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3D Printing of Parts


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I was just wondering if anyone has ever had parts they were unable to source replicated by someone through a 3D printer? Is it only for reasonable sized items or can you get much smaller items replicated with fine accuracy as well? There are some small brown plastic rings that serve as a low fiction washer between the lock barrel and the door handle on Mk2 Escorts and Mk3 Cortinas. These plastic rings deteriorate very easily and will fall away in bits inside your door. The lock barrels are then able to move around more than they should, generally moving deeper into the handle. I still have a lone new one and I thought if the 3D process was accurate enough to whip a batch of them up? Most of the 3D printing I have seen in videos has been chunky and rough.

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i see 1 for the first time about a month ago at wisbech engineering making replacement bonnet pull catches for  the late focus st to replace the silly key arrangement in the grill and yes looks a worthwhile investment

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I've had stuff 3D printed before, but not for car parts. Rather boat / yacht parts and even a large scale yacht model for wind tunnel testing, intricate parts being added / modified to check the effect on the helideck landing area.

The printing process is pretty straight forward, it's choosing the right material to get it printed from and getting a 3D CAD drawing or accurate 3D scan of the original part that's important.

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I haven't seen any proper professional places that do it yet just the novelty one at Officeworks. I'm even wondering if I should get them made in bronze. I had the brake tower and pedal bushes done in that with success.

53 minutes ago, dt36 said:

I think it was Wheeler Dealers had a Capri sunroof part 3D printed in the latest series. It looked good and worked perfectly. 

I did see that episode. I wasnt sure if something as fine as this would work as well though.

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If it is as you describe - a washer? - then turn it up on a lathe in plastic or metal ? By the time you cad/cam it up, upload it to the printer and make one, your machinist will have 10 waiting for you. But for things that have 3d detail, hollows, reverse curves etc. then the printed plastic is an option - certain metals are now becoming an option! There is a limit to the 'smoothness' of the finished parts with plastic, as the nozzles can only be so fine before clogging occurs.

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Yes given how long these have been around for now, relatively little seems to have found its way onto the classic car market as yet. As mentioned I guess its lot to do with choosing and finding the correct materials and set up/programming time.

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13 hours ago, katana said:

If it is as you describe - a washer? - then turn it up on a lathe in plastic or metal ? By the time you cad/cam it up, upload it to the printer and make one, your machinist will have 10 waiting for you. But for things that have 3d detail, hollows, reverse curves etc. then the printed plastic is an option - certain metals are now becoming an option! There is a limit to the 'smoothness' of the finished parts with plastic, as the nozzles can only be so fine before clogging occurs.

Yes I could only describe it as a washer in its basic form and function but just like you mentioned it has hollows on one side and and tapered curves on the other. So while it is a washer as such  its a carefully sculptured one to prevent the locking barrel moving about as you turn the key. Looking at the photos I took today enlarged it may not be possible for a machinist to replicate.

HandleWasher1.thumb.jpg.879561b263961d06084029ef443e116e.jpg

HandleWasher2.thumb.jpg.5ca4d9ddae07bb106c8ea8e9c66ac63d.jpg

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13 hours ago, stephens_xpack said:

Should be used for lots of things to help save waste.

Take this young lady for example, wasting all these hotdogs - be much more environmentally friendly and less wasteful if she had re-usable hotdogs from a 3D printer.......

2ey9vs5.jpg

This premise could be argued that there is just as little biomatter and just as much plastic in real hotdogs to a 3D printed one. I suspect they have been 3D printed all along! (Without doubt the 7 Eleven ones are)

Just out of curiosity is hotdog face flinging some kind of fetish or something or just an American thing we arent meant to understand?

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3 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

 Looking at the photos I took today enlarged it may not be possible for a machinist to replicate.

HandleWasher1.thumb.jpg.879561b263961d06084029ef443e116e.jpg

HandleWasher2.thumb.jpg.5ca4d9ddae07bb106c8ea8e9c66ac63d.jpg

That really isn't a complex part! Depending on the cross section profile there are only about 5 or 6 operations on a lathe and another 2 to cut the squared shouldered and the half round slots on a mill. Given the potential size, it could be 3d printed but I don't think you would get crisp edges / corners in the slots (subject to print orientation!)

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1 hour ago, katana said:

That really isn't a complex part! Depending on the cross section profile there are only about 5 or 6 operations on a lathe and another 2 to cut the squared shouldered and the half round slots on a mill. Given the potential size, it could be 3d printed but I don't think you would get crisp edges / corners in the slots (subject to print orientation!)

