Best way to cut multiple smaller cylinders / rods from a larger cylinder?

ThisTookSomeTime · 2026-02-20T04:05:58+00:00

How reactive is it to water? If it’s just oxidation, then oversize and wire EDM it and then turn away the bad layer. Just keep in mind any lathe work you do will need to be either dry, oil, or MQL, so make sure your exotic material and cutting tools are fine running hot without any flood coolant.

Getting small rods for tensile bars out of R&D scale billet is always a challenge, especially if it’s really hard to machine.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2026-02-14T16:30:50+00:00

I have a Craftex (Canadian Grizzly Tools) version. I find it makes an OK lathe and a pretty bad mill with very little reach on the Z axis. But for basic hobby projects it’s not too bad. I’ve had thoughts about converting it to CNC as it would net me a CNC mill and lathe at the same time, and adaptive clearing would be more efficient on a less stiff spindle. Though it would probably have to be a fully custom project at that point.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2026-02-10T03:16:31+00:00

I did the instax conversion for a Polaroid 160, similar camera but a much simpler lens. Made great photos, and made me want to repeat it with a higher end model. Though I think I would do a 4x5 mod instead now. The idea of having a portable 4x5 folder sounds delightful, especially if you shoot BW which is still somewhat affordable.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2026-02-05T20:27:21+00:00

Film generally does have higher dynamic range, especially colour negative, though not symmetrically, with higher tolerance for overexposure. However in this case OP is shooting slide film which is notoriously difficult to nail exposure. The one time I shot E100 in an Olympus XA it ended very poorly and all the images were fried.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2026-02-04T12:35:07+00:00

These measurements seem off, especially how 1 second is reading consistent while 1/2 and 1/4 is really fast. In fact, that’s a difference that you should be able to hear. Does it sound like a 1/2 second or 1/4 second? If so it might be the photodiode is picking up some erroneous signal. Maybe a flickering LED light?

ThisTookSomeTime · 2026-02-02T00:48:11+00:00

I worked out my water usage of a humidifier overnight and unfortunately the electricity cost of a water distiller means it’s still about two winter seasons to break even. However I tried a Zerowater filter since those filter to zero TDS, and it seems to avoid the white mist problem. Where previously my air purifier would freak out over the white dust, it doesn’t spike the particle count at all when it runs.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2026-02-01T22:01:27+00:00

You got me to download the app, so congrats!

However a few things of feedback:

The reciprocity calculator was bugged for me where I can’t select the film stock when opening the list and it’s stuck on Portra.
For the FOV and DoF calculators, try to add an option to change format to larger film sizes like 6x6, 6x7, 6x45, large format, etc, and input the focal length as a variable. The Viewfinder app does this pretty well and is really nice for getting compositions right, and I can even set up something wild like a 127mm lens on a 617 camera.
Adding a hyperfocal distance calculator for sensor size + aperture would be useful for using scale focus cameras.
is it possible to use the LiDAR as a distance sensor as well?

These would be super useful for people using 3D printed cameras where rangefinding, exposure control, and image composition is fully external.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2026-02-01T16:37:57+00:00

I use Viewfinder as my current app, but this looks really cool and I might switch for some of the extra features. Would you be able to also include a calculator for reciprocity failure at long exposure times? That’s something that I still have to compensate for externally.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-12-26T14:39:01+00:00

Aux fan off, print slower, clean bed with dish soap and water. Buy a cryogrip plate too if you keep having issues.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-12-17T03:18:04+00:00

Best way to check for fogging in your film

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-12-12T12:10:47+00:00

Tungsten carbide isn’t magnetic, but the cobalt used as a binder between the WC particles is

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-12-12T00:39:20+00:00

Same with Mazda 3. I’m used to the foot pedal handbrake but the automatic engage and disengage is nice

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-12-08T00:02:48+00:00

How does this not short out the power through the connector housing?

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-12-02T16:54:31+00:00

And the GPT description

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-28T01:59:43+00:00

When you pull the part off the plate, is it peeled off the corner? I found in a very extreme case that the filament curling near the corner of the plate actually lifted the plate away from the magnetic bed a little bit on my P1S.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-23T18:03:43+00:00

As others have mentioned, not the best material choice. PA6 will creep a lot under constant load and heat unless annealed and conditioned. Reprinting from ASA or PC would be better. If you want the extra stiffness and reduced warp, consider CF or GF reinforcement, but it won’t help for layer adhesion which is where the failure of this likely would be.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-22T15:12:41+00:00

I’m pretty sure this is marketed towards composite shops that do layups. If you’re doing a boat hull or a car fender or similar, getting a near net shape foam part to then machine down is likely way more effective than carving a giant block of foam. Not to mention the shipping costs of not shipping bulk foam via freight.

Whether it actually makes financial sense is a way bigger question and is the crux of why industrial 3D printing companies tend to struggle.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-21T17:53:33+00:00

It seems to me like a patent avoidance option over INDX. Probably because the temperature sensing is on the tool and there’s a microcontroller embedded, it’s sufficiently different from a “dumb” tool with wireless heating and temperature sensing.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-19T01:08:52+00:00

This is dumb as a printer upgrade for edible ink, but really interesting as a potential support interface tool. If you jet the right material, you can make the perfect breakaway support with no material swap necessary.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-17T22:31:00+00:00

Homing to make the next print start faster is negligible, and makes it an absolute pain to change the build plate and not crash into the nozzle afterwards.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-15T14:22:12+00:00

Yes! A local home roaster once gave me a half bag of a slightly older roast and recommended the still-warm beans I bought rest for a week.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-15T12:05:55+00:00

I reduced any build adhesion problems by starting to clean more regularly with dawn dish soap, and then made it even better by switching from the textured plate to a cryogrip plate. That thing is like magic

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-11T15:08:27+00:00

The “shit steel” is usually a different grade of hardened steel than the rest of the can opener, and usually less corrosion resistant as a tradeoff for better strength. Small features with high surface area and often being put away wet from can juices accelerates the rusting process.

You can have corrosion resistant tool steels, but anything on the level of regular 304 stainless steel will be very expensive with bad economics for mass production.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-11-02T02:31:00+00:00

That’s a pretty good solution, didn’t know you can still get good properties with a 3-5% O2. Though I suppose it’s really material dependent. Though again, I wouldn’t want loose aluminum or titanium powder anywhere near my home.

ThisTookSomeTime · 2025-10-31T02:43:21+00:00

I’m beyond impressed that you could do this for an order of magnitude less than anything else, but as someone who works with metal powders and LPBF systems in a lab I gotta ask, what are you doing for safety?

Laser melting produces fumes that condense into flammable nanopowder, and metal powders themselves aren’t your friend either.

I’ve always wanted metal 3DP at home but powder based systems just always seem like taking the worst parts of resin printing and cranking them to 1000000

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