Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

General => General Fox T-Bird/Cougar Discussion => Topic started by: Masejoer on September 07, 2019, 02:35:01 AM

Title: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on September 07, 2019, 02:35:01 AM
Anyone draw up any 3d-printable parts for our cars yet? I'm curious how we could start a library that is easier to navigate than a standard forum thread, and get various members' contributions of some STLs to fill it.  With decent 3dprinters becoming quite cheap and apps like Fusion 360 being free for non-commercial use, I figure this is something that could be a worthwhile endeavor. Even interior pieces, although they won't look factory, could be printed, then painted or vinyl-wrapped to improve the low-quality finish of our cabins. Custom fabbing and making copies is a lot easier by printing in PETG or ABS, and mirroring the product for a driver/passenger set is simply. Maybe even just store everything in a central spot to link to projects uploaded to a site like Thingiverse.

Doing the same for CNC-able or laser cut parts would also be nice. Such services have also gotten quite cheap if you can bring in good g-code to run on machines in makerspaces. 3d-printable models can allow for easy prototyping before taking the plans for final metal pieces to be cut.


Parts have definitely disappeared in recent years - not finding much around for junked Tbirds or Cougars lately, and even new-old-stock parts have become brittle.

Just a thought. I'm having lots of parts failing apart on my car lately, and becoming more concerned for the parts that we can't get from a Mustang. I even recently found half of my firewall "MAP"/BAP sensor fell out of the shell and was dangling on the back of the engine...
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: kylesburrell on September 07, 2019, 11:47:18 PM
I've added a few 3D printed bits to my car. First: I made this flip down panel to store my sunglasses. The red pieces hold magnets that hold that panel shut.

Second project is going to be a switch panel. It will keep the cigarette lighter, but with some switches for auxillaries. For the meantime its just a "block-off panel" but I'll model holes once I order switches.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on September 08, 2019, 01:51:16 PM
I've added a few 3D printed bits to my car. First: I made this flip down panel to store my sunglasses. The red pieces hold magnets that hold that panel shut.

Second project is going to be a switch panel. It will keep the cigarette lighter, but with some switches for auxillaries. For the meantime its just a "block-off panel" but I'll model holes once I order switches.


Looks great.

Yeah, I have three 3d printers currently idle the moment, and just pulled my cnc router out from years of storage. Time to resume vehicle customization after years away!

Could you share that blank panel?  Looks like a great base to modify for various interfaces.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: kylesburrell on September 08, 2019, 01:57:21 PM
I dont have a model for the sunglasses pocket/storage area. That file is long gone.

The white block-off panel, isnt 100% ready yet. My measurements for the bolt pattern is off slightly. I'll be more than happy to share after I make Revsions to it.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on September 08, 2019, 08:51:38 PM
I'm trying to figure out Fusion 360. Need to be able to either taper the extrudes (harder since the tops taper at a lower rate than the sides and bottoms of the cutouts), or possibly make this have one additional layer to get tapering between the front and rear of the trim around the components. Then of course the bottom needs work, and not yet sure how to curve the entire thing vertically since this isn't a flat piece.

(http://masejoer.com/Images/Thunderbird/CAD/centerstack_3.png)


And yes, the cutout width is different between all four component locations. Radio is the widest...I'd likely modify this in a final copy to make them consistent. Then chop it all to hold a larger touch screen in the vertical position...
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Haystack on September 08, 2019, 11:35:35 PM
I really gotta get my dad into building plastic bits for these cars.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on September 08, 2019, 11:52:40 PM
I really gotta get my dad into building plastic bits for these cars.

A project I will be tackling will be custom door panels 3d-printed via split parts (to fit the print area), then covered in vinyl. Easy to reproduce replacements with cheaper 3d printers today, and mirroring to make a flipped clone for the other side of the vehicle. No more flimsy interior parts, and some nice 8" mid-range drivers up front!

My largest printer is just about 2" small from being able to print the center stack trim piece laying-down (best surface quality on the visible side), so not sure if I'll split and paint afterward, or just go up to a 350mm+ width print bed to print at a single go.

Will also be looking at making some aluminum foglights via CNC and welding, to house LED projection optics, and to manage their heat dissipation. 120W as planned per side using 4x30W LEDs needs some good surface area for shedding heat.

But yeah, other than rubbers/seals, it is getting quite easy to make parts at home on the cheap, and cost-effective to correct small measurement errors without manually re-fabbing a manually built part.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: EricCoolCats on September 09, 2019, 04:37:21 PM
Yeah, this is a fantastic idea. I have zero CAD experience but a list as long as my arm of parts that should be reproduced for these vehicles. One day I might tinker with stuff.

First and foremost, we need 1:24 scale models of all years 1983-88 Thunderbird and Cougar. ;)
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on September 10, 2019, 12:54:08 PM
Yeah, this is a fantastic idea. I have zero CAD experience but a list as long as my arm of parts that should be reproduced for these vehicles. One day I might tinker with stuff.

First and foremost, we need 1:24 scale models of all years 1983-88 Thunderbird and Cougar. ;)

Trying to limit myself to just learning Fusion 360 right now, and not get ahead with making parts but getting stuck from insufficient knowledge or experience. I figure I have some 50 more hours of learning before I'll be able to finish the center stack trim with proper tapering, curves, and parameterized dimensions throughout for easy tweaks after the first prototype.

