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Big tip that I saw y'all doing but I dont think was mentioned. Don't think you have to print the whole part every time, any time I print a piece that is going to be interacting with something I didn't model (like the cup holder) I will print just a small portion to make sure my fitment is right. It saves a lot of time and material if you don't have to print the whole part just to realize one measurement was slightly off
Yes I do this too. For his example of the seat handle, You would only need to print out the flat part that interfaces with the bar. You could then print out your iterations several times quicker than putting out the whole part
Yep, I always print a thin and low fill density template for more complex geometries, even without solid fill top and bottom layers. Great way to sanity check designs cheaply.
Here's a tip: you can snap a photo of the object you wanna model right next to a ruler. Then import that as a canvas in Fusion 360 and scale it using the ruler as reference. And you can proceed to draw your sketch on top of it without worrying about it being the wrong size or at the wrong place. Saves a lot of time tracing stuff on paper & measuring with a caliper. It's advisable to keep the camera relatively far and straight to avoid distortion.
I do this exact thing with my printer-scanner. I scan as A4 and create a plane the same size in Blender- then set the texture as my scanned image. Better for organic shapes than mechanical ones though.
There is also the calibrate function for canvases. You can select two points on the canvas and give the gap between them a specific dimension. The canvas will then scale itself
Also, don't use a wide angle or fish eye lense. It distorts the image a lot. To some of us, that might be common sense, but to new hobbyists, it's easy to over look.
For folks learning Fusion 360 - avoid over complicating your sketches, as seen at 5:35. The best approach is to break them into simpler sketches and use the "Project" command to reference existing 3D geometry. All the blue lines are not yet defined, which will cause havoc when changing the user parameters. Also, (almost) always apply fillets at the end. Helps avoid referencing issues. Hope this helps! :)
I have a resin printer, an FDM printer and a CO2 laser cutter. I’m not much into kitschy trinkets but I love using these three tools for doing exactly what this video talks about. I have made several pieces for the house including cabinet door knobs, adapter pieces, a new release button for the refrigerator door and even a 6 knife block that only takes up 1/4”’of shelf space. The designing and problem solving is the fun and rewarding part for me.
10:30 a tip for when printing test pieces for size/shape, you can disable the top layers of the print, and even reduce the first layer to one. just for testing that youve got the right size and shape you wont need it to be strong, and you wont typically need a solid layer on the top, but thats a bunch of extra time and filament to put in those solid layers. especially for large pieces like the cupholder spacer.
One thing I think you forgot to mention when replacing injection molded parts with 3D printed parts is that you have a lot less constraints with 3D prints. You could see that in the original part it was cored out and replaced with ribs to maintain uniform thickness to create a better cosmetic finish whereas with 3D printing uniform thickness is not required. Also, you mentioned tapers in the part, it could be for aesthetics, but most likely it was a draft so that the part would not get stuck in the tool. So, in the end figure out what the functional portion of the part is and then you can be as creative as you want with the finished product.
I often go the other way and add a bunch of triangulated ribs so that the part is very very strong, without having to be solid plastic. This wouldn't be easy to do with molding, because it would get trapped but with 3D printing I don't have that limitation.
Another thing to consider is the direction in which you print your piece. Specially if a force is going to be applied. I always print with the layers perpendicular to the force.
Years ago one of the plastic seat handles in my dad's 87 Nissan stanza split right at the screw hole so we made some simple wooden ( with thin piece of metal in inserted in the upright part for support) handles with curves like the grip on older style bicycle for better grabbing. Plus it looked nicer than the plastic
Owning a 3D printer these days its just great. The amount of times I needed some brackets for different applications or reducers for pipes and 3D printing helped me out! At one point I even needed temporary screws for one project and I couldnt run to store anymore and then I just printed a few, worked like a charm. I own 3D printer now for 4 years even got a few MSLA in past years and if you walk into my room and look around.. every single corner has at least one piece 3D printed, from practical stuff to a ton of props and so on :D
You can measure a weird shaped hole like that, by jamming it full of tinfoil. When you can't fit any more, simply pull out the tinfoil lump and take your measurements from that.
For your cupholder....cut individual pieces of cardboard that fit on the bottom, sides, front, and back. Then measure each one. You can even hot glue them together to get the perfect angles.
This makes me very happy, as someone with a 23 year old Toyota that is mechanically nearly bulletproof. When the junkyard supply dries up... Might be an idea for a followup on how to paint to match the rest of the interior and what types of finishes adhere to petg and last well given wear and heat. Afaik pretty much all automotive interior plastics are injection mold abs. Definitely would hold up the best over time
If you use a resin printer and notice that your prints delaminate or stick to the fep sheet, use PTFE / teflon lube on the fep sheet before you pour resin in the container
Watching you trace that piece on the notepad reminds me of my grade nine drafting class where we had to make three dimensional technical drawings based on a set of measurements we were given. It's been a long time and I've forgotten a lot of it, but I remember having to use two of the profiles to accurately recreate the third. Always nice to be reminded of how it used to be done.
In the new Ford Maverick they built in universal mounts in the truck and bed with QR codes to the details so you can 3D print your own custom accessories.
Love micro center. The best thing to do is to hang out and listen to all the nerdy conversations that go on in the aisles. Then go buy stuff. Only applies to the brick and mortar store. I’d encourage a visit. I could literally walk the aisles for a full 8 hours.
awesome. pro tip, i needed light spring tension on a project and a tile/ grout sponge works awesome as a spring to force the item back with very light pressure.
If you have a newer iOS device (not sure about Android), you can use the LiDAR scanner built into the camera to model objects. Simply place the object on a lazy susan and spin. Scan the object 360 degrees using one of the many 3D modelling apps available, and export the mesh to your favourite 3D printing software.
