Fractal support tree

The support function in replicatorG is not ideal. In stead, I would like to make a fractal tree to support large overhangs. However, openSCAD does not support recursion, so I will have to do it in another language, meaning I will have to learn another programming language.

A conceptual example of what I want. The top should be flat and branches should only be pointing upwards in my example.

When I have made it for supporting flat surfaces, I can go on to support e.g. lines, arches, domes etc.

Möbius ring

My wife asked for a ring shaped like a Möbius band. I thought it would be a good first try at making something, so I started making it in openSCAD.

On left: Prototype 1: The first thing I have designed and printed myself! On right: Prototype 2.

All prototypes was printed with 0,27 mm layer thickness.

The first prototype had a radius of 1 cm, and was a bit too narrow for her finger. It was increased to 1.2 cm in prototype 2. Prototype 1 was 3 mm high, which was doubled in prototype 2.

The second prototype was a bit to wide, so the third prototype had 1.1 cm radius. I also disliked the uneveneness of the turn, so I made it more even. However, in order for the openSCAD rendering not to take FOREVER I could not just increase the segment number. I now had to make it in three parts. There must be an easier way, but I can't find it right now. openSCAD doesen't seem to like for(i=XXX), where XXX is a vector equation, and I can't define the segment size for each loop, as variables are global. I suppose I could make a vector of segment sizes, but I cant find how to get an arbitrary value out of a vector.

Third prototype was beautiful, according to both me and my wife, so I rendered it again with 0.1 mm layer thickness.

Final ting would not stick to build surface, so a raft was added.

Left: Prototype 3. Right: Final ring

Thingiverse link to this: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:41515

Cat food measuring cup/bowl - CANCELLED

We have measuring cups specifically for cat food. However, for at least the next five years, we are going to need the same amount of cat food each time (25 g two times a day). I would be faster and easier to have a measuring cup measuring exactly that, in stead of filling a beaker to a specific line.

Furthermore, getting the food from the measuring cup to the cat food bowl can be a problem, as the cats are quite eager for getting the food, so the cat food bowl might already be full of cat. This problem could be avoided if the measuring cup was also the food bowl.

It turns out that my printer is not guaranteed to print food-safe objects, so I will not work further with this idea. I suppose you could paint the finished object, but I don't want to research food-safe paints at the moment.

Self-watering hanging flower pots

I would like some flower pots for herbs to hang on my kitchen walls. To avoid them dying when I forget to water them, as self-watering system would be nice. There exists some commercial products, but none are hanging.

My design will be based on the same principle as the Eva Solo one in the above link:

There will be two pots: The top will be for soil and plant, the bottom will be for water. A non-biodegradable wick will move the water (nylon? Can I print this in PLA?).

The top pot will have a hook for hanging on to the rod on the wall. The bottom one will hang from the top one. I think it will be easier if both are square, so that is what I will try first.

Most plants (some orchids excluded) don't like light on their roots, and as I have only got white plasitc to print in, I will need to spray-paint the top pot. I think black on the inside will be best. Perhaps white on the outside as well.

The bottom pot will be transparant so I can see how much water is in there.

As I am going to print in PLA, which is bio-degradable, I will need to apply another surface to the inside of the bottom pot as well. I have to find a transparant non-biodegradable lacquer.

The bottom pot must have an opening so I can pour in water without disassembling the pot.

About

This blog is mostly for my own benefit, in order to have a place where I can organize my ideas and projects for my 3D printer. This means that some ideas a rather half-baked. Some of them will be expanded upon later.

If you find anything you like, or anything you can use, please drop a comment to let me know.

All my ideas and work in this blog is released under the creative commons attribution share-alike license. In order for people to use it more widely, it is also released under the CC-BY-NC-ND

If you need something under another license, please feel free to contact me, I am sure we can work something out.