Show off your 3D printed parts

A suitably durable fob+airtag case would be large and bulky. Most printers don't do the level of detail needed to make a case replacement like that slim enough to not be obnoxious while still being strong enough to be worth the effort. Might just want to glue/VHB that tag to your fob and call it a day.

 

Thanks for the input. Makes since if it’s piggybacked. What are your thoughts on this config? Maybe I need to look into aluminum billet milling. https://www.printables.com/model/722861-rivian-keyfob-and-airtag-case

 

That layout would work better, though I'd still consider it more bulky than I'd want on my keychain personally. It does leverage the stronger orientation of the FDM process with the layer lines laying flat along the axis where it will experience tension, but the key-ring hole as depicted on that model is not going to last at all.

 

Anyone do anything with gridfinity and their Tacoma?

 

Just finished designing a solution for the tiny cupholder and wasted space of the center console on the 2nd Gen Tacoma!

I often complained about the lack of places to put things like pens and keys, or large drinking containers like a Nalgene, Yeti, Stanley, etc. The stock center console is just a bad design!

After a few months of development and testing, I honed in on this design. It is held in place with four 1"x1" squares of 3M SJ3560 heavy duty hook-and-loop (

$20 3M SJ3560/CLR1333 Scotch SJ3560 Dual Lock 250 Reclosable Fastener: 1" x 10 ft., Clear

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQ6IS1G ), which is plenty strong for the high heat in vehicle interiors.

This has been a gamechanger for day to day use of the truck, and feels like a natural part of the interior. A large bottle like a Nalgene can sit in the cupholder and doesn't interfere with the gear shifter or opening the center console compartment.

If you have a 3d printer, I have the file available for download here: https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/gad...lder-tray-for-2nd-gen-2005-2015-toyota-tacome

If not, I have a few of the prototypes that I would be willing to sell, and I would be willing to print these for order if there is interest. Also, let me know if you would like to see a version with a smaller cupholder because that would be fairly easy to develop. Cheers!

 

We are getting a little closer to righting the wrongs of the right gun arm of a ‘93 Wraith Field Communications E-Frame toy.

Maybe three or four more iterations until it’s acceptable. Then a bunch of other bits. Then paint and electronics.

 

No affiliation or connection, just saw this popup on The Drive on IG
https://3dexport.com/search.php?search_keywords=Tacoma&hidden=500808

 

I went to go do this mod for my e-brake line but on one side, the bolt head didn't face outwards to mount it easily, so I modeled a bracket adapter for my OME leaf pack.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...line-brackets-icon-deaver-old-man-emu.716616/

Mod as written:


Mod modded:

 

Hey guys, looking for advice. I think it's time to get a newer printer. What are the cool kids buying these days?

I bought an Ender 3 in 2020, specifically because of this forum and this thread. I think it was @PyroTaco and @2008taco that conned me into it. First-ever project was arguably the most ambitious, I can't believe it worked, but that thing is still installed in my truck and holding together. Since then I've run hundreds of projects thru it, maybe 50 spools of filament... all designed from scratch, by me, for my printer, with honestly pretty epic results. It turns out I'm really good at cading stuff for 3d printing. And I tricked out the printer too, pretty much every upgrade other than auto bed leveling.

But these days, it's a total pain in the ass to keep this old Ender3 working. I can't get through a spool of filament without taking the damn thing apart and replacing or adjusting something. Half the things I design, I just admire in CAD rather than printing, thinking, 'yeah, that would totally work or whatever...' Because of how much it sucks to get the printer tuned in and working long enough to complete the job. It didn't use to be this difficult.

Meanwhile, I have to wonder if consumer-grade printers have improved in the past half-decade. Perhaps at the $500-$1k price range? I've easily dropped that much into this $200 printer already.

I print PETG pretty much exclusively, and don't need anything bigger than the Ender 3 bed. I don't need multiple filaments. Just want something that works more reliably, and preferably faster, than an old Ender 3. Any recommendations?

Or, do I need to just stop bitching and go fix my damn printer again?

 

I know the frustration all too well - I just finished going thru the same thing. Decided it was worth doing a deep dive and replacing all the wear parts, and upgrading quite a few stock items. Now its printing better than ever, for significantly less than buying a new printer.

Go thru everything that wears and inspect/replace it. Bearings, rollers, belts, brass parts, extruder gears, nozzles, everything. Lube where needed, and then do the whole tuning checklist again.

If we can keep our trucks maintained and running nice, a printer shouldn't be so bad.

All that being said, I do have a couple long standing issues that are a mystery, but they are relatively minor in the grand scheme.

 

I was in a similar boat. Bought an ender 3 clone in 2020 as a COVID hobby, printed more upgraded parts than it had original parts in it, but just got to a point where I was always tinkering with it to get it to print solidly.

I bought and would recommend a Bambulab P1S, and even if you aren't doing multicolor, I'd still recommend the AMS combo, especially since you're doing PETG (or maybe even the AMS2, since it'll do heated drying now). It's so damn convenient to just pick 1 of the 4 colors and go. There's a few of us in here now with them.

The only tinkering I've done with mine so far is to put a riser for the top glass to avoid heat soak on long prints, and I upgraded the LED bar inside the print chamber. Otherwise the thing is a dream. Makerworld is surprisingly legit, too. Tons of models on there that just plain work and it's like, two buttons to start a print from your phone.

Now, that being said, Bambulab raised some hackles a few months ago with a move to limit 3rd party slicers. You can still use them, but they limited the "direct from slicer to printer" functionality without middleman authenticator applet thing. I don't own a print farm and I use their slicer, so it hasn't affected me, but I know a whole bunch of people were offended at it.

If you want to go cheaper, the A1 is another very very solid printer, but knowing how finicky PETG can get with lifting corners with uneven heating, I'd say the chamber of the P1S would be worth it.

My $0.02

 

Have any of you smart 3d printer people thought about printing a radio bezel that angles the radio more towards the driver?

 

I know some other companies have made plastic steer wheel cover overlays but I got bored and printed out a prototype for the 2nd gens. Almost fits correctly some minor tweaks but just less than 60g for 50% infill with supports.

 

For anyone who has a NOCO trickle charger like myself, I wanted to be able to easily plug-n-play as they say, so I worked up this bracket for the grill. Now I can simply unplug and go, vs. having to fish wires in and out every time. Printed using ASA, so I'm hoping it will survive the heat.

 

May I ask where you found the light bar? They use to be easy to find but everyone went to the “LED lightbars”, making it hard to find one like in above pic.

 

Just need to sand and paint it, but looks a lot better than the prototype I did

 

Very cool, I like this!