Been following creators making car parts and similar for a while now. Seems like they're really lasting the test of time and only getting better with new technology! I have some ideas...just need to bite the bullet for a printer of my own. Great work!
@@GaryStewart2020 depending on a climate PETG will warp too. ASA, ABS, Nylon or PC is advised. I have tweeter adapters in a dash of my car and during summer PETG warped day 1. Nylon holds fine.
For the cupholder, use three rubber tabs. Add some slots on the inside surface of the cup that the tabs will protrude thru. Cut some pliable but supportive rubber tabs and you can glue or secure them on the hidden side of the holder. The rubber tabs will conform to any drink you're able to put in the holder. No need for springs or moving parts.
Awesome ideas. I'll note that while PETG is more resistant to heat, it isn't impervious. I printed a badge for the front of my car out of PETG and after a summer in the 100+ degree sun it's curled up a bit at the edges. I'm planning to try it again with ABS.
I always get excited about videos like this, because I love 3d printing the extensive uses it has for so many people. Then when I try to think about what I need for my car I always draw a blank. Like I know I could use a couple of trash cans in the front doors, but idk what else I could need. I'm generally the only person in the car so anything for the back isn't going to be helpful. But I do love this.
This is the kind of video I talk about when describing your channel to others. Clear, helpful, and inspiring. Bob, you seem to think of things we all should have. This gave me the idea of printing a handle that broke off of my miter saw. You may have just pushed me over the "might buy a 3d printer" ledge. Thanks!
For the cupholder, make half of the top lid piece be on the moving part. Make the other half a permanent cap, but make it one layer above the moving piece. That way the cap can always cover everything but still be able to mive
Quick tip for better strength: try increasing wall thickness to 4 or 5 perimeters and top/bottom thickness to 4 or 5 layers. In my experience that has a huge impact on part strength and stiffness and is way faster than 100% infill. I usually combine these thicker walls with 30% infill.
I just had to model and print a cold air intake for a truck that I bought because the previous owner installed the wrong radiator - one for a newer model truck. This moved the upper radiator hose up by about 3", and made the air filter plumbing run straight into the upper radiator hose. So I modeled a piece that had a notch for the radiator hose to rest in without chafing and still letting air flow from a cone-style air filter. It should do the trick and from my research, ASA will hold up to underhood temperatures. I used eSun ASA filament. I learned to print ASA at 50% of the speed you print PLA or PETG, and layers should be no more than 0.12 mm if you want the layers to stick together. I printed at 260*C and 90*C on the bed in an open-air Ender 3 Pro with Direct Drive and an 0.6mm nozzle. But with 0.250" walls, 4 parameters, 4 top and bottom layers and solid infill, I am confident in the part. Now to test it with underhood temperatures.
When I print parts that have to interface with some existing thing - I’ve basically given up on printing entire parts on the first pass. The first pass will just be the interfacing elements. Once I’ve got the interface surfaces to print and fit - it’s easy to merge the viable model into the full part. It’s been a game changer for saving time and generates less waste.
I have printed some parts for my car that have worked really well. The first thing was the handbrake button that was already missing when I bought the car. I found a better cup holder design online that I printed out and the last thing was a base plate to make a aftermarket armrest fit in my car. All printed in PETG and have no sign of deforming after 2 years in a car with between -20°C and 35°C.
A good piece to work on I think would be the little plastic bits in the vents that open and close them. Not the pieces you actually touch, but the pieces inside, like the little arms and such
I had some SLA printed han solo dice on my mirror for 2 years. The reason it busted was because of the hollowing the print without drain holes. I will print another pair solid. I also printed a switch holder for my aux lights in PLA and when they melt I will print it out again in tough resin.
I love you videos, I’ve been watching since I was little and now I’m in college still watching your videos. You’ve been a huge inspiration and I’ve appreciated your love for “making stuff”
I did this a few years ago. I needed a replacement latch for my Civic's center armrest. The only way to buy a replacement was purchasing the entire OEM armrest assembly. Even if it weren't an eye-watering $150, it would have still been extremely wasteful to trash the existing armrest just because a 2" piece of plastic broke. It took a few hours to model and print in PETG, but it came out great on the first print, and I even beefed up the portion that broke on the original. It held up really well, no shearing, no warping, even in SoCal heat.
I bought my first 3D printer like 5 years ago with the plans to prototype parts for my hotrods and then cast them out of aluminum. It never ended up happening, but I’m finally about to get back to it. I’m making a flip open gas cap for my wood strip hotrod. I already modeled and printed it a couple times. Now I need to figure out the casting part.
I am still on designing a holder für my hookah in my Ram. The holder has to be stiff that nothing happens when braking, especially with the charcoal but when finished, it will be a very good helper for the summer.
You guys are on the same page as me I recently got a new printer to replace the last and the prints are night and day difference. I printed a hood clip for my 2001 Subaru Impreza sport and went to put it in and realized that I don’t have radiator brackets. So I’ve been watching your fusion 360 video to hopefully replicate the part and print it
instead of making it 100% to avoid the collapse, you could also put a structural piece to the design, like a honeycomb or triangular structure so that you can build it up without using as much filament
Great to see your fusion 360 kung-fu in action. One thing that I was happy to see is the use of fillets and chamfers. Of course, they help it look and feel like a finished project. But, they are really helpful to reduce mechanical stress on those sharp inside corners.
Totally dig this. 3d-printer was the best investment in the last 5 years! It's really fun ton solve problems u didn't know you had in the first place, because you had no printer and therefore no ideas
Welcome to the cup holder design challenge. I have lost count how many cup holders I’ve designed working for heavy machinery design engineering. Never can find the perfect option that fits every customers bottle or cup of choice and then finding easy to reach places for holder is also a packaging issue.
