Fantastic Plastic 3D Printed Models

[Aireal Anarchist]

I dont have a 3D printer.....I already have far too many hobbies , I just dont have the time in a day now that Im retired, and frankly most of the bits I have seen printed are handy or nice etc but just didnt excite me, but you all guys building 3d printed planes have changed my opinion....Im still too busy at the moment to begin my reasearch as what to buy or not buy , but I can see I MUST have a 3d printer, how can I live without one?

the clear P38 on the FT video was the first I saw and one of the coolest RC planes Ive seen IMO

nice work guys!

 

[BradDH]

I dont have a 3D printer.....I already have far too many hobbies , I just dont have the time in a day now that Im retired, and frankly most of the bits I have seen printed are handy or nice etc but just didnt excite me, but you all guys building 3d printed planes have changed my opinion....Im still too busy at the moment to begin my reasearch as what to buy or not buy , but I can see I MUST have a 3d printer, how can I live without one?

the clear P38 on the FT video was the first I saw and one of the coolest RC planes Ive seen IMO

nice work guys!

Just a quick tip, I use the creality ender3, and it works fantastic for what I use it for, and I definitely recommend it.
On a side note, here is a picture of a 3d printed plane I just finished designing. anybody have some feedback? I can make the STL files available once I am finished printing and testing it.

 

[FoamyDM]

I'm just starting down in this journey. I keep wondering how to take a model and then Slice it up.

for example taking the Prandtl file and making it printable. the process still eludes me... but there are some good looking planes. I see the printing being a good fit for the thinner items. winglets, something with complex curves and an area to reinforce or fine tune foam. (like a hatch mating, maget or hole reinforcing. as the detail can be enough for a 1mm screw... a number of detail options open up. (I'm thinking Cockpit, fpv area mostly.

 

[BradDH]

Ok when it comes to slicing models, there are a few things to keep in mind. First know that there are different ways that people design their parts, and some brands will be different to slice. All the parts from eclipson need to be sliced with 0 percent infil, 0 top and bottom layers. Also make sure you use a 0.4mm nozzle, as that will also have a time in that. I'm not sure what slicer you use, but cura works good for me.

 

[Wildthing]

Well my 6mm cf tubing finally showed up from Australia , it was worse then ordering from China, it took over 4 months to get here but they were the only ones that had that size in stock so now I can finish assembling my Joker glider from 3DLab Print.

 

[Wildthing]

Starting to look like something, just over 67" WS.

 

[jpot1]

Haven’t flown yet but just printed the GASB 2, free on Thingiverse. The clear is inland pla+ and the blue Hatchbox.

Up next is the Eclipson model V.

 

[FoamyDM]

I'm using cura with the eclipson A profiles. I have the CHEP 4.6.x profile for normal stuff, and the secret trick for near perfect minis. I tried with the eclipson A and it worked ok. If not stringy just... I out the parts too close in cura... They were one piece in the end. .

'm referring to when you have a model and wish to break it for printing. I use freeCAD 0.19.* how do you take a solid model and work with that?

 

[BradDH]

I'm using cura with the eclipson A profiles. I have the CHEP 4.6.x profile for normal stuff, and the secret trick for near perfect minis. I tried with the eclipson A and it worked ok. If not stringy just... I out the parts too close in cura... They were one piece in the end. .

'm referring to when you have a model and wish to break it for printing. I use freeCAD 0.19.* how do you take a solid model and work with that?

I'm not sure how to do that in freeCAD but in fusion 360 I can create an offset plane where I want to slice and then use the split body tool in order to break it along the offset plane. I'm not sure if this will translate into freeCAD but you can try

 

[shadeyB]

As mind blowing as 3D printing is 😍
The amount of 3D printing sites online is crazy and inevitably I spend more time searching for stuff

What sites offer most RC plane oriented stuff including
I get lost in over 20 sites just looking

 

[shadeyB]

Starting to look like something, just over 67" WS.

View attachment 176924 View attachment 176925

How long did it take to print

 

[Wildthing]

How long did it take to print


View attachment 177034

I stopped keeping track but I think over 50 hours

 

[jon.harman]

I have built several 3D printed planes now, a Porter a Grumman Mallard and a Cessna 337 - All have been printed with regular PLA with flying weights ranging from 1000g for the porter to 1600g fro the 337. Simple to print and build, but as is the norm with 3D printed planes they don't usually survive uncontrolled contact with the ground - no problems in flight though, and you can always print the broken parts again

Here are a few photos, I have posted flight video and more images at www.rc3dprint.com

 

[Boberticus]

Mr Harman, your Blog on designing a 3D printed airplane was quite literally inspirational. Im working on something now, and seeing how you are hosting someone's Draco design, Im hoping to eventually get to the point of asking you to do the same for me.

If you were to make a post here in this sub-forum kinda just reposting everything decribing your process for the Skymaster, I can promise you it will be very well received.

If anybody wants a spectacular walkthrough of how this man designs these lovely aircraft, his blog is the best thing ive seen online for a how to. https://www.rc3dprint.com/blog Scroll down to the very bottom where he starts and read the first few posts, they are AMAZING

 

[jon.harman]

Hi Boberticus,

Thank you so much for you post, really put a smile on my face. I'm so glad you found it useful. I would love to see what you come up with when your finished!

Instead of reposting the Cessna 337 on the forum I have another idea. I could do another walkthrough of a different design posted in real time on the forum as we go along. That way I can bring in some other techniques and it can sit alongside the Skymaster. I already have an a aircraft in mind, one of Rutan's designs.

 

[bracesport]

I just finished this design for a 3D printed DS slope wing for a friend.

 

[Boberticus]

Hi Boberticus,

Thank you so much for you post, really put a smile on my face. I'm so glad you found it useful. I would love to see what you come up with when your finished!

Instead of reposting the Cessna 337 on the forum I have another idea. I could do another walkthrough of a different design posted in real time on the forum as we go along. That way I can bring in some other techniques and it can sit alongside the Skymaster. I already have an a aircraft in mind, one of Rutan's designs.

OOOOH boy howdy yes please sir.

everybody loves the Vari-eze or the LongEZ, but my favorite Rutan design is the Quickie. hes sorta a celebrity round here, and with so many of his designs as graceful as they are it wouldn't matter which one you choose.

very much looking forward to it,

 

[JustPlaneChris]

Great thread! I've only printed one plane so far, a Nucking Futs. However, I didn't take the time to make it nearly as pretty as the one in the first post of this thread.

Mine is printed with the "long wing", the upswept tips and I even printed a folding prop! I'm running it on 2S, and fly it more like a "micro hotliner" than a pylon racer. IOW, lots of climbs and power off dives with acro and fast passes. It's a blast, and flies great.


Nucking Futs and his big brother, a TopModel Wilco.


I've been toying with designing my own plane to print, but haven't had the time to sit down and figure out the internal structure tricks. If I ever do, I'm leaning towards a hybrid design, with foam flying surfaces and a printed fuselage.

 

[jon.harman]

OOOOH boy howdy yes please sir.

everybody loves the Vari-eze or the LongEZ, but my favorite Rutan design is the Quickie. hes sorta a celebrity round here, and with so many of his designs as graceful as they are it wouldn't matter which one you choose.

very much looking forward to it,

I was planning on designing a Quickie!! I was going to keep it a secret!

 

[jpot1]

I was planning on designing a Quickie!! I was going to keep it a secret!

I second Boberticus, would love to see a thread here!