3D Printing or Laser Cutting

Post by **Paul Spencer** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 4:26 pm

I want to make a prototype of a lapel badge I am thinking of using on a tour next year. I have an image and wondered if anyone here can 3D print it. The alternative is to laser cut it from metal, but I don't know enough to know which is better. I think about 3cm across should be OK.

Dan Suskin · Post by **Dan Suskin** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:20 pm

Paul

It just depends what you want - plastic or metal?

3D printing will yield a plastic part of minimal strength unless it is quite thick, with fair resolution, and each will take a while to print. Laser cutting it from metal will give professional well defined product. So will water jetting it from metal.

3D printing is still am long way from producing very clean results - unless you go to a very high end machine. Laser or water jetting is readily available at a moderate cost and will give superb results.

Post by **Paul Spencer** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 9:53 am

Thanks Dan. I'll see if there is someone local. I only thought of 3D printing as I thought someone here had a printer and could do it easily, but perhaps that is the VSCC forum.

Christopher Carnley · Fri Dec 14, 2018 10:52 am

I have a lot of things made by water jet cutting, but it has a natural tendency to chamfer the edges.
However, they usually have a minimum charge of £100.00, so I save the parts up to make it more economical.
The water itself doesnt cut, but it is the vehicle for synthetic garnet.

If you are good with your hands and have a modicum of tactile skill, then get out the old drill, a jewellers piercing saw and needle files, I still do it.

Is the logo intended to represent "3 litre WO, with the "B" half formed?

(Bit woolly really).

Dan Suskin · Post by **Dan Suskin** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:11 am

The other option is plasma cutting. You can get fine details done that way, but not as cleanly as laser or water jet.

Waterjet produces a slight bevel in thicker metals, but with something as thin as this (I assume given its purpose), there would be no bevel.

aHow many do you need to make?

Post by **Paul Spencer** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:36 am

As the owner of a 3 Litre WO, I thought it would be good to have one for myself, hence 3D printing. Then I thought we could do one for everyone on the Centenary 3 Litre tour, which would be 16-18.

Chris - it is just meant to be WO's signature with a 3. I am very open to suggestions to improve it. Of course, it would be easy to do others such as 4.5 if they caught on.

Christopher Carnley · Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:52 am

With 80 TPI blades, good specs and a packet of Elastoplast, "Simples".

Dan Suskin · Post by **Dan Suskin** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 12:59 pm

Paul - email me the file at danni@mindspring.com

Let me try a plasma one and I’ll mill one. See how they turn out.

Dan Suskin · Post by **Dan Suskin** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 11:00 pm

Paul,

Before I get to some metal cutting, I thought perhaps you might consider something like this? Doubles as a name tag for each participant? Or without the name tag part? No offense if you don't like - then I'll get to metal cutting instead.

It's acrylic (blue was the only color I had but you could have anything). I cut it on the laser. Could easily do the 20-25 you need - they only take about a minute each.

Post by **Paul Spencer** » Sun Dec 16, 2018 9:08 am

Hi Dan,

That is amazing! I absolutely love it! I'll show the guy organising next year's tour.

Christopher Carnley · Post by **Christopher Carnley** » Sun Dec 16, 2018 9:23 am

May look really good in dark BRG.

John Murch · Post by **John Murch** » Sun Dec 16, 2018 5:21 pm

Dan, you are a very talented man!

Dan Suskin · Post by **Dan Suskin** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 2:38 pm

Paul: if you/he want these or some derivative, I'll be happy to do them for you. No charge.

John: you over estimate my limited abilities. But I do like to make stuff if it'll prove useful. For example, setting the points in a Silver Ghost is nigh impossible with the magneto still in the car, unless of course you are an expert contortionist. So most people take the whole magneto out to do it. Bosch did make a tool, and I'd seen a picture of one, but no-one I know in the Silver Ghost world had ever seen one. So, a little fooling around in my workshop, and we now have the tool available for all Ghost owners that enables the points to be properly set, without removing the magneto or requiring any re-timing.

Christopher Carnley · Post by **Christopher Carnley** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 3:30 pm

It would be nice to indulge oneself in the machines and scanners.

Is the fibre rubbing cam split by ye rivets?

Dan Suskin · Post by **Dan Suskin** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 3:42 pm

The fiber block on the movable point arm is opened by the cams on the cam ring. The cam ring is the only thing that needs to come off the magneto (1 screw) as its imperative to set the points on the same cams as will be in use in the car - to account for wear

Post by **Paul Spencer** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 4:13 pm

Thanks Dan. I will email you. And I'm impressed by the Ghost tool. I have a friend in Colorado with a Ghost. I don't know how he does his points.

Christopher Carnley · Sat Dec 22, 2018 11:40 am

I wish that I had such talents and tactile skill, but all I can do is whittle bits of wood.

Show me the Golden way Fibonacci, you old Pisan!