ABS is a plastic I use to make my car gadgets. It has a higher melting point than PLA and is similar to PETG. BUT... it is pretty hard to print. You need a containment box to keep the heat in, you need to use higher heat (I use 240C at the nozzle, 100C for the bed). However because it has to be printed at higher temperatures, it can withstand more heat. I have had ABS prints that are tension fit in my car for over a year and I have not had many problems with it. I live in Utah and the summers can get well above 100F outside and between 120F - 130F inside the car. If you are needing high-temperature plastic, ABS is a good choice!
I've been doing this for a few months since i bought my car. a 97 Saab 900, great running condition, everything was all good except a few small plastic pieces that were just worn down, and reprinting them and replacing them was exactly what i bought my first 3d printer for, instead of finding people overcharging for some parts I replaced the stock radio with a newer single din as well so i could have a working radio and printing out a cover over it was such a blessing cause having a giant hole annoyed me so much haha
Another tip when trying to replicate a part in cad is to print on paper the top, bottom and sides view in 1:1 scale when you are done. That way you can verify a lot of things like holes location just by putting the part on the paper and compare. It's a great time saver
I've done lots of little things for the car and made videos about some of them too. Sunglass holders, shift knob, light up boxer engine license plate delete to name a few. Now I'm building a campervan and will definitely be doing 3d printing for that as well. I also just got an SLA printer which is awesome and also interested to see how those do inside a car
I say make the cover shorter front to back and then add a top lip on the sliding part that slips under the cover and will bridge the gap and articulate back and forth.
Regarding cup holders, I have an MG4 which has a pretty neat cupholder which is cylindrical but it has 4 spring loaded nubs which grip the cup when it's pushed in. Means it can hold anything from thin cans to 500ml bottles or cups
For a printed part, try to keep any stresses *along* the layer lines. Prints are really weak between layers, and pulling this layers apart will ruin the part
I second that. It's a matter of positioning the model in the slicer to achieve the best pull resistance. For example, if printing a coat wall hook, it's better to slice it laying on it's side.
I found out that the material you use for test prints matters A LOT! If you're making corrections to the dimensions based of the PLA test print, those dimensions will for sure change when you use ABS or PETG for example. So I got used to printing test pieces with the same material that will be used in the end-product.
10:59 you could have printed the springs out of PETG too. But I would have used ABS+ for car parts. The spring should look like a zig zag and printed sideways. Did a small project with such springs this week as well. Or do cut outs and print 3 arms attached only on one end holding the cup. 2.6mm wall thickness should be enough.
In my old car, I used an ash tray as a change pot. I never use the cup holders in my car as any cup in it will fall over as they are shallow. Might try to make a change pot with a lid, with chamfered edges inside to allow you to slide a coin up the side.
I designed a wing (spoiler) stabilizer for my car, which they sont sell. I dont have a 3d printer so i went on etsy and found someone willing to print two of them. Since the part doesnt exist i made a prototype from modeling clay and used that and its measurements as a basis for my 3r model. I did have it printed in PLA and spent so many hours sanding, priming painting, clear coating, and car wax to match my cars paint perfectly. Turned out great, except it got hot and did exactly what your button box did. So this summer i will have it reprinted in PTEG or buy a printer and do it all again
PETG can get very brittle, crumbly and even looks like it is rotting from UV exposure (and in the car on the sun there will be UV). Black PETG is much more resistant and primer + uv resistant paint will help big time, but if you do not want to paint it try out ASA material. It is not that hard to print, not expensive, and it is UV resistant with much higher working temp range than PETG.. You will need to put some "box" over your printer to properly print ASA (no need to have heated chamber, but closed chamber is very useful) and supports are much easier to remove than with PETG (petg is too sticky so supports are not as easy to remove as with PLA or ASA)
11:55 Get rid of the cap altogether and put some slots in the sides near the top and give the pressure-plate a flange, that way, its lip will hold it in place and the top will be completely unobstructed for any size cup.
I modelled the back half of my keyfob for a honda, so I could emboss anything on it and screw it right onto the electronics. pretty useful if you need to make your keys more distinctive or you have several identical fobs
I have several jeep cherokees (94, 96, 99); I use 3dp to make a lot of replacement or custom parts that cannot be found anymore outside junkyards, or just custom solutions for modifications I'm making. The problem with plastics is they generally have a limited shelf life; UV, especially in areas like mine that are constant sunshine, kill plastic. Consequently, many plastic parts you do pull from junkyards are in no better shape than your part.
Hey, I love your enthusiasm! I've spent most of my working life designing plastic parts for cars. What I recommend, really really recommend, is a Revoipoint Pop2 3D scanner. Scan the old part or mating part, and use the scan as a template in your CAD program. You'll do a lot less error in the trial and error stage, as it takes all the measurements and puts them right where you need them, in the CAD program. Great work though, loved the video.
I've got a 1985 Toyota 4 Runner and have the same problems in spite of it having Collector plates. Spare parts either have to be scratch made or luckily there are still parts in South Africa that I can obtain through a rare auto part broker. But there are some parts that are impossible and to maintain Collector plates where I live you have to be time accurate for most of your parts.
For the top cover for the cup holder a dovetail slide could work. It will keep it locked down but it can slide back to match the circumference of the container.
the true utility of additive manufacturing; once you get beyond printing thingiverse items (toys, figurines, etc.), you yearn for more; you teach yourself modeling on Fusion 360 and the intricacies of maintaining, troubleshooting a 3D printer ... (kind of helps if you an engineering degree also).
