Andrew Davie wrote:
I create the shapes in a programming language/tool called OpenSCAD. It uses what's called "constructive solid geometry". Very simple. Units are millimeters and degrees, and you just describe the shapes you want to add together, move around, or subtract from each other. You can, for example, subtract a small sphere from a larger cube and you end up with a cube with a spherical hole in it. You can shift shapes around before/after subtraction or addition. It's as simple as this...
OH i think i would find it hard Andrew not looking into this stuff for a while i played around a bit with 3d models years ago late 90s with simple 3d animation having to make my own 3d models from shapes come to think about it it was on a 486 and i could not render them to natural looking as it took to long just to render a frame .
I didn't have to think to hard about it was more adding shapes and resizing them or making shapes from points and joining the lines like a paint drawing program .
With the result...
Or, I could subtract the sphere from the cube...
Well i can see you got the hang of it 3d printers are the way to go ,i like the idea of them .
There are a number of operators in the language, and a variety of shapes. You can draw a shape and then "extrude" it to form a warped 3D version of the shape travelling through space, creating an object as it goes. Very powerful and easy to use. Here's the language cheat sheet.
i think a bit of trial and error to learn it what a great tool to make what ever shape in 3d you can think of ,i know your limited to the size of your printer but not every thing has to be big and i suppose you could make half a shape for one side then the other .
As to the materials, it's a plastic filament that looks like grass-cutter/snipper line. Usually materials called ABS or PLA. They have different characteristics (flexibility, brittleness, warping) and require different settings/skills to print.
Oh i see interesting i suppose you could make the shape for this and use it for a casting for metal object if need be ...
If you would like, I can send you something - a copy of this opto switch assembly, maybe? So you can check out how it looks in the flesh.
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I think if possible the SSTV bezel as you mentioned would be something i didn't think of !.... looking a Klaas's monitor that would be great for the filter idea .Looking at KLass's sstv i think mine would be close to he's have to measure up/// Thanks Andrew it fine if you can't ...the bezel idea is on my mind now but ...