Monthly challenge?

[anon4321 16]

Do you think a weekly "print this" challenge would be interesting, informative and/or fun?

Ideally, someone would nominate a hard to print model and people would attempt to print it documenting ALL settings they used and the printer and filament used.

The idea is to get some of the vast experience hard core 3d printer owners have out in the open so we can understand the tweaking people.

The challenge should be something relatively hard to print and preferably small. The best print solution should maximize the quality of the result in the minimal amount of time with the minimal amount of post-printing processing or clean up.

For example, I tried printing the model below tweaking the support, temp, bed temp and a bunch of stuff. The big issues are getting it to stick to glass (I have a UM1 + self made heated bed + glass) and getting the surface quality of "underside" good because of the support required.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:323448

I resorted to sanding the result which is disappointing and unsatisfying. Some of the overhang is a bit screwy.

Anyone want to have a go?

 

[jonask 0]

I like the idea. But someone needs to take responsibility for this, so there is a new challenge every week and so on...

It would be really cool, lets just start a new challenge every Friday.

Should there be a poll witch is the best print, or should it be just for fun?

 

[anon4321 16]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in this but if it picks up, I suggest two polls. One that nominates the model so people can vote for the more interesting one and one that declares the winning.

I think to should work something like: first week people nominate the models. Then at the end of the week, people vote (or during) but voting closes at say two days after the weekends. Then there is a week of printing after which two days of voting for the best result.

However, again doesn't seem like there is much interest. Too bad there isn't some way to award the winner something of value.

 

[skint 62]

Give it chance anon, it may pick up a bit after the weekend I would be interested, as it helps learn best practices. It could be a good way of learning and sharing certain settings.

Edit: Oh forgot to mention, probably better calling it monthly instead of weekly.

 

[jonask 0]

Yeah i totally agree with skint. It would be so usefull to see different approaches and settings on the same print.

That would be so much information you never would test out alone.

 

[DidierKlein 729]

I like the idea. Maybe as suggested it should more be something like a monthly challenge. A week is to short i think.

I'm going to have a look at the object you linked it looks hard to print but not impossible. Problem is i have a UM2 so it won't be very usefull (for example i rarely have issues of sticking to the bed because of the heated bed...)

Anyway if something like this would take place i would participate. I like challenges

 

[anon4321 16]

Ok, yeah after laying out my suggested schedule, Monthly seems more appropriate.

Is there a way for me the rename the thread?

If not , can a moderator do it?

 

[anon4321 16]

I have a heated bed on my UM1 so it would be interesting to see how well someone like you (Didier) can do...

 

[anon4321 16]

cool someone changed the thread title.

Thank you to the person that did!

 

[DidierKlein 729]

Okay anon i will try it this week probably did u use supports from Cura? Maybe i'll try supports from meshmixer because i went back to Cura 14.1 that doesn't have the awesome lines support.

 

[skint 62]

I may have a go too. I need to download meshmixer and try it out, never used it before.

 

[DidierKlein 729]

There's an option to flip the object to the right position in meshmixer be sure to check it because it flips it 90°c i don't know why

 

[onkelgeorg 36]

great idea, but shouldn't there be a new thread for it each new month?

 

[DidierKlein 729]

Probably better yes we could create it like this: Montly Challenge: June 2014 - Name of object

I really think it would be very good for the less experienced of us to learn from the Gurus.

 

[anon4321 16]

I agree on the new thread per month with the "Monthly Challenge: Month/Year" pattern.

 

[anon4321 16]

Okay anon i will try it this week probably did u use supports from Cura? Maybe i'll try supports from meshmixer because i went back to Cura 14.1 that doesn't have the awesome lines support.

 

I used Cura with support. One issue with this print and cura is that I couldn't find a way to elevate the print so one round always has a flat spot as the first non-support part that touches the bed. With Cura, you can bury but as far as I know not "float" a print like completely on top of support.

 

[DidierKlein 729]

Maybe with Raft? I've never used it so i'm not sure at all

 

[anon4321 16]

I played with raft in the latest RC on another part that had a large flat bottom. I had problems separating it from the part so it didn't occur to me to try it.

If you look at the pics at the thingiverse link of the object being printed, it looks like it is slightly "floated" on top of support.

 

[onkelgeorg 36]

Not that bad....? :cool:

 

Only smartphone photos, sorry

Support by Meshmixer, printed on UM1 with colorfabb XT @ ~30mm/s, 256°C, Shell=0.8, Layer=0.18, Top/Bottom=0.56

 

[anon4321 16]

Cool. that is what this idea is all about! I like seeing people try different ways, tools and materials.

Please clean off the supports and take a picture if you have time.. I'd like to see the underside. How much and in what direction did you rotate it?

I tried to install meshmixer but unfortunately it doesn't like running as a non-admin user under windows.

How do you like the XT? I was thinking about using it to print a new head and sliding blocks and was wondering if it would standard up to a heated chamber.

 

[DidierKlein 729]

Nice onkelgeorg.

I'll probably try it this end of the week. I do think that meshmixer support is better for this. Maybe you could share the stl with support to anon so he can try it like this?

 

[onkelgeorg 36]

Hi,

@anon: First of all I would highly recommend that you do anything to ger Meshmixer running, as it is the key to many difficult prints.

I will add some new pictures below. I dind't do any finishing. No sanding, no filing - nothing at all except of breaking the supports away.

Sorry, can't tell you the angle of rotation because I don't know it. There is a function in Meshmixer called 'Optimize orietation' (or something like that) which I used and MM did it fine

Only one of the support posts are made by MM, the other ones are added by me manually. I also prefer to connect the post to each other with diagonal posts in order to get a rigid framework.

The XT is really nice especially for vases - no problems after the first spool and I often swapped materials, it just works fine.

@Didier: Ins't it too early to share all secrets? This thread is called 'challenge' and not 'tell me how you made it asap'

I would like to wait until the end of the month before I share the stl - if it is ok for you...

btw: most of the workflow has already been shared above

New images including one MM screenshot:

 

Cheers,

Joerg

 

[anon4321 16]

Awesome stuff Joerg. Meshmixer support definitely seems like the key to cleanly printing this.

Thank you for the extra pics.

Don't worry about sharing the stl. This is more of a "try it yourself, learn by doing" type contest so I'll give meshmixer another shot.

 

[onkelgeorg 36]

...where is the new challenge? :mrgreen:

 

[aaronalai 2]

Alright, I just found this thread I really like the idea of a monthly challenge as well with a new thread for every month. I don't have much time to invest in controlling the project but would be a willing participant. Perhaps the first months' print should be illuminarti's dragon without the baked in supports, but supports we generate on our own. Or perhaps a bracelet with many holes; I've seen this stuff printed in may different ways that one would not necessarily expect.

Dragon: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:218026

Bracelet: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:192211

Or perhaps we don't need anyone to actually control the monthly print sessions, but simply for people to suggest ideas we vote on at the end of each month; only requiring someone to start the monthly thread. New prints could be suggested during the print for that month, so at the end of the month there is a winner and a new print, and everything starts over again.

Some rules/guidelines would be nice. Like a photo of the object on the print bed and one without supports.