As someone who actually remakes and sells 3D printed plastic parts for old cars (albeit in low quantities), I would make one note on the use of PETG. In my experience I have found that under stress it will eventually deform slightly with elevated temperatures (even here in the Pacific Northwest). Summers with sunny days in excess of 105F were enough to do it for me. This is really only a problem for small trim clips and press-fit items though. I doubt you would see such effects as soon on larger parts. A Tg of 80C is reasonable, although apparently not perfectly sufficient for all geometries. I've now ditched PETG for anything automotive related and stick to ASA, PC, TPU, and CF-Nylon. I realize those are more difficult to print for many people but the better properties are very much worth it in my opinion. Also acetone welding with ABS/ASA is a lifesaver for anything you may need to print larger than your build volume. The only thing I miss about PETG is the absurdly good layer adhesion, although PC competes pretty well on that metric.
Let's see if my English allows me to explain myself. About the cup-holder, I would model it with a couple of "rails", "indentations" or whatever you may want to call it, one on each side, so the moving part doesn't need to be covered (or not so much) to be kept in place. This way, what's now the top part could be about half it's size (measured from back to front) and the moving part would have a longer top that would slide under the top fixed part.
Another tip is to use cardboard in order to make a rough model of the item you are planning to 3D print. For example, if there is a weird shape that you can't really measure, you can make a rough part out of cardboard and cut it and join pieces with a duct tape until it fits your needs. Then take important measurements, like holes and their relation to a surface, bring your pattern to computer and make a proper model. This way you can complete a few stages of prototyping without having to waste plastic.
Some awesome tips here!! I only have a resin 3d printer currently, would be interested to know how the resin parts you printed are holding up to heat etc., are you intending to mention in another video?
Nylon is probably a better choice for a hot car, all else being equal, but I agree and would use PETG myself. Primarily because it's pretty much all I print with these days so I have an assortment to choose from, I've gotten things dialed in pretty well, and I can deal with the occasional stringing and blobs PETG tends to exhibit since all my prints are functional. Scratch that, I have a specific car use that just came to mind (snapped piece inside the door handle mechanism) and I'll break out the Nylon X carbon-fiber reinforced filament. Probably impractical for many folks as it's expensive and requires a hardened nozzle to print, not to mention a rough finish. But totally ideal for this sort of thing.
Don't print at 100% infil. Add more outer layers (Walls). From what I've read that produces better results with 3D printing. Over a certain amount of infill can be detrimental to your prints.
Sometimes for things like a cup holder it's easier to get a cheap one from a car at a scrap yard and make a way of mounting it to your using 3d printing. This way you don't have to worry about springs or mechanisms for different size cups.
No joke, I've been thinking of using my 3D printer for car things lately and sure enough this pops up! One of the things I've been thinking about is a phone holder that fits on the dash so I can use the navigation on my phone and not have to hold it. Anyway, thanks for the tip about not using PLA!
I found a guy selling a redesigned like what they use for mechanical airplane controls that was better then ball socket joint for my 98 manual Saturn Sudan. The ball from shifter cables broke to the stick broke. He sold it as 30 dollar fix with another 10 dollar fix for the socket that I ended buying almost 10 years later because that broke but could around it with zip tys temporarily. The replacement from GM was to replace the shifter cables part was over 200 dollars without installation.
Rather than trying to get those tricky inside measurements and drafts with a ruler and callipers, one trick is to use graph paper 🙂 Cut it down to fit, in sections, and the scan it and use the picture to model from or take your measurements from the paper 👍
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Was surprised we don't have one here in tech-heavy PNW! I'll have to put it in my wish list for visiting other locales.
Also, the employees at micro center work off of commission, so if you’d like to help them ask for their stickers 🤪
Big tip that I saw y'all doing but I dont think was mentioned. Don't think you have to print the whole part every time, any time I print a piece that is going to be interacting with something I didn't model (like the cup holder) I will print just a small portion to make sure my fitment is right. It saves a lot of time and material if you don't have to print the whole part just to realize one measurement was slightly off
Yes!
Yes I do this too.
For his example of the seat handle, You would only need to print out the flat part that interfaces with the bar. You could then print out your iterations several times quicker than putting out the whole part
Yep, I always print a thin and low fill density template for more complex geometries, even without solid fill top and bottom layers. Great way to sanity check designs cheaply.
Kind of like making an outside shell.
He said this about 2-3 minutes into the video.
Here's a tip: you can snap a photo of the object you wanna model right next to a ruler. Then import that as a canvas in Fusion 360 and scale it using the ruler as reference. And you can proceed to draw your sketch on top of it without worrying about it being the wrong size or at the wrong place. Saves a lot of time tracing stuff on paper & measuring with a caliper. It's advisable to keep the camera relatively far and straight to avoid distortion.
I do this exact thing with my printer-scanner.
I scan as A4 and create a plane the same size in Blender- then set the texture as my scanned image.
Better for organic shapes than mechanical ones though.
you could but having the physical part and calipers in hand is way faster.
There is also the calibrate function for canvases. You can select two points on the canvas and give the gap between them a specific dimension. The canvas will then scale itself
Also, don't use a wide angle or fish eye lense. It distorts the image a lot. To some of us, that might be common sense, but to new hobbyists, it's easy to over look.
For folks learning Fusion 360 - avoid over complicating your sketches, as seen at 5:35. The best approach is to break them into simpler sketches and use the "Project" command to reference existing 3D geometry. All the blue lines are not yet defined, which will cause havoc when changing the user parameters. Also, (almost) always apply fillets at the end. Helps avoid referencing issues. Hope this helps! :)
I have a resin printer, an FDM printer and a CO2 laser cutter. I’m not much into kitschy trinkets but I love using these three tools for doing exactly what this video talks about. I have made several pieces for the house including cabinet door knobs, adapter pieces, a new release button for the refrigerator door and even a 6 knife block that only takes up 1/4”’of shelf space. The designing and problem solving is the fun and rewarding part for me.
