I am happy to entertain 3D design and/or printing. You can see some of my work here, pinball related or otherwise:

https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=Mr_tantrum&dwh=395c31a16f58293

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cyclone-comet-coaster

http://www.thezumwaltfamily.com/getawaypinball/getawayitems.htm

FYI, my primary tools are Tinkercad and may Prusa i3 MK3. I primarily work with PLA but have other filaments. Also, I have a varity if brands but prefer Prusa, 3D Solutech, and Hatchbox.

I used a budget friendly Wanhau i3 for a few months, and really learned the ropes of 3D printing on it. It was a good unit that performed well. However, I had some extra money from projects that had sold, so I decided to purchase a Prusa MK3. Without writing a full review, I will tell you that the differences are significant, and that the Prusa shines in multiple areas like no other printer. I purchased the kit (took about 8 hours to build), and with shipping the unit was around $800. Was it worth it - to me, absolutely. However, if just getting into the hobby or if you just plan on the occasional 3D print for personal use then the delta in cost would most likely not be worth it to the majority of people.

One of the great things about Prusa is that his stuff is all open source. Does this mean that other Prusa-influenced printers are as good as his - most definitely not. However, the budget printers usually incorporate enough to create some very nice prints even if they don't have all of the features and conveniences of the original Prusa models.

One thing I will say is that I'm a full convert to Slic3r verses Cura, which I previously used. Again, not in the mood to get into a full review, but I was having all kinds of issues with Cura for several types of prints and filaments. Since I bit the bullet to learn something new with Slic3r, I've had nothing but success with it. It has every feature of Cura and more, but it seems like out of the box it does a much better job with slicing than what I was getting out of Cura.

Shipping might kill you, but found this: ebay.com link: Pinball Gottlieb STARGATE Lot of original backglass Mirror plus other Parts

Really need inside dimensions of pyramid as outside has texture and is irregular. Also, need to know how mounted and exact size and position of mounting holes.

Oh, that was confusing. Metals are not 3D printable from normal home type printers then. Are you just wanting to recreate it in plastic? Does the ball ever come into contact with it? If not, it might be doable depending upon the thicknesses that can be supported (the plastic would need to be thicker than the metal version).

From photos I've seen, looks doable to me. However, would still need exact measurements of bracket size/location along with side cutouts. Do you have all of the pieces that are used in the mech that the pyramid mounts to?

I don't think something is quite right with some of the measurements. If you do the math, the height of the pyramid face (trapezoid) should be 89.2mm based upon a 51.5mm base and a 103mm hypotenuse on the right triangles. Also, the side triangle hypotenuse is calculated to be 93.74mm (base = 85-33 = 52mm). Now that we have all the measurements, you have a 93.74mm hypotenuse on each side butting up against a 103mm edge on the front - doesn't make sense. What am I missing here?

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I went to the original thread and used his dimensions, but something is off (I double checked everything). Also, really going to need details to incorporate bracket. I also posted in Stargate thread to see if anyone is willing to assist with measurements. At this point, I just feel like it is a complete crap shoot given inaccurate/incomplete measurements.

Definitely open to helping, but going to need some assistance from others who own the pin and have access to a pyramid.

Not bad, but I would print with the front face dlatbin the heatbed based in the shape. If you do it this way you can also engrave the STARGATE word innit across the bottom, and it should look pretty good.

Can you provide measurements, angles, screw hole size & position, etc.? If I had a DE I could easily do it. Other option would be to send one you have to me and I can then replicate and send back.

It has nothing to do with being home printed, rather (as you alluded) to, the filament type used. Most people use PLA which has a relatively low softening temperature. this is fine for pinball parts usually, as long as they are not close to or enclose incandescent bulbs (typically not an issue with LEDs). If you want something with a higher softening temperature, then PET/PETG is the next option, followed by ABS which is the same stuff that LEGOs are made of and very durable (people use ABS to make parts for interiors of cars, guns, etc. that must be able to endure high temps).

Just use the right material for the job, and you can do create just about anything you need on your home 3D printer (you can even print with nylon filament on many models).

No, I don’t. Carbon fiber, wood, metal, etc. that are usable on home 3D printers are quite abrasive. There is a ruby tipped nozzle that works well with these, but I haven’t spent the $100 yet to try since I haven’t had an application where I needed it yet.

