Jump to content
 

Big Jim’s adventures in 3D (Aldi printer and Xbox Kinect)


Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Gold

As a follow on from the Aldi 3D printer thread I thought I’d start a separate one highlighting how I’m getting in with my new 3D printer

 

Updates to follow as I get to grips with it but for those who haven’t seen he Aldi thread the printer is a clone of a wanhao i3 plus, I’d call it an entry level machine but what I’ve done so far I’m quite impressed with but at the same time also frustrated with it at times!

 

As well as the printer I’ve been experimenting with an Xbox Kinect camera as a 3D scanner with mixed results, but again it’s something new to me, a steep learning curve!

 

Basically the Kinect is connected to the PC via a special usb/power lead, drivers are downloaded and it can then be used as a 3D scanner (or webcam if you want)

 

As my job was cancelled tonight and I’m wide awake I thought I’d have a play About with it, normally you would get the subject to stand still and scan round them but as I was on my own I set the kinect up high and got a revolving breakfast bar stool and sat on that to get a 360 view of myself

C41BAB33-FB0C-41A1-B532-6154FEAF1F24.jpg

 

So using that and reconstructme software after a few false starts I got a scan of myself

3E8D5984-A92D-4D97-B2E1-734AD75EE4F4.jpg

 

Then adjusting the scan area a bit I managed to get a bit more body in and a raised arm (as per a class 60 power handle height)

439F74D9-2867-4187-BEE2-618610CC98AE.jpg

 

86FA310F-C36B-47EA-9DCC-35286401C5C7.jpg

 

Which using an on line converter I turned form a PLA file into an STA so I could import it to Cura ready for printing

E52822B1-B6AA-4252-929E-EDCAC820B3DC.jpg

 

Dropped my legs through the base so it would only print the top half of me, I’ve done no editing to the scan, as the camera was quite high it didn’t get a scan of the bottom of my arms and for some reason the very top of my head

728E0D2F-D6E8-4357-A757-48BA32829C62.jpg

 

472D7022-BED6-4F42-92A7-FA537F6D875A.jpg

 

I then gave it a quick try to see how it would come out with its various holes and non scanned bits , no particular scale just somewhere ‘around’ OO Gauge

63B7E55E-0DCE-4AEF-8016-92B03208D8FF.jpg

 

Came out ok, bit of a smurf hat going on but easily fileable if I wanted to

C04C99CB-2EFF-4542-BF68-83E7706BCFAD.jpg

 

Not bad for an 8mm high print (sans hat!)

3764052D-B181-4EF8-ABB5-85E7A70BCABA.jpg

 

I can see me having fun with both the printer and Kinect as I get the hang of it, watch this topic for more updates and questions as and when I get futher into it (got to learn 3D cad yet too!)

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Big Jim,

 

Firstly, you should know I know nothing about 3D printing, but I'm hoping this will all change next week when my Wanhoo Duplicator turns up. I believe the Aldi 3D printer is the same model. So I'm trying to soak up as much info as I can in the meantime, and have been reading your journey here so far. Thank you for sharing.

 

So, with no practical experience but seeing some of the issues that you have been getting, I wonder if this YouTube video can help answer any of the issues that you've been having.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest eddie reffin

Excellent stuff Jim. Really impressed with the results you have achieved. Going to follow your adventures with this.

 

Cheers

 

PS need to get a scan of a Scotrail driver done next!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

had a go at printing some ground signals i found on thingverse

A2BA3589-9B28-4C13-8C08-C4620755E107.jpg

 

cruel close up

B288F99C-CAF6-42AF-A2F5-E12BA568BBB4.jpg

 

removed from the print base but not cleaned up yet

E02D323E-2563-4C4B-BCB7-C5DCF60A424F.jpg

 

im happy how they have come out considering they are less than 6mm high

02CF58A0-B33B-4A88-AEE5-2366F968C505.jpg

 

gonna fettle em up later and see if i can do anything with them, i have some very very fine fibre optic that i recon i could use to get them to work using led's mounted below the baseboard, could even haver a go at designing and printing some sort of under board holder!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Impressive stuff Jim.

 

I tried using fine fibre option in some signals I built but couldn't get it to work. in the end i used tiny pre-wired SMD LED's (including a red/white bi colour one for the bottom right) fitted within the heads.

 

Really interested in watching this develop. Thanks for sharing. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Printed off a copy of my eldest earlier, unfortunatly the filament ran out with 15% to go

EFB283EE-6499-4CB8-8EA8-7C500C9CEF8F.jpg

 

So rather than throw it away he chose himself a nice top hat

F7919EBC-4417-481D-A853-3533D8E06108.jpg

 

54678D85-5AAB-4132-87A6-274B22429317.jpg

 

Back to the ground signal, tied it up a bit and added some fibre optics to the front plate

31199EB7-9C28-4183-9373-0325D23ECE3B.jpg

 

5F03A90B-EEBA-4281-8323-1B8B467E4996.jpg

 

Not the best pic but fitted the rear plate and stand, only UHU’d together

EB8CB15F-C763-4E59-A0D4-6E001770C2E2.jpg

 

Then shining a red LED onto the fibre I got it to show ‘stop’ aspect

4EE59B68-7F7D-41CD-A257-E0F1C1346FC7.jpg

 

And a white one for proceed

FEC3E91D-E549-40B8-A6B0-989DC6A0B090.jpg

 

So it’s certainly achievable to get them to work with a bit of work, I’m going to give the tiny SMD leds a try too though

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

here is the result of the first part of tonight’s experiment, a class 323 cab printed off a file that someone sent to me to experiment with

 

this one is ‘draft print’ quality, 45 minute print with layers set to .15MM, Not touched it at all, photographed as it came off the printer, will fettle it up tomorrow

 

70B423DF-E665-4869-A38E-73A16AA9AFA2.jpg

 

3190ACA8-567D-4CDE-AC34-B3394F4D77D5.jpg

 

As I type this there is a ‘fine quality’ print running off, 2 1/2 hours and .6MM per layer, interesting to see how it compares to the draft one (if it prints ok!)

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

the 0.06 thickness "fine" print wasnt successful, the window frame snapped on one side while building by the look of it (i wasn't watching) as the top bit was originally still attached but the right hand column had not formed

 

0E50ECE8-DB25-4CCE-B726-E3E71C9FAA3B.jpg

 

its currently printing off a 0.1 thick copy as i type, just getting to the crucial columns, heres hoping!

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Very nice job with the Ground signal. prewired SMD I found so far are square profile.

You could try a drop of Clearfix to hold it in place and double up as the lens.

I've not come across prewired SMD's which show two colours - so please let me know if you find one.

 

When are you going to tackle the APT POP train?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Very nice job with the Ground signal. prewired SMD I found so far are square profile.

You could try a drop of Clearfix to hold it in place and double up as the lens.

I've not come across prewired SMD's which show two colours - so please let me know if you find one.

 

When are you going to tackle the APT POP train?

 

I've used these (or something very similar) for my ground position signals and the bi-coloured marker lights on 950001. Having a common anode they are DCC friendly.  

 

Edited by sdw7300
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I’ve printed the cab on its back at 0.06 thickness and it’s come out really well but with a heck of a lot of waste

 

Unfortunaly photobucket is being a d!ck at the moment telling me I’ve used all my storage and I need to upgrade to a pro account despite I’ve been on a pro account for 8 years, paid monthly through Apple, and as it recons I’m now a free account I can’t get hold of customer support as the free account doesn’t have any support

 

Once I get it sorted I’ll post a pic up

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...