148 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

 

 

Bisque ceramic tile. It's what drew uses.

 

Yup.

 

 

Guess I'll be spending some time rethinking my designs.  Thanks for posting this!  

 

Do you custom cut your tile pieces or get them precut?  I see a bunch off sizes when I look around.

 

 

Usually they come in a standard 4" x 4" size. I cut the tiles into the size and shape i need.

[noebl1]

 

Guess I'll be spending some time rethinking my designs.  Thanks for posting this!  

 

 

 

Do you custom cut your tile pieces or get them precut?  I see a bunch off sizes when I look around.

 

 

Usually they come in a standard 4" x 4" size. I cut the tiles into the size and shape i need.

 

 

Thank you!  I picked up a few random sizes, however I think the 4x4" as you suggested is the most cost effective.  I picked up some diamond hole says to cut them as well.  Hoping to find a size that works, and then update the 3D designs to the tile sizes once cut.   

 

Cutting the tile reminds me a bit of the days when I used to cut holes in fish tanks.  My favorite/most stressful was drilling out my 75G tank, with fish and corals in it already to add a sump...  that was an adventure and actually went according to plan

[dspdrew]

[VoidElecent]

 

 

 

 

Made some new designs (trying a new hydration system out):

 

 

What exactly are you planning to do with those big holes for hydration? I assume you are going to stuff them with cotton and fill it up with water, but what's creating a vacuum to keep the water from draining out? Also, cotton will spoil fast and be a pain to change often (you have to move out the entire colony). Add fillets to your tube connections for extra structural support and ease of tube installation.

 

 

Yeah, I was planning on the cotton ball route but you bring up a good point. I'm also considering lodging some wire mesh in the holes and testing that out as an alternative. Sorry, still new to this 3d printing thing, what do you mean by fillet?

 

 

A fillet is a curved or rounded off edge. A chamfer is a straight cut off an edge, for example you shave down a 90 degree angle to 45 degrees. A fillet on the inner edge around the formicarium and nest wall will improve structural strength because it thickens the edge where your tube connection sticks out. Another around the outside edge of the tube adapter also allows a tube to slide on easier because its a rounded edge and stretches over the curve as it's slid on.

 

 

Do you have an example of fillets on the tube connectors?

[noebl1]

Started experimenting with cutting tiles (thanks @dspdrew!), now need to figure out how to cut them cleaner.  I adjusted this hybrid dirt formicarium a bit that I plan to use for my Ponera queen.  Within the circle will go the tile I cut, and a sponge underneath for hydration. The bottom is a bit wider to account for not so perfect cuts. I'll then cover the top with a mixture of coconut fiber, bit of sand, etc.  The top (where the red trim tabs are), will be a 3x4" piece of glass for the top.  About a 3.2mm gap between the inner level and the glass; hoping enough ants can move around, but can observe them digging from above.  Haven't decided at the hole size yet; again a WIP/prototype/experiment:

 

 

 

@dspdrew any tips on cleaner cuts? I used a drill press, some decent diamond bits, and took my time:

 

[Kevin]

I've created a small tutorial/explanation video on chamfers, edges, and fillets in 3D designs and how you can use them for you formicaria @VoidElecent. Forgive any background noise, I had a printer running it while recording. I stuttered a little bit haha, but the video serves its purpose well.

 

 

 

@dspdrew any tips on cleaner cuts? I used a drill press, some decent diamond bits, and took my time:

 

 

Regarding cleaner cuts, all I can say is make sure your press is balanced and spinning very straight. You will never get them perfect, they work just as well a little chipped up and messy than perfectly cut. You also don't need your tile that big, it can be probably less than half that size.

Edited by Kevin, February 11 2018 - 5:37 PM.

[noebl1]

Regarding cleaner cuts, all I can say is make sure your press is balanced and spinning very straight. You will never get them perfect, they work just as well a little chipped up and messy than perfectly cut. You also don't need your tile that big, it can be probably less than half that size.

 

Thanks, really appreciate the feedback!  Got a handful of bits to adjust the size; wasn't sure with this ground dwelling species how big/small to make it.

 

EDIT:

My quick test print a bit snug, but seems to work, now to adjust the tile smaller this week:

Edited by noebl1, February 11 2018 - 6:06 PM.

[VoidElecent]

I've created a small tutorial/explanation video on chamfers, edges, and fillets in 3D designs and how you can use them for you formicaria @VoidElecent. Forgive any background noise, I had a printer running it while recording. I stuttered a little bit haha, but the video serves its purpose well.

 

 

Really awesome, Kev. Loved the video— cleared up a lot. I think I like chamfers more, they look better to me.

 

What software are you using?

[Kevin]

Oops, I forgot to mention it. AutoDesk Fusion 360 - you can get a few years of it free with a student license, which just consists of checking a box claiming you are a student.

Edited by Kevin, February 12 2018 - 3:21 AM.

