Something a bit different from my usual!

[justallan1]

Here's the story. I've always wanted a 3D printer, there was just always something I wanted more.
I recently ran across an organization that makes and gives prosthetic hands to kids. I checked it out, then started seriously checking out 3D printers. I went and ordered the cheapest 3D printer possibly in existence, put the thing together and somehow made it run. I got it all calibrated up making different little test blocks, plus a box and a couple clamps. At about that point in the game, because how miserably slow these printers actually are, I started to reconsider just how badly I needed one of these darned things after all. I'd let it sit for a week and even talked with the guy that runs the 4H here to see if they had a place for it in their program.
A friend gave me a much needed push to go ahead and at least try to make one of these hands, which was the whole reason for getting the thing anyhow. I said to heck with it and fired the machine up that night. I have my desk right next to the couch, so slept on the couch while it ran. The next morning the house wasn't on fire, I was still alive and the thing was still printing. I fed the cows, cleared my waters of the ice and flew back home, still printing. That thing printed all that day and finished sometime during the night.
I was simply amazed! Cleanup on the parts was very minimal and I had the hand put together in a short time, plus two days running around on my spare time trying to find the other little things it takes to make this thing work.
I sent pictures and a video of it off to the organization that does this and they okayed me to make all of them I want.
This is a real prosthetic hand that would be used by a kid with a palm, but no fingers or thumb. This one I will keep to show kids kind of what they will be getting, but there are many configurations for most any situation you may encounter, plus I want to play around with different colors and variations of these thing. This one will be getting different stings, elastic and a pliable palm.
I've now upped my goal to be able to see the look in a kids eyes when I give them a hand. That alone will be more than what little I have invested in this whole deal for darned sure.
I'm just glad that I still have my Christmas bonus, I may be buying 4H their own printer because I'm keeping this one. ;D


 


 


 


 


 


 

[Roxie]

Wow! 

[ozarkgem]

That is really cool! How long did it take?

[square1]

That is AWESOME! Not just what you did, but what you're doing. Curse words aren't allowed in FF, I seldom curse anyway, but I'd make an exception to describe how AWESOME this is

[thecfarm]

Well,ain't you a real nice guy!!!!!!!!!!! I knew that anyways,but this really proves it.

[justallan1]

On a better printer the program is written to take a bit over 15 hours, I set mine slower trying to get a better finish and I'm figuring it took about 30 hours. Before I made all the parts at once, I had tried splitting the files for it and printing a few at a time. Due to my lack of experience with this stuff and possibly my printer I was coming up with different looking parts. I also need to build a cabinet for the printer to keep a more consistent environment for it. My house is a bit lacking on the insulation and "they" say it will affect the way these things run.
I should add that I didn't write the program and they are supplied free on "thingiverse". I am able to do modifications, but to write the entire program for one of these at this point may produce some interesting results.

[Savannahdan]

I troll "thingiverse"  everyday looking at the different items folks have developed.  I grabbed some v-blocks and a laser cut box this morning.  While I was reading your post I was especially impressed by the idea of folks having these 3D printers and using them to help others - particularly with making prosthetic devices. Sort of like cnc rounter owners, woodworkers and penturners doing things for others on a gratis basis.  A big thank you for sharing this and I imagine it will inspire others to get involved.

[justallan1]

I troll "thingiverse"  everyday looking at the different items folks have developed.  I grabbed some v-blocks and a laser cut box this morning.  While I was reading your post I was especially impressed by the idea of folks having these 3D printers and using them to help others - particularly with making prosthetic devices. Sort of like cnc rounter owners, woodworkers and penturners doing things for others on a gratis basis.  A big thank you for sharing this and I imagine it will inspire others to get involved.

Thank you. For me it's somewhere between "paying it forward" and making up for being a heathen a good part of my life. :D
A big reason for the timing on this is where I live I have to find something to do indoors in the winter or I go nuts. I get bored rather easy and this is like a video game for big kids, or possibly a pacifier.

[Bruno of NH]

Great work !

[Kbeitz]

Wow... Now I know who to call when I need a new plastic bumper
for my truck... Do you think you could have one printed before
my time is up ? Great new toy. Did it stink up your house with
hot plastic smell?

[justallan1]

There are different filaments for different applications for these printers and thankfully the kind that I used doesn't produce any smell. There are some though that you have to have a cabinet with an exhaust because the fumes are bad for you.
Believe this for darned sure, I'm pretty certain the only thing that will probably ever be made on this printer is hands to give to kids that need them. This thing is miserably slow. I made 4 clamps comparable to 1/2" conduit clamps to hold the printer down to the table, each clamp took better than an hour to make. That's basically $80 in labor for about 40 cents worth of hardware. I'm no genius, but even I can tell you that's not good math. :D
It is a very cool little machine though. I can help some kids out with it and it keeps me from going crazy-er, so it's a win win deal.