1 Topic by Claghorn

  • Claghorn
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Delray Beach, FL
  • Registered: 2012-10-22
  • Posts: 730

Topic: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

At work, I noticed we have a wire shelf unit with a heavy duty clear vinyl "tent" cover for testing electronics in a warm environment.

It occurred to me when I walked past it one day that the same sort of thing might be good for a 3D printer case to keep the warm air in and the cold drafts out.

Just for curiosity, has anyone ever made a case like this? I'm thinking about it for my core xy build which has an open frame and moving parts sticking out the sides of rails and things. Any case for it would need to be bigger than the whole thing, and a tent-like arrangement might be ideal.

Claghorn's Website

2 Reply by heartless

  • heartless
  • heartless
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Northcentral Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2015-04-08
  • Posts: 2,152

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

Only one way to find out, I guess. Go to your local fabric store, get some HD clear vinyl and try it. smile

SD4 #1 & #2 - Lawsy carriages, E3D v6, Rumba controller board, mirror bed plate, X motor fan, upgraded PSU & Mica bed heater
SD4 #3 - in the works ~ Folgertech FT-5, rev 1
Printit Industries Beta Tester - Horizon H1

3 Reply by Claghorn

  • Claghorn
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Delray Beach, FL
  • Registered: 2012-10-22
  • Posts: 730

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

Probably not local fabric store, but I did find an online tarp seller which will sell 40mil clear vinyl by the yard at a pretty reasonable price. None of the fabric stores seem to carry anything that thick (and I figure the thicker the better if I do this at all).

Claghorn's Website

4 Reply by wardjr

  • wardjr
  • wardjr
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Minnesota
  • Registered: 2013-06-10
  • Posts: 5,624

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

My local Ace Hardware Store has exactly what you are talking about.  Might be worth checking, look in the screen section.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
SSR/500W AC Heated Glass Bed, Linear bearings on SS rods. Direct Drive Y-axis, BulldogXL
Thanks to all for your contributions

wardjr's Website

5 Reply by josh.aeauto

  • josh.aeauto
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: South Carolina
  • Registered: 2014-12-29
  • Posts: 305

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

How about a clear vinyl shower curtain from your local wal-mart or lowes/home depot?

-Prusa i3 MK2s
-Airwolf HD2x w/ E3D v6 + Volcano
-Custom built Solidoodle 3 clone w/ E3D v6+ Volcano    -Solidoodle Press w/ E3D Lite6
Filastruder #1577

6 Reply by heartless

  • heartless
  • heartless
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Northcentral Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2015-04-08
  • Posts: 2,152

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

umm, my local fabric store sells HD clear vinyl - in the upholstery section, bought some of it to make a see-thru cover for the old skid steer we used to use for snowplowing - no cab, got rather chilly... (we now have a pu truck w/plow for that job, much nicer, lol)

SD4 #1 & #2 - Lawsy carriages, E3D v6, Rumba controller board, mirror bed plate, X motor fan, upgraded PSU & Mica bed heater
SD4 #3 - in the works ~ Folgertech FT-5, rev 1
Printit Industries Beta Tester - Horizon H1

7 Reply by carl_m1968

  • carl_m1968
  • carl_m1968
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Far North almost not Dallas
  • Registered: 2014-10-17
  • Posts: 6,512

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

Not sure what the price per yard is at a fabric store but you can buy a heavy duty clear shower curtain at walmart for 10 bucks. That should supply more than enough material for one printer.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

8 Reply by 11b30b4

  • 11b30b4
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-09-01
  • Posts: 15

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

Claghom, I am new here and a novice. Anyway,  I would suggest that if you are going to have to build a frame for the tent, why not take it a step further. Making a frame then making the enclosure with ¼” plywood and simply Velcro the plywood to the frame. Also I would recommend that you section off the electronics such as the motherboard and vent those areas to prevent them from overheating. Just my 2 cents.

9 Reply by Claghorn

  • Claghorn
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Delray Beach, FL
  • Registered: 2012-10-22
  • Posts: 730

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

Ah, but a vinyl tent would be lighter and transparent so you could see what is going on from any angle. Anyway, it won't matter for a long time. I have to get the printer finished before worrying about a case :-).

Claghorn's Website

10 Reply by IronMan

  • IronMan
  • IronMan
  • PRINTiT
  • Offline
  • From: SC
  • Registered: 2012-09-14
  • Posts: 1,269

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

Nice progress on your build, Claghorn...keep it coming!

FYI, I put vinyl sides with a plexi cover on my SD2.  I slit the vinyl vertically into about 1" strips for easy access and hold it on with magnets.  Works great!

SD2 - Stock - Enclosure - Heated Bed - Glass Plate - Auto Fire Extinguisher
Ord Bot Hadron - RAMPS 1.4 - Bulldog XL - E3D v6 - 10" x 10" PCB Heated Build w/SSR - Glass Plate
Thanks for All of Your Help!

11 Reply by 11b30b4

  • 11b30b4
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-09-01
  • Posts: 15

Re: vinyl tent for 3D printer case?

Ah, taking both your idea and Ironman's idea and just make the whole thin g out of Plexiglas, then its rigid and see through. Also I love the slits of vinyl opening idea like doorways on industrial coolers.