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Johnny’s Grand 1/72 launch vehicle build extravaganza


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Thanks Manfred, I am really anxious to for it to arrive.  Being able to print my own parts will be super nice and I will surely go through tons of resin.  I can't wait.

I've made a little progress modeling the fairings.  Still need to address a few details and sort some inaccuracies, but we're coming along at a pretty fair clip.
 

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The printer should be arriving this week, needless to say I'm starting to get very excited.  The term "game changer" keeps popping into my head.  Let's hope it's just that.

 

Got the fins and the new tie down parts modeled.  That just leaves the aft heat shield that I need to re-work for the new F-1 engines.  There's a lot of stuff yet to do.

 

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I've been digging through every resource possible, taking copious notes.  Hadn't heard of the FB group, I'll definitely check that out.

 

I figure I'll start out with something rather simple and build on that.  Probably these guys.

 

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S-IVB APS units

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The Photon arrived yesterday.  Really only had time to pull it out of the box and check out the contents.  For the price, the build quality is amazing. 

 

For whatever reason I thought these came with a 500ml bottle of resin – this one didn't.  Just ordered a bottle of grey from Amazon, so maybe by this weekend I can start messing around with this thing. 

 

img_1994.jpg

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9 hours ago, johnlove_mk_II said:

The Photon arrived yesterday.  Really only had time to pull it out of the box and check out the contents.  For the price, the build quality is amazing. 

 

For whatever reason I thought these came with a 500ml bottle of resin – this one didn't.  Just ordered a bottle of grey from Amazon, so maybe by this weekend I can start messing around with this thing. 

 

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Mine came with a 250ml bottle.
Shop around for resin. They vary do get expensive at times.
this resin is popular with some. Amazon wont post this to Australia so I've not tried it.
https://www.amazon.com/Blu-Strong-Precise-Resolution-Printing/dp/B07X84C2FW

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No.1 one issue people seem to have with the photon is zeroing the build plate. There are videos on youtube showing the paper method which I use.
 

Also many users have sanded the build plate. They are not always the flattest they should be.

 

Resin smells so I suggest keeping in either in the garage or a well ventilated room. Again some go to extreme lengths to reduce smell with building extraction systems.

 

You can leave resin in the vat after each print. The only time I remove resin is if I had a fail which requires removing prints that are stuck to the FEP.
Always strain the resin if you put it back in the bottle. I bought a stainless steel coffee strainer for that.

Remember the LCD screen is considered a consumable. You will replace it and the glass sooner or later. Spares are found on Evilbay pretty cheap. As is FEP.

Hope I've given you some info you were not aware of?

Happy printing.

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8 hours ago, crackerjazz said:

Looking forward to see how the prints turn out, John. Really curious to see how the quality compares to Shapeways-printed parts.

I used to print on Shapeways. they use deposition printers which is different to how DLP works. 
2 issues with shapeways is cost and materials they offer. Most print in their nylon which is hard to print.

The photon is capable of extreme detail in a material that takes paint well. But resin parts often require a lot of post print clean up to remove the supports.

 

I have uploaded parts to Shapeways to see how much they cost compared to owning a photon.
They want $20 to print a part I can do for cents. 

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8 hours ago, Aussie-Pete said:

 ...resin parts often require a lot of post print clean up to remove the supports.

 

Googled up some images and I see they look like tons of sticks underneath the object.  Do you have to design those as well or does the software that comes with it do that automatically for you?  Does cleanup mean just cutting those off and sanding down -- but no need for any wax cleanup that's normally required for Shapeways parts?   And do they take to sanding well?

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2 hours ago, crackerjazz said:

 

Googled up some images and I see they look like tons of sticks underneath the object.  Do you have to design those as well or does the software that comes with it do that automatically for you?  Does cleanup mean just cutting those off and sanding down -- but no need for any wax cleanup that's normally required for Shapeways parts?   And do they take to sanding well?

Software determines where it thinks supports should go. Often too many and you can edit them out or add more.
Yes you have to remove with side cutters and sand to shape. Some models can be printed without supports. depends on what over hangs the model has. 

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13 hours ago, Aussie-Pete said:

I used to print on Shapeways. they use deposition printers which is different to how DLP works. 
2 issues with shapeways is cost and materials they offer. Most print in their nylon which is hard to print.

The photon is capable of extreme detail in a material that takes paint well. But resin parts often require a lot of post print clean up to remove the supports.

 

I have uploaded parts to Shapeways to see how much they cost compared to owning a photon.
They want $20 to print a part I can do for cents. 

