[SML] 3D printing

[Jerry Durand]

I have printers #6 & 7 here, both Artillery (X1 Plus and X4 Plus).

3D printers will go well with a fixer of things that break.  They break 
in strange ways at times.  One of mine just simultaneously had the 
nozzle come loose with plastic oozing out where it shouldn't and the 
power switch won't turn off.

There are definitely cheaper printers on the market, for a first printer 
get something decent but not too fancy.

You will need to know 3D CAD.  I've switched from a couple of decades of 
TurboCAD to FreeCAD.  The current version of FreeCAD works pretty well, 
but you have to get used to the way it thinks. Every part will be built 
up in many steps, but then you can go back and change any previous step 
and have that propagate to the last one.

I like PETG plastic, it doesn't have the toxic fumes of others and 
prints well, but there's more colors in PLA.  PLA will die of old age on 
the spool so don't buy ahead.  I have had that happen from time to time, 
I have a spool now that's cracking and falling off in pieces.

On 13-Nov-25 17:29, Dan Sheehan via Stagecraft wrote:
> A bit off track,
> but seeking info about getting started (from zero)  in 3D printing
>  (for a 10-yer-old granddaughter, as well as myself)
>
> -- 
> ...Dan Sheehan
> Fixer of things that break
> TD Walpole (MA) Footlighters
> *****"Four wheel drive enables you to get stuck farther away from help"*
>
>
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