It was not so much the complexity on its own as such but how small it is and how difficult it would be to achieve the grooves and curves on such a tiny item. I didn't realise myself it was even shaped like that until I magnified it. If you think its not that big a task then I will ask the guy who did my brake bushes and see what he says

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14 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

This premise could be argued that there is just as little biomatter and just as much plastic in real hotdogs to a 3D printed one. I suspect they have been 3D printed all along! (Without doubt the 7 Eleven ones are)

Just out of curiosity is hotdog face flinging some kind of fetish or something or just an American thing we arent meant to understand?

I think it is just a unique type of hotdog flinging alarm clock, obviously you have to be well into hotdogs to feel the need for one, but each to their own and all that.

Personally I'd prefer a teas made, but non-flinging due to the hot tea.....:mrgreen:

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10 hours ago, stephens_xpack said:

I think it is just a unique type of hotdog flinging alarm clock, obviously you have to be well into hotdogs to feel the need for one, but each to their own and all that.

Personally I'd prefer a teas made, but non-flinging due to the hot tea.....:mrgreen:

I never considered an Hot Dog alarm clock! Only in America though. Definitely a hot tea clock wouldn't work that's probably why the British are more the brass carriage clock types. In Australia we dont use clocks at all, we just rely on the barman for last call.

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  • 2 months later...

I've successfully 3D printed an adaptor to go between my speedo drive and the clock on the dash. The cable had previously been hacked and held on with tape...now it's a snug fit with a small machine screw securing it. Also printed the grille shown here to go in my bonnet vent. It's held in with Tigerseal and seems to be holding up even in this weather!

IMG-5855.JPG

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  • 2 weeks later...

Can you sand this 3D printed materials? I ask because a guy has produced some replica Mk1 air vents. The earlier style which you cant seem to find in mind condition. The 3D printing has a very unsightly finish to it but was wondering if it could be sanded and finished to a more realistic standard?

3Dvent.thumb.jpg.8364121c8d7214c864caaa9fca893bfd.jpg

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2 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

Can you sand this 3D printed materials? I ask because a guy has produced some replica Mk1 air vents. The earlier style which you cant seem to find in mind condition. The 3D printing has a very unsightly finish to it but was wondering if it could be sanded and finished to a more realistic standard?

3Dvent.thumb.jpg.8364121c8d7214c864caaa9fca893bfd.jpg

Yes 3D prints can be sanded pretty well, PLA at least any way, ABS is a touch more difficult. The ash tray holder in my MK1 Escort had all of its corners chipped off. You can get re-productions for about £30 on Ebay, which seemed a little steep to me, and I hate the little metal clip that holds it into place. I designed and printed a new unit that kind of self clamps itself to the centre console without added hardware. Sanded it and spray painted it satin black and honestly you wouldn't know the difference. I haven't got any pictures on the PC however. I have also printed some custom GT style centre caps, which I do have pictures of. I didn't do them to as high of a standard because they are on the wheel and will be getting hit by chippings and debris from the road, but are still pretty effective. 

48493956142_b0764565b2_k.jpg

48493796551_932a4dc261_k.jpg

 

On this note, if anyone can think of any hard to find parts, like the air vent above, that would benefit from being reproduced, I'm always keen to take on a new challenge!

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1 hour ago, dt36 said:

Perhaps a hydrodip will give them a smooth finish. 

20160429_170744~2.jpg

Does that stuff cover rough surfaces to smooth them out? I can get the early vents that are in rough condition and thought of using plastic filler and sanding them up. If they can be dipped in all black it should simply look like new wouldn't it?

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4 hours ago, Daniel13 said:

Yes 3D prints can be sanded pretty well, PLA at least any way, ABS is a touch more difficult. The ash tray holder in my MK1 Escort had all of its corners chipped off. You can get re-productions for about £30 on Ebay, which seemed a little steep to me, and I hate the little metal clip that holds it into place. I designed and printed a new unit that kind of self clamps itself to the centre console without added hardware. Sanded it and spray painted it satin black and honestly you wouldn't know the difference. I haven't got any pictures on the PC however. I have also printed some custom GT style centre caps, which I do have pictures of. I didn't do them to as high of a standard because they are on the wheel and will be getting hit by chippings and debris from the road, but are still pretty effective. 

48493956142_b0764565b2_k.jpg

On this note, if anyone can think of any hard to find parts, like the air vent above, that would benefit from being reproduced, I'm always keen to take on a new challenge!

Your printing doesn't seem as jagged or rough as the vent I have pictured. Is something like that too complex to get a smooth finish or is it just the quality of the printer and materials used?

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