I like to design my own prints. But sometimes something grabs my interest that someone else has created. That happened here. I ran across this very different looking piggy bank on Thingiverse. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3490324 . In this design, coins are incerted through the nose!
It's kind of fierce/ugly but then sort of has a fun whimsical quality. I like it!
I decided I would print a few. The blue one is 50% reduction or 1/8 the volume of the original. It is too small to be a bank. I printed it first to get a feel of how the Piggy would look printed. The pink Piggy is full size and quarters will eaisly fit through the nose.
Both versions were printed on MamaCetus. The blue one is 100 micron layers and the pink one is 200 micron layers. The big pink took about 15 hours to print. The picture on the printer is about half way through.
I intend to print one more in "flesh" color PLA. Never used that color so not sure exactly how it will look. Piggy banks are usually pink but pigs are not. I will see how a "flesh" colored piggy bank looks.
My granddaughter has a birthday next week and I though of this as an unusual and whimsical gift. Most people (and kids) today don't have many coins on hand. But I thought it is kind of a throwback gift. This is a very unusual piggy bank.
Update 7.23.19: Pink piggy printed on the A/C Kossel (delta) 13 hours 24 minutes!
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Just kicking back and playing with the Cetus (MamaCetus) printer. I had noticed there is now a Mk3 version available that could be modified to run g-code directly from 3rd party slicer sofware. (See previous post.) I have always been able to do that with MamaCetus (indirectly)
Transferring the g-code file from say, SImplify3D to UPStudio is not a hard task. One doesn't see the anamation of the Simplify 3D when printing via USB, but there is also no anamation when using UPStudio.
It had been a while since I ran g-code through UPStudio to MamaCetus. I decided I should get back into the practice as it looks like there is a lot of outside g-code going to be run on the new Cetus.
I remembered my printing results were excellent in the past but things change since then. The UPStudio was updated, as was Simplify3D. I also made bed changes to MamaCetus and nozzle heights would have to be reset in Simplify3D.
The pictures show the printing is as good as ever. It's what I refer as Junque Item printing but that is OK! These cube puzzles were sliced in Simplify3D and fed to MamaCetus via UPStudio. The layer height is 100 microns (0.100 MM) The quality is excellent for FDM printing.
Hard to beat the linear rail/bearing axii quality on MamaCetus.
MamaCetus
I have a 3D printer made by Tiertime called a CETUS. I named mine MamaCetus, as a pun on the Latino slang term mamacita meaning hot babe. (sexy woman). The printer is certainly very hot and might be considered sexy by some 3D printer nerds (Me?) Hmmm...
OK. In any case, Tiertime just revealed a new version (MKIII or MK3). It has all the same general features of versions 1 and 2 but some interesting detail improvements. MamaCetus is a MK2.
Mechanical end switches for homing. They used a motor stall sensor in the previous versions. Switches are more positive and repeatable for setting home position.
New accessory board available for heated bed and auto Z / bed leveling sensor. That’s three different and separate accessories but the board is necessary for operation of the other two.
An optional 220 watt (!!) What! Power supply is available to help out the heated bed option. Yowza! Plenty of extra power. Note: the wattage of the PS over what is needed is not a problem (unless something shorts out.) My original PS says 19 volts at 6.32 amps which is 120 watts. 100 more watts for the heated bed is good.
Print head hot-end upgraded (V2) to use nozzles suitable for almost any printable filament available. Hardened steel nozzles available. Compatible with older nozzles.
A plug in processor will be available for direct G-Code operation with virtually all 3rd party slicer programs like Cura and Simplify3D and others.
Color touch screen controller is also in the works.
All the add-ins above are extra cost, so the customer can be selective of if or when they want to update for the added features.
I currently run G-Code produced from Simplify3D on my MamaCetus. I am pleased the new processor or co-processor will permit direct connection to 3rd party slicers. This is what Tiertime claims! That could be sweet. However, when installed, the Cetus printer will NOT be compatible with UP Studio, heated bed and bed leveling. Oops!
I’m not ready for an upgrade to the same size printer I have. However, the Cetus does produce excellent quality prints because of its linear rail construction.
Glass Print Bed with Aqua Net
I put a round glass print surface on both Delta style printers I have (had), I sold the smaller one. I installed PEI or Buildtak (like) surface on top of the glass on both. I used the glass to assure a perfectly flat printing surface.
I didn’t like the concept of rubbing a glue stick on the surface to get a print to stick. I considered hair spray with the same disdain. But I hadn’t given either method much of a try. I did try a glue stick several times, but considered it a real and unnecessary mess.
But Buildtak was tearing-up with some regularity. Some material like PETG sticks too well. The real mess was getting Buildtak off the glass for the next application. A heat gun (like stripping paint) does a good (but hot) job. Buildtak changes were getting expensive as well.
PEI was also a hit and miss material. When it works, it works well. But then it will start loosing its grip on things…
All stick-on sheets suffer from air pockets. Perhaps the 3M glue gases-off a bit after repeated heatings. I can’t prove that, but I know bubbles form long AFTER initial installation. That’s where a tear-out hoie develops from pulling off prints.
I watched a video on You-tube where a fellow was praising the use of hairspray. Since I had not given it a fair trial, I decided to give it a go. My wife let me use some of her hair spray.
It was a highly perfumed, water based lacquer, for which I can hardly stand the smell, but it worked very well as a “stick-um” for 3D prints. Both PETG and PLA. But it was very hard to wash of the glass, requiring vigerous scrubbing, soap, and hot water.
The video recommended the cheapest “Aqua Net” superhold to be found. My wife found the non-scented variety in 11 ounce cans for $2.00 a can. She bought me 3, which looks like a lifetime supply.
I discovered the Aqua Net is far superior for printing to the variety my wife uses on her hair. No smell what-so-ever and a super flat dry out on the glass. It also lasts through multiple prints, where the perfumed brand pealed off with each print. I don't know how good Aqua Net is for hair use, but printing use it is perfect. And it washes off the glass very easily and cleanly with cold water. It couldn’t be better.
The prints come off the bed with a perfectly smooth contact surface. Rafts are usually not required. The prints will “pop” off the surface if you let the bed cool down. But it works with a non-heated bed just as well.
Aqua Net is my new standard for bed adhesion in FDM 3D printing. Why did I wait so long?
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