Big tip is to increase wall thickness instead of infil, improves strength a lot more.
Also make infil a max of 99% and it can reduce print times a lit
Going from 2 to 4 walls changes a lot in terms of strenght. Even pieces i have to use a lot i print them with 10-20% infill.
10:30 a tip for when printing test pieces for size/shape, you can disable the top layers of the print, and even reduce the first layer to one. just for testing that youve got the right size and shape you wont need it to be strong, and you wont typically need a solid layer on the top, but thats a bunch of extra time and filament to put in those solid layers. especially for large pieces like the cupholder spacer.
One thing I think you forgot to mention when replacing injection molded parts with 3D printed parts is that you have a lot less constraints with 3D prints. You could see that in the original part it was cored out and replaced with ribs to maintain uniform thickness to create a better cosmetic finish whereas with 3D printing uniform thickness is not required. Also, you mentioned tapers in the part, it could be for aesthetics, but most likely it was a draft so that the part would not get stuck in the tool. So, in the end figure out what the functional portion of the part is and then you can be as creative as you want with the finished product.
I often go the other way and add a bunch of triangulated ribs so that the part is very very strong, without having to be solid plastic.
This wouldn't be easy to do with molding, because it would get trapped but with 3D printing I don't have that limitation.
Another thing to consider is the direction in which you print your piece. Specially if a force is going to be applied. I always print with the layers perpendicular to the force.
the hole in the console - i would recommend CAD there to speed measuring of such things
CAD as in Cardboard Aided Design
True. Josh suggested lining the inside with masking tape and cutting it at the corners. That way I have the measurements of each side.
Years ago one of the plastic seat handles in my dad's 87 Nissan stanza split right at the screw hole so we made some simple wooden ( with thin piece of metal in inserted in the upright part for support) handles with curves like the grip on older style bicycle for better grabbing. Plus it looked nicer than the plastic
lots of wasted plastic
@@rob4121 non of the replacement was plastic it was oak wood
Your cup holder is pretty cool ! The approach, creativity, empowering, I love everything about this video. Thanks
Loving the Homestar Runner license plate. Anthony should go all the way and replace his shifter's knob with a boxing glove.
I think he'll love this idea and get right on it.
Needs more Trogdor.
@@RickScully "I said consummate V's! Consummate!!!"
@@RickScully The Burninator!
And no light switch raves! You get pulled over that way.
Owning a 3D printer these days its just great. The amount of times I needed some brackets for different applications or reducers for pipes and 3D printing helped me out! At one point I even needed temporary screws for one project and I couldnt run to store anymore and then I just printed a few, worked like a charm.
I own 3D printer now for 4 years even got a few MSLA in past years and if you walk into my room and look around.. every single corner has at least one piece 3D printed, from practical stuff to a ton of props and so on :D
Love this! I designed and printer a Chick-fil-A sauce holder for my old Tacoma 😂🤣🤘
Genius!
I'm imagining a fry adapter for my car, the cup holder has the sides open for mug handles, which makes this spot precarious.
You can measure a weird shaped hole like that, by jamming it full of tinfoil. When you can't fit any more, simply pull out the tinfoil lump and take your measurements from that.
Anything. clay, plaster, concrete, expanding foam,
That is Genius.
@@AlexFoster2291 ductape and foam
Multiple layers of painters tape will also hold shape quite well. This method is used for forming custom sheet metal parts regularly.
For your cupholder....cut individual pieces of cardboard that fit on the bottom, sides, front, and back. Then measure each one. You can even hot glue them together to get the perfect angles.
My mates and I joking call this approach CAD.
Cardboard Aided Design.
This makes me very happy, as someone with a 23 year old Toyota that is mechanically nearly bulletproof. When the junkyard supply dries up...
Might be an idea for a followup on how to paint to match the rest of the interior and what types of finishes adhere to petg and last well given wear and heat.
Afaik pretty much all automotive interior plastics are injection mold abs. Definitely would hold up the best over time
If you use a resin printer and notice that your prints delaminate or stick to the fep sheet, use PTFE / teflon lube on the fep sheet before you pour resin in the container
Watching you trace that piece on the notepad reminds me of my grade nine drafting class where we had to make three dimensional technical drawings based on a set of measurements we were given. It's been a long time and I've forgotten a lot of it, but I remember having to use two of the profiles to accurately recreate the third. Always nice to be reminded of how it used to be done.
In the new Ford Maverick they built in universal mounts in the truck and bed with QR codes to the details so you can 3D print your own custom accessories.
Love micro center. The best thing to do is to hang out and listen to all the nerdy conversations that go on in the aisles. Then go buy stuff. Only applies to the brick and mortar store. I’d encourage a visit. I could literally walk the aisles for a full 8 hours.
awesome. pro tip, i needed light spring tension on a project and a tile/ grout sponge works awesome as a spring to force the item back with very light pressure.
Great tip!
I actually used one to hold a PCB against a transparency and glass for exposing for etching, it did work really nice!
If you have a newer iOS device (not sure about Android), you can use the LiDAR scanner built into the camera to model objects. Simply place the object on a lazy susan and spin. Scan the object 360 degrees using one of the many 3D modelling apps available, and export the mesh to your favourite 3D printing software.
Been following creators making car parts and similar for a while now. Seems like they're really lasting the test of time and only getting better with new technology! I have some ideas...just need to bite the bullet for a printer of my own. Great work!
3d printers are amazing. I can go from idea to physical thing like magic.
I have done this for a couple pieces for my car. Be aware of heat during the summer. PLA pieces will warp.
