I stared with TinkerCAD for about a year and actually got quite good at it, then went to Fusion when TinkerCAD just could not do what I wanted. For me, the change in how you have to think about your design and how you build it between the two made the change hard. I kept giving up on Fusion and going back to TC because I found unlearning my bad habits frustrating. I would recommend that you go straight to Fusion or a similar tool unless you are making very simple designs and never see the need for more than TinkerCAD.
What have you 3D printed for your TJ?
- Thread starter chimmike
- Start date
I was waiting on the Black Friday sale to buy an H2D and accessories. Then, I found out about the H2C that's coming. It may be a mistake to wait (it could be late or a POS), but I've decided to wait for that one, which supposedly has a 4Q25 release date. In the meantime, I ordered four AMS HTs and five filaments to hold onto until I actually buy a printer. Crazy? Yeah, probably...
I print in polycarbonate almost exclusively. Pure polycarbonate will survive under-hood temperatures and even engine coolant temperatures to a limited degree. Polycarbonate blends will usually work fine in areas under the hood far from heat sources.
In the cabin or outside, ASA is usually fine. PLA tends to be very brittle and weak. PETG may work for some things.
As to if that printer will work, you’d have to look at the specifications. Pure PC requires a nozzle temp about 315C, a bed temperature in the 140C range, and a heated chamber in the 70-80C range. ASA is much lower; I think it only requires around 275C nozzle and 110C bed. (PC blends are usually only about 10C higher than that.) With ASA a passively heated chamber might work for some parts.
i printed my fairlead license plate holder in PETG and it has held up fine through all of summer and at highway speeds
This popped up and I figured some of you may enjoy it, maybe get some ideas.
JammedJeep
New Member
Its a shame he didn't test anything actually useful. I've got a few 3d printed tools that I use on the regular. One being a vice I designed for PCB holding and other delicate workholding. I've also been toying with press brake dies and sheetmetal forming dies. That stuff gets fun.
The guy also seemed to only use PLA and PETG, there’s much more capable materials out there.
Glad I posted him though or I wouldn't have known about the video you posted.
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Had I not seen that with my own eyes, I'd have called B.S. on the idea of plastic dies. My personal bias resulted in a closed mind that's now a bit more open! Thanks for posting that.
Edited to ad: App, I know - if I'd buy that 3D printer, I could try custom die stamping!
DeltaNu1142
TJ Enthusiast
I'm sure I'm not helping by saying this, but I've learned that all the time I've not had a printer after learning how to use one is just lost opportunity/money. I had an Ender 3 and printed a ton of useful gear and tools, and then went like 3-4 years without anything. Then I got the Bambu Labs A1, which is like moving from a tractor to an exotic car... but without all the pricey maintenance. This thing f$%ks, and I can whip out tools and solutions that would either cost me a quarter to a half of what I paid for the printer--or simply don't exist--for an hour of design time and literal cents of filament.
A 3D printer has become an absolutely essential tool to me.
Just f#&king buy it man.
EDIT: I also have a Beemer... a two-wheeled one. I designed up a oil drain tube that solves the nasty problem of filling up the skid plate with used oil when you pull the drain plug. Took me a couple of hours. I put it up on ADVRider.com just to show off what I came up with and a guy offered me $100 for one. I sent him two because, well, it only cost me an extra $0.20 and I would have felt dirty otherwise.
I have to admit that’s impressive, but you certainly won’t catch me sliding under any vehicle supported by 3D printed jackstands!
Santa Clause reached out to me this week looking for ideas for Christmas, and based on where I've posted this you know what I'm thinking.
Since there are many members here with experience and expertise, I'm looking for recommendations for a good setup for me to get started in 3D printing.
I'm looking for something which would be easy for a newbie, but I am not looking for an entry level setup. From what little I know, I'm thinking multi-Color, heated enclosure, heated bed, decent capacity, capable of using advanced (meaning durable) filaments, and easy access to filaments. Cost is a consideration, but nowhere near the top of the list.