[drtrmiller]

I've created a small tutorial/explanation video on chamfers, edges, and fillets in 3D designs and how you can use them for you formicaria @VoidElecent. Forgive any background noise, I had a printer running it while recording. I stuttered a little bit haha, but the video serves its purpose well.

 

Because FDM prints are considered anisotropic, printing orientation would have a greater effect on strength than additional material around a male connector.

 

Here's a good blog post explaining the topic:  https://formlabs.com...LA-3D-printing/

 

That said, materials like PLA, HIPS, and ABS are generally poorly suited for fragile features like this male connector.  A semi-flexible material with higher inter-fiber bonding strength such as Ninjaflex Armadillo may be more resilient for such a part feature.

[Kevin]

Because FDM prints are considered anisotropic, printing orientation would have a greater effect on strength than additional material around a male connector.

 

That is very true, and it does have a larger effect than extra material. I completely forgot about orientation. A better reason to use fillets or chamfers would be overhangs - you can print at a gradual slope and have a better chance of completing an overhang with a slow slope, rather than a sharp 90 degree angle. Fillets and chamfers also provide a cleaner look in my opinion, and you can use them in all different scenarios like creating the bevel for the tube to slide on easier like demonstrated in the video. 

 

For anyone having trouble, layer separation or splitting can be easily prevented with several different methods. For example, printing hotter will provide better layer adhesion. For more information on print quality troubleshooting, see: https://www.simplify...roubleshooting/

Edited by Kevin, February 12 2018 - 2:43 PM.

[KBant]

you guys make me want to buy a 3D printer so bad! 

[noebl1]

you guys make me want to buy a 3D printer so bad! 

 

My advice: If you do, buy a decent one with support   As I like to tinker/learn and built my own, and probably spend 4hrs of tinkering to every hour I print, hehe

Edited by noebl1, February 12 2018 - 2:53 PM.

[KBant]

 

you guys make me want to buy a 3D printer so bad! 

 

My advice: If you do, buy a decent one with support   As I like to tinker/learn and built my own, and probably spend 4hrs of tinkering to every hour I print, hehe

 

 

which decent printer would you suggest to buy? 

[noebl1]

which decent printer would you suggest to buy? 

 

 

Could be a pretty heavily debated topic, maybe worth opening a dedicated thread on?

[Bracchymyrmex]

Here are a few (but I agree, we should give this matter its own thread): 

 

https://shop.prusa3d...lack_and_orange

http://www.atom3dp.c.../#specification

https://formlabs.com...rinters/form-2/

[Kevin]

 

 

you guys make me want to buy a 3D printer so bad! 

 

My advice: If you do, buy a decent one with support   As I like to tinker/learn and built my own, and probably spend 4hrs of tinkering to every hour I print, hehe

 

 

which decent printer would you suggest to buy? 

 

 

Loops, Drew, and I all have CR-10's now. I can vouch for it in everything - massive build volume, inexpensive price, huge community behind it, extremely simple setup, quality... everything you really need.

[ZllGGY]

 

 

 

you guys make me want to buy a 3D printer so bad! 

 

My advice: If you do, buy a decent one with support   As I like to tinker/learn and built my own, and probably spend 4hrs of tinkering to every hour I print, hehe

 

 

which decent printer would you suggest to buy? 

 

 

Loops, Drew, and I all have CR-10's now. I can vouch for it in everything - massive build volume, inexpensive price, huge community behind it, extremely simple setup, quality... everything you really need.

 

looks like a good machine. What size nozzle would you recommend? 

[Kevin]

 

 

Loops, Drew, and I all have CR-10's now. I can vouch for it in everything - massive build volume, inexpensive price, huge community behind it, extremely simple setup, quality... everything you really need.

 

looks like a good machine. What size nozzle would you recommend? 

 

 

I recommend the standard 0.04mm nozzle that comes with most 3D printers. It comes with the CR-10, and I'm not sure anything much bigger would be worth the time saving over quality for ant housing, or smaller and vise versa. I print 0.2-0.3mm layer height depending on the print. 

Edited by Kevin, February 13 2018 - 3:05 PM.

[starcraftjunkie]

 

 

 

Loops, Drew, and I all have CR-10's now. I can vouch for it in everything - massive build volume, inexpensive price, huge community behind it, extremely simple setup, quality... everything you really need.

 

looks like a good machine. What size nozzle would you recommend? 

 

 

I recommend the standard 0.04mm nozzle that comes with most 3D printers. It comes with the CR-10, and I'm not sure anything much bigger would be worth the time saving over quality for ant housing, or smaller and vise versa. I print 0.2-0.3mm layer height depending on the print. 

 

 

Damn, 0.04mm nozzle is a industry record!

 

With the BS aside, I know you meant 0.4 mm nozzle. I also agree that 0.4mm nozzle is a great standard size.

 

Honestly, I was thinking about a larger sized nozzle for faster printing. I've done 0.2mm and 0.3mm layers and they seem to do fine as there isn't much fine resolution needed for ant nests. I've seen some videos of people with like 0.8+mm nozzles print at crazy layer heights with decent results. That is, if resolution isn't the goal.