 

This is precisely the reason I decided to just go ahead and bite the bullet and buy a printer.  Relying on Shapeways' ever-changing production policies and pricing has always put me off.  I know they're a business but it seems that if you make it increasingly more difficult for your customers to afford and utilize your product, you might be doing something incorrectly.  Now that I can produce my own stuff all that stands in the way is consumable costs and time.  It's very liberating.

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Thanks!  The parts I'm planning to have Shapeways print cost as much as a printer, many times over, so getting one is definitely a good idea.  And home-printed parts nowadays are nice and smooth, from what I see.   Or is it just my vision going, haha.  But, seriously, their textures are a far cry from the surface finish of my 2014 Shapeways prints so I'm getting all excited.  And I'm excited for you, too, John.  Looking forward to your rocket-printing adventures.

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By the way, it looks like 3D printers nowadays can even hollow-out your model for you to save on resin,  or even scale it up or down, which is great if you don't have access to the original 3D file.  Is it the same for the Anycubic Photon?

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54 minutes ago, crackerjazz said:

By the way, it looks like 3D printers nowadays can even hollow-out your model for you to save on resin,  or even scale it up or down, which is great if you don't have access to the original 3D file.  Is it the same for the Anycubic Photon?

Hollowing is done via to slicing software if you have a solid model. You can determine wall thickness.
But if you are going to buy a resin printer I would suggest even doing your own models. There is plenty of 3D software out there and much of it is free.
I use Fusion360 which is free for home use.

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A bottle of isopropyl alcohol! My kingdom for a bottle of isopropyl alcohol!

 

I'm still collecting some of the sundry items needed to start printing and I've found that a simple bottle of alcohol is a very hard item to procure.  That and extra gloves.  Seems there may be a pandemic ongoing.

 

Meanwhile I've been digging into the ChiTuBox slicing software.  It seems to be a little more robust than the supplied AnyCubic software.  I've just be messing around adding stl files and running through all the options.  I'm sure when I actual start printing it will be somewhat of a trial and error sort of ordeal.

 

screen-shot-2020-05-28-at-9.48.47-am.png

Messing around with a 1/48 J-2 engine bell.  Hey look, SUPPORTS!

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That might actually be the better way.  I think the reason most print at angles is to mitigate some of the vacuum created when the build plate is moving up and down in the resin.

 

This article,  though about wargaming, seems to be a pretty good reference to some of the ins and outs. I keep referring to it ...  and this thread here in our very own form.

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Yes, to me, figuring the best orientation to minimize supports AND not get the dreaded vacuum suction on parts is probably the hardest thing to master. Maybe for some they just "get it" and have no issues but seems like I am always fighting it. On that bell I'd maybe suggest nozzle down BUT still kicked at a slight angle. Seems like clearing supports from the inside of the bell would be easier to hide issues than on the outside face. I designed and printed some skirts just like the ones you have, albeit mine aren't NEARLY as detailed and pretty as yours came out. Greeat work on this all around so far!

 

Bill

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5 hours ago, johnlove_mk_II said:

A bottle of isopropyl alcohol! My kingdom for a bottle of isopropyl alcohol!

 

I'm still collecting some of the sundry items needed to start printing and I've found that a simple bottle of alcohol is a very hard item to procure.  That and extra gloves.  Seems there may be a pandemic ongoing.

 

Meanwhile I've been digging into the ChiTuBox slicing software.  It seems to be a little more robust than the supplied AnyCubic software.  I've just be messing around adding stl files and running through all the options.  I'm sure when I actual start printing it will be somewhat of a trial and error sort of ordeal.

 

screen-shot-2020-05-28-at-9.48.47-am.png

Messing around with a 1/48 J-2 engine bell.  Hey look, SUPPORTS!

No
This is going to need a lot of clean up.
Engine bells I always print sitting flat on the botton. You put supports all the way around. but needs none insideand use large or medium

 

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On 5/22/2020 at 9:26 AM, Aussie-Pete said:

 

 

 

 

On 5/22/2020 at 9:26 AM, Aussie-Pete said:

Resin smells so I suggest keeping in either in the garage or a well ventilated room. Again some go to extreme lengths to reduce smell with building extraction systems.

 

There is the Anycubic Plant-based UV Resin, which is meant to be low odour...

 

https://www.anycubic.com/products/anycubic-plant-based-uv-resin

 

 

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1 hour ago, Peter Browne said:

 

 

There is the Anycubic Plant-based UV Resin, which is meant to be low odour...

 

https://www.anycubic.com/products/anycubic-plant-based-uv-resin

 

 

Yes I have used it and it was good but try finding it? I searched high and low and had to go back to the old resin.
There are other companies making eco resin too.

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