Should I make a video about these?
Added 2020-10-19 20:00:52 +0000 UTCI featured these 3D printed cabochon lights on the last livestream, and was wondering if it's worth making a short video about them.
Here's the openscad script that will let you generate STL files with custom shapes and sizes, including an adjustable size hole for the LED that holds it in position.
The three adjustable variables are LED for the LED hole size (usually 5 or 3mm), Diameter for the outer diameter of the light (it scales the rest up) and facets which is the number of facets on each face. I'd recommend a minimum of four as the one 3-facet cabochon I tried to print didn't adhere well at the base. I could theoretically create a ledge there to assist printing.
To use this script in openscad just highlight it and copy it. Then paste it into the empty left hand window of openscad (delete anything that's there already). Press the >> button at the top to see a rough-up. When happy select the hourglass button next to >> and it will create the STL file. Then press the STL button to save it.
I'd recommend using a raft for extra bed adhesion if needed.
//Cabochon fairy light cap generator
//ADJUST THESE THREE VARIABLES TO SUIT
LED=5; //LED HOLE diameter (3 or 5?)
diameter=40; //Diameter of cabochon 20-100
facets=6; //Number of facets 3-360
//Don't touch variables below this line
cap=diameter/3;
base=cap*2;
difference(){
union(){
difference(){
union(){
//main crystal
translate([0,0,10])
cylinder(h=base,d1=8,d2=diameter,$fn=facets);
//crystal cap
translate([0,0,base+10])
cylinder(h=cap,d1=diameter,d2=0,$fn=facets);
}
//base interior
translate([0,0,10])
cylinder(h=base,d1=6,d2=diameter-2,$fn=facets);
//cap interior
translate([0,0,base+10])
cylinder(h=cap-1,d1=diameter-2,d2=0,$fn=facets);
}
//LED INSERT
//LED base cylinder
translate([0,0,0])
cylinder(h=15,d1=10,d2=10,$fn=60);
//LED base dome
translate([0,0,15])
cylinder(h=3,d1=10,d2=LED+1,$fn=60);
}
//LED base interior
translate([0,0,-1])
cylinder(h=16,d1=8,d2=8,$fn=60);
//LED dome interior
translate([0,0,15])
cylinder(h=2,d1=8,d2=LED,$fn=60);
//LED hole
translate([0,0,15])
cylinder(h=5,d1=LED,d2=LED,$fn=60);
//x-ray cube
//translate([-50,-50,-1])
//cube([100,50,100]);
}
Comments
Try fresh dry filament. I'm not sure what the settings are on my printer as they are the default ones in the UP software for the Cetus 2. It rarely has any issues printing.
Big Clive
2020-10-30 07:10:54 +0000 UTCI made a test print on some old random filament. Looked great but the inside was very stringy (only visible when you stick a LED in there). I modified the SCAD model to use thinner walls which helped but there are still a couple of strings. Tried various retraction setting without luck. Would be interested to see Clive's settings!
Paul Hill
2020-10-24 15:36:49 +0000 UTCThe green appeared to be damp and I've obviously printed a nice Halloween wig for Barbie. Very print-friendly though with stuff that's been kept in the dry box. I did use a small raft to make sure it didn't wander off.
Paul Noble
2020-10-20 18:48:40 +0000 UTCYes please.
2020-10-20 15:23:29 +0000 UTCAny 3D printed LED projects are welcome.
2020-10-20 14:53:11 +0000 UTCyeah, this will be interesting
Groovy1024
2020-10-20 11:19:46 +0000 UTCYes for sure Clive, but include everything. You chop too much out of your project builds thinking we aren’t interested, But we are, “well hell yeah”. Love your work mate, you’re the best!
Mike Wynne
2020-10-20 06:08:57 +0000 UTCThe Cetus software seems to change to a different mode at the top of the spheres and there's a distinctly different visual effect. With the Cabochons I ensured a gentle angle of the faces.
Big Clive
2020-10-20 05:07:39 +0000 UTCJacinta Ardern may object to Clive electrocuting Kiwis., a kiwi on the other hand... Personally I think electrocuting black pudding is long overdue.
Alice Chapman
2020-10-20 04:12:35 +0000 UTCYes. Your videos are always interesting and often throw up some new or fun information.
2020-10-20 04:04:57 +0000 UTC> The angles and shape were optimised to be 3D printer friendly. Interesting. An acquaintance at work was 3D printing some translucent spheres, which looked almost like soap bubbles. He had tweaked the g-code to just make 1-2 circular passes per layer, with no back-and-forth raster fills. As I recall, he adjusted the layer spacing to account for the non-uniform slope.
Paul Ste. Marie
2020-10-20 01:12:41 +0000 UTCHell, yeah! :)
Ross Robertson
2020-10-20 00:52:27 +0000 UTCYes please 😁
2020-10-20 00:40:54 +0000 UTCIs there ever a video like that? Doing something you shouldn't is part of being a geek / engineer imho.
2020-10-19 23:41:03 +0000 UTCI'd enjoy it, I love your lighting projects! Celebrate with electrocuting a food when complete. Maybe a Kiwi?
2020-10-19 23:39:43 +0000 UTCNice little design. I think it would make a good video and like has been said perhaps include a bit about the software and using the printer. I'm going to reinstall my graphics driver again because Microsoft wants me to buy a new graphics card and my slicer said it wasn't compatible and then I'm going to print one in a nice green.
Paul Noble
2020-10-19 22:35:18 +0000 UTCNo. I'm too used to writing assembler. It also suits adding it to text areas like above.
