You might try painting rubber roller. They are used for fine painting surfaces. Contrary to using brush or pen, it cannot touch deeper surfaces so painting should be more tidy. Also painting goes quicker as you just roll it over the surface. Try acrylic paints. They are easy to use and are somewhat resistant to usage wear.
The easiest and best way to get a nice, even coat of paint on raised lettering/molding/whatever in plastic is simply to take a sheet of paper, spray some paint of the correct color onto it, and press the item into it like a printing block. Paint sticks to the raised parts and there's no unevenness in the surface. Perfect factory looking results.
For silver, you must use graphite. It is used to great effect on cosplay 3d prints, and after rubbed in, does not come away at all. During application it is messy, but thereafter its really nice
Using a foam roller with a very light load of paint will roll the paint on very easily. Just load the roller with paint and roll it on a tray to get the roller to have only a small amount of paint (almost dry roller). I do this with raised letter signs all the time.
You are one of the few retro-enthusiasts that actually makes new things. I like to think of it as you found the parts inside blocks of plastic; they were there all along, waiting to be revealed by someone's mind.
Another option would be to laser cut the complete upper part of the case.(and use it as a inlay) If you laser engrave acrylic you can almost use it like a C&C machine. Every pass you will get a little bit deeper into the material. Or you can do it with 2 thin sheets. one black background and 1 for the silver parts. But it was a nice learning experience, and the model looks very nice. Well done.
I would have tried printing the label face-up as a separate part, changing the filament to silver for the last couple of layers and then gluing it to the rest of the case.
Yeah. I just tried this. The reason I didn't initially was I didn't want to waste the filament on the supports. Maybe I'll do an update in a short or something.
I think next time you should scan the parts that are visible from the outside / non functional using photogrammetry and then resin print it. I bet you could get it look much much closer to the original, since with this technique you should be able to even capture the fine surface details of the original material. like the channel though, keep up the good work :)
Personally I think the paint > laser looked much better. It's almost impossible to get a "neat" look with a paint pen, whereas the laser method looked factory, just a little worn. Purely subjective though!
If you had printed the case not upside-down with tree supports then the letters would have been perfect. With pausing the print after the last full-plate layer and changing the filamant to silver at this pause (and then continue) you can do some poor men twocolor printing. You also need to print with a material other than pla as those transformers can get rather hot and you don't want to have a molten case.
Also, I should have mentioned the melting point of PLA which is around 175C or 347F. This PS doesn't get that warm, but a few vent holes could be added just in case. "in case" see what I did there 😁
@@RetroHackShackAfterHours you need to change the filament from black to silver serveral layers before the final layer than this should be fine even with no purge tower. I personally have a Ender 5 Pro modified to 4 Extruders on one single Nozzle and this works fine. You need a purge tower when you need to clean the old filament from the hotend on (automated) color changes. But when there is only some embossed letters then the old filament purges itselves in the last layers. Also you can do some manual purging on the pause/filament-change to avoid color mixing. Also do not change the filament type as different types typically do not stick very well on others (how much depends on the combination). So ABS only with ABS and so on.
Yeah. BTW just for kicks, I am printing a new model now with vent slits in the sides and right-side-up using supports everywhere to see how the text comes out. The only reason I didn't want to do it that way the first time was I am cheap and didn't want to waste the filament. However, since making this video I have discovered organic tree supports which reduce the amount of filament needed for supports.
@@RetroHackShackAfterHours PLA has its glas transition temperature at around 60°C or 140F at which the matierial becomes more and more weak. Its also possible that your snap-tabs to keep it closed could get sticky so you cannot open the case any more. I am aware that abs is hard to print (need a enclosure for the printer and warping is a big thing) but its much more durable.
So many times with Makers, hours and dollars are wasted designing 3D models and 3D printing in low quality, when spending a few $s at Hobby Lobby on mold-making goop and 2-part resin will allow you to cast perfect copies in minutes.
Not with this particular one. I have had it running for hour so far. However, ABS has a higher melting point. Also, I am working on a case with some vents, too.
More often than not technology's "latest-and-greatest" not only gets-in-the-way, it artificially elevates the non-tech-savoy to own tools. Send me the original housing-halves and $200, and I'll send ya 100 IDENTICAL, INDISTINGUISHABLE, REPLICAS.... ""How?" ya might ask... Just think: "Calgon""....
@@RetroHackShackAfterHours I saw you used the paint in the little jar then used the laser. But I was wondering if the pen paint would work any better with the laser.
Why not make a mold then use injection instead? It would give you a much more realistic finish as well as avoid having to make and reproduce all those fine details, especially of the rough-face of all the sides...
@@RetroHackShackAfterHoursLocal companies do that as long as you make the mold. I know this would be better if you wanted to make a larger quantity, but most shops will do it for you for not much money.
If not was not clear, the idea is that you can use these ideas to make reproduction cases for whatever. I just happened to have the PSU case I was working with
You might try painting rubber roller. They are used for fine painting surfaces. Contrary to using brush or pen, it cannot touch deeper surfaces so painting should be more tidy. Also painting goes quicker as you just roll it over the surface.
Try acrylic paints. They are easy to use and are somewhat resistant to usage wear.
Your Fusion-Fu is strong. Terrific video with so many different ideas.
The easiest and best way to get a nice, even coat of paint on raised lettering/molding/whatever in plastic is simply to take a sheet of paper, spray some paint of the correct color onto it, and press the item into it like a printing block. Paint sticks to the raised parts and there's no unevenness in the surface. Perfect factory looking results.
