1 Topic by gckirk

  • gckirk
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  • Registered: 2018-09-26
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Topic: Re-use for Solidoodle Printer

What alternative uses have Solidoodle owners put their machines too?
I used mine up until 2019 for printing and then moved on to Sunlu S8's. The perspex parts in the extruder cracked to the point where it kept blocking so it was time to retire it from printing.
But what else could I use the XYZ system for as that still worked perfectly. In my case I magnetically attached a USB microscope to the head and used the Z axis for fine focus (0.1mm steps) and the X&Y axis to move the microscope and take pictures which could then be stitched together like a Panoramic image. I've also used it to take a number of images changing the focus through a subject and then stacking the images to get a deeper focus picture.
Since then I've removed the extruder head and stepper and printed a bracket to attach the Microscope.
This image of a Blue Bottle Fly head is the result of stacking together 10 images to increase the depth of field (focus).
http://soliforum.com/i/?Rpyw2nu.jpg

2 Reply by Tin Falcon (edited by Tin Falcon 2021-10-03 08:41:59)

  • Tin Falcon
  • Tin Falcon
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  • Registered: 2014-08-01
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Re: Re-use for Solidoodle Printer

First of all welcome the the forum.

The perspex parts in the extruder cracked to the point where it kept blocking so it was time to retire it from printing.

I think most of us here would have simply upgraded the weak link and kept 3d printing. there are many aluminum extruders out there, as well as injection molded plastic ones, and of course many that can be 3d printed. Mike Lawsey  of teaching tech fame developed and published a whole new carriage system and put it on thingiverse.
3D printers are a bit like chips hard to have just one.

The other thing that can be done is turn such a machine into a small pen plotter and create drawings.

I will admit that is a pretty amazing micro photo of a fly. ( about the last thing i expected  to see here early on a Sunday morning) 

Also much better use of the machine than sending it to the trash or even parting it out .

Soliddoodle 4 stock w glass bed------Folger Tech Prusa 2020 upgraded to and titan /aero extruder mirror bed
FT5 with titan/ E3D Aero------MP mini select w glass bed
MP Utimate maker pro-W bondtech extruder
Marlin/Repetier Host/ Slic3r and Cura