it works well to mod imports.

I do 95% of my work in Tinkercad. I gave Fusion360 a serious go at it, but I found its complexity and non-intuitiveness to other software to be a burden. I've created very complex shapes in Tinkercad, added textures, etc. I only really have two issues with it: you cannot chamfer edges on models other than a few basic shapes and you can't add girth to a non-simple object (e.g. I don't want to scale the object, but make over all bolder/thicker). I also do some of the pre-work in Photoshop then import into Tinkercad, and I also do some post-processing using various 3D tools when needed.

I've not tried Onshape, but plan on checking it out now.

You mean butting objects together, right? This is something I need to do constantly in Tinkercad. My workaround is as follows:
- In this example, I'll assume I have a stationary object and I want to butt an object to it's right side
- I measure the width of the new object
- I perform a right align of both objects and anchor to the stationary object so it's position does not change
- I then move the new object to the right the exact width of that object - change the snap grid to desired scale when doing so (you can start big and then go smaller).

The only issue is if/when the new object you wish to butt against the stationary object has a thickness that is not in .1mm or greater. Then I do the above as close as possible then set snap grid to off and continue moving until I see the overlap color change on the object.

Ahh, good one! I was hoping someone would chime in. Thanks Mr_Tant!

Tinkercad is surprisingly capable for a free, web-based application. As Mr_Tantrum mentioned, I often will do some pre-work, creating shapes to extrude in Illustrator or Photoshop.

Screen Shot 2018-01-20 at 12.40.06 PM (resized).png

Other free CAD applications that I use are OpenSCAD and Blender.

I cut my teeth on Ray Dream Designer and StrataStudio Pro back in the 90s. The early, ground breaking game Myst was rendered in Strata on Macintosh Quadras. I also worked in both Poser and Bryce from v.1 forward.

A blast from the past:

Screen Shot 2021-10-03 at 3.18.38 PM (resized).png

I still have my Quadra 650 in the closet, but it is in need of a cap job for the logic board.

On a sidenote, is there a good ressource for a 'remix' workflow?

I find that importing an STL into a CAD program results into a very dense mesh, which is really not practical to use for the purpose of making modifications, especially with regards to snapping to a vertex.

I used Meshmixer, at least I can perform boolean operations on the mesh, but I wish there was a simpler process

There is another way to butt things together, at least to get them exactly on the same plane.
First type W then select the plane you want to butt onto, this moves the base to this plane.
Now select the other object and type D to drop onto the same plane.
there is bound to be a much better expalanation on this somewhere on the net.

I am still using 123D Design. It's been discontinued, but if you can find a download for it it's a step up from tinker cad.

Fusion 360 can convert a mesh to a body. You can then delete (some) faces, and it will simplify a bunch of facets into a single face if it is a close enough approximation.

I think I can work with this for now.

Made this up fooling around in 15 minutes after watching a few of their lessons.

light shield (resized).jpg

Ender 3 Pro and spool of Comgrow PLA are in route!

Suddenly having some weird lifting issues on my Prusa. Any suggestions? I do not print using an enclosure (that may need to change)

Lifting issues? Do you mean parts are coming off the bed? What filament? Which flexplate? How do you clean/prep it? What bed temperature?

Beside the obvious bed issues (temp, leveling, cleaning, etc.), is the filament old?

Did your heater just start running for the season causing a draft? I had that happen and an enclosure fixed it. Check that your build surface hasn't worn smooth, I'm not sure if prusa's have that issue but my buildtak surface eventually wore out and needed a new one.

Yes, parts lifting off the bed - It's a PLA+, although I'm not sure the exact brand. Prusa flexplate, smooth (they also have a textured one). Not much prep is required - I wipe it with 99% (sometimes 90%) Isopropyl. the sheet is awesome, I sometimes don't even clean it between prints and it works just fine - as long there's nothing thin at the outer edges, which is tending to lift.

I print in my office which get slightly warm when the printer is on, so I don't think it's a temperature thing. On the other hand, my door is pretty close to the front of the plate, which makes me wonder if there's a draft situation

Nope, just opened the package on sunday.

Build surface started out smooth, remains smooth I can flip it over if it starts to become obnoxious, but I don't think it's that. I rarely print on the outer edges of the print surface, so I don't think it's worn. It's almost like the opposite issue - where I *haven't* been printing is where I'm seeing the issue.

OK, that helps a lot. With PLA (and PLA+) I find that it won't stick very well to my textured Prusa flexplate. It does work with the smooth flexplate much better, so it's good you're using that. There's a satin one now as well, but I have no experience with that.

Myself, I do not have good luck with isopropyl alcohol. I've tried 99%, 90%, and 70%, and I continue to have issues with it. Some people claim that it's because the alcohol breaks down grease on the PEI, but does not provide enough volume to clean the grease away. The suggestion is to use plain dish soap (like Dawn) with no lotions or anything added. I have had good luck with doing this. It's inconvenient to do often, so for shorter term cleanings, I find that Sprayway glass cleaner works well for me. That part doesn't make much sense to me, but I have much better luck with it than alcohol. I can usually get 5-8 prints between cleaning with the glass cleaner. I've printed on the same Prusa smooth flexplate for 4 years or so.

