3D Printing

The summer and autumn sort of just drifted away and I didn't get a lot of 3D printing done. To complicate things, I was lured away from my shed by the delights offered by IKEA, in particular "Kitchens". Fortunately everything has been built/fitted/commissioned/ and almost approved by the lady of the house. Perhaps now I can get back to trying to print a model aeroplane. After getting success with the Icon-A5 prints, I read an article on the new lightweight PLA. Unfortunately, the designers of the Icon don't recommend it. So I stopped working on the Icon, and ordered some LW-PLA. This took some weeks to arrive as the stuff comes from Germany. In the meantime I found that an outfit called Eclipson have issued mods to their original files to incorporate settings for the lightweight material. Just for fun I downloaded the Eclipson Model T, it isn't anything spectacular, just a routine sort of aeroplane, but it does have the choice of undercart, wheels or floats. The unfortunate episode with my Lazy Bee at Longham last summer didn't deter me from choosing the float option. The airframe is all lightweight PLA, but the floats and supporting structure are regular PLA. The floats have printed quite nicely, and so have the wings. I haven't weighed the wing assembly yet, but some of the parts, like the ailerons are unbelievably light. If I can remember to charge the camera battery, I'll post some photos of the progress.

The wings for the Eclipson Model T weigh 132g. Quite light for a 1.16 metre span. The parts have printed with a distinct wavy effect on the wing sections, but the frail aileron parts are quite straight. The waves are symmetrical and are the same for the left and right halves of the wing. The wing tips weigh 18g and the aileron 7g, being 4g for the part with the built-in horn. The appearance is quite nice, reminded me of Chinese prawn crackers, but there's a tendency to string with some parts like the location tabs. According to the designers, using lightweight PLA will save 260g. I won't be saving quite that much as the floats are standard material.

Once again a long time has passed since I fired up the PRUSA printer. A Spring and Summer spent on refurbishing three newly acquired models, slopping preserver on fences and erecting new trellis panels, didn't leave much time for other disciplines. Back in the depths of last Winter I was asked to print a figure in wood filled PLA
This took a fair time to set up, but was fairly successful and the printer churned out several items. The "thing" is called Groot, and is something to do with Marvel comics. Unfortunately, wood filled resin is prone to block the small 0.4mm nozzle of the printer. One morning I went to check a print that had been left unattended for a couple of hours, the shed had a definite odour of burned wood, and the printer was busy printing nothing at all at some distance above the bed. The blockage had done more than bung up the nozzle, the complete heater block was a mess of burned on resin. Since then, all I've done is order replacement parts and soon I'll strip out the old block and replace it. Its fortunate in a way, the new parts are of an improved design, so with luck, further prints will be a bit better.
So far I haven't had a lot of luck with my choice of aeroplanes to print. The Joker from 3DLabPrint was easy to print and the assembly method gave an accurate model, but the model itself is rather heavy and I've seen two videos where the model disintegrates in flight. I've tried to print models from Eclipson, but I seem to be unable to understand their complicated setup chart, consequently the prints aren't quite right and aren't usable. I've tried printing parts for models by PlanePrint, once again, the setting up is a bit complex and mistakes are all too easy. However, the test parts were encouraging and I decided to choose a model that would use a 70mm 12 blade EDF. Unfortunately the model needs trike retracts, even more unfortunately these are "available" from HobbyKing. They have been on order for nearly four months, the mains came a few weeks ago, but until the steerable nose unit arrives, there's no point in starting the model, unless I ditch the U/C and rely on hand launching.

Hand launch preferably near long grass initially. This may be of interest to you 70mm EDF retract set ex my old Habu 2. You also may have been better off getting some retracts from Motion RC. EU rather than from China.

Thanks Phil, unfortunately the mounting size of all the "Non-HK" servoless retracts isn't suitable. Pity the designers don't offer an alternative mounting arrangement.

Okay, just thought I could help progress a bit quicker. They are redundant at present and gathering cobwebs in a drawer