Category Archives: 3dprinting

Mega PC tower and Book

I’ve printed two books using the Lulu service. (One for Tyrone)
When they arrived, I noticed some faults.
Lucky Lulu will be printing them again for me.

The book has over 500 pages and has a nice hardcover.

And I’ve been busy building a Mega Tower with 4 Motherboards.
This will have a superb processing power! .. not.
It houses some old motherboards for hardcore machine coding on real old hardware.

From top to bottom: 8088, 8086, 80386, 80484

Todo:

  • Rework on the cables
  • 3D print an information plaque on the front of each board
  • Add a control panel on each board
  • Maybe some dust cover would be nice

I can remove the boards, and place them on a table.
I’ve made some custom feet for them. Twist and lock by my own design.

Padded feet

The openscad files:

The locking is done by making the cylinder slightly oval by 0.5mm

difference(){
	difference(){
		difference(){
			difference(){
				rotate([90,30,0])
				cylinder(r=30, h=10, $fn=3);
				translate([-20,-20,0])
				cube([40,40,40]);
				}
			rotate([90,0,0])
			translate([0,0,-10])
			cylinder(r=5, h=30, $fn=200);
			translate([0,-5,-10])
			cylinder(r=7, h=30, $fn=200);
			}
		translate([18,-5,-12])
		cylinder(r=4, h=30, $fn=200);
		translate([18,-5,-22])
		cylinder(r=2.2, h=30, $fn=200);
		translate([-18,-5,-12])
		cylinder(r=4, h=30, $fn=200);

		translate([-18,-5,-22])
		cylinder(r=2.2, h=30, $fn=200);
		}
	translate([9,-20,-20])
	cube([40,40,40]);
}

Note the resize for the oval effect

resize([14,14.5,10])
cylinder(r=7, h=10, $fn=200);
translate([0,0,0])
cylinder(r=9, h=3, $fn=200);

When designing above, I also made new knobs for our stove.
Using the white dot, you can see which burner has which knob.

Started using FreeCad

FreeCAD is an open-source parametric 3D modeller made primarily to design real-life objects of any size. Parametric modelling allows you to easily modify your design by going back into your model history and changing its parameters.

Designed a case for a measure tool, I’ve printed a case for a while ago.

What are my thoughts : I like it, I like the setup, workbench and the fact that you can edit every step again.

Measure diameter case using 3D printed tool

Draw case using FreeCAD

A 3D CAD mouse helps!

Uncleanable 2nd hand controller

Below, a technical drawing exported to PDF using FreeCAD

Playing around with the 3D CAD Mouse

I forgot the holes for mounting, these I did using Bambu Studio.

3D print fun

Multi Color !
New bottle clip, all made within bambu studio.

Resize, clone, negative boolean, selective cut, text surface, change modifier type.

Bambu studio:

I’ve made a script to view the camera using vlc. But it was much work.
Now I’ve installed the HACS Bambu integration in Home Assistant.
Much easier to get an image.

While Bambu studio is nice, I started using FreeCad.
I still use OpenScad and Blender, but I really try to use a CAD program for modeling 3D prints (technical prints). For sculpting I still use blender.

The lost art of 3D printing.

Many people are into 3D printing, more than ever. So why do I say “the lost art”?

I started my 3D printing journey in 2012.
Not having my own 3D printer, I was using the shapeways service,

Using Sketch-up I drew my first printable objects. Upload model and get it by mail.

Welllll .. lets compare.
I’ve bought a bambu labs P1S recently.

  • Buy printer, unpack.
  • Connect to cloud.
  • Add filament and print model (after calibration process)

All fine and dandy, problems? Check YouTube for solutions.

What do you know about 3D printing?

People are forgetting about the knowledge to get at this point ..]…

How does it work, what is needed?

My first 3D printer.
Lets compare:

  • Get printer in parts
  • Assemble
  • Calibrate
  • Manual bed calibration (*)
    5 point calibration step by step, needs user input
  • Test print
  • Fail several times
  • Try different sticky methods
    (hairspray, double sided tape, gluestick)
  • Bed warping? Add tape to underside
  • Feed filament by cutting at 45 degree angle and manual feeding.
  • Load and unload using buttons and feeding until previous color flushed
  • Learn about Gcodes
  • color changing? split part and pause manually, switch manually.
  • out of filament, problem with printing? start the whole print again
  • no out of filament detector, no temperature failsave
  • Filament error? Start again or split gcode by hand and superglue parts
  • Clean plate, clean head
  • Manual change temperature of head and bed when problems arise
  • Using multiple software tools to design and slice
  • Put your gcode on a sdcard to print, or later via octoprint

Every next print start at calibrate in above list.

