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I'd made a post a while back about 3D printing trim parts for 1st gens, and I have some super exciting updates: got some great scan data.
I've been doing test prints on my 3D printer in abs plastic - I'll update some more later if there's interest!
Nice work, can you talk more about how you scan the images in. Is the scanning piece reasonably priced and straight forward to use? What all is involved with that part?
Scanning was a huge pain. I was able to model a few simple parts myself, but my $1000 dollar hobbyist scanner was nearly useless for more complex curvy bits. I wound up paying a local engineering shop to scan a bunch of parts and give me a clean, watertight model.
I still have to do some small modifications to the CAD models, but I've been doing some test prints in hobbyist plastic to check dimensions/fitment, and it's going pretty well. I'm considering selling printed parts if I can get good robust parts to print in abs.
Originally Posted by UnregisteredSA22C;[url=tel:12544423
12544423[/url]]Scanning was a huge pain. I was able to model a few simple parts myself, but my $1000 dollar hobbyist scanner was nearly useless for more complex curvy bits. I wound up paying a local engineering shop to scan a bunch of parts and give me a clean, watertight model.
I still have to do some small modifications to the CAD models, but I've been doing some test prints in hobbyist plastic to check dimensions/fitment, and it's going pretty well. I'm considering selling printed parts if I can get good robust parts to print in abs.
oh wow I didn’t know a good scanner setup was quite expensive. I guess you confirmed this isn’t a DIY setup to take on myself. So yea I’d be interested in some parts for sure.
thanks for the info and I also am looking forward to hearing more about your progress.
Yeah, I'm interested in a few parts. SA Shifter surround and maybe the rear latch cover. Though I may have a spare. Either way, excited to be development in this area.
I guess a proper good pro-spec scanner runs in the 5 digit range haha. I tried for a really long time to model parts with just caliper measurements, but anything with a curve defeated me.
I'll update as I test the prints... I'm also experimenting with some post-processing methods to smooth out layer lines, but I'm expecting the final parts to look 3D printed. They can be sanded/painted though... again, trying a bunch of stuff!
Last edited by UnregisteredSA22C; 12-20-22 at 09:47 AM.
Look forward to seeing this move forward, those scans look great! Definitely some good parts there.
And I wish you the best of luck. Direct replacement 3D printed parts are tricky and, personally, gave me quite a hard time. Still want to try again sometime here, but I ran out of time and patience to perfect them to a level I was comfortable selling. Only ever got a couple different parts out and even then I still wanted the quality to be better.
I'd also add that if you haven't used soluble supports and have a machine that's capable, they are a godsend. Definitely worth using if you can.
Look forward to seeing this move forward, those scans look great! Definitely some good parts there.
And I wish you the best of luck. Direct replacement 3D printed parts are tricky and, personally, gave me quite a hard time. Still want to try again sometime here, but I ran out of time and patience to perfect them to a level I was comfortable selling. Only ever got a couple different parts out and even then I still wanted the quality to be better.
I'd also add that if you haven't used soluble supports and have a machine that's capable, they are a godsend. Definitely worth using if you can.
Subbed for updates
Yeah I hate removing support material.... I'd love a multi-extruder printer. What was it about the parts that you didnt like, the model/fitment or the print quality?
Here's a steering bezel i just printed fitted to the original bottom; it snapped right in and I'm over the moon about it. Ignore the half-removed supports plz.
Yeah I hate removing support material.... I'd love a multi-extruder printer. What was it about the parts that you didnt like, the model/fitment or the print quality?
It was a combination of both. Fitment can be fixed without too much trouble, but it requires a fair bit of trial and error, especially for small snap/press-fit parts. And I think that my biggest mishap - that I focused on snap fit components whose factory design had a flaw. Trying to make a better 3D printed version that kept the factory design just didn't work out and often suffered the same fate as the originals. In this case I'm referring to the dash/console screw covers.
Larger parts that don't need to have extremely tight tolerances are much better suited to the process, and that's one reason I think those trim panels are going to work out really well for you. I tried the same gig by doing everything with calipers and you can only get so far. There is a practically complete SA center console among my files, but I haven't had the time to fully flesh it out. That said I still have quite a number of 3D printed parts in my own car, but unless they're darn near perfect I'm not comfortable selling them. Even just testing the parts long term to make sure they hold up requires a lot of time and patience.
Originally Posted by DummyFixer
Benjamin4456. Your comment explains why we've not seen a parts for sale list. Bummer
Yes and I'm very sorry to have disappointed some folks. The few parts I had for sale never sold particularly well (although to be fair they were rather oddball items) and I simply ran out of time to keep the project going over the past while. I ended up pulling the remaining items I had for sale about three months ago and haven't really touched it since. I'll be avoiding making any further estimates about possible parts and their availability, but if I do ever make something worthy of sale you can be sure I'll post about it.
That said, over the past couple months I have begun to revitalize my printers and actually picked up another one (a big one) recently. Currently in the process of changing firmware and retuning the ones that are operational, and then building and wiring up the one the new one.
Just an hour or so ago I actually received my order of windshield wiper arm bushings from kutukutu1 and will say they look great. They might have also inspired me to take another look at my rear hatch trim screw covers. It seems he used a powder coated or textured bed for the bushings and the surface finish is stellar, and I think it would work well on the hatch screw covers since they're the same material. This is all hypothetical though, and is not at all a suggestion that I'm resuming production of parts for sale at this moment.
