DIY 3D Printer

[z.monkey]

I'm thinking about using this to build my next alternator, DiaMag24, a 24 pole, 12 coil, single phase, ABS Plastic rotor/stator, magnetic liquid cooled alternator...

http://black-dog-technologies.blogspot.com/2013/12/3d-printer.html

http://black-dog-technologies.blogspot.com/2013/12/3d-printer-2.html

We shall move forward.  Let there be lights...

[Qwert]

Hey, with those 3-D printers, even the best one, one can make only a NON-WORKABLE SCULPTURE, nothing else! The material used is always PLASTIC and nothing else. Can you make a working screwdriver? Unfortunately, you can't. You can make only a plastic sculpture. Only try to unscrew a screw with it. I have no idea, why people consider 3-D printers so "miraculous" machines.

[z.monkey]

Here is an idea for you Quert.

Print the  part, press it into a sand mold, then remove the plastic part, and pour in aluminum.

There is lots of stuff usable as plastic.  Here are some ideas...

https://www.google.com/search?q=3D+printed+examples&client=firefox-a&hs=kVN&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jfGgUumJBaXd2QXwg4A4&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1573&bih=836

[Qwert]

Casting alone is not enough in most mechanisms. For example there is shown a gun; it won't work when made using only casting parts. Most mechanisms require parts which need thermal processing or plasticizing, for example. As I said before: 3-D printer is good for sculpting only. And still requires a lot of knowledge to be useful.

[dieter]

Not agreeing with you, you can do a lot of things much better than with manual tools, eg. a rotor that does not wobble, has snap-in pockets for your magnets, has a nice design, a mix of gothic and alien structure if you like... just copy paste in the modellung app, wysiwyg...
Probably looking better than a test device glued and taped together using some trash.
Watch the EZ spin motor vids of laserhacker on utube, they are printed. Running since two years from a crystal battery.


3D Printers are great for prototyping and a good companion for a CNC mill.


Both however is slow and loud. And a DIY 3D printer sounds like a lot of work that may result in imperfect prints, I'd rather buy one, they became rather cheap.


Regards