On the Prusa, I use a 60C bed temperature when printing PLA.

With PLA, I haven't found ambient temperature or drafts to have much effect for keeping parts on the bed. I have a new enclosed printer that actually hinders printing with PLA. I have to run the exhaust fan full blast to keep the chamber cool or the PLA prints will warp. I currently do not have a smooth PEI flexplate for that printer, and I have to up the bed temperature to 70C to get PLA to stick. With the enclosure, it's really designed more with ABS in mind.

I have a Creality CR-10S and haven't had a problem with lifting since changing the print bed to a 12 x 12 mirror tile, cleaning it with salt water and using a glue stick. My biggest problem is sometimes getting it off the print bed. Even placing it in the freezer doesn't always help. I don't level the bed as often as I should and I still have no problems with lifting

Might not hurt just to try a different filament if you have a little leftover setting around. I got a new spool once, vacuum packed w/the silica gel in there - wouldn't stick worth a darn. Got the old stuff out (both were PLA+) and no issues. First time I tried that brand - and the last.

It's probably something else - just thought I'd toss that out there since I've seen it first hand.

Do you use a raft to help out?

Do a first layer calibration to make sure you are dialed in. Also make sure you didn't accidentally change your build plate profile.

The alcohol is your problem. After a short time it just doesn't work. I use Acetone and even small models stick like crazy (Naptha is also an option). You can buy Acetone by the quart for cheap at home/hardware store, but in a pinch just borrow some of your wife's finger nail polish remover (or use your own if you're that kind of guy) - same stuff but much more expensive. A can of either will cost you less than $10 and last forever. I just started my second can after probably close to 2 years, and I bet I print a lot more than the average 3D hobbyist.

To apply use a paper towel folded into a square, pop the top of the can, push towel against opening, flip can to were small spot on towel gets damp, wipe entire build plate. Save same paper towel for several uses if you want.

IMG_6512 (resized).JPG

cleaner (resized).jpg

Good suggestions - I will try the Naptha first since I have some of that around for playfield cleaning (and lighting the grill haha). I like the soap and water option too

I’m printing a lightsaber for my kid, so most of the pieces are cylindrical - but this one has these crazy semicircle wings that I need to print again; just dry fit them and they are way too warped from the lifting. I’m going to wait until all the other parts are done (only 52 more Hours!!) and reorient them on the bed after wiping it down again.

Interesting the draft and ambient temperature don’t seem to matter much! I’ll keep that in mind too. I’ve been thinking I’ll move the printer to another room anyway so that may be a worthwhile test.

Forgot to mention, bed plate is between 60
And 70, I forget the exact setting. All other pieces are coming out REALLY nice! Loving the Ironing setting for the top layer

Are you using a raft?

I didn’t in this case, don’t usually need them with the Prusa - but it would have helped. I’ll try again in a couple days when the rest of the print is done

Draft and ambient are only issues with ABS. I have an ac duct right above my printer and sometimes the ceiling fan on high, and not once have I had a failed print in those conditions with PLA or PETG.

NEVER.. USE.. RAFTS. If it isn't sticking, you aren't doing something right.

I tend to agree, but I think it helps for smaller prints that are taller or if someone is fairly new and hasn't quite dialed things in. Plus I'm lazy and just keep it on most the times.

If you haven't, try using a brim instead of a raft. Gives more surface area to stick to the bed, much less destructive to the print.

Learned the hard way there are only a very few circumstances for using a raft. There are some - I had to use them a lot when I had my warped bed Ender 3. Thankfully I threw that thing in the trash and bought another printer.

Has anyone made a simple ball holder that can be place on a flat surface to hold pinballs while you're working on it? Those things are like soap.

I looked on Thingivierse but didn't see anything.

Tantrum to the rescue! Not exactly what you’re looking for but it will definitely work

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3269881

Ah yes, Mr. Tantrum rocks. I did see this though it would be a bit dangerous for repair use. More of an art piece. I want something that will really secure them so I don’t send em flying.

So a square with a 1/2 sphere cut out basically? Maybe a wider base? Easy enough to model. I can do it this weekend if no one chimes in before that

I just set them in the lockdown bar when it's off the pin (setting upside down). Or on a clean rag.

Don't overthink a simple solution unless you just want to play around printing stuff.

Basically, yes. I started playing around in Tinkercad as well but for some reason I can’t find the void tool. Lol.

Well as I’ve been working on pins since I bought my first High Speed in high school 1989 it’s always been a pain dropping balls off lockbars. You tell the, to stay but they don’t always listen. I’d like to have a reasonable solution. Thinking of using TPU would be the way to go on this as well.