3d printing camping/bushcraft kit

[Tony]

Just wondered if any of you make any kit for camping/bushcraft with 3d printers? I Know there's some very capable people with 3d printers on here, but we never see any printed stuff. I was looking the other day at carabiners and rope tensioners that seems to eb strong enough for lots of different applications.

Anyone print/use 3d printed kit?

 

[gra_farmer]

I have been looking at the bath bushcraft stores printed mora clipper firesteel clips that go on to mora sheaths....

 

[Wander]

I can't help but feel there's enough plastic tat in the world without adding more flimsy, brittle, plastic rubbish to the spoil heap.
Not for me.

 

[TeeDee]

I can't help but feel there's enough plastic tat in the world without adding more flimsy, brittle, plastic rubbish to the spoil heap.
Not for me.

My question - with slightly more civility was going to be how brittle ( or not ) is the aforementioned 'tat' ?

How does it fair in terms of strength with more traditional moulding techniques ?

Genuinely interested.

 

[Wander]

I have a good friend who uses a 3D printer for industrial purposes.
I've seen a lot of the work he does.
The plastic (and resin, if you have one of those) is easy to snap unless printed at great thicknesses. The printer he uses is an industrial one (well, a small industrial one) and way above the kind you get for home use.
I'd not trust a 3D printed knife sheath (for example) to withstand much use and if it takes a good knock it will fracture. The plastic used in these printers doesn't have enough flexibility. I'd say the same goes for something like a carabiner, unless printed at a large size - you'd have to go very big to get the same tensile strength of a metal object.
But my overwhelming feelings, when it comes to 'hobby printing' (as opposed to research/industry), is that there is just too much plastic in the world already without adding to it for a moment's whimsy.

 

[Wander]

I would also add that the amount of waste you get (due to misprints and internal structures needed as the item prints) also adds to the wasteful nature of the product and its dubious effects on the environment as more (unnecessary) plastic becomes waste.

 

[Jared]

There doesn't have to be waste, you can buy recycled filament and have waste recycled. Just needs shredding and reextruding.

 

[Pattree]

The waste decreases as you learn to use the tool.

How does it fair in terms of strength with more traditional moulding techniques ?

Genuinely interested.

There are several different plastics that can be used in the most basic of 3D printers. My son has printed my face in a hard plastic but I can’t get a plaster mould off it. He is now using a flexible plastic that is as tough as tyre rubber and similarly flexible. I have asked him to print me a load of open fronted guyline cleats. I think those are fantastic compared with the usual two hole versions.

Edited to add:
We all use plastic. My windows are plastic. They are vastly more efficient than the hardwood ones that they replace. All plastic factories from extrusion to vacuum moulding make large quantities of waste that is recycled.

 

[Stew]

It’s not bushcraft or camping and is probably just tat but I quite like this hook I printed the other day….

 

[Pattree]

Oh I love that!
Did you programme it?
My son downloads a lot of things he wants (like a lot of precision components for his 3D printer). Some stuff he scans and for some he sits down and does the sums.

This is a test miniature. The clay on my tash demonstrated the need for a flexible pattern. We also tried a reverse print with similar results. Eventually this will be a green man with my face. Yes we will recycle anything I don’t keep.

 

[TeeDee]

It’s not bushcraft or camping and is probably just tat but I quite like this hook I printed the other day….

Very Lovecraftian. Nice.

 

[ESpy]

There's some stuff I've printed that's reasonably robust (a hanger for my hedge trimmers in PETG for example) but there's not much I'd want to rely on in the wilds. Too prone to breakage unless it's nearing solid, PLA - as most commonly used - degrades (and deforms in the heat) too quickly for me to trust it.

As has been pointed out, there's quite a difference between a commercial machine and a domestic one. There's a nice machine that co-extrudes carbon fibre with the plastic, but it's a tad spendy.

 

[Stew]

Oh I love that!
Did you programme it?
My son downloads a lot of things he wants (like a lot of precision components for his 3D printer). Some stuff he scans and for some he sits down and does the sums.

naah, just downloaded from thingiverse

 

[Woody girl]

A few years ago, our local library had a day where you could go in and get something 3d printed. I asked him to help me make a new spork.. 4 attempts and nothing usable came forth.
I'll stick with my metal sporks, as I'm trying to give up plastic as much as possible anyway.
It's not easy, I'm realy trying to give plastic up. It's worse than hard drugs!!!!!!

 

[TLM]

Properly designed objects from the right material are not really the problem with plastics, it's the cheap trash. As it is from steel and Al!

 

[Tony]

Thanks for the comments, especially ones that contributed to my original question.

There's a number of people, particularly in the US using using 3d printed stuff like carabiners for lifting bear bags, lowering gear etc.

Here's a little vid of a tensioner, I think the advantage is that you can resize for different rope diameters etc.

I know there's other material, more traditional ones that work well but I find it interesting to think that it's starting to be possible for people to design and make stuff for themselves, even if that's just for experimenting etc.

As Pete said, (@ESpy) there's lots of different materials ot print from, those with carbon fiber etc have very good strength to weight ratios and there's a lot of hobby printers that can handle it, even if it does wear out the nozzles faster.

I don't want a debate on the rights and wrongs of 3d printing, just a conversation about what works, what doesn't and the experiences of people that have used it or like stuff made from it.

@gra_farmer this might interest you.

a few little bits in this video

 

[Paul_B]

Metal printing!
Stainless steel to copper! Expensive kit I bet, but not everything needs ti be plastic.

I even heard of printing chocolate! Anyone got an issue with that? I'm certain any waste would get recycled quickly by anyone around! Lol!

 

[Pattree]

I’ve just asked my son to print a batch of these: he thinks they could be done eight or ten at a time once we know they work.

…….. but they will have to join a queue of stuff and he’s busy with work right now.
My face is next in line.

I hope he can do these soon as my camping season will start as soon as the hedge is cut. ( a three week task wobbling above the ground with an extended cutter)

I’m completely re-rigging the crazy quasi tipi this season after its collapse last Spring.

 

[Stew]

Metal printing!
Stainless steel to copper! Expensive kit I bet, but not everything needs ti be plastic.

I even heard of printing chocolate! Anyone got an issue with that? I'm certain any waste would get recycled quickly by anyone around! Lol!

I’ve seen printed concrete….

 

[Stew]

I’ve just asked my son to print a batch of these: he thinks they could be done eight or ten at a time once we know they work.
View attachment 82580
…….. but they will have to join a queue of stuff and he’s busy with work right now.
My face is next in line.

I hope he can do these soon as my camping season will start as soon as the hedge is cut. ( a three week task wobbling above the ground with an extended cutter)

I’m completely re-rigging the crazy quasi tipi this season after its collapse last Spring.

You can pick up a line lok for 50p. I would be dubious of the strength of a printed one.