The 3D printer thread


Screenshot 2026-05-12 at 10.53.27 PM.png
 
^^I didn't realize TPU was so cheap. going to order a roll to have on hand. found a bunch of models for things like parametric hole plugs and stuff yesterday that could come in handy

those strap chafe protectors turned out slick

IT definitely needs to be dried prior to printing. I could dry it for 6 hours or so and get about 12 hr of printing before it started getting ****ty. I figured out a way to keep it in the drier while printing and it's been awesome. I've read all the horror stories but the default print settings in orca haven't given me any issues. A little bit of stringing I could try and fix but it's really a non-issue.
 
Legal and moral question that I've been kicking around.

I have a need for a thing that could reasonably be 3d printed, but I can't find a file of it anywhere.

I do find on on etsy.

I can model it, probably make some improvements.

Is it wrong for me to post my file for free on makerworld/printables/etc?

Is it illegal? I'm pretty sure since I'm not making money, it's not illegal.

Product in question:
 

Like that?
Ain't no one on Etsy got a patent.
Wouldn't even be a consideration for me.

Edit:
That exact model is being sold on etsy.
 
Legal and moral question that I've been kicking around.

I have a need for a thing that could reasonably be 3d printed, but I can't find a file of it anywhere.

I do find on on etsy.

I can model it, probably make some improvements.

Is it wrong for me to post my file for free on makerworld/printables/etc?

Is it illegal? I'm pretty sure since I'm not making money, it's not illegal.

Product in question:
What's your consternation?

Your design completely or modified off the shelf?

I think everyone shares the files under some free use license anyway.
 
What's your consternation?

Your design completely or modified off the shelf?

I think everyone shares the files under some free use license anyway.
If I were to design something, and start selling it, I haven't shared the files. Someone else could copy what I've done.

If I was in their shoes and saw that they made themselves a copy, I wouldn't be mad.

If I saw they distributed it for free, I'd be more upset, but I agree the info is out there, and it's bound to happen.
 
This is gonna be fun.

 
While I'm waiting for a ribbon cable on the slow boat, I decided to get to work on my closed-loop enclosure heat control. For ****s and giggles, I prompted ChatGPT with exactly what I wanted and asked it to create an STL. It created an image that wasn't to scale at all, but did have the correct dimensions listed and an STL logo in the bottom corner.

I then prompted Copilot to do the same thing. It told me that it could not generate an STL for download, but if I downloaded Openscad it would give me a script to load in, and then I could export it as an STL. The first version was missing the posts on one side and took a couple of revisions to get it right. But it was really simple. I could have created the same thing in Fusion if I still had it in the time I spent ****ing with AI. But now that I am trying Freecad, I know this saved me a bunch of time.

Fanholder002.PNG
 
Top Back Refresh