Big Clive
2020-10-19 22:31:27 +0000 UTCMy OCD is firing, please tell me you indent your code!
Adam Pepper
2020-10-19 22:29:58 +0000 UTCThey print directly from the generated STL file on my Cetus 2. The angles and shape were optimised to be 3D printer friendly.
Big Clive
2020-10-19 22:29:21 +0000 UTCI definitely vote yes! I printed one during the live stream and it came out great (I did use a brim to prevent it from falling off the build surface mid-print).
2020-10-19 22:09:42 +0000 UTCYes, is there anyway you could include a time laps of the printer as its making it also?
2020-10-19 22:05:54 +0000 UTCWould love it!
2020-10-19 21:36:49 +0000 UTCYes 👍
2020-10-19 21:21:53 +0000 UTCI would love to see a video explaining how to design stuff in scad.
2020-10-19 21:20:35 +0000 UTCWhen you ask if you should make a video about something, the answer is always YES! The only time you don't make a video about something is if you know that you shouldn't.
Michael Horton
2020-10-19 21:18:36 +0000 UTCI'm curious of tech that I don't use, and welcome comparisons to my vintage pen plotters.
Andrew Donaldson
2020-10-19 21:10:07 +0000 UTCDefinitely. Rather than destroying yet another sort of food by electricity, I'd much rather watch that (even though I don't have a 3D printer). I think they're rather nice (even though I don't have a use for Christmas lights), the printing artifacts generate a nice dissipation pattern. Go for it.
horrovac
2020-10-19 21:04:32 +0000 UTCYou could explain how to generate the stl file and then point to some of the online 3D printing services out there. I think it would suit a short punchy video rather than anything too long.
Mike Hanley
2020-10-19 21:03:31 +0000 UTCThe default answer whenever Clive asks if he should make a video... Duh... Yes, of course!
Scott Miller
2020-10-19 21:03:00 +0000 UTCIf it’s a choice between a video about these and no video, then go for it. You’ve made videos I’d guess would be similar, but you usually manage a new twist on things. On the other hand, if you have things lying around the bench that you’ve been meaning to make videos about, how about doing one of those instead? Or as well?
2020-10-19 21:02:59 +0000 UTCOh, those look nice! Did you have to hand tweak the g code to get them to print well?
Paul Ste. Marie
2020-10-19 20:59:53 +0000 UTCAnything that shines a bit of light on these dark nights gets my vote.
Phil in the kitchen
2020-10-19 20:43:09 +0000 UTCI don't have a 3D printer. Or access to one. Or the desire to use one. So I am moderately indifferent.
Mark Trombley
2020-10-19 20:40:59 +0000 UTCAlways.
2020-10-19 20:38:57 +0000 UTCAbsolutely *YES*
Mike Cowen
2020-10-19 20:34:47 +0000 UTCThat's worth it right there! Have fun!
Mike Cowen
2020-10-19 20:34:06 +0000 UTCI have a Cetus 2 by Tiertime.
Big Clive
2020-10-19 20:26:09 +0000 UTCNah, electrocute a haggis instead.! Or if you do, how about changing the focus from the 3D Printing and add a PIC to make the lights more like the "icicle"?
Angus McLean
2020-10-19 20:24:38 +0000 UTCIf you don't.... I'm dropping my Patreon'age! :-)
2020-10-19 20:19:06 +0000 UTCI think you should. Maybe with some of the printing process
Robert Morley
2020-10-19 20:18:45 +0000 UTCNot only are they worth a short video, they are most worthy of a long video. Perhaps a selection of coloured clear \ diffused \ flashing leds for comparison and optical effect...........Please
2020-10-19 20:15:23 +0000 UTCPlease make a video. Which printer do you have I don't remember the video it must have been a while ago if you made one
2020-10-19 20:13:33 +0000 UTCAbsolutely. I’ve been looking for another project for my son and I to work on.
2020-10-19 20:12:26 +0000 UTCI will go against the crowd here and say - yes. I have transparent filament in the printer at the moment so I give it try tonight. Update: After a few tries I got a good result. On my printer (Weistek 150) I use No Fill and 2 shells. As the printer software is quite shitty I have created a #C program to correct for fixing mechanical mis-alignments, temperature and feed rates.
Zeedijk Mike
2020-10-19 20:11:22 +0000 UTCDefinitely.
Matt Tester
2020-10-19 20:10:10 +0000 UTCYes, as seems to be the consensus above, now watch all the nos flood in!
Dr Andy Hill
2020-10-19 20:09:16 +0000 UTCDefinitely. I’ll be firing up my printer soon!
2020-10-19 20:08:22 +0000 UTCYou know the answer. It's yes.
2020-10-19 20:04:08 +0000 UTCYou should indeed.
2020-10-19 20:03:32 +0000 UTCIn case noone else suggested it: yes, please
Peter Stimpel
2020-10-19 20:03:26 +0000 UTCYes they are amazing would be good to see how you did it
2020-10-19 20:02:50 +0000 UTCYes
2020-10-19 20:02:42 +0000 UTCOoh, those are pretty. Maybe not enough for a video since you've already done a bunch of other videos on these sorts of builds, though. But thanks for posting the OpenSCAD script, that'll be fun to play with.
fluffy
2020-10-19 20:02:37 +0000 UTCYes
Kevin Hardisty
2020-10-19 20:02:27 +0000 UTCYes! They are awesome
Michael Thompson
2020-10-19 20:02:08 +0000 UTCYes absolutely. Why not.
Gadgetman
2020-10-19 20:02:05 +0000 UTC
