At this point my MakerBot TOM is finely tuned and making beautiful prints.

Here are all the upgrades I have installed:

Y-Axis Idler Support Bracket for Thing-O-Matic: This stabilizes the Y-axis idler.

Easy Install Thing-O-Matic Universal X & Y Axis Belt Tensioner: This is the single most important upgrade. The belt must be correctly tensioned for good prints!

HBP Quick Leveler Redux: Another essential upgrade to easily level the build platform.

Thing-O-Matic Electronics Side-Mount: At some point you will need to tweak the electronics. This mod makes it easier.

Thingomatic y-axis Endcaps: These endcaps make it easier to remove the Y-axis rods.

MakerBot Cable Clip: Nice clips for cable management.

Simple Tool Holder: Organize all the hex wrenches that come with your MakerBot.

I purchase two upgrades from MakerBot that are well worth it:

Aluminum Build Surface: This gives you nice flat and level prints. Seems like this should be included with the Thing-O-Matic!

MakerBot® Gen 4 Interface Board Kit v1.1: This allows you to run your MakerBot without a computer attached.

Here is an example print:

So man this MakerBot TOM is fun!

I’ve been printing up a storm.

When you start using a MakerBot, you quickly realize you need a filament spooling solution. My starter filament became a tangled mess quickly.

I tried this filament spool but it had too much friction and would stop the extruder sometimes.

So I tried this frictionless design:

It works beautifully.

Next I printed this test lead organizer I really needed:

For fun I made this hyperboloid pencil holder:

I printed a lid from Polywell design I made a while back:

Then I realized MakerBot can print it’s own upgrades! So amazing.

I made these removable endcaps, this strain relief cable holder,  this Y-Axis Idler Support Bracket.

And last night I made this amazing diamond lattice model:

You can follow all my builds from my thingiverse profile.

The Makerbot is up and running. It was fun to put together.

I was able to do a few test prints:

Years ago I looked into Prometal’s 3D metal printing process. The results were impressive but the stainless steel is magnetic:

This disqualified them as magnet holders!

Recently Prometal let me know about an experimental bronze process they are developing. Bronze is totally non-magnetic. BINGO!

Prometal donated a test part to see if I could make an airtight braze with a TIG welder:

The part was to be brazed to a Swagelok VCR fitting like this:

Prometal is still adjusting the process. This test part is a bit oversize so it was difficult to braze, but we got something:

The bronze attaches to the stainless nicely.

I was excited to put it in the chamber like this:

But I screwed up. I welded on the wrong VCR cajon. This one is two short to catch the male thread once the gasket is added.

Dammit.

I had the right part here all along; shown on the left:

So no vaccum check for now. But it looks like the 3D printed bronze parts braze nicely.

I count that as a win. Think of the parts I can make with 3D printed bronze + brazing.

My shopmate had a TIG welder here the other day.

I took the opportunity to try welding the 3D printed metal parts I made last year:

These are intended to be coil holders, so I installed a 40 turn coil prior to welding.

Mike welding the halves together:

We used no filler rod on the theory that the infused bronze would melt and form a braze of sorts.

It worked very well:

The coil insulation didn’t survive: The coil is conductive to the casing.

I’m encouraged by the weldability. I am ordering more test parts to keep pushing this approach.

Today I checked back to Arcam’s materials page and it’s been expanded to include:

• Titanium aluminide
• Inconel (625 & 718)
• Stainless steel (e.g. 17-4)
• Tool steel (e.g. H13)
• Aluminium (e.g. 6061)
• Hard metals (e.g. NiWC)
• Copper (e.g. GRCop-84)
• Beryllium (e.g. AlBeMet)
• Amorphous metals
• Niobium
• Invar

Soon I will be ordering calibration parts using a variety of 3D printing technologies and materials.

I purchased this coffee cup:

I bought it because it’s cool, and to test the electrical and outgassing properties of the printed ceramic.

It may be possible to build custom ceramics for the magrid/standoffs with this process.

If I can braze this ceramic to metal… we can build almost anything.

Here are the design rules for this printing process.

Back in the lab today after some travel out west.

Previously I designed a bellows holder to keep the high voltage feedthrough from moving.

I received the part and installed it successfully today:

A real win using 3D metal printing.

Here is a time lapse video of Stuart machining the  formers on the lathe:

Next we have to drill four holes in each former and connected them with angle brackets.

With an 45mm OD, this grid is smaller (and prettier) than the previous at 65mm. The old and the new grid side by side:

Most importantly it has the same number of rings, and thus same geometry as the outer grid:

I tried a new design this time. I made the three rings fit inside one another:

Next we got some help cleaning the piece from jeweler Max Steiner (his jewelry is amazing BTW!):

Max carefully wire brushed the piece to remove flux and oxidation. Then we soaked it in a 15% muriatic acid solution for 10 minutes to end up with a clean finished piece.

Lets install it in the reactor and see how it works!