@@GaryStewart2020 depending on a climate PETG will warp too. ASA, ABS, Nylon or PC is advised. I have tweeter adapters in a dash of my car and during summer PETG warped day 1. Nylon holds fine.
For the cupholder, use three rubber tabs. Add some slots on the inside surface of the cup that the tabs will protrude thru. Cut some pliable but supportive rubber tabs and you can glue or secure them on the hidden side of the holder. The rubber tabs will conform to any drink you're able to put in the holder. No need for springs or moving parts.
Awesome ideas. I'll note that while PETG is more resistant to heat, it isn't impervious. I printed a badge for the front of my car out of PETG and after a summer in the 100+ degree sun it's curled up a bit at the edges. I'm planning to try it again with ABS.
ASA would be even better as it is UV resistant.
You might have better luck by painting your print
12:31 like for the Homestar plate
I always get excited about videos like this, because I love 3d printing the extensive uses it has for so many people. Then when I try to think about what I need for my car I always draw a blank. Like I know I could use a couple of trash cans in the front doors, but idk what else I could need. I'm generally the only person in the car so anything for the back isn't going to be helpful.
But I do love this.
This is the kind of video I talk about when describing your channel to others. Clear, helpful, and inspiring. Bob, you seem to think of things we all should have. This gave me the idea of printing a handle that broke off of my miter saw. You may have just pushed me over the "might buy a 3d printer" ledge. Thanks!
For the cupholder, make half of the top lid piece be on the moving part. Make the other half a permanent cap, but make it one layer above the moving piece. That way the cap can always cover everything but still be able to mive
9:10
100% infill can work, but smt like 70-80% might be stronger, because the layers arent bondet over a big surface
Quick tip for better strength: try increasing wall thickness to 4 or 5 perimeters and top/bottom thickness to 4 or 5 layers. In my experience that has a huge impact on part strength and stiffness and is way faster than 100% infill. I usually combine these thicker walls with 30% infill.
I just had to model and print a cold air intake for a truck that I bought because the previous owner installed the wrong radiator - one for a newer model truck. This moved the upper radiator hose up by about 3", and made the air filter plumbing run straight into the upper radiator hose. So I modeled a piece that had a notch for the radiator hose to rest in without chafing and still letting air flow from a cone-style air filter. It should do the trick and from my research, ASA will hold up to underhood temperatures.
I used eSun ASA filament. I learned to print ASA at 50% of the speed you print PLA or PETG, and layers should be no more than 0.12 mm if you want the layers to stick together. I printed at 260*C and 90*C on the bed in an open-air Ender 3 Pro with Direct Drive and an 0.6mm nozzle.
But with 0.250" walls, 4 parameters, 4 top and bottom layers and solid infill, I am confident in the part. Now to test it with underhood temperatures.
When I print parts that have to interface with some existing thing - I’ve basically given up on printing entire parts on the first pass. The first pass will just be the interfacing elements. Once I’ve got the interface surfaces to print and fit - it’s easy to merge the viable model into the full part. It’s been a game changer for saving time and generates less waste.
Thanks for the PETG tip, I brought a 3d printer yesterday and in the middle of the build so all tips welcomed.
Seeing someone constantly you do not notice how they change. I've learnt so much these 5 years. Thank you, Bob!
I have printed some parts for my car that have worked really well. The first thing was the handbrake button that was already missing when I bought the car. I found a better cup holder design online that I printed out and the last thing was a base plate to make a aftermarket armrest fit in my car.
All printed in PETG and have no sign of deforming after 2 years in a car with between -20°C and 35°C.
A good piece to work on I think would be the little plastic bits in the vents that open and close them. Not the pieces you actually touch, but the pieces inside, like the little arms and such
I had some SLA printed han solo dice on my mirror for 2 years. The reason it busted was because of the hollowing the print without drain holes. I will print another pair solid. I also printed a switch holder for my aux lights in PLA and when they melt I will print it out again in tough resin.
I love you videos, I’ve been watching since I was little and now I’m in college still watching your videos. You’ve been a huge inspiration and I’ve appreciated your love for “making stuff”
That is awesome!
I did this a few years ago. I needed a replacement latch for my Civic's center armrest. The only way to buy a replacement was purchasing the entire OEM armrest assembly. Even if it weren't an eye-watering $150, it would have still been extremely wasteful to trash the existing armrest just because a 2" piece of plastic broke. It took a few hours to model and print in PETG, but it came out great on the first print, and I even beefed up the portion that broke on the original. It held up really well, no shearing, no warping, even in SoCal heat.
I bought my first 3D printer like 5 years ago with the plans to prototype parts for my hotrods and then cast them out of aluminum. It never ended up happening, but I’m finally about to get back to it. I’m making a flip open gas cap for my wood strip hotrod. I already modeled and printed it a couple times. Now I need to figure out the casting part.
I am still on designing a holder für my hookah in my Ram. The holder has to be stiff that nothing happens when braking, especially with the charcoal but when finished, it will be a very good helper for the summer.
You guys are on the same page as me I recently got a new printer to replace the last and the prints are night and day difference. I printed a hood clip for my 2001 Subaru Impreza sport and went to put it in and realized that I don’t have radiator brackets. So I’ve been watching your fusion 360 video to hopefully replicate the part and print it
instead of making it 100% to avoid the collapse, you could also put a structural piece to the design, like a honeycomb or triangular structure so that you can build it up without using as much filament
Great to see your fusion 360 kung-fu in action.
One thing that I was happy to see is the use of fillets and chamfers. Of course, they help it look and feel like a finished project. But, they are really helpful to reduce mechanical stress on those sharp inside corners.
