Anyone know much about 3d printers?

[32wildbilly]

A side question...UV...could that be used to sanitize face masks like they do in hospitals? I guess wave lengths and power is the driver on effectiveness. No biggie just wondering.

How often do you have to change the FEP sheet?

Prusa says every 10 prints is all they warranty

There isn't a hard and fast number, but when your prints start unexpectedly failing you clean and inspect the FEP. If it is too scratched up or cloudy (from reacting to the UV) then you change it.

Have you supplied your test results to the manufacturer?

If so what did the they about your findings?

I did on Monday and I'll tell you when I hear back from them...

[gnat]

A side question...UV...could that be used to sanitize face masks like they do in hospitals? I guess wave lengths and power is the driver on effectiveness. No biggie just wondering.

Prusa says every 10 prints is all they warranty

There isn't a hard and fast number, but when your prints start unexpectedly failing you clean and inspect the FEP. If it is too scratched up or cloudy (from reacting to the UV) then you change it.


I did on Monday and I'll tell you when I hear back from them...

From the printer itself, no. At least not effectively. From the curing lamps, maybe.

There are those that say they are using their curing lamps to sanitize things, but I don't know that there is any science backing it up and there is certainly no real information on how long such treatments need to take to be effective. My gut says that any "sanitizing" people are doing at home in this manner is ineffective. Either the wave lengths aren't right or (most likely) they aren't leaving it under UV long enough.

I have a cure/wash station for curing the parts, but I picked up a UV flashlight to use for curing residual resin on tools and cleaning material (e.g. paper towels) so that they can be disposed of normally (liquid resin is classified as a toxic waste so you can't just toss contaminated stuff in the trash). It worked OK for small stuff, but it just can't keep up with major cleanups (like a regularly leaking tank...) so I picked this guy up https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085DQT3WN. I bought UV glasses for the flashlight, but found as long as I don't look directly at it there isn't an issue (I still wear them for that random reflection). That big lamp is another kettle of fish though. Even the bleed around the glasses (they don't sit flush on my face since I have to put them over my normal glasses) can get painful if I'm not careful.

[gnat]

Finally got a response from them that is similar to Steve Jobs' famous "you're holding it wrong" statement. Except in this case I have to clean up a toxic mess rather than deal with dropped phone calls...

Their response is that the tank is designed to hold resin and not water. Because the water has a lower viscosity, of course it's going to leak.

They are of course ignoring that the viscosity of resins varies greatly based on it's composition and ever different batches of the same resin can end up with different viscosity levels. Not to mention that I already had two cases of resin leaking on me...

[32wildbilly]

Let us know their next response after you inform them that they are ignorant SOB's.

Finally got a response from them that is similar to Steve Jobs' famous "you're holding it wrong" statement. Except in this case I have to clean up a toxic mess rather than deal with dropped phone calls...

Their response is that the tank is designed to hold resin and not water. Because the water has a lower viscosity, of course it's going to leak.

They are of course ignoring that the viscosity of resins varies greatly based on it's composition and ever different batches of the same resin can end up with different viscosity levels. Not to mention that I already had two cases of resin leaking on me...

[gnat]

Let us know their next response after you inform them that they are ignorant SOB's.

Oh they got a long and pointed response.

[Dr_Strangelove]

So the silicone hack survived its 72 hour test. Unfortunately it failed in exactly the way I expected. That silicone is proving to be a royal pain in the ass to clean off the tank when changing the FEP

Late to the party but if you don't have some of these - get some of these. They have 1001 uses beyond scraping silicone, but I use these to clean RTV off of Porsche parts and I want to kiss them every time I use them. I gave the second one to my wife for use in the kitchen and she is in love with it's pan-safe scraping abilities.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TVM7W35/re ... NrPXRydWU=

[gnat]

So the silicone hack survived its 72 hour test. Unfortunately it failed in exactly the way I expected. That silicone is proving to be a royal pain in the ass to clean off the tank when changing the FEP

Late to the party but if you don't have some of these - get some of these. They have 1001 uses beyond scraping silicone, but I use these to clean RTV off of Porsche parts and I want to kiss them every time I use them. I gave the second one to my wife for use in the kitchen and she is in love with it's pan-safe scraping abilities.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TVM7W35/re ... NrPXRydWU=

I have been hearing good things about those for such things. In this case the work area is too small. There is also the non-smooth surface which is the root of all this mess.

[gnat]

So someone reported that they solved the problem by using a rubber band as an o-ring on the inside of the lip. This would allow resin to get under that lip, but should stop there.

I've had such an assembled tank soaking for 1.75 days now and so far so good. Cheap an easy solution (if you have an appropriate one on hand and don't have to try to figure out band sizing...). We also have a lead on a real o-ring that is showing promise that you can get 5 for $8.

Clearly more expensive than a bag full of rubber bands, but a real o-ring will have a spec sheet so you know how it is going to react to things and should have a more reliable reusability.

[Dr_Strangelove]

I have been hearing good things about those for such things. In this case the work area is too small. There is also the non-smooth surface which is the root of all this mess.

Ah-ha. In that case, use this: https://www.amazon.com/Berryman-Chemtoo ... 829&sr=8-1

With this: https://www.amazon.com/3M-Disposable-Re ... NrPXRydWU=


(Unless you just use rubber bands )

[32wildbilly]

Respirator? Who needs a respirator? I see it contains toluene. I used to use toluene in the fuel I ran in my dirt track kart. Nice thing was most tests used for fuel at the bigger races would not pick it up.

Half the fun was mixing the fuel prior to racing!

Wait that might explain a lot of things about me...

I have been hearing good things about those for such things. In this case the work area is too small. There is also the non-smooth surface which is the root of all this mess.

Ah-ha. In that case, use this: https://www.amazon.com/Berryman-Chemtoo ... 829&sr=8-1

With this: https://www.amazon.com/3M-Disposable-Re ... NrPXRydWU=


(Unless you just use rubber bands )