3D Printed E11 Blaster Build

[Elumusic[TK]]

Starting a new build for my son's costume.  We built his armor from my custom molds and unfortunately he will not have a blaster for Halloween, but with a little luck we will have one completed by Christmas.

 

The Blaster Rifle file is available here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:957801/#files.  There are 8 print groups and it's a well done model.

 

I did make my own modifications to the files.  For example I added the knurling onto the handle as part of the mesh.  I'm not sure how this will turn out yet.  But I'll let you know when I get to that print group.  I am modifying other parts as I go.  I am printing with Black ABS with a .4mm tip.  245 C degree Hot End temp and a 75 C degree table temp.  

 

As with all 3D printed files, each part needs to be cleaned, smoothed and probably painted to look authentic. 

 

Here is his mostly complete costume.

 

 

Here's my new TEVO Black Widow Large Format Printer which I built.

 

 

First round of small parts - Print Group A.  I had to make some modifications to the sight in order to get it to print.  It needs a raft and support structure and although the printer handles the support structure well, the raft I custom built into the file.  These have been cleaned up a little and sanded.  They still need a little more work, but I will worry about that before I start assembly.  For now I am concentrating on Printing.  This first round took 18 hours to print.  Printed at 100% fill and a fine setting.

 

 

Group B looks a little rough, but it will clean up well.  Printed without support structure 100% fill.  I will get it sanded and smoothed just before assembly.  And now on to Print Group C.    The print head on my printer needs an upgrade to the replaced manufacturer's hot end.  So I am going to take this time to refit the machine prior to finishing the next Group.  Stay Tuned.

 

[Addertime[TK]]

3D printing is awesome... if used judiciously. My suggestion... Use the detail parts but build the rest from scratch.

 

The barrel would look much better, be quicker to make and sturdier if made from a piece of PVC pipe. The pistol grip, rear cap, Hengstler and scope are the parts to print but in my opinion and experience, you'll get a much better product from scratch building the rest. The pistol grip in this model is overly simplistic. You can buy a real Sterling grip for 30 or 40 bucks, why spend 3 or 4 hours printing, filling, sanding, priming and painting? 

 

Bottom line, tech is cool but don't forget that low tech works too... and often better, quicker and cheaper. Jus' sayin'.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Addertime

[Elumusic[TK]]

3D printing is awesome... if used judiciously. My suggestion... Use the detail parts but build the rest from scratch.

 

The barrel would look much better, be quicker to make and sturdier if made from a piece of PVC pipe. The pistol grip, rear cap, Hengstler and scope are the parts to print but in my opinion and experience, you'll get a much better product from scratch building the rest. The pistol grip in this model is overly simplistic. You can buy a real Sterling grip for 30 or 40 bucks, why spend 3 or 4 hours printing, filling, sanding, priming and painting? 

 

Bottom line, tech is cool but don't forget that low tech works too... and often better, quicker and cheaper. Jus' sayin'.

 

Yes sir....well aware.  But I am on a mission to completely 3D print this and to make it look authentic.  I shouldn't have to fill any of it, just sanding to get rid of the ridges the printer leaves behind and make it smooth.  The wall thickness is about the same as Schedule 20 PVC.  I have the print settings dialed in on this printer and I am getting good adhesion to the print bed.  I can walk away from it and let it run for hours and hours without issue.  The last print was 34 hours.  I glanced at it two times to make sure it didn't glitch and got a great print.  So in actuality it's less of my time to let it print than it would be to do the PVC pipe idea which is labor intensive, and upon close inspection of the model, the model is a little more accurate than the PVC pipe version as far as details.  Every bolt has been accounted for on the model.  There are also inner printed pieces for the barrel that doing just the PVC pipe would not have incorporated.  And again since I am printing with 100% fill, the ABS is very strong/very sturdy.   The barrel thickness is awesome on the printed version.  And I can actually stand on it.

 

The handle grip on the downloadable model is too basic I agree, but I have already inserted the knerled version of the grip.  And again because I have this thing dialed in, the knurling should look authentic and the only parts that should need any sanding are the smooth edges.  So this is a journey to see how accurate I can replicate something completely 3D printed.  I know it's probably not for everyone.  I will include lots of close up shots as I print and assemble.  