Totally dig this. 3d-printer was the best investment in the last 5 years! It's really fun ton solve problems u didn't know you had in the first place, because you had no printer and therefore no ideas
Welcome to the cup holder design challenge. I have lost count how many cup holders I’ve designed working for heavy machinery design engineering. Never can find the perfect option that fits every customers bottle or cup of choice and then finding easy to reach places for holder is also a packaging issue.
ABS is a plastic I use to make my car gadgets. It has a higher melting point than PLA and is similar to PETG. BUT... it is pretty hard to print. You need a containment box to keep the heat in, you need to use higher heat (I use 240C at the nozzle, 100C for the bed). However because it has to be printed at higher temperatures, it can withstand more heat. I have had ABS prints that are tension fit in my car for over a year and I have not had many problems with it. I live in Utah and the summers can get well above 100F outside and between 120F - 130F inside the car. If you are needing high-temperature plastic, ABS is a good choice!
I've been doing this for a few months since i bought my car.
a 97 Saab 900, great running condition, everything was all good except a few small plastic pieces that were just worn down, and reprinting them and replacing them was exactly what i bought my first 3d printer for, instead of finding people overcharging for some parts I replaced the stock radio with a newer single din as well so i could have a working radio and printing out a cover over it was such a blessing cause having a giant hole annoyed me so much haha
Another tip when trying to replicate a part in cad is to print on paper the top, bottom and sides view in 1:1 scale when you are done. That way you can verify a lot of things like holes location just by putting the part on the paper and compare. It's a great time saver
I've done lots of little things for the car and made videos about some of them too. Sunglass holders, shift knob, light up boxer engine license plate delete to name a few.
Now I'm building a campervan and will definitely be doing 3d printing for that as well.
I also just got an SLA printer which is awesome and also interested to see how those do inside a car
I say make the cover shorter front to back and then add a top lip on the sliding part that slips under the cover and will bridge the gap and articulate back and forth.
Regarding cup holders, I have an MG4 which has a pretty neat cupholder which is cylindrical but it has 4 spring loaded nubs which grip the cup when it's pushed in. Means it can hold anything from thin cans to 500ml bottles or cups
I started using PETG too, and it is also stronger than PET. Really good recomendation!
3d printing parts for cars are golden for antiques
Sure are. Older cars have harder to find or more expensive replacement parts.
I loved this video! Also three cheers for the Homestar Runner license plate. =D
Everybody! Everybody!
I LOL'd at Homestar. Flashbacks! Thanks for that!
For a printed part, try to keep any stresses *along* the layer lines. Prints are really weak between layers, and pulling this layers apart will ruin the part
I second that. It's a matter of positioning the model in the slicer to achieve the best pull resistance. For example, if printing a coat wall hook, it's better to slice it laying on it's side.
I found out that the material you use for test prints matters A LOT! If you're making corrections to the dimensions based of the PLA test print, those dimensions will for sure change when you use ABS or PETG for example. So I got used to printing test pieces with the same material that will be used in the end-product.
Never print at 100% infill. Just increase bottom/top layers to cover the entire print. Prevents over infill
What does over infill do
@@elmeradams8781 same thing as over extrusion.
@@Deacon240 I'm new to this stuff. What will that do?
10:59 you could have printed the springs out of PETG too. But I would have used ABS+ for car parts.
The spring should look like a zig zag and printed sideways. Did a small project with such springs this week as well.
Or do cut outs and print 3 arms attached only on one end holding the cup. 2.6mm wall thickness should be enough.
In my old car, I used an ash tray as a change pot. I never use the cup holders in my car as any cup in it will fall over as they are shallow. Might try to make a change pot with a lid, with chamfered edges inside to allow you to slide a coin up the side.
I designed a wing (spoiler) stabilizer for my car, which they sont sell. I dont have a 3d printer so i went on etsy and found someone willing to print two of them. Since the part doesnt exist i made a prototype from modeling clay and used that and its measurements as a basis for my 3r model. I did have it printed in PLA and spent so many hours sanding, priming painting, clear coating, and car wax to match my cars paint perfectly. Turned out great, except it got hot and did exactly what your button box did. So this summer i will have it reprinted in PTEG or buy a printer and do it all again
PETG can get very brittle, crumbly and even looks like it is rotting from UV exposure (and in the car on the sun there will be UV). Black PETG is much more resistant and primer + uv resistant paint will help big time, but if you do not want to paint it try out ASA material. It is not that hard to print, not expensive, and it is UV resistant with much higher working temp range than PETG.. You will need to put some "box" over your printer to properly print ASA (no need to have heated chamber, but closed chamber is very useful) and supports are much easier to remove than with PETG (petg is too sticky so supports are not as easy to remove as with PLA or ASA)
I modeled and printed a press fit cup holder adapter to hold my Yeti Coffee Mug since my cup holder was too small to hold it originally.
11:55 Get rid of the cap altogether and put some slots in the sides near the top and give the pressure-plate a flange, that way, its lip will hold it in place and the top will be completely unobstructed for any size cup.
I modelled the back half of my keyfob for a honda, so I could emboss anything on it and screw it right onto the electronics. pretty useful if you need to make your keys more distinctive or you have several identical fobs
I have several jeep cherokees (94, 96, 99); I use 3dp to make a lot of replacement or custom parts that cannot be found anymore outside junkyards, or just custom solutions for modifications I'm making. The problem with plastics is they generally have a limited shelf life; UV, especially in areas like mine that are constant sunshine, kill plastic. Consequently, many plastic parts you do pull from junkyards are in no better shape than your part.
Hey, I love your enthusiasm! I've spent most of my working life designing plastic parts for cars. What I recommend, really really recommend, is a Revoipoint Pop2 3D scanner. Scan the old part or mating part, and use the scan as a template in your CAD program. You'll do a lot less error in the trial and error stage, as it takes all the measurements and puts them right where you need them, in the CAD program.
