3Dprint switches

[Vincent Slyngstad]

From: John Foust: Sunday, February 01, 2015 2:23 PM
> At 12:22 PM 2/1/2015, Vincent Slyngstad wrote:
>>I've had excellent results ordering from Shapeways.
>>The switch handles are not cosmetically pleasing when printed with the usual 
>>hobby gear, and the improved resolution of Shapeways' sintered nylon printer 
>>really helps.
>
> What were your results in trying the usual ABS and PLA of common
> plastic printers?

The part are generally functional, but there's significant "banding,"
where the individual extrusion layers are visible in the result.  This is
made worse by the need to orient the part to maximize the mechanical
strength of the result.  The color choices are generally quite limited, too.

Admittedly, these issues can be mitigated with acetone wash, sanding
and filling, and paint.  But really, that's a lot more work than I wanted
to do, especially for about two dozen small parts.

The sintered nylon parts come smooth enough out of the "strong and
flexible, polished" process, and are available in acceptable yellow and
orange colors.  The only issues are their porous nature and their matte
finish, both of which are fixed by the urethane floor shine.  (If you need
PDP-11 or other colors, then you can probably substitute a suitable
paint for the floor polish.)  They do cost a little over $4 each, but
that doesn't really seem that bad.

    Vince