[Elumusic[TK]]

So the new solid metal print head was installed last night.  The original one that shipped died two days ago.  There was a flaw in the design and the manufacturer sent out a new one.  For those who are interested in the specifics, the original head utilized a nylon tube to shield the filament from the heat.  It was attached with a sleeve connection and a couple of small bolts that anchored it to the shaft.  The shaft kept coming loose through vibration and plastic flow issues and eventually the screws stripped and the hot end failed.  This new one is an all metal head, no nylon tube required.  And it bolts to the stepper motor with a clamp connection embedded into the new head.  So it's rock solid.  No chance for this one coming loose.  

 

Now I need to re-calibrate the hot end thermister settings and level the table.  Probably about another hour's worth of work this evening. Fingers crossed. I hope to be printing tonight or tomorrow.

 

I'm always impressed with the things you can find at Thingiverse.com.  There I found a support bracket for the new print head made specifically to retrofit the new head to the OEM parts for this specific printer.  Luckily I printed the new bracket prior to the failure of the original print head that came with the printer.  

 

 

[JAYJAYN]

awesome work! will you be sharing the moded files? I plan on printing it as well wish that the designer would sell or post up his v2 version of the kit. His youtube videos have all the instructions on how to put it together as well

[Elumusic[TK]]

awesome work! will you be sharing the moded files? I plan on printing it as well wish that the designer would sell or post up his v2 version of the kit. His youtube videos have all the instructions on how to put it together as well

 

I will share the moded files for those interested.

[Elumusic[TK]]

Printer calibrated and back up and running beautifully.  Rear cap, spring and the interior sleeve this go around.  I  have no idea what that part is called.  But it's usually silver.  This is Group C from the model and it looks like about 26 hours on the fine setting.  This picture is about 10 hours in.  The file is printed at 100% fill and with supports.  The spring for example has a support structure generated by the printer interface program.  Once the print is done the support material comes right off.  Needs some finesse and some clean up but you can clearly see the spring emerging from the print.  I am using MatterControl with the Cura slicer.  I have the best luck and cleaner prints using Cura.

 

The end cap also has a support structure underneath the bolt tabs.  Again, all the supports are generated by the program.  I do nothing except tell it to generate supports.

 

[Yurifonz]

Ooooo I'll have to save this model under my favorites!

 

I'm not familiar with that 3D printer brand, but the model appears to have some ringing on the sides/surfaces of your prints.  Could be due to several things, but my first guess would be vibration (it's usually the case for me).  I have a Lulzbot, so if I see this issue usually I can fix it by tightening the bolts holding the bed plate down.  With some fine tuning, it'll cut down on what you'll have to sand to get a smooth surface (if that's what you are going for).

 

Helpful link for troubleshooting prints:  https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/

 

Specifically regarding ringing:  https://ultimaker.com/en/community/3532-prevent-ringing-wobbly-surface-after-sharp-corners

 

I'll be eagerly following to see how the print turns out!

[msouza[TK]]

Wait did you say with the printer you built?? Now that is cool, following & cant wait to watch this progress!

[Elumusic[TK]]

Ooooo I'll have to save this model under my favorites!

 

I'm not familiar with that 3D printer brand, but the model appears to have some ringing on the sides/surfaces of your prints.  Could be due to several things, but my first guess would be vibration (it's usually the case for me).  I have a Lulzbot, so if I see this issue usually I can fix it by tightening the bolts holding the bed plate down.  With some fine tuning, it'll cut down on what you'll have to sand to get a smooth surface (if that's what you are going for).

 

Helpful link for troubleshooting prints:  https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/

 

Specifically regarding ringing:  https://ultimaker.com/en/community/3532-prevent-ringing-wobbly-surface-after-sharp-corners

 

I'll be eagerly following to see how the print turns out!

 

Yes sir.  It's most definitely vibration.  It's on a glass table and it moves around as it prints a little.  Eventually I will get it set on a permanent spot.  It vibrates the lap top as well, I can feel the vibration coming through the table onto the track pad.  At first I thought it was sending a shock through the pad but the I realized how much vibration was going on.