For silver, you must use graphite. It is used to great effect on cosplay 3d prints, and after rubbed in, does not come away at all. During application it is messy, but thereafter its really nice
Using a foam roller with a very light load of paint will roll the paint on very easily. Just load the roller with paint and roll it on a tray to get the roller to have only a small amount of paint (almost dry roller). I do this with raised letter signs all the time.
You are one of the few retro-enthusiasts that actually makes new things. I like to think of it as you found the parts inside blocks of plastic; they were there all along, waiting to be revealed by someone's mind.
Another option would be to laser cut the complete upper part of the case.(and use it as a inlay) If you laser engrave acrylic you can almost use it like a C&C machine. Every pass you will get a little bit deeper into the material. Or you can do it with 2 thin sheets. one black background and 1 for the silver parts. But it was a nice learning experience, and the model looks very nice. Well done.
Yeah. I thought about that too. Many ways to skin this cat.
I would have tried printing the label face-up as a separate part, changing the filament to silver for the last couple of layers and then gluing it to the rest of the case.
Yeah. I just tried this. The reason I didn't initially was I didn't want to waste the filament on the supports. Maybe I'll do an update in a short or something.
Was thinking the same but first 2 layers in silver pla then let the laser at it. Sometimes raised text can be tricky when the font is small.
I think next time you should scan the parts that are visible from the outside / non functional using photogrammetry and then resin print it. I bet you could get it look much much closer to the original, since with this technique you should be able to even capture the fine surface details of the original material. like the channel though, keep up the good work :)
Fantastic!
For the fuse, you can also go for a resettable fuse... electronic device, just turn off and on again...
Yeah. I need to get some to have on hand.
I think second one is best, then touch in bits with pen, a combination of both techniques.
Personally I think the paint > laser looked much better. It's almost impossible to get a "neat" look with a paint pen, whereas the laser method looked factory, just a little worn. Purely subjective though!
If you had printed the case not upside-down with tree supports then the letters would have been perfect. With pausing the print after the last full-plate layer and changing the filamant to silver at this pause (and then continue) you can do some poor men twocolor printing. You also need to print with a material other than pla as those transformers can get rather hot and you don't want to have a molten case.
I have had terrible results trying to do multiple colors with a single extruder. I need to practice more. Great tips though!
Also, I should have mentioned the melting point of PLA which is around 175C or 347F. This PS doesn't get that warm, but a few vent holes could be added just in case. "in case" see what I did there 😁
@@RetroHackShackAfterHours you need to change the filament from black to silver serveral layers before the final layer than this should be fine even with no purge tower. I personally have a Ender 5 Pro modified to 4 Extruders on one single Nozzle and this works fine. You need a purge tower when you need to clean the old filament from the hotend on (automated) color changes. But when there is only some embossed letters then the old filament purges itselves in the last layers. Also you can do some manual purging on the pause/filament-change to avoid color mixing. Also do not change the filament type as different types typically do not stick very well on others (how much depends on the combination). So ABS only with ABS and so on.
Yeah. BTW just for kicks, I am printing a new model now with vent slits in the sides and right-side-up using supports everywhere to see how the text comes out. The only reason I didn't want to do it that way the first time was I am cheap and didn't want to waste the filament. However, since making this video I have discovered organic tree supports which reduce the amount of filament needed for supports.
@@RetroHackShackAfterHours PLA has its glas transition temperature at around 60°C or 140F at which the matierial becomes more and more weak. Its also possible that your snap-tabs to keep it closed could get sticky so you cannot open the case any more. I am aware that abs is hard to print (need a enclosure for the printer and warping is a big thing) but its much more durable.
Why not just print in 2 colours since it is flat you can use change filament at layer hight. The good bit been it will not rub off
How about acrylic paint and then clear coat?
So many times with Makers, hours and dollars are wasted designing 3D models and 3D printing in low quality, when spending a few $s at Hobby Lobby on mold-making goop and 2-part resin will allow you to cast perfect copies in minutes.
This is true. I could really use a primer in mold casting.
Slight concern, the transformer may produce enough heat to deform PLA? I had a few hot PSUs that melted their original ABS case.
Not with this particular one. I have had it running for hour so far. However, ABS has a higher melting point. Also, I am working on a case with some vents, too.
can the laser cut through Aluminum tape?
It depends on how thin it is. It does well with plastic and wood, but metal not so much.
Why do cameras quit like that?
In my case, I ran out of storage 😞
More often than not technology's "latest-and-greatest" not only gets-in-the-way, it artificially elevates the non-tech-savoy to own tools.
Send me the original housing-halves and $200, and I'll send ya 100 IDENTICAL, INDISTINGUISHABLE, REPLICAS.... ""How?" ya might ask...
Just think: "Calgon""....
Paint pen then laser?
Yeah. I tried with paint first in the video.
@@RetroHackShackAfterHours I saw you used the paint in the little jar then used the laser. But I was wondering if the pen paint would work any better with the laser.
OIC
Why not make a mold then use injection instead? It would give you a much more realistic finish as well as avoid having to make and reproduce all those fine details, especially of the rough-face of all the sides...
If only I had an injection molding machine 😞
@@RetroHackShackAfterHoursLocal companies do that as long as you make the mold. I know this would be better if you wanted to make a larger quantity, but most shops will do it for you for not much money.
@ronwatkins5775 Last time I looked into it it was a $2500 one time fee.
@@RetroHackShackAfterHoursWow, that's crazy...
the video title was a bit misleading it should have been psu case not cases for vintage computers
If not was not clear, the idea is that you can use these ideas to make reproduction cases for whatever. I just happened to have the PSU case I was working with
@@RetroHackShackAfterHours Oh right I get what you mean now