Let's talk 3D printers!

Which of the filaments are not, or less, affected by water and UV? My wife wants me to print a "Plant Growing Root Box" (that's all I know!) but I have only used PLA so far. The author of the files shows he used PETG but he also states that he has not printed anything yet. TIA

ASA (and advanced version of ABS) would be best for this, but you would still need to add a sealer to the inside of the Plant Box to keep the water in. FDM doesn't produce 100% water tight prints, close, but not quite.

PETG does not like UV IME - FWIW I'm in Australia, where it can hit 11 on the UV index in summer.

I use spray FlexSeal for this. May be cheaper alternatives, but it works and is locally available at hardware stores.

Collections – flexsealproducts.com

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Yep, that sort of spray on rubber sealant is ideal.

ASA would last the longest but for bird feeders, planters,and such petg will likely last 3-5 years outdoors here. Last week, I printed some hummingbird/oriole sugar water cups in petg that hold water Ok. Small amounts, 200mil approx, so almost no standing pressure.

0.4 nozzle
0.12 layer height
Sloooow: 60mm/s outer wall
Hot: 255/80

Thanks everyone. I wonder if I printed them in PLA+ and then used the flexseal to make them waterproof. But the UV is still an issue so I will look into the ASA along with using the flexseal. Maybe even the PETG and flexseal might work as well.

I 3D print Geocache containers that will be outdoors, usually partially unprotected from the elements (hung in trees, fences).
They see temperature ranges from -30°C to 35°C.
Most have rubber o-rings or TPU o-rings I've printed myself.

If I print them in PLA/PLA+, I spray them with Krylon Crystal Clear for a bit of protection.

I don't treat anything I print in PETG.

Squirrels are a bigger threat to them than UV :rofl:

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Nice, I have a few printed containers myself in the wild for the same purpose. Do you design your own or just print what you find on the model sites? I'm planning on making a few gadget caches and place them for the summer, I live near Montreal and many gadget caches don't survive the winter even though our winters are not that bad.

EDIT, just saw you are actually a few hours from me and have the same winters I do :slight_smile:

Yeah, gadget caches here are challenging.
My buddy and I have lots of great ideas, but the freeze/thaw cycles don't make for well designed gadget caches unless you can put them in other containers.

I have one gadget cache that's a sort of cryptex with 6 dials around it.
In order to protect it from the weather, it's inside a sealed plastic container which is inside a large plastic cat litter container.

Michael has been away on holiday, but he’s back with a look at the Bambu Lab situation.

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Push Back Against Bambu Lab’s New Security Architecture « Fabbaloo

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What has anyone done to stop the Squeaky Bearings on a Sovol SV06+?

  1. Use a high quality oil?
  2. Use a high quality grease?
  3. Replace bearings with a better brand?

Dunno about the Sovol, but here's the grease that is recommended here (IIRC) and on assorted 3d forums:

Lucas Oil 10533 White Lithium Grease - 8 Ounce Squeeze Tube, 2 Pack

I just bought & used it. 2 x 8oz will be enough for a very large print farm.

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This is ideal for linear rail or rod bearings, but it’s not ideal for lead screws.

SuperLube is best for lead screws as it has PTFE in it. Which is exactly why it’s bad for linear bearings (PTFE makes the bearings slide instead of roll).

That's the other one I've seen ...but with no explanation as to why & where to use. Thanks. I did know that Lucas had no PTFE and that's why it was often recommended.

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Speaking of lube & oil, I built a precision lube gun per this model:

Syringe pump adapter by flipsht

I used a 3ml syringe with needle. Loaded it with mineral oil. Quirky to load, but it works well for precision oiling. I just ordered a 2nd one.

Buyer beware - see the reviews:
AAProTools Ligmaject Intraligamental Syringe Gun/Pistol Type Tralig 1.8 ML
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T7G79KS

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It’s great stuff, I use it on all my bearings after finding bearings at high speed started sliding with SuperLube. It makes a horrid noise and it’s generally bad for them.

However, when I tried Lucas white lithium grease on my lead screws, the result was not enough sliding and they couldn’t run as fast and made horrible noises.

I put it down to the old mantra of, use the right type of oil for the right job. It’s a bit like cars, you don’t put transmission oil into your differential.

That’s really clever, I might try it with my solder flux syringes, they look like a similar size.

Search yeggie on solder syringe --I saw some good models while digging for that one. There was a solder spool applicator that really caught my eye.

If you want to go down & dirty on syringe applicators, the thread on medical syringes is "luer" ...here's a nozzle that fits. Works great.

Glue Henna Dispensing Needle Tips Luer Lock Blunt End Plastic Tapered Needles 14 Gauge 100 Pieces
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GLF35MZ

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Aahh, I bookmarked it...

Solder Scroll - Adjustable Solder Tool by Victor

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