35 replies to this topic

[SamIsSoAwsome]

I've thought about this idea for a while and I finally decided to do it today. My school is being completely redone next year. Every student's getting a Mac Book Air we are have office desks and chairs in every room instead of normal desks and my favorite we are getting a 3D Printer! I am super close with the "Engineering Teacher" at my school and he's basically given me full access to the 3D Printer as well as making me "The 3D Printer Guy" so basically I can do what ever I want . I always thought it'd be cool to be able to 3D print K'nex because I can make custom pieces and print extra as I need it although it's probably not very cost effective... I have acquired many skills in the ways of CAD program stuff to the point where I would have easily gotten a job doing it but no one would hire a Sixteen-year-old... With these skills I have know started to remake K'nex Pieces in "SolidWorks" just because I can. Here are some pictures.



With SolidWorks I can assemble pieces in the program which is cool.



Just because, here's my "Final Exam" project I did for my SolidWorks class last year. It's a Penny Board with over 150 parts and working ball bearings (I got an A).




I will make more K'nex Pieces soon although it is not something I am making a priority. If you want the files to anything or everything just email me at SamIsSoAwsome@gmail.com and I'll send it to you however I will say there might be some slight measuring flaws as it was all hand measured. I will try to fix this but I really can't know until I start actually printing them. I can say all the pieces fit together in SolidWorks perfectly. Please comment!

[Muzz135]

That is one heck of a talent you have, very well done! I like how you can assemble them on the program! Just one thing at the top of your post you put 16-year-old but your profile thingy says your 17? Anyway that is pretty impressive! Ohh and what kind of 3D printer is it, does it cut out the shape from a block of materiel or does it melt material and place it to make the shape?

[SamIsSoAwsome]

^I just turned 17 and I just got another job. The kind where it melts it together. If it's taking out material its more a mill. So if anyone owns an engineering company and needs a CAD guy i am more then happy!!!

[ForgotToGrowUp]

That is a great opportuntiy you have. 3D printers are expensive to buy and to use.

One of the best things you could give back to the community would be a version of this piece Mysticon made as a front car converter. I think EVERYONE would love to have a couple of them. (I know I would!!!)

picture of Mysticon's frankenpart. car connector | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Here is the thread. http://www.sscoaster...ncements-15115/

He offered to supply a few pieces to folks willing to use them as molds for castings (his glued together parts did not last long), then he disappeared and has not been back.

If you can make parts like that I would like at least 4!

[SamIsSoAwsome]

Something like this?


I would love to print it for you but it will be a while (I start school August 20) I also don't know how much it costs to 3D print stuff and if the school covers it or what. In good time I will have answers to all these questions.

Incidentally I do have the file to the Liberator (the 3D printed gun) I really want to print it but if it was found out I was printing weapons on the schools printer I don't think it would go over well... I can always print it in parts right?

[ForgotToGrowUp]

^yes exactly like that

[Muzz135]

The kind where it melts it together. If it's taking out material its more a mill.

That might be annoying because you will have to put in supports so you don't end up with a blob of plastic.

Ohh and making that converter thing would be really cool

[hi452]

^ 3 D printers work so well that you dont end up with a big blob. I have seen them work and the plastic dries enough relativily quick so then you can put the next layer on it without it moving out but it is still slighty soft. Its har to explain but it works. What you would be talking about is a mill, probably a cnc mill.

This is a pretty sweet deal you got! My school just got a CNC mill last year, (First computer controlled anything) and I was somewhat in the same boat as you are. My teachers love me so much that they pulled me out of half my day to help assemble the mill. Then I was one of 4 kids trained on how to use the thing. I do envy you that you get a 3-D printer. We don't have one and I have seen them at conventions and they are so versitle to make one time parts faster than casting, and are really becoming a staple in the engineering world. Hope to see some nice custom parts out of that thing!

[+Timmeh+]

Yay! Free Knex for everyone!

[alpal]

So, I've printed a few pieces myself, and I made these one to one gears that span one green rod. I haven't run into a situation where it is needed, but it may come in handy. I am also planning on printing some different mechanical parts for knex

[dgohstand]

What you are doing is awesome! Funny enough, I just got a 3d printer "for the family" basically meaning for me specifically. So I, knowing quite a bit of CAD, was thinking of designing pieces when, I stumbled over this page. So, in a nice way, may you please send me the CAD drawings so I can experiment with them.

Thanks!

[alpal]

I went a bit crazy with parts.
http://grabcad.com/l...om-knex-parts-1
You're welcome

[CartRacer56]

you guys have no idea what id do if i had a 3d printer my house would be full of knex

[ForgotToGrowUp]

Alpal, how about making up some of those front car converter pieces??

[Knexrule11]

How strong are these pieces Alpal? If you were to put a lot of rotational force on them, what would fail first? The gear or the tan connector? (usually the tan connector fail)

[LaMbChOpZ]

Have you thought of making new designs for the trains with 3D printing? Instead of the square and orange, you could have a wide range of possibilities now that would be really unique.

[Jumpge]

Haha you should print the penny board you drew up (I just stumbled upon the picture of it again).

[SamIsSoAwsome]

My school finally did get a 3D printer. Because it's late in the year however (next weeks exams) we haven't bothered to hook it up to a computer to actually print stuff I've designed... Over the summer however we are getting a MakeBot Replicator 2 3D printer along with the one we already have so I'll see if I can get in there and print some stuff once everything is all set up.

Alpal, how about making up some of those front car converter pieces??

I'll see if I can send Alex the file so he can print it otherwise I will print it next year... It's saved as a Solidworks file and he uses Inventer so I don't know how compatible the files are. I know you can export pieces in different file types but the lab at my school is pretty much closed for the year and my home illegal license code just expired so basically I don't have access to Solidworks at the moment.... It's not to hard of a part though I'm confident in Alex's CAD abilities that he can make it.

Haha you should print the penny board you drew up (I just stumbled upon the picture of it again).

Haha, I wish.

Edited by SamIsSoAwsome, 22 May 2014 - 03:33 PM.

[scott]

I love 3d printing so much. Suprised i never though of this before, ive thought about making them mold style before. Now i just need to buy a 3d printer and make a ton of things. Also if any of you want.. you could use shapeways, its pricey but it works if you dont have a 3d printer and dont want to buy one.

[SamIsSoAwsome]

It has been way to long but finally Makerbot sent us a working extruder head and our printer works so naturally I printed some K'nex. I've only printed a couple parts but they work in every way they should except one of the pieces I made broke after a little bit of use.