Koz Ross

Intersectional feminist. Maker catboy. Haskells occasionally. Prusa critic. On the spectrum. He/him.

Interested in:

* #3DPrinting
* #CNCMachining
* #LaserCutting
* #LaserEngraving
* #MiniaturePainting

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Last Notes

2026-08-22 07:34:10 GMT

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@nprofile…lq9c Do you have access to an FDM printer? If so, Forbidden Prints do _great_ sci-fi sets that I've found to be eminently printable.
https://www.myminifactory.com/profile/ForbiddenPrints/store

2026-08-02 22:28:32 GMT

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@nprofile…w882 What's the green-brown texture-type stuff you've got on the minis? Is that old paint you had to strip, or some kind of texturing compound?

2026-06-30 04:09:22 GMT

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Ugh, _still_ failed. I think I may have to strengthen to medium supports instead of the lights I've been using. Genuinely did not expect this!
32/?

2026-06-28 23:52:32 GMT

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We also must, again, wait for the giant ball of UV in the sky to calm down before we can figure out whether this works.
As an aside, this is why I genuinely dislike tuning in resins. Because of the extra work required at the post-processing stage, and the fact I cannot work during daylight hours, it ends up dragging on _much_ longer than the equivalent FDM process.
31/?

2026-06-28 23:51:31 GMT

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So, having added what feels like an absurd amount of supports, and reset our exposure to 2.5s, it's time to try again with _only_ the 'flat' orientation. If this succeeds, we should have a baseline to measure shrinkage, and hopefully hit those tolerances.
I have to admit I did _not_ expect this to be as difficult as this is rapidly becoming. I've never had tolerancing issues with miniatures before, and I'm genuinely shocked an _FDM_ design can be this challenging.
30/?
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/830/412/298/680/724/original/e8282c00fd283fbb.png
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/830/412/319/118/945/original/2e4c06715ea82cd4.png

2026-05-05 22:59:35 GMT

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@nprofile…a5le It works really well for terrain like this. Did you use a rust effect paint or something?

2026-05-05 22:50:23 GMT

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@nprofile…a5le That looks very cool! What's your painting technique?

2026-04-25 21:59:52 GMT

Thanks to the generosity of a friend (and _no_ thanks to Fedex, useless American trash), I am now the proud operator of a Snapmaker U1. Well, I've had it for almost a week, but I've just been tuning and getting used to it. Here's my first multicolour print that wasn't a test or functional part.
Filaments used are Sunlu Matte 'High Speed' PETG (black) and KiwiFil rPETG (clear). Model is here: https://www.printables.com/model/1661108-knitted-bunny
#3DPrinting #FDM
@nprofile…ksy3
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/467/584/498/374/444/original/5dddcdbfa074a307.jpg

2026-04-12 06:01:39 GMT

I _just_ ran into this rather frustrating change in #FreeCAD defaults that has arrived in 1.1. If you run into weird 'wire is not closed' issues if you're importing external geometry, either _manually_ make it construction geometry, or if you never want to think about this again and just want the old default back, go to 'Edit', 'Preferences', 'Sketcher', 'Always add external geometry as construction'.
No idea _why_ this behaviour needed to change, but here we are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fstXygscASo

2026-04-08 21:33:43 GMT

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@nprofile…mqdu @nprofile…ksy3 Look at the pictures attached to my comment on the link (which I can't link directly). The single part is literally split down the middle as-designed.

2026-04-08 20:13:35 GMT

It has been 0 days since I found an issue in a paid design for #3DPrinting . This one's FDM as well, which is even weirder. How do you even _make_ a mistake like that?
https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-battlegroundb-777032
@nprofile…ksy3

2026-03-31 20:11:28 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Where'd you source that one?

2026-03-30 01:21:46 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Also the Fantasy Rats look great, and I hope the same sculptor(s) make the Space Rats.

2026-03-30 01:12:05 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Space Rats legit is amazing news. Currently your best bet is the Anvil conversion kit, so having more Space Rats is better.