What did you learn?
How your machine works and reacts.
Fix extruding problems, temperature, filament wetness, starting layers.
Difference between PLA, PETG, ABS in great detail.
Learn to wait
Troubleshooting in general

Never forget where we came from!
40 years old, but getting available to the masses after 2000.

2D on a 3D printer, moving lab and designing

Not a lot to tell, but much going on.

Having my own business means having a more professional electronics lab is a must.
So I’m moving from the attic to our outside workshop. That also means I have to make our Music Studio smaller.

So moving, printing a lot on my new 3D printer and designing EuroCards.

Part of the Address decoding eurocard with din41612.

Above card will hold two address decodes parts, selectable using jumpers. ( Old skool TTL using 74xx and a new solution using ATF22V10.

We like Low Poly models, so I printed one using marble PLA.

In the back my 100yr old highhat from my Grandfather (moleskin)

I’ve cleaned my old 3D printer, and I am planning to convert this printer to a 2D plotter and a CNC machine.

I’ve already printed a pen holder and a dremel holder.
(The filament head will be removed)

I’m working on a Gcode writer to plot drawings using a pen, or using a Gyro-cut knife to cut paper.
And the biggest project using this old 3D printer, a CNC machine!

Test Code:

import time
import serial

arduino = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 115200, timeout=.1)

# Motor stuff
arduino.write(str.encode("M84 X Y Z S12000\r\n"))
arduino.write(str.encode("M92 X160 Y160 Z800\r\n"))
# Extrude fix
arduino.write(str.encode("G92 E0\r\n"))
# Go home
arduino.write(str.encode("G28\r\n"))
# Move to x,y,z
arduino.write(str.encode("G1 Z90 X50 Y50\r\n"))
# Wait
arduino.write(str.encode("M400\r\n"))

Sin wave fun:

import time
import serial
import math
from time import sleep

arduino = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 115200, timeout=.1)

arduino.write(str.encode("M84 X Y Z S12000\r\n")) 
arduino.write(str.encode("M92 X160 Y160 Z800\r\n")) 
arduino.write(str.encode("G92 E0\r\n")) 
arduino.write(str.encode("G28\r\n")) 
arduino.write(str.encode("M220 S100\r\n")) 
arduino.write(str.encode("G1 Z10 X60 Y60\r\n"))
arduino.write(str.encode("M400\r\n"))
sleep(10)
count = 0
while True:
	newx=(math.sin(math.radians(count))*50)+60
	newy=(math.cos(math.radians(count))*50)+60
	newz=(math.cos(math.radians(count))*10)+20
	count = count + 1
	mystring="G1 Z" + str(newz) + " X" + str(newx) + " Y" + str(newy) + "\r\n" 
	print(mystring) 
	arduino.write(str.encode(mystring)) 
	arduino.write(str.encode("M400\r\n")) 
        # Not waiting for answer yet
	print(newx) 
	sleep(0.1)	
X,Y and Z movement (4x speed)

Weekend work

Weekend of music, BBQ, designing and more.

I was making a re-arrangement of a bagpipe tune. Designing a blender 3D printed light box. Cooking a Mexican BBQ dinner. Visiting a textile place with old and new weaving looms. (Which gave me some great ideas). And working on my 68000 computer.

A great weekend.

No embellishments yet, and no lights in de blender logo.

My little record player project is also in the picture, I need to re-print the parts using my new printer!

New old book and new 3D printer

I bought a hardcopy of a book I used to design my 68000 computer.
In the US 130 dollars, in UK 8 pounds. (895 pages) (1992)

Search in pdf, flip through pages in hardcopy book!

New 3D printer

1956 days ago I’ve bought my previous printer. Time for a new one.

This one is very good in quality prints, but it is scary cloud connected by default. (And Chinese company)
See stuff like

So, LAN mode only.
And firewalled to internet.

Lets look at the Linux Bambu Lab source!

