Anyone used online 3D printing services

[Onoff]

2 minutes ago, Jeremy Harris said:

 

 

That's what I thought when I saw it, but only because I have a couple of 222s sat on my desk

 

I could have used some of the 8-way 222s earlier.  

 

WACO is a fake brand I found on Aliexpress ?

[Jeremy Harris]

The fake DIN rail mount ones I have are an extremely close copy of a genuine Wago, as far as the lever and mechanism etc goes, but they don't have any brand name marked on them, just the wire size range, voltage and current rating.  The Chinese seem to be pretty damned good at copying this sort of stuff.

[Onoff]

2 minutes ago, Jeremy Harris said:

The fake DIN rail mount ones I have are an extremely close copy of a genuine Wago, as far as the lever and mechanism etc goes, but they don't have any brand name marked on them, just the wire size range, voltage and current rating.  The Chinese seem to be pretty damned good at copying this sort of stuff.

 

Didn't that lad on YouTube test the fakes against the real ones and the fakes went up in flames?

[Onoff]

3D printed masks:

 

https://www.3dnatives.com/en/mask-against-covid-19-180320205/

 

However.....it uses PLACTIVE, PLA impregnated with copper nano particles from a brief read.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Onoff

[Jeremy Harris]

On 18/03/2020 at 19:51, Onoff said:

 

Didn't that lad on YouTube test the fakes against the real ones and the fakes went up in flames?

 

 

Not sure, but droning John Ward stripped apart and tested a variety of these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9JTBTrcDSE

 

They seemed OK, but obviously don't have any approvals, so there's no way I'd use them for anything where they might be taking a high current. 

 

The ones I used were in a wiring centre for our UFH, with most of them being used for 12 VDC very low current signals and a few handling 230 VAC for the programmer, thermostat and pump, so the total current was very low, less than 0.25 A.  The nominal rating marked on the ones I used is 32 A, with a wire capacity range of 0.2mm² to 4mm², but I'd not feel happy running an unknown connector like this at anything close to that current.

 

I opted to use them solely because they made for a fairly neat and easy to wire box (everything to the right of the double earth blocks  and 12 V PSU is 12 VDC) :

 

 

 

[Temp]

Daily mail is a bit slow. I reported on this idea last Tuesday..

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8136299/Doctors-turns-one-ventilator-nine-genius-DIY-mechanics.html

 

[Onoff]

Been hankering after a cordless 36V chainsaw for a while. I already run Makita tools so have the batteries. The Makita twin 18V chainsaws seem to have been climbing in price to around £200 for a bare unit so...

 

Thinking to buy one of these Einhell chainsaws at £120 from CPC:

 

 https://cpc.farnell.com/einhell/ge-lc-36-35-li-solo/36v-chainsaw-bare-unit/dp/SI18644?

 

Then get my lad to print a couple of Makita battery to Einhell tool adapters:

 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2472385

 

Saving about £80 not buying a Makita tool. 

 

Hmmm...

 

 

[scottishjohn]

I bought the oregon cordless at start of my major site clearing operation 

I have to say it has been as good as you really  could expect cutting 14"  sycamore,ash etc --blackthorn not to happy with (hard as hell)

biggest tree a 20+" 60ft sycamore 

I have the 6amp batteries --and they last around 50mins-1hr15,depending on how much you lean on it and what you are cutting -to be honest 2 batteries worth on sloping ground is enough for an old man in a day  

but it is not a direct swop for a petrol saw i have found -- so if garden work,logs on saw horse  --it will be fine

most annoying thing is the anti kick back auto shut off --but maybe just me asking too much of it---but makes it very safe for most users

would I buy again for sensible use -yes-on my third chain

for site clearance -- - NO

[Onoff]

Off down the rabbit hole again!

 

As I think aforementioned, I have a bunch of cheap 18V tools, all different makes, bought on a whim in closing down sales (Focus / Do It All), from Makro etc. I just never use them. Repairing the lawn mower deck and the grinder batteries were just not holding charge.

The Nicad / NimH batteries are a SIMILAR shape and some batteries will fit other tools OK. Others will fit and power the tool but the locking clips that hold the battery in won't line up. Others the + and - terminals are switched but you can put the battery in and turn through 180deg then duct tape it in. Honestly a lot of faffing! Vague plan again to make adapters for all of them to take Makita batteries.

 

And so...

 

Using the ill fated Makita battery to Ferrex tool 3D printed parts (the tool turned out to be duff)  I'm setting about making an adapter for an 18V Rolson grinder. 

 

 

 

[Onoff]

Spent the day CADing up a Makita battery to Rolson ("Quality Tools" ) battery grinder. I did the bit that fits into the Rolson grinder on AutoCAD, my lad modified parts of the Yeggi/Thingiverse Makita to Ferrex battery adapter (that we previously downloaded, designed by A N Other), on Fusion 360. Two parts from there have now become one in Fusion, screw holes filled in, bits extruded and then my/his bit joined together. This will live on the grinder forever more so will be screwed on by discreet screws and hardwired as in soldered to the grinder. Just about to commit to printing in grey PLA. If this works then there's one to do for the jigsaw, circular saw, hedge trimmer etc. All different makes with very similar but not quite the same batteries. The Makita bit will be the same but the base plates all vary. 