2026-03-29 23:28:34 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 As an aside, do you happen to know what the next release for OPR's gonna be?

2026-03-29 23:23:53 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Yeah, I cannot wait for that change to finally happen.
I agree that 2K is a realistic minimum for reasonable gameplay. I also suspect some of the sting of the unit limit could be taken out by making Heroes joined to units an _army construction_ decision, but then not have said Heroes count against the unit limit (but _still_ count toward the Hero limit). As it stands, giving up activations feels _super_ bad. This would definitely help more 'elite' armies out I feel.

2026-03-29 23:19:52 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 _Severely_ outnumbered. Your _biggest_ base unit size is 5, and by far more common is 3. Furthermore, lethality hurts: D3+ and even tack-on Regen only stretch so far when AP is everywhere.
I also kind of screwed myself a lot by having (only available minis with) a lack of mobility. As in OPR, objectives are everything, this makes things much harder.
'Prime Persons' feels a bit awkward. How about 'Prime Friends'?

2026-03-29 21:27:54 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 It was Alien Hives versus Prime <del>Brothers</del>Sisters. We ended up with 1500 points (Alien Hives didn't quite have the minis for 2K), and the Prime <del>Brothers</del>Sisters lost. Badly.

2026-03-29 19:13:38 GMT

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@nprofile…jdgs I used these, and can vouch for their effectiveness: https://www.printables.com/model/1435996-holy-grail-filament-dry-box-a-tribute
Each one is about a third of a kg of filament and stores two spools. There's a one-spool version too, but I find it's less efficient, as that takes a quarter kg. So it's between one spool stores six kg, or one spool stores four.

2026-03-29 19:04:30 GMT

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@nprofile…jdgs Vac bagging will only _keep_ filament dry, not _make_ it dry. New does not mean dry: always, _always_ active-dry filaments you open. This was my mistake here: I didn't dry long enough.

2026-03-29 19:01:31 GMT

@nprofile…j3y3 - you wanted terrain pics, you get terrain pics!
#FDM #3DPrinting
@nprofile…ksy3
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/314/000/461/048/665/original/3eefcb437ccc4adc.jpg
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/314/000/525/218/608/original/0de69aa010f4f43d.jpg
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/314/000/528/824/271/original/7577a4a0c9441508.jpg
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/314/000/554/822/127/original/5d2f1f5c25411532.jpg

2026-03-29 18:54:38 GMT

A demonstration of why you should always, _always_ ensure your PETG is dry. Can you spot the transition point?
#FDM #3DPrinting
@nprofile…ksy3
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/313/976/229/807/214/original/73837277a858fdc8.jpg

2026-03-23 18:26:21 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 I'm putting together my first ever battlemat. Found some people to play OPR with, and they now have ~6kg of printed terrain from me.

2026-03-22 04:13:28 GMT

Didn't know I needed a utility knife until yesterday. So I made one, using a Stanley 1992 blade, some eSUN PETG-CF, and some fasteners.
Original design: https://www.printables.com/model/1540891-utilty-knife-mk2 (I used some of the remixes, specifically the sheath and grips)
Oh, and [insert obligatory Crocodile Dundee reference].
@nprofile…ksy3
#FDM #3DPrinting
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/270/868/187/434/807/original/1bcfe560830b32a1.jpg
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/116/270/868/189/312/106/original/a467addf472f8d39.jpg

2026-03-19 20:23:32 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 You'd need booze to make it though that!

2026-03-19 19:55:04 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 I am now imagining Steven Seagull delivering JC Denton's lines in the original Deus Ex and I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.

2026-03-19 17:45:55 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Weird that Prusa would even pay for such an ad. Wtf.

2026-03-19 01:47:59 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Wtf is that ad?

