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Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 1:59 pm
by mhackney
Just completed my projector mod as per Brent's great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2-g494 ... e=youtu.be" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brent, my only addition would be to say "plug in and turn on the projector to make sure it works before making the modifications!"

You never, know, you might have a dud and once you void the warranty, you, well, void the warranty!

cheers,
Michael

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 2:08 pm
by brent
mhackney wrote:Just completed my projector mod as per Brent's great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2-g494 ... e=youtu.be" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brent, my only addition would be to say "plug in and turn on the projector to make sure it works before making the modifications!"

You never, know, you might have a dud and once you void the warranty, you, well, void the warranty!

cheers,
Michael
Thank you for the feedback. Glad you enjoyed the video.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 2:09 pm
by mhackney
It saved me a lot of time figuring it out on my own. Thanks!

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 2:16 pm
by brent
mhackney wrote:It saved me a lot of time figuring it out on my own. Thanks!
That's what I made it for. I hope it was clear and easy to follow. Still working on my GRBL hex flashing writeup for all win,*nix, and os x

Petri dish dilemma

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:02 pm
by mhackney
I ordered a 100mm Petri dish from Amazon that came in today. The bottom piece has a little black spec of impurity in it and the glass is distorted around that area. Worthless. The top is noticeably not flat and distorts light passing through. Probably worthless. Back to the "vat" drawing board.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:39 pm
by guanu
I have a pyrex petri that has the same.. results getting better the more I test..

Guanu
image.jpg

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:40 pm
by mhackney
very nice. So your pyrex dish is optically distorted?

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:22 pm
by DavidF
Nice prints Guanu, can I burn them up???

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 7:42 pm
by mhackney
Ok, I have my projector hooked up. I see that CreationWorkshop is a Windows only app so I'm running it under Windows 7 on VMWare Fusion. I configured a printer and am able to connect and jog around. I sliced a simple object and did a dry run. I'm having troubles with the projector. On Mac-only, the projector is seen and I can run presentations on it. In Windows 7 (under Fusion) I am able to add the display to CreationWorkshop so it knows it exists. But when I click Show Calibration or Show Blank, nothing happens. If I don't have the projector enabled I would see a small window popup when I do this that displays either a calibration grid or black. But with the projector display, all I see is the Mac secondary display. I am sure this is probably a VM issue or some configuration I am missing.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 10:13 pm
by Kevinvandeusen
I have a 100mm petri dish, been lying around since who knows when. It will not fit between the clamps, i measure about 98 mm is the largest that would fit, anyone else see this?

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 6:21 am
by mhackney
Yes, my dish is 100mm x 20mm - and the lid is larger than the base. I'll just rig something up to get it to work. My Sylgard 184 arrives today so I should be able to hobble a vat together. Meanwhile, I need to sort the projector display issue from my Mac running Windows 7 in VMWare Fusion. If that doesn't work, I'll have to configure a mac laptop with Bootcamp and Windows 7 but I would prefer not to have to do that.

The ONLY software I've found to control these printers is CreationWorkshop. Anyone find anything else?

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:37 am
by guanu
here is a pic... this is a 100mm wide by 15mm tall dish...
[img]http://www.guanu.net/seemecnc/Droplit/droplit.jpg[/img]
Guanu

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:43 am
by mhackney
It is just going to take a couple of spacers under the clamp unit. The beta clamps are a bit different but basically the same concept.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 11:25 am
by brent
mhackney wrote: The ONLY software I've found to control these printers is CreationWorkshop. Anyone find anything else?
CreationWorkshop is (so far) the only open source SLA control software. You might find an interesting idea within using Creation on a RasPi and hook the RasPi up to the projector via HDMI. Just an idea to keep the unit self-enclosed.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 12:01 pm
by mhackney
Hey brent, HDMI from my Mac might be an option, I'll look into that. I have completely given up on RasPi - I've spent more hours with it and it is just too anemic to do anything useful for me. I also don't think CW will work in it.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:50 am
by mhackney
A nice tutorial on applying Sylgard 184 to the vat.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 10:50 pm
by Kevinvandeusen
In my stubbornness, I was trying to clamp the petri between the arms, when I should be clamping it down to the base, <palm to forehead>!!! Everything is done, projector is projecting, z is moving, now to get it married to creation workshop!

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 2:05 pm
by JohnStack
mhackney wrote:A nice tutorial on applying Sylgard 184 to the vat.
How much solution do you use for a 100 x 10 petrie?

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 2:19 pm
by mhackney
I haven't done mine yet but it must be very little as you only need a think film. I hope to do it tonight so will report back.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 7:58 am
by erickphd
mhackney wrote:I haven't done mine yet but it must be very little as you only need a think film. I hope to do it tonight so will report back.
Any success on this? I'm waiting for a delivery of PMP plastic petrie dishes - then add a thin layer of Sylgard. If my calculations are right, 1.5ml of Sylgard would create a 2mm thick layer on the bottom of that 100mm dish (assuming 98mm active diameter). When I get these I'll update the post, pass or fail...

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 2:42 pm
by mhackney
I had a big reel making workshop event last weekend in the Catskills that slowed progress on the Droplet. I'm out of the woods now though.

Today I mixed 10ml of the base with 1ml of curing agent to yield 11ml. Stir for 4 minutes until you have lots of bubbles and the mixture is milky looking.
photo 1.JPG
Then I poured it into a clean glass petri dish. I used isopropanol to clean all traces of grease off. I pushed the mixture around to form a nice 2-3mm thick layer.
photo 2.JPG
Place a sheet of paper over the top so it can cure without dust falling in - for 48 hours!

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:11 pm
by DavidF
Been wondering where you have been. Looking forward to seeing some prints. :)

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:52 pm
by mhackney
I just checked the Sylgard 184 in the petri dish - it is crustal clear and dead smooth! Now I just have to wait another 47 hours.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 5:50 pm
by Glacian22
I don't know if your petri dish is heat resistant, but if so you can bake it on minimum temp to cure it in an hour flat.

Re: mhackney's Beta DropLit build

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 6:14 pm
by mhackney
Yes, there are instructions to do that. I am a bit under the weather with a cold so not really in a hurry today!