 

 

[Onoff]

 

A couple more renders.

It'll be attached to the base of the grinder by 6 of Screwfix's finest 4mm Gold wood screws!

[Onoff]

Best fit yet for the Makita to Marksman/Champion 18V Adapter:





Almost like it was made to fit!

[Onoff]

 

Version 1 of the Makita to Rolson 18V Adapter:




Version 2 of the Makita to Rolson 18V Adapter with 5mm taken off the height:

[Onoff]

I really need to finish the 3D AutoCAD model of the Makita section of the adapter I'm working on.

At the moment my lad has it as a .STL(downloaded originally from Yeggi etc) and he works on it in Fusion 360. As I understand it it's a "mesh".

When he mods it it seems a damned sight harder than I could do it in AutoCAD. Case in point below I had him fill in corner holes on the original - they're not perfect. The top "skin" pretty much covers this but it bugs me it's not perfect.

He does too have a tendency to move bits around to "near enough" whereas I'm all for snapping to midpoint, quadrants, ends of lines etc. I'm getting more anal the older I get like Mr Meldrew!

 

 

[Onoff]

I've bought an Einhell 36V chainsaw from Amazon Germany:

 

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07FD8BK2D/ref=pe_3044161_185740101_TE_item

 

Going to print a couple of battery adapters to use Makita batteries on it.

[Onoff]

And so to the battery connectors! This for the Makita To Rolson 18V Adapter.

All I could find in the way of Zintec (without looking too hard) was some galvanised trunking lid. Think it's about 1mm. I'd measure it but both Verniers are in the truck and I can't face going and getting them then disinfecting them as I have been doing with everything when I get in from site!

Held it in mole grips and cut freehand with the 115mm grinder and 1mm slitting discs. Bent in the vice. (Complete with marks!)



Connectors in:



10mm left sticking up for spade connectors to go onto:

Tomorrow's job along with opening the grinder up and soldering leads on. Beer o'clock now.

 

 

[Onoff]

 

I'm looking for something suitable to fit into the back of the adapter like this, to keep an eye on the state of the Li-ion battery I don't want it on all the time just when I press a button. Any thoughts? 

 

Cheers.

[PeterW]

30 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

I'm looking for something suitable to fit into the back of the adapter like this, to keep an eye on the state of the Li-ion battery I don't want it on all the time just when I press a button. Any thoughts? 

 

Cheers.
 

The Makita batteries have battery level monitors don’t they ..? Or at least mine do..?

[Onoff]

2 minutes ago, PeterW said:

The Makita batteries have battery level monitors don’t they ..? Or at least mine do..?

 

My batteries are older 3Ah clones without level monitors and I might add without the * sign.

 

My understanding of the "new" Makita tools are that its something to do with the 3rd pin that switches the tool off if the voltage falls too low. 

 

 

[Onoff]

Not screwed on or wired but this is the finished, common, Makita To Marksman/Champion 18V Adapter. Turned out rather well I think:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Temp]

Here is my first attempt at a One Button radio for a relative with dementia. It works but still needs a few tweaks. The top hinges up to provide access to the normal buttons. I need to add a catch so it's not quite so easy to flip up the top and mess with the settings.

 

[Onoff]

5 minutes ago, Temp said:

Here is my first attempt at a One Button radio for a relative with dementia. It works but still needs a few tweaks. The top hinges up to provide access to the normal buttons. I need to add a catch so it's not quite so easy to flip up the top and mess with the settings.

 

 

Lovely finish. What material.

 

Can't help thinking we're doing something wrong here. The print quality imo isn't ever what you'd ever call great. Ours is an Anycubic i3 Mega S. Can't help wondering if we'd have been better getting an Ender 3. Mate has one and his prints look so much better.

[Temp]

3 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

I'm looking for something suitable to fit into the back of the adapter like this, to keep an eye on the state of the Li-ion battery I don't want it on all the time just when I press a button. Any thoughts? 

 

Cheers.

 

Skip to 3:45 in this YouTube video. Says you can press button to turn on/off....

 

 

[Temp]

4 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

Lovely finish. What material.

 

Can't help thinking we're doing something wrong here. The print quality imo isn't ever what you'd ever call great. Ours is an Anycubic i3 Mega S. Can't help wondering if we'd have been better getting an Ender 3. Mate has one and his prints look so much better.

 

I find print quality varies quite a lot. Rounded edges are also worse than beveled because of the layer/contour lines. This time I printed it with fast/low quality settings and then sanded and painted the top. I used Acrylic spray paint from Wickes. Works well but the cans are a bit big/expensive for a one off. 

 

Some people go in for "smoothing" using Acetone vapour dipping but I've not tried that. Google smoothing 3D prints or see YouTube video.

[Onoff]

@Temp, did you "iron" the top that radio box lid when you printed it? Looks do much smoother that what we're achieving.

 

EDIT: You SPRAYED it! ?

Edited April 3, 2020 by Onoff