3D Printing
Join Robbie Ferguson as he goes through the process from having never used a 3D printer in his life to being a full-blown 3D print designer and maker. You can do it too, and by following along with this series, you'll be part of the evolution of Robbie's skills in 3D printing.
Tools Provided by Category5 TV:
- Robbie's Timelapse GCODE Injector
Companion files can be found here:
- Robbie's ender3_v2 repository on GitHub
- Robbie's MyMiniFactory profile
Products Featured in This Series:
Software Used in This Series:
- TinkerCAD - Browser-Based Design Tool
- Ultimaker Cura - Slice Designs Ready for 3D Printing
Note: For this series, we will be using a Creality Ender-3 V2. While many of the skills learned throughout the series are relevant to practically any entry-level 3D printer, if this is your first foray into 3D printing, you may benefit in purchasing the same printer used on the show.
As this is a beginner introduction to 3D printing, this series will be using PLA filament for all 3D prints. Widely accepted as an excellent starter filament for beginners, PLA prints well at 200°C with a 60°C platform.Product Used
Videos In This Series
Crew Conversation: Saving Money by Buying a 3D Printer
Features - July 8, 2020Could spending money on a 3D printer actually save us money? Robbie talks about how through the pandemic and moving to a new studio, he's starting to see a trend: Many of the things he needs to buy are well over-priced, and if he only had a 3D printer, he could [probably] make it himself. He has a clever strategy that ensures he can make it past the learning curve without actually spending any money at all.
Crew Conversation: A DIY Pan-Tilt Idea for Raspberry Pi HQ Camera Using DMX Lighting
Features - July 8, 2020DJ Lighting kits are available for cheap. They use the DMX (Digital Multiplex) protocol to control lighting and motors. A pan/tilt light can be bought for roughly $90. So Robbie contemplates whether 3D printing a revised faceplate for that light would allow him to embed a Raspberry Pi HQ Camera, providing a high quality pan/tilt camera that could be controlled from the DMX board.
Join Robbie on his mission to determine whether he's capable, with his busy schedule and lack of CAD experience, to effectively use a 3D printer. His strategy lets him test the concepts without spending a penny.
3D Printing for Beginners - Assembling the Ender-3 V2 and Discussing the Basics
Features - October 28, 2020Robbie has been learning the basics of 3D printing, and purchased an Ender-3 V2. Come along on his journey into 3D printing. As we kick off the series, Robbie assembles his first 3D printer (don't worry, we've sped it up). We'll also discuss some of the exciting things he has learned in his first few weeks with the device, and how he has even customized and printed his own parts to enhance the printer's usability. Plus, a look at his first prints: From Maneki-neko (Lucky cat) to a Dalek figurine (Doctor Who), even these early prints look great!
Turn Buildings Into 3D Prints or Video Game Models with a Standard Drone
Features - November 11, 2020Using an assortment of free software, Henry and Robbie turn a real house into a significantly smaller 3D printed object. Henry uses aerial photogrammetry to turn his quadcopter into a pseudo real-world building scanner. He can import that scan into game engines, or even Blender. Robbie will demonstrate how he can also take the resulting file and turn it into a 3D printed version of the real-world object.
3D Printer Paid For Itself! 3D Printed Server Upgrade Saved Hundreds!
Features - February 23, 2021When the SSD upgrade in our Dell server resulted in amber lights on all drives, Robbie consulted Kingston's Mark Noland who pointed out the issue as the 2.5-inch drive adapters. So Robbie hit the 3D printer and found he could create better adapters that cost so much less than the purchased ones that he nearly offsets the expense of having purchased a 3D printer in the first place.