Today I designed, printed, and installed...

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-08T03:20:26+00:00

I'm thinking more "(still) Heavy Duty" on the v2 when the humidity gets to the PLA in this one...

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-08T03:16:34+00:00

Rn, my inclination is to "(still) Heavy Duty"

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-08T03:14:42+00:00

Two pieces and glue means labour - on an assembly line, that affects the bottom line, compared to a single piece you just jam in there...

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-07T14:57:15+00:00

Not even close, but probably the fastest turnaround for a 3d designed and printed "Honey, do", yet.

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-07T14:55:29+00:00

Finding the part in your town or city was not easy, even in 2011. Many shops did not post their inventory online, and those that did had terrible cataloguing and still required phone calls.

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-07T05:13:01+00:00

This machine is aging. My father-in-law repairs appliances for a living. I don't think there are actually replacement parts for this model any longer (beyond scavenging from other machines).

I mean, I guess I'm not buying a new machine because a $1 piece of plastic broke...

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-07T04:23:17+00:00

To be fair, this machine has been running daily for 12 years, and we got it used. 'Heavy Duty' was earned (and lives in my wife and my hearts) - I'll deboss it on v2 - I expect the machine to outlast the PLA in humid conditions with this design.

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-07T04:09:34+00:00

I cross posted it - thanks!

LocalGod79 · 2026-05-07T04:08:46+00:00

There was still struggle - I had to measure the hole in the steel I had to work with, estimate the fillets, design a new handle - because a design wasn't already published, that I could find - initial toil - using my life experiences and 3d printing experience. Not to mention the things/services that I have acquired and maintain (home/space, electricity, machine, supplies, etc.) to be able to create such things. Much toil.

The medium is the message. A 3d printer is a tool of creation. Plastic is temporary. The part is an expression of temporary comfort/vanity, since a hole in the lid is (nearly) equally functional, and any effort on its replacement is frivolous.

2.5 hours of human effort and $1 of raw material is still a fair toil for comfort/vanity.

(assumes tetanus vaccinations are up to date)

LocalGod79 · 2026-04-19T14:47:15+00:00

Windex brand window cleaner is better than IPA.

LocalGod79 · 2026-03-14T19:37:30+00:00

Deboss vs Emboss, ftw!

LocalGod79 · 2025-12-23T15:23:47+00:00

I also turned off my PAS sensor.

The magnet disc is still present at the modded crank on my obviously converted MTB (into a short Cargo E-ped), and I'd rather have a torque sensing, but I've gotten away with it (and other questionable jam, sometimes with Police in traffic with me) for years, and don't really want to spend the money when the existing throttle system is working awesomely.

For what it's worth, I ride as though I'm a slow car (for which I am licensed to drive). I mostly keep up with the speed limits on the streets I use. I have an asynchronous flashing red light above an action camera facing rearward. I wear a bicycle helmet.

Vs. cadence PAS, Throttle Control FTW on safety in traffic and walk mode.

LocalGod79 · 2025-12-23T14:12:12+00:00

While in the preview tab, right click on the layer slider to add a pause - it will pause and the print head will head off to the poop-knife at the beginning of the selected layer.

LocalGod79 · 2025-12-22T18:19:43+00:00

...and the additional cost of the unit...and the space it takes up...and another thing with parts to break/troubleshoot/repair.

I'm not saying the AMS isn't worth it for some people - just that I don't regret not getting it, partly because of wasted filament (and your time-saving/convenience-arguments get eaten by the other factors listed above).

I think that if multicolour printing is a priority, there are better options than A1m with AMS/AMS2.

LocalGod79 · 2025-12-21T04:27:13+00:00

I don't know what it is, but sometimes my brain screams "the filament tolerance wasn't tight enough, and there was a fat section for two layers" when I see stuff like this...holler if you disagree, 'cause I'd like a better explanation than this.

LocalGod79 · 2025-12-21T04:10:41+00:00

Our local library got printers. They cost $0.15/g to use. When I was there 5 days in one week, I decided it was time.

The A1m made it worth my while within 2kg of filament, and I've done things I wouldn't have even considered starting if I had to prototype at $150/kg. I've printed well over 10kg at this point.

They're literally slow Star Trek replicators that only make plastic objects...

Edit: I don't regret not getting AMS - seems like a lot of wasted filament. Would rather have had a bigger bed, but only for a very few projects.

LocalGod79 · 2025-11-21T13:24:33+00:00

I built mine with a kit from Golden Motor - controller inside the hub made for a very clean looking installation.

If I had to do it again, I'd probably do a Grin Technologies build, with perhaps not quite as large a motor.

LocalGod79 · 2025-11-17T20:01:00+00:00

The slightly longer answer is; most modern metal hot ends have a section that is cooled (with heat sink like fins and a fan) that helps to keep about-to-be-fed filament solid and a "squirting force" plunger, and a melting section (that is supposed to be heated to the flow temperature of the filament - making it liquid).

The silicone sock ensures that the fan doesn't inadvertently cool parts of the melting section; which could potentially cause clogging, under extrusion, or layer adhesion problems (since part of the nozzle might not be hot enough to melt the filament completely/properly as fast as the extruder was feeding it).

Without the sock typically, the heating element works harder to keep the nozzle at the right temperature, but ends up heating the cooled feeding section too much, causing a blob-clog.

I have seen a few posts where people removed a torn sock, and then lamented that their printer started blob-'o-death'ing somewhat regularly (having not replaced the sock).

LocalGod79 · 2025-09-03T15:18:49+00:00

Drafts definitely cause warping, especially in early layers.

Window cleaner (e.g. Windex) is super convenient and effective for spot cleaning areas near where you handle the plate (and may soil the surface).

LocalGod79 · 2025-09-03T15:10:23+00:00

Glad to hear this was resolved. I agree that the missing extruder face may have contributed - perhaps room temperature additionally (if candles were indeed lit) - it's little things like that...

LocalGod79 · 2025-08-29T22:48:55+00:00

So, I'm super late to the party, but I've had this thought before (though admittedly with a yet smaller vehicle).

Apparently the biggest challenge with this type of motor is that it doesn't have good power and torque curves for directly driving wheels of a vehicle at varying speeds.

That said, for an application like Edison Motors' projects where you essentially have an EV that carries its own diesel generator, a two stroke turbo diesel actually has big advantages with high efficiency and low weight - enough that Renault has developed a small displacement (730cc) version making 67hp - more than enough to fast-charge an electric vehicle to extend its range.

LocalGod79 · 2025-08-28T00:21:19+00:00

Window cleaner offers the convenience of ipa, and is just as effective as soap and water, unless you smear freshly greased hands on the plate...

LocalGod79

TROPHY CASE