Great work though, loved the video.
I love Anthony's Homestar license plate! Homestar Runner was a huge part of my childhood! (I'm 25)
I've got a 1985 Toyota 4 Runner and have the same problems in spite of it having Collector plates. Spare parts either have to be scratch made or luckily there are still parts in South Africa that I can obtain through a rare auto part broker. But there are some parts that are impossible and to maintain Collector plates where I live you have to be time accurate for most of your parts.
I hear the easy solution to being cold when doing car stuff in winter is to just build yourself an enormous barn workshop with heated floors. ;-)
For the top cover for the cup holder a dovetail slide could work. It will keep it locked down but it can slide back to match the circumference of the container.
Josh and Anthony's prints are awesome
the true utility of additive manufacturing; once you get beyond printing thingiverse items (toys, figurines, etc.), you yearn for more; you teach yourself modeling on Fusion 360 and the intricacies of maintaining, troubleshooting a 3D printer ... (kind of helps if you an engineering degree also).
As someone who actually remakes and sells 3D printed plastic parts for old cars (albeit in low quantities), I would make one note on the use of PETG. In my experience I have found that under stress it will eventually deform slightly with elevated temperatures (even here in the Pacific Northwest). Summers with sunny days in excess of 105F were enough to do it for me. This is really only a problem for small trim clips and press-fit items though. I doubt you would see such effects as soon on larger parts. A Tg of 80C is reasonable, although apparently not perfectly sufficient for all geometries.
I've now ditched PETG for anything automotive related and stick to ASA, PC, TPU, and CF-Nylon. I realize those are more difficult to print for many people but the better properties are very much worth it in my opinion. Also acetone welding with ABS/ASA is a lifesaver for anything you may need to print larger than your build volume. The only thing I miss about PETG is the absurdly good layer adhesion, although PC competes pretty well on that metric.
Let's see if my English allows me to explain myself. About the cup-holder, I would model it with a couple of "rails", "indentations" or whatever you may want to call it, one on each side, so the moving part doesn't need to be covered (or not so much) to be kept in place.
This way, what's now the top part could be about half it's size (measured from back to front) and the moving part would have a longer top that would slide under the top fixed part.
Another tip is to use cardboard in order to make a rough model of the item you are planning to 3D print. For example, if there is a weird shape that you can't really measure, you can make a rough part out of cardboard and cut it and join pieces with a duct tape until it fits your needs. Then take important measurements, like holes and their relation to a surface, bring your pattern to computer and make a proper model. This way you can complete a few stages of prototyping without having to waste plastic.
I created a custom double din radio mount for my 99 Cherokee. Custom radio mounts are great 3d printing projects.
Some awesome tips here!! I only have a resin 3d printer currently, would be interested to know how the resin parts you printed are holding up to heat etc., are you intending to mention in another video?
saw the Fender Rhodes, I've got a 73 stage 88 myself.... appreciate the video.
Nylon is probably a better choice for a hot car, all else being equal, but I agree and would use PETG myself. Primarily because it's pretty much all I print with these days so I have an assortment to choose from, I've gotten things dialed in pretty well, and I can deal with the occasional stringing and blobs PETG tends to exhibit since all my prints are functional.
Scratch that, I have a specific car use that just came to mind (snapped piece inside the door handle mechanism) and I'll break out the Nylon X carbon-fiber reinforced filament. Probably impractical for many folks as it's expensive and requires a hardened nozzle to print, not to mention a rough finish. But totally ideal for this sort of thing.
Those little covers over the bar for the Sunvisor, right where it connects to the inside of the roof.
I've been doing this since 2015, have an entire library of spare parts for various models.
Don't print at 100% infil. Add more outer layers (Walls). From what I've read that produces better results with 3D printing. Over a certain amount of infill can be detrimental to your prints.
I love to improve a car by 3D printing. I did my first parts in my last video as well. Good Video, thumbs up !
You look so much like the guy Adam from VAT19.
Awesome video as always Bob! Totally need a 3D printer in my life. So useful.
Yes you do
Love the HR song at the end.
Sometimes for things like a cup holder it's easier to get a cheap one from a car at a scrap yard and make a way of mounting it to your using 3d printing. This way you don't have to worry about springs or mechanisms for different size cups.
I print all my car stuff in ASA. It's easy to print and has a higher usable temperature then PETG.
Do you have any videos showing how you finish your prints. Sand, prime, paint, etc? Do you use special products?
I've been using my PETG shift knob in Ontario Canada for almost 3 years now! No issues 😁
No joke, I've been thinking of using my 3D printer for car things lately and sure enough this pops up! One of the things I've been thinking about is a phone holder that fits on the dash so I can use the navigation on my phone and not have to hold it. Anyway, thanks for the tip about not using PLA!
I’ve used 3d printing to make myself a bezel to go around a radio I installed for my car, something that is unique to my car!
Look how young you looked in that throwback clip!?
I found a guy selling a redesigned like what they use for mechanical airplane controls that was better then ball socket joint for my 98 manual Saturn Sudan. The ball from shifter cables broke to the stick broke. He sold it as 30 dollar fix with another 10 dollar fix for the socket that I ended buying almost 10 years later because that broke but could around it with zip tys temporarily. The replacement from GM was to replace the shifter cables part was over 200 dollars without installation.
Good jorb Anthony!
Okay, Coach, Tell Pom Pom what I did today!
Rather than trying to get those tricky inside measurements and drafts with a ruler and callipers, one trick is to use graph paper 🙂
Cut it down to fit, in sections, and the scan it and use the picture to model from or take your measurements from the paper 👍