Yes, the PEI sheet in the flex steel on my Prusa is awesome. I never use a raft. Clean with 90% alcohol between prints, and an occasional cleaning with acetone, and I’m golden. You do have to use a release agent (ie gluestick) on some materials such as PET or the will damage the PET.

Some swear by glass, but I think it is a pain in the backside. In my experience, you have to always use glue stick which means lots of cleaning up after prints, or you go the hairspray route which takes a lot of time and again involves clean up. However, if you need a smooth surface to your model and/or your printer doesn't create easily detachable/clean rafts, then it can be a better option than default.

In my mind you use them not for strength but for appearance. Have you seen polished bronze filament or painted wood/bamboo filament? You can create some really nice looking models with these materials.

Did you polish it after print? This is the only way to make it look like real bronze, otherwise it just kind looks like clay.

B07A0036-F35B-491E-995C-3B49C160C0CC.png

Man, at over 2x the price of ABS from reputable brands, that stuff better be infused with unicorn bone dust or something.

That looks great. When you get it the way you want, would you be willing to share your STL file(s)? Either way, would love to see more details on how you wire and light it.

It is really the same printer with upgraded filament sensor and some extruder tweaks (my upgrade kit is on order). If you buy the MK3 kit it takes about 2-3 weeks to receive it vs. who knows how long if you buy preassembled (be prepared to spend about 8 hours of assembly). Even though the upgrade is only $20, shipping is another $20+, but all new MK3 printers are shipping with the upgrade already included.

If you are on the fence, pull the trigger as you will not regret it. The Prusa MK3 is a great printer and worth the 3-4 times cost of the clones from my perspective having used both now.

I don't have firsthand experience with the Ender 3, but I do with a nice Wanhao i3. I would basically echo Aurich's point. The Prusa MK3 is a printer with a multitude of features out of the box that the lower cost printers just don't have. As a result of the Prusa technology, it delivers the best results possible with minimal effort, including is dialed in Slic3r which I have barely had to adjust compared to the never ending burden that was Cura with the Wanhao i3.

While every analogy has its flaws, you can kind of think of it back in the olden days when choosing between a PC and a Mac (obviously the differences are more blurred today). Do you want a device that requires some expertise, lots of tinkering, complicated methods to achieve certain tasks, etc., or do you want a machine that has been developed to take care of all those things automatically and to make your experience as simple as possible to achieve your desired results?

Can other lower cost printers deliver similar or even better print results than the Prusa? Sure they can, but the amount of time you spend to achieve these results can often be quite expansive, require lots of trial and error, and result in wasted filament, etc. If you are a tinkerer at heart, have a modest budget, and want to really learn the nuances and intricacies of 3D printing then I might encourage you to save some money and purchase a lower cost printer. If you want nice prints with minimal effort and a shorter learning curve then the Prusa is my recommendation. Or, if you are like me, and have experience with learning the ins and outs of 3D printing on a lower cost unit and want to step up to something a little nicer and overall simpler to operate with additional important features (e.g. auto bed leveling, power outage recovery, auto filament detection, ability to print multi-colored layers, ability to pause/resume print, larger print area than many lower cost printers, etc.) then upgrading up to the Prusa MK3 may be a good move for you.

I think you can get very good results with a budget priced 3D printer. It is just that the learning curve may be steeper, and you may have to add some after-market add-ons which typically are not overly expensive.

If you outsource, the printing will be expensive. However, if you only plan on using a printer for a couple to a few items, then outsourcing might very well be your answer. Of course, you can always hit up this thread and I'm sure one of us would offer to print for you at a fair price.

Oops, I just reread your initial post and you already have an Ender 3. Then my question would be what results are you not able to achieve? I'm sure there are Ender 3 forums/groups out there that could probably help you get to where you want to be.

Took me about 8 hours to assemble my MK3. Helping a friend do his on Saturday, and hoping to improve my time a little.

I am really tempted, but I don’t have a way to post-process and I would need to buy a ruby tipped nozzle. Very generous of you, however.

I disagree with this. Different brands of PLA have different characteristics, and some are poor quality compared to others. Prusa, 3D Solutech, and Hatchbox are what I prefer, but I’ve gone through my share of poorer quality PLA. Bad coloring, inconsistent coloring, inconsistent diameter, tangling on the spool, various print issues, etc.

Fair enough, sorry about the misunderstanding.