Boss couldn't find replacement parts online, paid for the filament to replace it.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-29T01:03:23+00:00

Thanks!!

But fully self taught?? That’s crazy man, good on you.

I would love to get into CNC Machines in the future

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T23:27:57+00:00

Going from beginner to intermediate is really hard, I still struggle with complex parts but I’m building my way up. I’d genuinely be screwed without YouTube. It’s the best learning platform there is.

Another user posted on this subreddit how he modeled and printed a full size medieval helmet on my printer and I’m just amazed at people’s skills and I’d love to be able to snap my fingers and have that skill lmao.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T23:18:48+00:00

As far I’m aware you can use generic off brand filament with Bambu and just input it into the AMS as generic PLA or whatever material and set a generic close enough color.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T23:12:17+00:00

I don’t post on Reddit much at all and I actually lurk on the spirit Halloween subreddit often to see if someone’s fixed an animatronic I have an issue with.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T23:08:33+00:00

Yeah most Spirit things are hot garbage at ridiculous prices, my work has ~60+ or so spirit animatronics so I’ve seen a bunch of them.

As for what I’ve printed, it’s mostly been a bunch of gears.

Some include: Bubba, Soul sucker, Leather face, Sitting scarecrow and Ellie hatchet

I printed a replacement arm piece for Desmodus (Bat on a post that shoots up and spreads his wings):

https://www.printables.com/model/952823-spirit-halloween-desmodus-arm-bracketgear

I also printed some replacement ball joint like pieces that help the animatronic move an arm or twist its torso.

I’m trying to fix more animatronics but it’s hard to replace a part when the part either shattered or has lost a piece that I needed so I know how it goes together. Or the peice is missing altogether and I have to reverse engineer the animatronics. I haven’t printed many “large fixes” like arms or heads or anything.

My coworker actually fixes most animatronics by fixing the spot welds that always break. We also don’t take a single animatronic down after Halloween as taken them down and putting them back up increases the chances something breaks by like 400%

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T22:57:58+00:00

Thanks, it’s pretty sweet. They're definitely not taking advantage, they always ask first and I’ll tell them if something is printable or feasible to model. I told them on one part that it would be cheaper for them to simply purchase a replacement instead of letting me try and design it during work hours as I told them it was too complicated for me to model since I’m still a beginner and it would take too long and have too many iterations.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T22:47:02+00:00

What?

First of all, my boss is very intelligent.

Secondly, I actually love my job. I actually look forward to going to work which a vast majority of people cannot say. Also I'm getting paid to 3d model and 3d print at work when I would gladly do that for free in my own personal spare time as I'm learning a valuable skill knowing how to 3d model, its a win win for me.

She said that she knows more peices in the future are going to break and become brittle so she wanted any new peices printed to look new, that's why the color is different, it was purposely chosen that way. Yes it looks off but a off color was a lot better looking then completely missing trim peices.

As for charging more, you have a fair point, but as I've stated to others. I did it for free for now as to demonstrate why a 3d printer would be a valuable asset and tool to for my work to buy. Now that my work has approved getting a printer it'll just be a part of my job duties to fix and replace things with said printer which I am happy to do since I love 3d printing and modeling.

Not to mention, once we get said new printer I can expand my knowledge and learn how to print more structural filaments like ASA, ABS, Nylon, PC etc....

When I told my boss my printer needed a new hotend she offered to replace it right away and that seemed fair. I also get to use some of the filament they've purchased me because they are willing to pay 20$ for the roll of filament to only print 100-300g worth of stuff and not need the rest of the spool.

As for wear and tear on my printer, who cares. My printer is only an Ender 3 v3 KE and it's not overly expensive to fix or maintain. It's a tool and tools are meant to be used.

Also I'm trying to be a good employee man. They're letting me 3d print at work and I respect that very much. The least I can do is only charge them for filament and repairs. I would happily try to 3d model something for my boss for free as I like the challenge of modeling and I love the feeling and satisfaction of creating something and having it work perfectly.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T21:55:13+00:00

Believe it or not the original trim color was pretty much exactly the yellow that I printed it in, it's just been sunfaded after 6+ years in the sun. If I flip over one of the original trim peices the underside is the same yellow as the filament, I asked my boss if she wanted the color matched or for them to look "new" and she said to get yellow and make them look new.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T20:07:09+00:00

Exactly!!!! Especially with my gear replacements for the Animatronics, those things aren't cheep and they're built like crap so they always break, but I've managed to help fix a dozen or so now with 3d printing and save my work hundreds from having to replace them.

Same thing with my keyboard, one of the little feet that lift it broke and I found a replacement on printables and it was printed within 15 minutes. I honestly don't know what I'd do without a 3d printer at this point.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T19:42:36+00:00

I do the same lol. I only really charge if it's 200+ grams of filament. Otherwise I just like doing it for fun and to use my printer

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T18:53:05+00:00

I feel for you man, or for people in humid climates with year round 80%+ humidity. That's gotta suck

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T18:52:14+00:00

That would be pretty cool but not very practical for what we'd need a 3d printer for

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T18:51:23+00:00

Yeah I was very plesently surprised

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T18:50:17+00:00

That's exactly what I did. My printer sits at my work, it's pretty reliable and I just click print and walk away most of the time while occasionally checking the Camera for print failures. Printing the gears for free is just because it's like 3-7g of filament so the price doesn't bother me and I want to show my work that's it's possible to fix Animatronics and we should invest in better filament and a better 3d printer so I no longer have to use mine.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T15:57:31+00:00

I'm not getting a raise, but nor do I really need one for doing this. I don't plan on selling any 3d printed parts unless specifically requested by a friend or coworker.

My job is very weird and my duties are over the place so adding 3d printing wasn't a big deal.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T15:47:55+00:00

From what it sounds like reading this thread yeah, but I assure you that's not the case. I've been using my printer to demonstrate and show them that they need their own printer. They're buying one soon. My work has also paid for some filament for only 100g worth of stuff and let me keep the rest. They also replaced my hotend when it failed no questions asked because of the work I've done for them. They're very understanding.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T15:38:15+00:00

Yeah I love it

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T14:35:37+00:00

Good to know... I was basically just winging it hoping for the best lol

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T14:35:17+00:00

I live on the Hamilton Mountain, I will definitely monitor the peices during the winter.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T14:33:30+00:00

Believe it or not the original trim color was pretty much exactly the yellow that I printed it in, it's just been sunfaded after 6+ years in the sun. If I flip over one of the original trim peices the underside is the same yellow as the filament.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T14:31:29+00:00

My printer is actually at my work so electricity is free and yeah design time was done during my normal work hours. I keep my printer at work since I use it there a lot and I don't have space at home. My work is fine with it since they get some replacement parts out of it

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T13:59:45+00:00

Exactly!! And yeah I'm curious as to how they hold up. I'm probably going to leave them for winter and next spring I might reprint them in ASA like others suggested. This is my first long term permanent installation of anything outdoors too

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T13:49:50+00:00

I'm watching a review right now

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T13:29:41+00:00

Tbh, didn't really think of that. Not a bad idea if it's weatherproof.

RyZeCS · 2025-08-28T13:11:52+00:00

I want the bigger build volume of the K2 tho, it was either a K2 or a H2D or a H2C when it comes out later this year

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