I'm also looking for thoughts on modeling software to get into and learn. I currently use Sketchup-Pro for woodworking and furniture making, and am fairly proficient, but I know I will need to get into something like Fusion for this purpose. I'd also like some insight from those who use these platforms as to whether or not they would work as well for furniture making. I currently pay for Sketchup, but I'd like to consolidate and remain on one platform if possible. In the back of my mind, I'm always thinking about adding a plasma table to the shop, so acquiring and learning a modeling platform will help there as well.
I'm looking forward to your collective thoughts. Thanks in advance.
Edit: I will not be printing jack stands...
Since there are many members here with experience and expertise, I'm looking for recommendations for a good setup for me to get started in 3D printing.
I'm looking for something which would be easy for a newbie, but I am not looking for an entry level setup. From what little I know, I'm thinking multi-Color, heated enclosure, heated bed, decent capacity, capable of using advanced (meaning durable) filaments, and easy access to filaments. Cost is a consideration, but nowhere near the top of the list.
I'm also looking for thoughts on modeling software to get into and learn. I currently use Sketchup-Pro for woodworking and furniture making, and am fairly proficient, but I know I will need to get into something like Fusion for this purpose. I'd also like some insight from those who use these platforms as to whether or not they would work as well for furniture making. I currently pay for Sketchup, but I'd like to consolidate and remain on one platform if possible. In the back of my mind, I'm always thinking about adding a plasma table to the shop, so acquiring and learning a modeling platform will help there as well.
I'm looking forward to your collective thoughts. Thanks in advance.
Edit: I will not be printing jack stands...
Santa Clause reached out to me this week looking for ideas for Christmas, and based on where I've posted this you know what I'm thinking.
Since there are many members here with experience and expertise, I'm looking for recommendations for a good setup for me to get started in 3D printing.
I'm looking for something which would be easy for a newbie, but I am not looking for an entry level setup. From what little I know, I'm thinking multi-Color, heated enclosure, heated bed, decent capacity, capable of using advanced (meaning durable) filaments, and easy access to filaments. Cost is a consideration, but nowhere near the top of the list.
I'm also looking for thoughts on modeling software to get into and learn. I currently use Sketchup-Pro for woodworking and furniture making, and am fairly proficient, but I know I will need to get into something like Fusion for this purpose. I'd also like some insight from those who use these platforms as to whether or not they would work as well for furniture making. I currently pay for Sketchup, but I'd like to consolidate and remain on one platform if possible. In the back of my mind, I'm always thinking about adding a plasma table to the shop, so acquiring and learning a modeling platform will help there as well.
I'm looking forward to your collective thoughts. Thanks in advance.
Edit: I will not be printing jack stands...
Why do I feel like something like this is more up your alley?
Markforged Metal X 3D Printer: Complete Solution for Metal 3D Printing – Wurth Additive Group https://share.google/oJ6rGGnyHXvfeDDLO
It's really hard to argue against Bambu right now (the big negative is that they are a Chinese company, which brings with it some baggage that you may or may not care about). Of course you can keep it offline to avoid the "phoning home".
If you care about avoiding a Chinese company, there's Prusa - which is nearly every bit as good and run a lot more open than Bambu. Their big one is the Core One L. I would love to buy prusa for the principal, but they don't have as good of a multi material story so far (theirs is called the MMU) and typically they're more premium priced since they do everything in the EU. They do have a cool one that can have up to 5 heads, but that's pushing $4k or so last I looked.
If I were to buy a Bambu today, it would be the H2D. It's $2k, but does all that and has the volume (350mm x 320mm x 325mm) for larger scale prints (and you can add on laser cutting support if you don't order it with that already). You could jump down to the H2S instead, which is around $1500 but doesn't have a second nozzle (but you can still do multi-material via AMS, it's just the older way that purges filament swaps and adds a little time to the print, not a big deal unless you swap colors regularly).
If you want to buy twice and just dip your toes in for "cheap", you could just go entry level with a P1S or X1C, but they are the outgoing previous generation (granted sub $800 or so with AMS). I would avoid the A1 for what you want to do, since you really couldn't do a lot of the more exotic filaments and it would definitely require an upgrade eventually.
I have an X1C and an A1 (and bought my son an A1 mini for Christmas this year) - and really have no need to upgrade yet, so the X1C is still a great machine that is very capable.
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