Anywho, my apologies for derailing the thread for a moment there. That printed steering column panel looks great! Can't wait to see what else is coming in the future.
Ready to send money when you have the radio surround ready to go. They're NLA from anywhere, and looks like you've got something much nicer that the aluminum/carbon ones I've seen. You should easily be able to ask 3-500 USD for a complete surround. Looks great and I really appreciate you doing something like this for the community!
Ready to send money when you have the radio surround ready to go. They're NLA from anywhere, and looks like you've got something much nicer that the aluminum/carbon ones I've seen. You should easily be able to ask 3-500 USD for a complete surround. Looks great and I really appreciate you doing something like this for the community!
Dang I hadnt really put much thought into price yet, but those number make me feel a lot better about putting so much time into this haha. I'll definitely let you know - been trying to push myself to test/clean up all the scans in the evening after work.
Just wanted to post a quick update - I buggered my printer super hard there for a while, but I'm getting close to printing a part that I'm actually pretty happy with. I've been focusing on the steering column bezel top and bottom, and I actually went and picked up a couple more printers to speed up development. Also trying to figure out a way to embed threaded metal inserts so the threads aren't just plastic.
I'm thinking my next priority after that will be the radio surround bezel. I'll have to glue together individually printed sections since it's so big, unless someone wants to donate 50k for a big ol' industrial printer .
For the threaded inserts I'd suggest simply using heat-set inserts. They're pretty inexpensive and work great. I've seen some folks insert them during the print by pausing the printer at a certain layer and whatnot, and personally it doesn't seem like a great idea.
You also might have some competition for that surround . Over the last month or two I've been fine tuning on my large printer which can run them as one single piece. Still can't put a date on anything but I've been working on stuff in the background as well (and I have dual material working now too). I look forward to seeing your rendition, and more options are always better, right? Someone also appears to have recently begun producing FC console surrounds (aka tomb stones) and is having them SLS printed in Nylon 12. Seems like it's certainly becoming a more popular idea these days.
Im not quite done with post processing (sanding, paint), but was too excited not to share this. It mounts up in all the stock spots, and i reinforced the long screw holes that always snap off.
Currently trying to see what kind of interest there is if I were to start selling these, and trying to work out a price that represents the time I've put into this without gouging the good people of the 1st gen community. Any feedback is welcome!
Interested for sure. Mine is currently in 17 pieces and all epoxied together. If it doesn't hold after I do filler and paint work, i'll need another option. I almost recreated this model from scratch in Fusion and 3d printed it but I figured someone would come along and professionally scan a complete one. Are you willing to share your plans for people that would like to 3d print it themselves? I know most of the work is in the printing and sanding and fitment.
Interested for sure. Mine is currently in 17 pieces and all epoxied together. If it doesn't hold after I do filler and paint work, i'll need another option. I almost recreated this model from scratch in Fusion and 3d printed it but I figured someone would come along and professionally scan a complete one. Are you willing to share your plans for people that would like to 3d print it themselves? I know most of the work is in the printing and sanding and fitment.
I hadnt thought about that. At this stage I think you're right, and most of the work is finishing. However I've already spent close to 4 months modifying, upgrading, and trial/error test fitting a 3D model that I paid a decent chunk of change to get scanned by an engineering firm. Not sure if I'm ready to give it away haha.
I hadnt thought about that. At this stage I think you're right, and most of the work is finishing. However I've already spent close to 4 months modifying, upgrading, and trial/error test fitting a 3D model that I paid a decent chunk of change to get scanned by an engineering firm. Not sure if I'm ready to give it away haha.
Understandable. I'd even be interested in buying the 3d model download at a reduced price from a completed one product. I know a lot of 3d print designers do that but it's also difficult at that point to control who has the file and who is just trying to turn around and print them for money to compete with you. Hard to copyright a replication of an original though. If you're planning on making a profit on these and fine putting in the work with no real competition then i'd understand you holding your files.
You could ship an "unfinished" print where the person needs to sand all the print lines and finish it themselves. Saves you time, gives a bit of a discount to the buyer, and makes them feel like they were involved in the restoration a bit. I'd be interested in that as well.
Understandable. I'd even be interested in buying the 3d model download at a reduced price from a completed one product. I know a lot of 3d print designers do that but it's also difficult at that point to control who has the file and who is just trying to turn around and print them for money to compete with you. Hard to copyright a replication of an original though. If you're planning on making a profit on these and fine putting in the work with no real competition then i'd understand you holding your files.
You could ship an "unfinished" print where the person needs to sand all the print lines and finish it themselves. Saves you time, gives a bit of a discount to the buyer, and makes them feel like they were involved in the restoration a bit. I'd be interested in that as well.
Shameless plug but I think I've made enough upgrades to qualify as maybe better than original haha. Metal threaded inserts and thickened/reinforced those long screw holes on the top and bottom so hopefully they're a bit more resistant to snapping.
These are fantastic ideas though, thanks! An unfinished print option would be a great way to lower the price for sure. I could maybe put up some kind of guide on youtube or something too in that case.
12-19-22, 04:51 PM
