3D Printed Mast Cap

A forum for discussing boat or trailer repairs or modifications that you have made or are considering.
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BOAT
Admiral
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Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: 3D Printed Mast Cap

Post by BOAT »

Strange, I told my wife about this post and the stuff you guys are doing with your printers and guess what? She wants me to buy a 3D printer now.

Great, that's all I need - learn another new thing. The technology is running wild but after considerable thought I realized she was probably right. I am creating and shaping and fabricating so many things in wood and plastic and metal I could save a pile of money just on all the lost materials I destroy to create prototypes and models of the final inventions I always seem to need. I rarely build full scale first time - mechanical things need to be cheaply fabricated for a test bed first before you commit to the full scale item.

And now the metal laser sintering guys and metal jetting services are telling me they can convert my 3D DXF or IPT files into scale-able DLMS files and reproduce whatever I make on my printer into a METAL part!!

I think my wife might be right on this one - it may be thousands of dollars but I think it might be worth it.
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WinSome
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Hamilton Ontario Canada

Re: 3D Printed Mast Cap

Post by WinSome »

Our g’son is heavy into 3D printing. It seems amazing. I’d like to see a file of 3d projects
And here’s my next order: a 25’ boat.

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kmclemore
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Re: 3D Printed Mast Cap

Post by kmclemore »

BOAT wrote: Tue Oct 18, 2022 11:49 am Strange, I told my wife about this post and the stuff you guys are doing with your printers and guess what? She wants me to buy a 3D printer now.
Get a Prusa Mini+ or a Prusa i3… they are bulletproof and work right out of the box. I used to teach 3D printing and I’ve used dozens of brands. I assure you, this one decision will make or break your 3D printing experience… I’ve seen so many folks give up because their printer sucked. Pay the money and get the best.

https://www.prusa3d.com/
krum
Deckhand
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Location: PLATTE CITY, MO

Re: 3D Printed Mast Cap

Post by krum »

Say, Is anyone with a 3D printer taking orders for the mast cap. Sure would like one.
Let us know if yes and the price also.
Justpics
Just Enlisted
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Re: 3D Printed Mast Cap

Post by Justpics »

any interest in selling them, I am not financially able to invest in a 3D printer, but would be interested in one for a Mac 25. I was looking at making one out of some 3/4 starboard but this is much nicer.
thanks Garry
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kenfyoozed
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Re: 3D Printed Mast Cap

Post by kenfyoozed »

My son printed one for me, I am asking him about a price. I know he has mentioned in the past about UV being an issue, but I'll let you know what he says.

update:
He's a good kid, so he says " I can't sell those because I don't own the rights to the design, that would be illegal" 8) got to love the innocent mind. HEs not wrong in not wanting to screw over the original designer. He prints a lot for himself , but I guess this is a "code of honor" amongst the designers of such items.
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Wyb2
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Re: 3D Printed Mast Cap

Post by Wyb2 »

There are a bunch of services that will 3D print for you if you send the model. Xometry, eMachine Shop, and Shapeways are ones I’ve heard of, there are probably a bunch more. You upload a file and define a material and qty and they will quote a price.

Not sure if the OP is still following, but they uploaded the design to thingverse in order to share it, I don’t think they are trying to keep the IP under wraps. Anything you find on thingverse should be available to download and print for “non-commercial” purposes. I think it’s basically like any photo you find on the internet, you can download it, you can print it, you can take it to Kinkos and pay to have printed as a poster. You can even make a few for your friends and have them reimburse you for the cost, but you can’t start selling them online for profit.

After typing that, I see there’s actually a link at the bottom of the thingverse page that explains it without my extra interpretation.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
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