(Topic ID: 133643)
Farmington, UT
Regina, SK
Question with 3D printers: what type of software do use to make something? Can an average Joe (me) use it?
Yet to be determined. They seem to be sturdy in certain areas and not so much in others. Think they will hold up pretty good to downward force but if I squeeze on the cup holder part I'm sure it wold break. That was my first one I'm still tweaking the design a little and playing with the printer settings. Think the newer ones are a little sturdier.
Well, still messing with that. Theirs a free product call AUTODESK 123d that I have been using. A big learning curve, spent a day trying to figure out how to use it. Watched all of their tutorials and still couldn't figure it out. Finally found a youtube video of a guy making an Arch Reactor and finally figured out enough of the program to design them. Never done it before so as long as you have time and want to experiment you should be able to figure it out.
I occasionally use a 3d printer at work. Depending on the type you use, you can think of the plastic like grain in wood. In some directions it will be very strong but very weak in others.
Quoted from TomGWI:Question with 3D printers: what type of software do use to make something? Can an average Joe (me) use it?
I use Sketchup, which is fairly intuitive. The key to efficiency it is to learn keyboard shortcuts, and typing in measurements (use mm). It has the nice feature of adding plugins that allow you to do more in the tool. Check out a few tutorials on youtube.
You can also try https://www.tinkercad.com/ and just download the file as an .stl file.
I got one of the XYZ Da Vinci 2.0 printers off Amazon. One of the cheapest printers I could find. Didn't want to spend a ton of money just for goofing around.
Yea, I looked at those. Doing more for fun then anything. Got the printer so might as well use it for something useful.
If you could add a design into your cup holder it would really add to it. For example, right now you have a diamond cut into it. If you could turn that into a jet fighter for F-14, or a bat for BSD it would just bring it up to a whole different level. Themed cup holders have not been done, that I'm aware of.
Yea I thought about that but I can't draw worth a crap. You also have to consider what the printer can print. If the angle goes over 45 degrees with empty space underneath then it has issues. But I'm sure it could be done. The hole is mostly to save plastic.
Quoted from hawkmoon:all colors
Really? Since when? Maybe if you paint them yourself they are..
Quoted from Fifty:Themed cup holders have not been done, that I'm aware of.
Trilogybeer is doing custom art on pin gulps, looks pretty awesome.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/trilogy-pin-gulps
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-original-artwork-by-trilogybeer-on-a-pingulp
anyways, cool project! I need to get some cup holders on my games. 3D printer is pretty cool, at some point when you get more experience you could definitely make mods for pins with it. Goodtobedad's Jurassic Park gate mod is awesome and he did it with a 3d printer.
Yea, but I have no imagination at all. Friend of mine got the lit winki mod for my WOZ. After I got it and saw what it was, I said I could have done that. Ask me to write a program on the I series, no problem but when it comes to create stuff I just don't have it.
I think you've missed the point entirely... Red, Green, and blue might be the primary colors in visible light, but they're not ALL COLORS. Nor do I want cheap plasti-chrome stuff on my games any more than what comes on there from the factory (Yes, I'm looking at you, Stern spotlights...blecch.).
It'll just be easier for me to take a pic later.
2 weeks later
I have the same XYZ printer. Wondering if you would be willing to share your .stl file for the cup holder? Looks like you did a very nice job.
1 week later
Depending on the settings I have had it take anywhere from 5 hours up to 12 hours. I think the last ones I printed took somewhere around 9 hours to print.
most expensive cup holder ever... but I get it.. you have a cool toy and you want to use it. I want one bad (have one at work that's for work stuff), but having to send files to shapeways to get a decent price and waiting 2 weeks sorta sucks. I've yet to see the perfect user-friendly 3d printer at a good price.
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