## Interesting

src/slic3r/GUI/MediaPlayCtrl.cpp:            url = "bambu:///rtsps___" + m_lan_user + ":" + m_lan_passwd + "@" + m_lan_ip + "/streaming/live/1?proto=rtsps";
src/slic3r/GUI/MediaPlayCtrl.cpp:            url = "bambu:///rtsp___" + m_lan_user + ":" + m_lan_passwd + "@" + m_lan_ip + "/streaming/live/1?proto=rtsp";
src/slic3r/GUI/MediaPlayCtrl.cpp:            url = "bambu:///rtsps___" + m_lan_user + ":" + m_lan_passwd + "@" + m_lan_ip + "/streaming/live/1?proto=rtsps";
src/slic3r/GUI/MediaPlayCtrl.cpp:            url = "bambu:///rtsp___" + m_lan_user + ":" + m_lan_passwd + "@" + m_lan_ip + "/streaming/live/1?proto=rtsp";

src/slic3r/GUI/MediaFilePanel.cpp:        std::string url = "bambu:///local/" + m_lan_ip + ".?port=6000&user=" + m_lan_user + "&passwd=" + m_lan_passwd;

src/slic3r/GUI/MediaPlayCtrl.cpp:    m_lan_user = "bblp";
src/slic3r/GUI/MediaPlayCtrl.cpp:    m_lan_passwd = "bblp";

# Code
grep -iR code ~/.config/BambuStudio/*conf
     "user_access_code": {
     "01P00A4331XXXXX": "331XXXXX"

# NMAP 
Host is up (0.0084s latency).
Not shown: 998 closed ports
PORT     STATE SERVICE
990/tcp  open  ftps
6000/tcp open  X11

LMS Record player V.something .. final? No

But it works! Many iterations .. almost perfect

Recordplayer model by kriswillcode, but heavily remixed

Record player is going to be re-printed at a higher quality.

  • Put a printed image on the player, and it plays the album
  • Move the arm, and the next track will be played
  • Press upper white button, and the music will pause/resume
  • Press lower button … ??? Don’t know yet

Updated python client (see previous posts)

import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
import urllib.request
from time import sleep

def on_connect(client, userdata, flags, rc):  # The callback for when the client connects to the broker 
        print("Connected with result code {0}".format(str(rc)))  
        client.subscribe("spotify/rfid/idlms")  
        client.subscribe("spotify/rfid/but1")  
        client.subscribe("spotify/rfid/but2")  
        client.subscribe("spotify/rfid/arm")  

def on_message(client, userdata, msg):  # The callback for when a PUBLISH message is received from the server. 
        print("Message received-> " + msg.topic + " " + str(msg.payload))  # Print a received msg
        if msg.topic == "spotify/rfid/idlms":
            urllib.request.urlopen("http://LMS-SERVER-IP:9000/anyurl?p0=playlistcontrol&p1=album_id:" + msg.payload.decode() + "&p2=cmd:load&player=00:04:20:16:d9:04")
        if msg.topic == "spotify/rfid/but1":
            urllib.request.urlopen("http://LMS-SERVER-IP:9000/anyurl?p0=pause&player=00:04:20:16:d9:04")
            sleep(1)
        if msg.topic == "spotify/rfid/but2":
            urllib.request.urlopen("http://LMS-SERVER-IP:9000/anyurl?p0=pause&pt=1&player=00:04:20:16:d9:04")
            sleep(1)
        if msg.topic == "spotify/rfid/arm":
            urllib.request.urlopen("http://LMS-SERVER-IP:9000/status.html?p0=button&p1=jump_fwd&player=00:04:20:16:d9:04")
            sleep(1)

client = mqtt.Client("lmsclient")  # Create instance of client with client ID “digi_mqtt_test”
client.on_connect = on_connect  # Define callback function for successful connection
client.on_message = on_message  # Define callback function for receipt of a message
client.connect('MQTTSERVER', 1883)
client.loop_forever()  # Start daemon

Wemos INO file

#include <Arduino.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include <MFRC522.h>
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <WiFiClient.h>
#include <PubSubClient.h>
#define SS_PIN 15
#define RST_PIN 0

const int buttonPin1 = D1;  
const int buttonPin2 = D2;   

int buttonState1 = 0; 
int buttonState2 = 0; 

