Finally.

[zathros]

I fired up and printed out my 1st Benchy on my Creality K1 Max, in PLA. Total elapsed time was 15 minutes. One minute less than was stated. It came out great. I have printed out 2 cell phone holders I got off of "Thingverse". I learned a good lesson, don't print anything that is against that table and has a ripple edge. Lots of flashing clean up required. Not really hard, just tedious.

I'm getting a new keyboard, this one works great but the letters are rubbing off, and it's filthy.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

That is pretty cool!

 

[mijob]

Thats a great looking holder.

 

[Chuffy70]

Enjoy the learning curve... I play it safe and get others to print things for me - enjoy, I know I'd sit there for hours watching the magic happen... odd name for a boat?

 

[spaceagent-9]

Mine too Lol, I should have memorized the keys by now, but I still need to look!

 

[Revell-Fan]

COOL! The printing quality is very good!

 

[zathros]

"Benchy" = "Benchmark".

Enjoy the learning curve... I play it safe and get others to print things for me - enjoy, I know I'd sit there for hours watching the magic happen... odd name for a boat?

I'm starting to prepare a "large sailing barge", I designed, to try and print 3D. I am more interested in printing what I design, though there are some objects at "Thingverse" that really look tempting.

 

[zathros]

I have learned to do the type of hulls I wish to do, I have to cut them into pieces and do them vertically. The slicing program puts supports that ruin whatever surface that is on the table. I did a great New Haven Sharpie Hull today. I will have to use my Block sander to smooth out the bottom.

Tonight I will try my first cut up model. I made a 3" Sharpie Hull on the stern, standing vertically, and it printed perfectly. When I scaled up the model, total failure at the bow.

Also, since I am doing my own models, I have to convert them into "Meshes" in able for the printer to read the files and slice properly, before turning them into .STL files. I have printed 8 hulls, 5 came out usable, 3 were disasters. I'll post a pic of the first successful print, the others just aren't worth posting.

 

[Revell-Fan]

"large sailing barge"

Oh yes, please. Gonna need a new one this summer. With one big kitchen, six restrooms and one torture chamber.

 

[zathros]

The two full Hulls that were printed right side up, then, the other, upside down. Lots of supports. The opposite sides were printed perfectly, but the bottoms, well, you can see the results.
The results of the whole model hulls used many supports, and either the top looked great, or the bottom looked great. The opposites would need a light touch with a palm, box sander.

The 3 vertical pieces needed no supports, and all sides came out excellently, all models took the same about of time to print, 2 hrs. 15 mins.
The 3 separate pieces fit perfectly together, they would leave lines, visually, but painted, maybe just a tiny bit of filler for smoothness, and suitable models of this "New Haven Sharpie" hull be made. The next step, now that I have figured out how to convert the Mesh files from Nurbs files is to make the cut-out for the work space, rudder box, and cabin.

The bottom pic are the 3 prints, the foreground model is the 3 sections taped together with clear tape. These were made using PLA.

 

[Revell-Fan]

Really not bad at all!

 

[zathros]

5 steps forward, 6 steps back. I am only trying to print things I design. I have printed 2 objects from "Thingverse", but my interest is to make what I create. That's a bit harder. There are no videos on what I am trying to do. The closest way was to "split" the model, but I had already figured it out. The battles will continue!

 

[Revell-Fan]

This sounds similar to what I experienced when I started to work with SketchUp. Once you have mastered the basics everything else should be a piece of cake.

 

[zathros]

This boat was printed using no supports or infill. This is something I have not seen done much. It was converted from NURBS to MESH and then to .STL. The surfaces as almost like glass in smoothness.

What I would like to do is make the hulls in plastic, and finish the decking and bright work in real wood, as with the masts and booms, etc.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

That looks so very clean and smooth.

 

[Revell-Fan]

Impressive!

 

[Chuffy70]

Nice looking prints, I bet you're chuffed to say the least

 

[zathros]

I think if people knew how many supports have to be made for many models, and the post cutting, and sanding, they would think the ads are lies. The ads don't show all the handwork involved. I have just started a model, I'm hoping this hull will have the cockpit, two cabins, one with windows, and a combing around the cockpit. One came out bad, but the "offset" was off. It came out as thin as tissue paper. I can't imagine anyone without CAD skills jumping into one of these to make their personally designed models. If you are good with Blender, you'll be way ahead of the curve. I keep thinking, I wish Revelle-Fan was here.

​

 

[zathros]

Well, half-way through the last model attempt, I run out of plastic. I have 2 more rolls coming in. I had really scaled it up, as the 1" inch models came out perfect. Now realizing you are better off designing your own stand-offs for support, and if you do a Hull at an angle, you can do the deck and top in one shot. Any doors, fo'c'sle, etc. would have to be printed separately. The brand name Creality rolls not any more expensive, and at around $17 bucks each, shipping is the same for two, so I ordered two. The rolls weight 2.2 lbs. each. This model would have been around 10 inches long.

 

[zathros]

I've also come to the realization that to make a satisfying model, it will have to split up. This is where tolerance will really be tested. I could not recommend getting one of these 3D printers unless you have a strong CAD background. Even printing models that I have obtained from "Thingverse" came out with tons of support material and required lots of sanding. The reality is that you could make a lot, if not most, models out of paper, fiberglass or wood a lot faster.