Just wanted to share

[daaguilar]

I'm hoping to build my own simplified version of the Derelict in the near future. It's been one of my all time favorites for a while now. Decided to see if I could come up with a decent and affordable chassis design and this is what I got. Just gonna go with the 3D printed route.
Hope you guys like it. (apologies if the pictures come up too small or of low quality)
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[CET]

Looks like a solid design. Personally I recommend against 3D printed chassis. In the long term they don't hold up and end up breaking apart like dried spaghetti.

[darth_chasm]

In the long term they don't hold up and end up breaking apart like dried spaghetti.

Do you have a source for this? I'd love to read up on it and which materials and processes are more prone to this condition.

[CET]

Do you have a source for this? I'd love to read up on it and which materials and processes are more prone to this condition.

Source? That's been my experience so far. My best results have been using TCSS chassis parts.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

What's going to get 3D printed? The hilt OR the chassis??

[darth_chasm]

FJK, Looks like the chassis.

CET, just curious. I'm on the flip side of that coin and have not experienced any issues with my SLS prints. In fact, I've drilled them, dremel'ed them, and dunked them in chemical solutions with no apparent degradation. The oldest pieces are over a year old now. Maybe more time will prove different.

The only piece I ever had an issue with was a switch ring a friend printed for me in ABS on a very cheap machine. That thing was crap. I have heard rumors of things "disintegrating," but have not researched the validity of those claims.

[daaguilar]

Just the chassis lol
Now you guys have me second guessing with this back and forth...

[darth_chasm]

Just the chassis lol
Now you guys have me second guessing with this back and forth...

I would say just do your research on materials and processes and pick what is best for your application. As I said, no issues on my end with SLS prints (all chassis/internal pieces). The "disintegration" stuff I've heard relates to UV sensitive materials. But I believe that can be negated with UV resistant finishes perhaps. Plus, chassis parts aren't usually exposed to extended periods of sunlight.

[daaguilar]

Any 3D printed parts I use I just get from shapeways. Anything on their materials?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

If it's just the chassis, depending on the design (and more importantly who did the design) you will most likely be fine.

[darth_chasm]

Any 3D printed parts I use I just get from shapeways. Anything on their materials?

See my comments above ;)

[daaguilar]

Thanks for the input everyone, I'll most likely win up just taking the chance lol

[CET]

Any 3D printed parts I use I just get from shapeways. Anything on their materials?

I have also used Shapeways for my 3D printed chassis. It took about a year, but now they're becoming brittle and breaking apart.

[daaguilar]

Hm. Well hey, it only comes to thirty something. If I can get it to last a year, I can deal with the eventual break down. Appreciate the input, man.

[grAfLEX25]

I have also used Shapeways for my 3D printed chassis. It took about a year, but now they're becoming brittle and breaking apart.

I did a bit of searching and found a forum discussion of some potential weaknesses of Shapeways parts: https://www.shapeways.com/forum/t/wsf-density-fragility-brittleness-issue.26188/

The third post is particularly interesting because it describes some potential ways the process can go wrong. It could be simply a bad batch of printing, but it does concern me given the price of Shapeways printing service. Personally, I've only used one 3D printed chassis from Shapeways, it seemed sturdy enough, I guess time will tell.

[CET]

Hm. Well hey, it only comes to thirty something. If I can get it to last a year, I can deal with the eventual break down. Appreciate the input, man.

My TCSS chassis is well over a year old and solid as ever.

[FenixFire]

CET,
Unfortunately that is the downfall of additive manufacturing. FDM using ultem or straight ABS would provide some additional longevity but then you'll have the "hot glue" build lines. Unless you use a rp house that also offers vapor polishing.