Cool stuff going on here....
I've done a bunch of design and 3d printing outside of the sailing world, and I would agree that PETG is for sure a step up from PLA when it comes to handling the outdoors.
I think another great candidate that not many people consider is TPU. It's flexible, so it makes printing soft parts possible. While it can be a pain to print, it is very useful for holding things you don't want scratched, or for essentially making any formed "rubber" part. It has been quite tough in my testing, although I wouldn't trust it to hold water....
I've printed a whole bunch of TPU parts for my new P16 trailer, and I another application is to use it to make more comfortable handles for trapeze lines that sits on top of a metal bar.
--
------------------------------------------
Brad
Current: P16
Previous: Sunfish, Seaspray, P18
------------------------------------------
--
3D printed parts
-
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Jun 01, 2023
- Last visit: Jun 13, 2023
- Posts: 6
Posted: Jun 12, 2023 - 03:38 PM
-
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Nov 19, 2015
- Last visit: Oct 22, 2024
- Posts: 398
Posted: Jun 13, 2023 - 12:15 PM
I got a rat rig 500 that I do parts out of when needed. Next project is doing a whole rudder casting of my own design. Ultimately want to use carbon nylon but there may be other filaments that are strong enough without the cost of carbon nylon. -
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Jun 01, 2023
- Last visit: Jun 13, 2023
- Posts: 6
Posted: Jun 13, 2023 - 01:13 PM
I'd like to see that if you get it to work, although somehow I see it being quite the job to get something that is going to hold up to that kind of stress.
Do you have any specific ideas on how to go around that currently?
Those rat rigs are pretty nice machines. I like my Voron 2.4 too, although it doesn't have the reliability of a prusa mk3s.
--
------------------------------------------
Brad
Current: P16
Previous: Sunfish, Seaspray, P18
------------------------------------------
-- -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Oct 24, 2006
- Last visit: Jun 21, 2023
- Posts: 160
Posted: Jun 21, 2023 - 12:54 AM
I agree with everything SamC said, but want to add another option.
I've been using PLA+, which is in a whole different league from regular PLA. I'm currently testing an aft spin pole plug and boom gooseneck DS plug from 100% infill PLA+. Parts have held up as well as Delrin so far. Only been in use for two months, but have seen 20-25 kts.
Regular PLA sucks in water, but I made some shark toys for my son the play with in the pool out of PLA+. After a year of use, they still look like new. Three shell layers?, 15% infill.
I'm going to try some carbon filament, but haven't needed to yet. -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Nov 19, 2015
- Last visit: Oct 22, 2024
- Posts: 398
Posted: Jun 22, 2023 - 12:32 PM
If you made the print identical to the casting maybe you’d have issues but you can add as much material as you want in key areas. Also almost all filaments have better flex stability than cast pot metal aluminum. I see broken castings all the time from fatigue. I’d imagine a couple brass inserts on the west points and it would last a lifetime
