Code Brown - Noctua Holyness

Cenedd said:
The problem with pretty much any filament is that you'll end up with something that either leaks or slowly seeps - especially at any sort of pressure. You can maybe coat the inside with a waterproof epoxy to get it hopefully water-tight. I did see an interesting concept of using a laser cutter to cut acrylic and then a 3D printer to print moulds for 2-part silicone that both waterproofs it and acts as the gasket. It looks a lot of faff but it's an interesting idea:


For the thread milling, I modelled it in Fusion and then got it to generate the G-code. Picture and details rant on my Overkill thread if you're interested. Import carbide thread mill suitable for G1/4 and G3/8 threads for £14 (the d8 variety) and pray! Best guide to the weirdness'es (and why!) of Fusion when it comes to CAM for thread milling is NYCNC's....'cos it's anything but intuitive. It makes sense once you understand the logic but considering you can drop a modelled thread in with Fusion supplying all the dimensions and then hit 3D print, I'm not sure why it isn't as easy for CAM to be honest. Still, it works once you know the ritual.
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Love the idea in that video, never though of it like that to create a silicone gasket within the acrylic for the coolant to run through. I do wonder though with that method, what kind of silicone based product you would need to stop mould and other things building up... Though technically if you use the right mixture it should never happen.

Fusion is the way to go, it's pretty much what i use for everything if im modding or creating a custom part for a build. In Fusion you can create holes with the appropriate threading already so you don't have to model it which is fantastic and a nice time saver lol.

Interestingly on the topic of CAM, what file format do you normally use? I've asked a few older milling places around my local area and they seem to want PDF and have no idea what i mean when i show them a STEP file.
 
If I remember correctly, the silicone was a 2-part mix like epoxy rather than your common or garden bathroom stuff that loves to grow mould. Not sure if that makes any difference at all...but it might. It might be worse but a quick search suggests that mould needs oxygen to grow to if it's under coolant, it probably isn't going to get much of that.

PDF sounds more like they want a CAD drawing and they'll then either manually machine it or draw up their own model and CAM from that. I'm outputting directly from Fusion to G-code so the file is a .nc file which is basically just a text file. G-Code isn't likely to work sending it out to someone else as you'd need all the definitions of their machine to make sure things stay in range and in the right directions. They also would probably want the control of how things are done. DXF file might be an option but you'd be better asking whoever does the work what they want/need/support.
I'm shoving that on a micro SD and slotting it in the offline controller (screen) on the CNC. It's quite a step backwards from the 3D printing world to be honest. It's definitely possible to disconnect the screen and connect by USB instead. The instructions are for Candle but I believe things like Mach4 also work. I plan to try Candle (because it's free :D ) and see if it offers any improved features that are currently lacking - mainly in probing, co-ordinate display and offsets.
 
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