[Elumusic[TK]]

Wait did you say with the printer you built?? Now that is cool, following & cant wait to watch this progress!

 

This is a TEVO Black Widow kit with a BL Touch self leveler.

[Elumusic[TK]]

Doing some finish work today.  I sanded and smoothed a portion of the barrel and a few other pieces.   

 

 

 

 

 

Print Group D is also complete.  This is the handle with the revised Knurled handle grip.  I'll take pictures soon.  4 more print groups to go.

[Elumusic[TK]]

The knurling turned out great.  Needs a little smoothing, but the handle looks lugit.  I will probably engrave the letters around the connector hole.  Or I may revise the model further to include the letters.  The issue being the smoothing.  It's hard to work around little letters when smoothing a 3D print.

 

[Elumusic[TK]]

New progress.  There are some issues with the model.  The Counter module group has major issues.  The blaster core front component, not the counter module is not a contiguous piece.  As it makes it's way to the letters at the logo the model splits somewhere even though it doesnt show up in the preview.  I am going to modify this component and make it work.  

 

As far as assembly I have the barrel completed.  It still needs some clean up and paint, however what I do have is solid. 

 

 

 

[mightyjebus]

looking good. I like what you did with the pistol grip.

[Elumusic[TK]]

Printer went down yesterday. I need to check the mother board, the hot tip heater stopped working. I have a spare heater core and thermistor, but it's still got an issue. I can only imagine it's the board. One more thing to try before putting in a new board. The cool thing about printers is that the parts are cheap.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Elumusic[TK]]

So after a main board replacement and some more troubleshooting it turns out that the printer had a bad wire in the chain that had worn through.  The hot end would stop heating every time the printer axis pulled the chain far enough to separate the wire.  So....now to make up some time.  I've skipped ahead.  The sight rail was redesigned to be solid.  There is no way a flimsy plastic piece is going to hold up the site.  So now I have redesigned it.  It mounted well.  I also created a trigger shroud that was missing from the model.  The only issue I have right now is the rear tube where the spring resides.  It's a little thinner than I would like, and if I had to go back I would make it a thicker piece.  The solid rail I created adds some strength to it but that's my only issue so far.  Two more parts to print and I'm done.  It still needs some paint of course.  This is just black ABS.  So after some flat black paint and a little silver streaking to make it look like worn metal we will be in business.

 

 

 

 

[Elumusic[TK]]

Final version.  Considering it's a 3D print, it's fairly sturdy. I've added some weathering and it definitely helps and adds depth to the model.   

 

 

 

 

[ticopowell[TK]]

I'm definitely impressed. Do you have your modified files saved anywhere online where I can download them? I have a printrbot and I'm interested in printing one for myself. 

Thanks in advance!

[Elumusic[TK]]

Ill see if i can find some time to compile all of them and get them posted.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Hikuro1983[501st]]

looks good man, I'm working on the same file myself, I'm fairly concerned about the smaller pieces from Group A and where they all go. Hopefully it'll be fairly cut and dry or I'll be a bit bummed out.

[Mr_Fahrenheit[501st]]

Would this be approved for Centurion? I'm thinking I should print mine too, as I have a 3D printer and some time to kill, but I'm going for Centurion.

 

Thanks, and looks great!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

52 minutes ago, Mr_Fahrenheit said:

Would this be approved for Centurion? 

As long as it meets centurion requirements, looks like screen used blasters and you spend some time getting rid of printing lines then there shouldn’t be an issue. 

[kman[TK]]

That's impressive for a 3D print!

 

Edit: Ah-Ha!  "Rayabear" is Blastermaster, he mentions in the comments.  That explains it.  Blastermaster's 3D printed blasters are quite nice.

 

Way more work than I'm willing to put into a blaster, when there are so many other options, but for those who enjoy the build process as much as owning it, these are outstanding.

Edited December 21, 2018 by kman

[MMcFett]

On 4/20/2017 at 7:51 AM, Elumusic said:

Ill see if i can find some time to compile all of them and get them posted.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Were you able to upload the files somewhere?