It's a lot easier to make new products than a reproduction of an existing complex part...
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Mikey97D on September 11, 2019, 08:43:22 AM
Great idea.

One thing to keep in mind is that most of the 3d printable materials are not UV rated so you want to put a coat of paint on them so they don't "disappear".
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: thunderjet302 on September 11, 2019, 09:58:23 AM
Great idea.

One thing to keep in mind is that most of the 3d printable materials are not UV rated so you want to put a coat of paint on them so they don't "disappear".

That and make sure to print in ABS and not PLA. The PLA printed stuff can warp in a hot car during the summer.

I haven't played with 3d printers in about 3 years. Has the hobby level stuff gotten to a point where the layers are less visible or is surface finishing to smooth everything out still required?
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on September 11, 2019, 11:21:38 AM
At thin layer heights, you can essentially get a $200 FDM printer to be quite accurate, and just run at layer marks invisible to the naked eye. A layer height of 0.12mm works well for clean surfaces. A 0.2mm nozzle can help with surface curves, but smaller layer height doesn't help much below this 0.12mm height, while drastically increasing print time. Of course the cheap machines don't come with a heated enclosure or higher Wattage heated bed, so they need additional work for ABS or PC printing. With ABS, acetone smoothing could still pretty up some areas of prints (especially overhangs), but I feel hobby grade machines are good enough for automotive work, especially since I would be painting or wrapping the parts anyway. For those, draft-level prints with 0.8mm nozzle (larger=faster, and better layer adhesion) and layer heights of over 0.3mm work fine, and get a much faster print - hours instead of days.

PLA's great for test prints (including initial mockup parts of CNC'd aluminum parts), but I wouldn't use anything except ABS or polycarbonate for automotive parts, interior or exterior. Glass transition temperature on almost everything else is too low.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 30, 2019, 02:38:43 AM
You can get away with PETG in many instances for interior parts, as long as you aren't in a blazing hot climate.

What printers are you guys using?
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Mikey97D on September 30, 2019, 08:20:03 AM
At work, we have a Stratsys Mojo that prints in FDM (ABS).  I've used it to make a throttle cable guide around the steering damper of my motorcycle.  Painted it and have had it in use for about 3 years now.  Even the 3d printed threads are still holding up.

Test Environment:
(https://i.imgur.com/AleBVefm.jpg)
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on September 30, 2019, 12:46:49 PM
I have three modded Creality printers - a CR-10S, Ender3, and Ender3 Pro. I'd like to build a larger CoreXY at some point, and have a 2x2ft bed, but know from a friend's experience that this is a lot of work to get going, with only a 250mm bed.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 04, 2019, 05:54:26 AM
I have three modded Creality printers - a CR-10S, Ender3, and Ender3 Pro. I'd like to build a larger CoreXY at some point, and have a 2x2ft bed, but know from a friend's experience that this is a lot of work to get going, with only a 250mm bed.

I have a slightly modded CR10. I love it so far. I only have issues with the print bed being warped. I can work around it, but I'll need to find a good solution for it soon.

You really can't beat Creality for the price.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on October 04, 2019, 02:14:22 PM
I have always used cut mirror glass from Home Depot/Lowes on my beds. Never a problem.

Solid wheels, all metal hotend on one printer (has other drawbacks for high-retraction rate material, so others have stock hotends), upgraded parts coolers, different main boards and drivers in them and tuned precisely for each machine, extruders changed on two. Lots of spare parts and stacks of different filaments.

My CR-10S has frame bracing added with printed parts and threaded rod. Not a huge benefit, but it's more rigid.

The stock bed heaters are garbage for ABS though, especially on the CR10. I assume it can't even do PET on the CR10s5.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Tbird232ci on October 07, 2019, 03:37:13 AM
I use the mirror tiles from Lowes like most people have suggested. They start off perfectly flat, but after a handful of hours of use, they start to bow and warp with the bed. I did use a bunch of aluminum foil to get take up some of the low areas between the bed and the mirror, but it too warped. I haven't figured out my course of action. I might go with a BLtouch setup and let the printer sort it out by itself.

The CR10 can do PET and PETG. I have a spool of Hatchbox PETG, but I haven't tried it yet. Most people say it prints as well as PLA and is almost as strong as ABS.

I haven't done the Z-axis braces yet. I did just print the elevated legs that use squash balls in the feet to keep it from transmitting vibrations through the desk. I also did the stepper motor dampers which made the printer significantly quieter. Next big thing will big figuring out octoprint.
Title: Re: 3D Printable parts library
Post by: Masejoer on October 07, 2019, 10:22:02 AM
Not sure on the bed- mirror glass shouldn't bend. It's glass. The mirror stuff is just thicker than their normal sheet glass.

PET works, but  it does require higher temperature, and is therefore more stringy than PLA. Nothing a hot air gun can't handle for cleanup at the end.

Better drivers work better than just installing dampers. I run a couple of the TH3D EZBoards and the performance is excellent, and silence is nice (all 4 motors). The new revisions of Creality machines are more of a pain to do dampers on, as the motor shafts are press fit now instead of using set screws.

Octoprint is nice, but mine have been eating SD cards for some reason, no matter the brand. The print time estimates are way off, but the biggest benefit imo is if you setup a camera (I haven't), you could cancel the print job remotely if you find bed adhesion issues partway through. This has only been an issue for me on a defective stock harness on the Ender 3 Pro, but would still be a nice feature to setup.