Last Xmas I got a 3D printer.. I used it for some Random things like a little shop organizer and wall mounted ski rack…. Wondering what creative ways you guys have put a 3D printer to use in your shops.. some thoughts I had - edge bending tool? Layup alignment jig? Marquetry stencils? Idk
It feels like there’s plenty of potential, but I haven’t done anything useful with it yet and I’m aware there will be limitations.. pla isn’t exactly heat resistant. I think it deforms at around 50 deg. C. And plastic isn’t exactly a strong material either.
Anyway, I thought it’d be interesting to start a conversation around what you guys are doing with your printers.
Printing sidewalls or tip/tail spacers from some tough TPU filament would be an interesting experiment. BASF makes a 95A hardness TPU filament that might be suitable.
wow printing sidewalls would be interesting! I usually pour them but if they were printed that'd be way less messy and it'd be easier to get the color right (compared to mixing dye). my printer isn't multi-color but a color one could do cool designs in the sidewall too...
I usually just do sidewall all the way around and skip the plastic tip / tail material (the core extends into the tip and tail). don't know if that's a bad thing but the skis seem to be holding up fine
Chris - agreed with the seams. Also it’d take a very very long time to print all that sidewall. I question the practicality of doing it that way even if seams somehow weren’t an issue.
Pre-cnc I 3D printed some molds for vacuum pressing. The molds held up fine under vacuum and I was able to get some decent skateboard decks pressed with the printed molds (veneer layers with wood glue). I gave it a try with a ski mold and it was fine under pressure, but predictably failed once I introduced heat. Could be a decent option for people who are vacuum pressing without utilizing heat for their epoxy.
