On 08/05/2019 20:31, Bill Wright wrote:
On 08/05/2019 15:36, dennis@home wrote:
On 08/05/2019 14:09, Bill Wright wrote:
I've been making some components using glass fibre, finished with car
body filler. They are caps, covers, and adaptors for various sizes of
tube. They will be installed outside so must be durable, waterproof,
and quite tough. The ones I've made are entirely satisfactory except
for one thing: it takes too long to make them. So, I was wondering
about 3D printing. Are the products from these tough, waterproof, and
UV resistant?

Bill

Ignore TNP he doesn't have one, he just passes on useless info he read
somewhere that he can't remember if you ask him.

They can be if you use the right plastic.

ABS or Nylon would be the obvious choice.
Maybe wood filled PLA and give it a coat of paint/stain.

The tube adapter are probably best made from a flexible filament or
PETG as they don't beak when you bend them like PLA can.

It does depend on exactly how the part is designed as if its really
thin I would print a mould and cast it in glass filled resin for the
actual part.

Thank you. So all these different plastics are available as 'ink'?

Bill

Thats just a small selection.

You can get rubber, carbon fibre filled, glass filled, various nylons,
polycarbonate and others.

Your printer may not be able to print them as some require higher
temperatures than the printer can manage,

You could go laser sintering too and print in metal but its expensive.

..