MFRC522 mfrc522(SS_PIN, RST_PIN);
  MFRC522::StatusCode status; //variable to get card status
  
  byte buffer[18];  //data transfer buffer (16+2 bytes data+CRC)
  byte size = sizeof(buffer);

  uint8_t pageAddr = 0x06;  //In this example we will write/read 16 bytes (page 6,7,8 and 9).
                            //Ultraligth mem = 16 pages. 4 bytes per page.  
                            //Pages 0 to 4 are for special functions.           
  
unsigned long cardId = 0;
WiFiClient net;
PubSubClient client(net);
const char* mqtt_server = "MQTTBROKER";
const char* ssid = "MYSSID";
const char* password = "MYWIFIPASWORD";
String topicStr = "";
byte buffer2[8];

boolean Rflag=false;
int r_len;
char payload[5];
byte value[5];
void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
    pinMode(buttonPin1, INPUT_PULLUP);
    pinMode(buttonPin2, INPUT_PULLUP  );

  SPI.begin();
  mfrc522.PCD_Init();
  WiFi.mode(WIFI_AP_STA);
  WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
  client.setServer(mqtt_server, 1883);
     delay(100);
    client.setCallback(callback);
      delay(100);
    client.subscribe("spotify/rfid/in/#");
}
void reconnect() {
  while (WiFi.waitForConnectResult() != WL_CONNECTED) {
  }
  while (!client.connected()) {
    String clientId = "rfid-";
    clientId += String(random(0xffff), HEX);
    if (!client.connect(clientId.c_str(), "rfidclient", "...")) {
      delay(5000);
    }
  }
  client.subscribe("spotify/rfid/in/#");
}
void callback(char* topic, byte* payload, unsigned int length) {
  Serial.print(F("Called"));
   Rflag=true; //will use in main loop
   r_len=length; //will use in main loop
   int j=0;
     for (j;j<length;j++) {
       buffer2[j]=payload[j];
       //Serial.print((char)payload[j]);
       }
if (r_len < 3) {
  Rflag=false;
  Serial.print(F("Set false"));
}
buffer2[j]='\0'; //terminate string
}

void loop() {
    if (!client.connected()) {
    reconnect();
  }

buttonState1 = digitalRead(buttonPin1);
  //Serial.print(buttonState1);
  if (buttonState1 == 0 ) {
    client.publish("spotify/rfid/but1", "0");
  }
buttonState2 = digitalRead(buttonPin2);
  //Serial.println(buttonState2);
  if (buttonState2 == 0 ) {
    client.publish("spotify/rfid/but2", "0");
  }

int reading = analogRead(0);
  //Serial.println(reading);
  if (reading > 500 ) {
    client.publish("spotify/rfid/arm", "0");
  }
  
  client.loop();
  if (!mfrc522.PICC_IsNewCardPresent()) {
    return;
  }
  if (!mfrc522.PICC_ReadCardSerial()) {
    return;
  }
if (Rflag) {
        for (int i=0; i < 4; i++) {
    //data is writen in blocks of 4 bytes (4 bytes per page)
    status = (MFRC522::StatusCode) mfrc522.MIFARE_Ultralight_Write(pageAddr+i, &buffer2[i*4], 4);
    if (status != MFRC522::STATUS_OK) {
      return;
    }
    
  }
  Rflag=false;
}

  cardId = getCardId();
  char buffer3[10];
  sprintf(buffer3, "%lu", cardId);
  client.publish("spotify/rfid/id", buffer3);

  status = (MFRC522::StatusCode) mfrc522.MIFARE_Read(pageAddr, buffer, &size);
  if (status != MFRC522::STATUS_OK) {
    Serial.println(F("MIFARE_Read() failed: (R)"));
    Serial.println(mfrc522.GetStatusCodeName(status));
    return;
  }

  Serial.println(F("Read data: "));
  for (byte i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    Serial.write(buffer[i]);
       buffer2[i]=buffer[i];
    }
       
  client.publish("spotify/rfid/idlms", buffer,5);
  delay(1000);
  mfrc522.PICC_HaltA();
}

unsigned long getCardId() {
  byte readCard[4];
  for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    readCard[i] = mfrc522.uid.uidByte[i];
  }
  return (unsigned long)readCard[0] << 24
    | (unsigned long)readCard[1] << 16
    | (unsigned long)readCard[2] << 8
    | (unsigned long)readCard[3];
}