Made a bubble adjuster today

MIG or stick?

I have a small oxyacetylene rig, but have never owned any electric welding gear. It's been on my acquisition list for decades, but I've just never gotten around to justifying the cost and space requirement.

This was flux wire, so technically not mig but I call it that.

this is mine, seco's definitely look cheap 😀

The Seco one is too expensive, and built too cheap. Nice job.

what good thing for 3d prit 😉

I don't think I agree with you on that one Yuriy, but, me thinks you were kidding anyway. A printed part big enough and braced enough for the job would be way more expensive that just pulling out the mig and welding up some parts, IMHO. I did pull up pictures of the SECO parts and yikes!

Norm Larson, post: 360931, member: 7899 wrote: I don't think I agree with you on that one Yuriy, but, me thinks you were kidding anyway. A printed part big enough and braced enough for the job would be way more expensive that just pulling out the mig and welding up some parts, IMHO. I did pull up pictures of the SECO parts and yikes!

based on your experience you have better idea about plastic volume/price ratio. It has been a while i was 3d printing something, i was just assuming prices went down, but probably they have not fallen down to that extend for these parts to be 3d printed cheap.

It's coming though ... They have been fairly stable for a bit, so, they should start dropping again

I have the less expensive Sokkia knock off of the SECO version. It's plenty well built for its intended purpose. I'd be hard pressed to produce one myself for less than that I paid for it.

Am I missing something? What's the difference between using this device, and placing the pole on an inside corner of a desk, and moving the tip? Convenience?
I've even checked mine using the side view mirrors on my car. Very convenient, and cheap too.

Norm~ Interested in the 3D printer. Can you just enlighten us on your knowledge. Any good sources for information. I've done some googling... but sometimes it is just better to ask someone that deals with it.

PS... which machine are you using?

I don't believe that the key to 3D printing lies in what printer you own, ... yet. Unless you can keep it busy, but, that works for scanners, GPS, instruments and everything else we have to deal with too. I guess what I am saying is get good at the model and don't worry as much about the medium. 90% of what I print is SLS nylon with steel, brass, full color plastic and sintered steel making up the rest. I have a CNC and will probably add some 3D printers this year (one for sure). You do have to model differently for different types of printers. Minimum wall, wire and gaps are the main differences.

You can get a more home oriented machine and most do a fair job. Most home machines are extruder or deposit in type and can be very finicky to do a good job (you have to factor humidity, heat at join and across the part and support). Basically, by the time you are good with it, it will be old technology. Deposit all have strength issues in both malleability and compression, but, deposit can actually make a very accurate print. Deposit can do very good color, but, it feels like fine grit sandpaper. An extruder is a good balance of cost, strength and accuracy, but, I don't have one yet. It would do a great job on the subject matter for instance, but, it would not look like what you see, as the flat surfaces would not be steel and would need gussetting. I keep wanting to print things that I need right now, so, I will probably build and extruder this year.

Professional quality printers are very very expensive and there are so many different technologies out there. One does not fit all, in other words. I use printing services, mainly Shapeways, but, I also use Fathom, Sculpteo, iMaterise and a couple of others. I find that the strong and flexible nylon plastic that laser sinter delivers to be strong light and cost effective, but, those machines are some of the most pricey. I would do a lot more steel printing if I owned one. I have just found that there are some chocolate printing services now (I have been impatiently waiting), ... OK, what is the next chocolate holiday? This is going to be fun!

The cheap way to jump in, is think of some stupid little thing you need that nobody else seems to need, as you can't find one and model it up and get your feet wet. Almost all 3D design software starts as a 2D sketch that is extruded or revolved. If the sketch for the part I am making is very involved, I use TerraModel and just import it into the model software for extrusion. If I am working from a scan cloud would be an exception to that of course.

I don't think we have one of these style of rod checkers, but, if you want, I will model one up and post it. Then you can upload it to the various services and find out that when you hear about surveying costs being all over the place, ... We are not alone.

Those knobs are 3d printed B-)

I have found my first 3D printer http://www.pancakebot.com/