Im extremely excited to report im getting a nice sized 3D printer soon, ordering next week. I just wanted to ask some of you experienced guys, is PLA or ABS better for wing ribs. Im already planning to get PLA media, but if i need the abs, for structural components, i would like to have the best i can get. This is for my flying wing project plan is to have it 10ft in a 3 piece breakdown format. Hopefully itll look nicer than my previous n9mb tries.
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Originally posted by rifleman_btx View PostIm extremely excited to report im getting a nice sized 3D printer soon, ordering next week. I just wanted to ask some of you experienced guys, is PLA or ABS better for wing ribs. Im already planning to get PLA media, but if i need the abs, for structural components, i would like to have the best i can get. This is for my flying wing project plan is to have it 10ft in a 3 piece breakdown format. Hopefully itll look nicer than my previous n9mb tries.
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Please consult your aeronautical engineer if experiencing redness of the face, increased volume of the voice, bleeding of the eyes and knuckles due to returning with more parts than when leaving your residence. If additional symptoms occur, discontinue reading any further advice from LB immediately. Not sponsored by anybody at any time and this advice is valid only for the 30 seconds it took for you to read it.I solemnly swear to "over-celebrate" the smallest of victories.~Lucky B*st*rd~
You'll never be good at something unless you're willing to suck at it first.~Anonymous~
AMA#116446
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PLA has a much lower melting point than ABS. ABS is more flexible than PLA and has a slightly lower density meaning it is a bit lighter. It is definitely stronger than PLA too. ABS can be more of a problem to print because if it's higher melting temp though and it can be prone to warping. My printer is in a heated enclosure and I rarely have printing problems with ABS so if I were to take on a project if 3D printing a plane, I would make the 90mm F-86 Sabre and do it in ABS. Maybe someday.
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My printer was purchased second hand and came with the enclosure. It is a wooden cabinet with a hinged wooden frame glass door. The inside has been lined with that thin foil insulation material. Inside the cabinet in the front left corner is a cheap little space heater that is controlled by a controller I got off of Amazon. It turns on/off the heater based on a temperature probe. I have mine in my basement which is an unheated space and can get a bit chilly in the Winter but the heater maintains a nice 40C ambient around the printer. I replaced the print bed with a piece of mirror glass which was flatter than the original bed. You can tell by how the first layer goes down. I also use cheap hair spray to adhere the print to the bed. Tried glue stick but the hairspray works better. You need the kind that has a certain ingredient in it. Do a Google search and you will see what I am talking about. The only other tool I got was one of those thin metal artists spatulas used for painting. Works great to remove the print from the bed. With this setup I can print ABS like a boss.... It can be frustrating at times but don't give up. Plenty of helps out there for the slicing software you will need to use. I use Simplify 3D. I just went ahead and paid the one time fee for the license. I also am trying to get better at Fusion 360 which is free for hobbiest and some powerful software. I am only scratching the surface with it. Start with some simple objects off of Thingiverse. I was very ambitious when I first got mine and tried to print a Skyrim dragon skull right off the bat. That was a lesson in frustration but I eventually learned and was able to get a successful print with ABS. Good luck and happy printing.
The dragon skull. Required a lot of support structures.
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Hey Ya'll, Has anyone used or had any experience with 'Clear' filaments? Thinking ordinance lenses, HUD, Reflector and Canopy parts. Best, LBI solemnly swear to "over-celebrate" the smallest of victories.~Lucky B*st*rd~
You'll never be good at something unless you're willing to suck at it first.~Anonymous~
AMA#116446
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BTX, Congrats on the new toy! I was hoping someone might have had some experience with which clear filament to use so I could smooth it afterward with solvent and then polish it back to crystal. I did need to polish the clear lenses on my A-10 lights after I had stripped the OEM paint with acetone which 'hazed' the clear parts. Worked great. Best, LBI solemnly swear to "over-celebrate" the smallest of victories.~Lucky B*st*rd~
You'll never be good at something unless you're willing to suck at it first.~Anonymous~
AMA#116446
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