HO Signal Cabinets

[Ian MacMillan]

I've finally got the Photon all set up, test printed and 80hrs of YouTube watching done to try and get the first real print done.

First print will be these 8x8 and 8x10 cabinets..... And then maybe I'll try printing a B&M standard signal bridge I've been working on the last month.

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[wvgca]

aren't they set kind of close together in the image shown ??

[Ian MacMillan]

I guess we'll find out. Doesn't seem like it will be an issue based on what I've been seeing online.

[wvgca]

okay, i don't have a photon, just an ordinary PLA printer ...   these would be a little close for the PLA

[narrowminded]

okay, i don't have a photon, just an ordinary PLA printer ...   these would be a little close for the PLA

I'm guessing that would be due to the heated material nozzle needing room.  The resin printers have no such thing, just the selected light pixels.  It's that and the Z axis movement that gets the job done.  All you really need between parts or walls is room for the viscous resin to flow freely between the parts as the parts are lifted and lowered in Z to allow for a fresh bit of uncured resin to flow between the cured bit and the platen/ vat bottom.

[Ian MacMillan]

There we go.

The little IBC tank stuck to the FEP so I'm gonna need to check the supports on that.

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[wvgca]

what program did you use to create the 3d cad file ??

[Ian MacMillan]

I do most of the basic stuff in TinkerCAD and then import into Fusion360 to finish it up.

[C855B]

Curious here... you built them bottom-up, with closed roofs. Were there concerns about trapped resin? Obvously it's open until the last of the roof is formed, so the amount of resin to be poured-off would be small.

I have to ask because I am contemplating a Photon primarily for small structures, and was expecting to build everything supported from the tops, which means a lot of cleanup of visible surfaces due to the supports. If supported from the bottom with no obvious drains is OK, it would allay my concerns.

[Chris333]

I make HOn30 boxcars the same way. They would only trap the resin as the roof is being made. Once the roof is made the trapped resin won't get exposed so you just turn it over to drain when done.

You might want to try supports all around the perimeter and not just the legs.

[Ian MacMillan]

I make HOn30 boxcars the same way. They would only trap the resin as the roof is being made. Once the roof is made the trapped resin won't get exposed so you just turn it over to drain when done.

Same. Haven't had an issue because of it yet, and the resin just pours out back into the vat when I take the build plate off.

You might want to try supports all around the perimeter and not just the legs.

There's supports on the inside as well, goes from the build plate to the inside of the roof. Held like hell to the plate. I may add some around the perimeter though as I did notice on the 8x10 cabinet there was some drooping on the bottom sill.

[Ian MacMillan]

Finally got the shed file wise to where I want. Going to change the .photon so that it prints directly on the plate however so I can keep the ever so slight curling of the feet from happening with the supports.

Got this up for sale now, gotta make this printer pay somehow! 

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[Ian MacMillan]

And of course, signal cabinets need signals!

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[C855B]

Are those relay boxes solid, or did you shell them?

[wazzou]

Those look quite a bit more crisp than the photos you showed the other day.  Good job.