BQ23-7 Build Thread

[Kisatchie]

...The main point here is the toothpaste which acts as the polisher agent.

Hmm... do they still make
Ipana toothpaste...?

[VonRyan]

Cheaper than injection tooling, absolutely--and indeed, that's exactly why RP exists, not as a means of production. Cheaper than resin casting? I'm not so sure about that. For resin, all you need is one good master, which can be produced using any number of different traditional or non-traditional techniques--or any combination thereof--selected for best results as well as cost-effectiveness, then pay a fraction of the cost for each piece produced. Whereas for RP, you pay full price for every single piece you order, with zero cost savings for mass production.

Woops, my mind was back-dating a bit there. I was thinking resin-casting using machine-milled molds.
For the average-joe's silicone mold, it is cheaper except, perhaps in the most extreme cases.


-Cody F.

[mmyers05]

A friend of mine came up with a brilliant way to remove the "fuzzy" texture on these models that the solvent just wont remove.  Take an old toothbrush and a dab of toothpaste and lightly scrub.  I am guessing that the flat sides of that hopper would clean up well using this method, where a file or sand paper would risk taking off the detail.   It's not that the model itself is rough necessarily, it just needs to be cleaned.  I used a toothbrush and toothpaste on a couple truck frames and it works really well.  I still have a little cleaning to do around the nooks and crannies, but this is after about 60 seconds of light scrubbing.  I agree with several of you guys in the hope that 3d printing will continue to evolve.  It's not perfect now, but the current quality is such that I am not hesitating at all making more models. 





HuskerN

I can vouch for this method as well; I've done something similar in the past.

The softness of the "fuzzy texture" makes it much easier to deal with than one might expect. If you smooth the model after cleaning (but before priming), almost any sort of pressure, rubbing, or scraping will cause the offending fuzz to peel cleanly off. If I feel the need to crisp up corners for example (and an old toothbrush doesn't work), I'll typically use the end of a small flat bladed screw driver. One pass and the offending fuzz is usually gone.

[Scottl]

Great suggestions.  Nice to see solutions, not complaints.

[ljudice]

Plus toothpaste leaves your models with a fresh scent that lasts all day!

Seriously, I have to try this, sounds like a great tip!

[Chris333]

So Colgate or Crest?   

I gotta try this.

[wazzou]

So Colgate or Crest?   

I gotta try this.

Pearl Drops

[peteski]

Woops, my mind was back-dating a bit there. I was thinking resin-casting using machine-milled molds.
For the average-joe's silicone mold, it is cheaper except, perhaps in the most extreme cases.


-Cody F. abut I don't

Cody,
I think that I go back a bit further back than you  but I don't recall any poured resin models using anything but some sort rubber molds.  To satisfy my curiosity, could you provide any examples of resin cast models which were made in machine-milled molds? 

[peteski]

Using toothpaste (whe white one, not the pretty clear blue one) as a mild polishing compound has been around for decades.  I didn't think that it would be abrasive enough to actually smooth out the FUD parts.

If it is, then this opens up the field to many more options. For example Novus scratch remover or even automotive rubbing or polishing compounds to mention a few, applied with a toothbrush, might work just as well or better than toothpaste.

That also makes me think that even a gentle sandblasting using a Badger Air Eraser and a very fine grit aluminum oxide abrasive might also work well. This last method was discussed in another Shapeways related thread but IIRC, was dismissed for possibly being too aggressive. But I don't know if anyone actually tried it before dismissing it.

[wcfn100]

If it is, then this opens up the field to many more options.

Not unless those other options can be done at the kitchen sink.

I've started trying the paste with the Dremel and the small round brush that come with it.  Obviously is not going to take out any stepping, but so far it has cleaned up some of the objectionable areas.

I'll have to give the non-acetone remover a try as well.

Thanks to HuskerN for the tips.

Jason

[VonRyan]

Cody,
I think that I go back a bit further back than you  but I don't recall any poured resin models using anything but some sort rubber molds.  To satisfy my curiosity, could you provide any examples of resin cast models which were made in machine-milled molds?

I would provide photos if I could.
The only one I know of (as in: that i have seen for myself) is an N scale Police Box that is of the type used for the TARDIS for the early doctors of Doctor Who.
When you look at it, it doesn't show any difference from something cast in a rubber mold.
It is just white/cream resin, and being such the casting is a bit crude, but it is mostly due to it being old (over 20 years old) and temperature changes of two different basements having taken its toll on it.

And you do go back further than me, physically.
But figuratively, i'm quite old (over 80), but I haven't bothered to figure out exactly how old.


-Cody F.

[DKS]

I'll have to give the non-acetone remover a try as well.

What might that be?

[wcfn100]

What might that be?

Something like this I'm guessing.



Jason

[peteski]

I would provide photos if I could.
The only one I know of (as in: that i have seen for myself) is an N scale Police Box that is of the type used for the TARDIS for the early doctors of Doctor Who.
When you look at it, it doesn't show any difference from something cast in a rubber mold.
It is just white/cream resin, and being such the casting is a bit crude, but it is mostly due to it being old (over 20 years old) and temperature changes of two different basements having taken its toll on it.

If it looks like a resin part made in a rubber mold, how do you know for a fact that it was made in a machines (hard?) mold?

And you do go back further than me, physically.
But figuratively, i'm quite old (over 80), but I haven't bothered to figure out exactly how old.
-Cody F.

LOL!  Maybe figuratively I'm 160 years old?   

[peteski]

What might that be?

The non-acetone nail polish remover contains Ethyl Acetate and Isopropyl Alcohol. I bought a gallon in a beauty supply store. I was surprised that one can simply purchase beauty in a store...