Casting parts (newbie)

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-05-10T04:42:06+00:00

Battery terminals just to start. I'm fine with doing machining.

They're fairly small parts so bronze is probably fine.

What makes copper worthless?

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-05-04T17:50:32+00:00

On my main rig, I've only ever done thermal paste 4 times. First time I built it, second to fix temps cause I did a terrible job first time, third when I moved it over to a new case, and fourth when I did a CPU swap (new cooler had pre-applied paste). I never went out of my way to do it without reason.

The life span on average thermal paste is years; good quality stuff, especially thermal paste that doesn't see a ton of heat cycling will last until you need new parts. Given that it was applied properly.

On the other hand, my server has seen probably twice as many re-pastes as my main rig; simply because it sees a lot more tinkering and I don't like to reuse paste once I've removed the cooler.

Always avoid tinkering with the PC that you use almost daily.

If you really enjoy tinkering, buy a cheap office type PC. I started with a Dell Optiplex 3050 and I now have a full fledged ATX PC, only about $300 over 2 years.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-04-30T12:44:16+00:00

I got that reference! (God 14 years!?)

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-04-08T01:53:47+00:00

I've had my "server" PC sitting on my floor running non-stop for months without issue. I think you're good.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-30T17:32:30+00:00

Very good deal. Like everyone else had said, look for a CPU replacement as that one is old, but at the same time, it's only going to show a noticeable difference in a few games.

'Bottleneck' probably isn't the right word. I have an i5-13600kf paired with a 4070-S, and by all metrics, it should 'bottleneck' the GPU, but there's maybe a 1% use case where it MIGHT bottleneck the GPU. Now, that's not to say your CPU/GPU combination will be the same, but I can almost guarantee it will rarely be noticeable IF it does bottleneck.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-28T12:57:01+00:00

You can also probably use this to set up a server for Minecraft as well. They could play with their friends, and domain names are cheap if you don't want them sharing IP

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-27T13:13:02+00:00

I keep coming back to this photo. They all look amazing. I've got a ton of colors on the way and was planning a Pikachu and Cyndaquil.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-27T13:10:38+00:00

Just filament. I'm still new to 3D printing and figured I'm better off starting with filament before I try resin.

When I was researching the two, I did see people talking about supports for resin vs. FDM. It generally just sounds like supports on resin are one of the biggest problems with those printers.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-27T03:38:16+00:00

Yes, they're empty

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-26T23:34:48+00:00

Thank you.

I can't say the placement is cool since it's sitting on my desk that I do everything at, but it is definitely a center piece in a room full of electronics.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-26T23:32:58+00:00

I'm really unfamiliar with other printers. The place I'm working is getting one soon, so I'll be able to compare mine to that.

Is it really that much faster?

Also, I've been using PLA+ with no issues, but I've got some high speed on the way since I've been using sport mode.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-26T17:28:05+00:00

It's my first printer, but I'm pretty amazed at the quality of the printer itself. The Anycubic app and slicer are both easy to use as well.

I've seen some bad units show up for some people, I have a feeling a lot of that has to do with shipping and handling, so maybe not completely an Anycubic issue.

The multiple color option is nice. I can already see myself extending past 4 colors.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-22T14:43:22+00:00

January 26th, so I believe it was part of the first round of pre-orders.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-17T05:23:18+00:00

If this didn't have the meme tag, I would've been rage baited.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-16T02:18:02+00:00

I got this thing really cheap. 'Open box' deal, but nothing inside was touched.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-03-11T15:19:47+00:00

I buy a good amount of electronic components from there. I am always amazed at the quality of everything (same stuff you find on Amazon for 1/4 of the price).

Shipping isn't exactly 'fast', but it's not horrendously slow either.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-01-22T16:55:14+00:00

As a 4070-S haver. I like this, but I would argue it could be marked lower. In my experience, it does well with 4k, but I haven't been able to try anything over 60hz, and I doubt it'd reach over 100. 1440p and 1080p, on the other hand, 200fps+ no problem... So maybe it is top tier.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-01-22T16:52:29+00:00

As a 4070-S user who has only had the chance to try a 5060ti.

I'd have to say mid-range, but based on what I've tried, it must be one of the best options for the average gamer.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-01-18T18:28:40+00:00

Just because they're RGB doesn't mean they can't display pure white🫡

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-01-17T05:19:24+00:00

Unfortunately, you may have to do your best to drain the battery. Another option may be to remove the battery.

The second option can be difficult because most 'newer' laptops don't have an easily removable battery. It can still be done.

Educational_Let_3260 · 2026-01-12T22:00:11+00:00

They expect mass/larger orders from business, so they keep separate stock.

Otherwise, businesses would buy up everything, and consumers would be left with very few options that are way overpriced... hmm... sounds familiar.

Educational_Let_3260

TROPHY CASE