2026-03-06 20:24:46 GMT

Dear filament manufacturers: if you're going to claim your filament is 'high-flow', either provide a racetrack or shut the fuck up. Stop lying to people. IME _every time_ I have seen a 'high flow' claim, it was basically a marketing lie attached to a price increase.
Brought to you by me getting nerdsniped into testing a PETG advertised as 'high-flow'... which couldn't even beat _PETG-CF_ at the same temperature.
#FDM #3DPrinting
@nprofile…ksy3

2026-03-04 18:16:12 GMT

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@nprofile…fz8u It's almost like everyone in that 'area' is ignorant of most things not in that 'area', who knew.

2026-03-04 17:19:32 GMT

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@nprofile…fz8u Mindonesia?

2026-02-20 02:52:33 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 That no-jokes looks like a print.

2026-02-19 08:15:42 GMT

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@nprofile…8d6j Depends what kind of art. Most people who paint on canvases prefer 'heavy body' paints, as they need to put down fairly thick layers. With miniature painting, you want to do the very opposite: your goal is to put down layers as thin as possible, to not obscure detail. Hence the 'two thin coats' meme.

2026-02-19 08:14:35 GMT

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@nprofile…7an5 @nprofile…8d6j I only recommend Speed Paints _specifically_ for the case of getting more minis done faster. For more 'traditional' paint techniques, you're better off with artist acrylics than any 'miniature-focused' paint range. Speaking from experience.

2026-02-19 07:56:38 GMT

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@nprofile…8d6j I would generally avoid any 'miniature-specific' paints. They're overpriced, mix badly, and have absurdist names that don't have any relation to the colour. Oh, and the ranges change all the time!
'Phthalo Blue, Green Shade' is a universal truth of painting. 'Coal Black' (which is actually green!) is a meaningless word salad specific to a range that could (and probably will!) change in a few years.

2026-02-19 07:55:01 GMT

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@nprofile…8d6j Goldens are definitely the peak acrylic paint, and cost accordingly. Any other artist acrylic will also work. Ensure that you get a 'fluid' or 'light body' (not a 'heavy body'), and also check that they are single-pigment paints where possible to make for better mixing.

2026-02-19 05:56:07 GMT

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@nprofile…8d6j If you want the easiest possible thing to get minis _done_, Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 is available from at least two NZ retailers.
If you would rather have something more 'traditional' to use with the kind of stuff you'd find in tutorials (layering, base-shade-highlight), I am a huge fan of Golden Fluid Acrylics, which can be had from any Gordon Harris.

2026-02-19 04:06:38 GMT

It has been 0 days since I found a resin trap in a paid model.
FWIW, it _wasn't_ an OPR one this time!
@nprofile…ksy3
#Resin3DPrinting

2026-02-17 05:17:11 GMT

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@nprofile…ksy3 It has now been zero _hours_ since I found a resin trap in an OPR model.

2026-02-17 05:10:57 GMT

It has been 0 days since I found a resin trap in an OPR model.
I seriously don't understand what's up with their QC process. This is, no joke, the _fourth_ time I've had this problem. What is their bizarre fixation with having people print resin grenades?
@nprofile…ksy3
#Resin3DPrinting

2026-02-10 17:02:20 GMT

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@nprofile…g5mr Neither of those things matter one iota for PLA. Like, I don't kid, you need _all of the cooling and then some_ to print PLA at modern speeds. I literally choke out my enclosed printer just by using a 0.6mm nozzle at VF limits, because its fans are too anemic and its enclosure builds up too much temperature.
If by 'holo beds' you mean 'PEY and suchlike', again, the enclosure is a red herring. You're probably getting poor adhesion, which is a feature of bed cleanliness and temperature.

2026-02-10 08:44:15 GMT

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@nprofile…g5mr If you're printing mostly PLA, an enclosure is actively working against you. Printing enclosed by definition creates extra heat which your cooling has to take care of, and PLA already needs all the cooling you can possibly give it and then some. Combine with the fact that _every_ stock cooler sucks... yeah.
If money is tight, just forego the enclosure in this case.

2026-02-10 05:58:05 GMT

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@nprofile…g5mr Also, I want to add that my experience (both first _and_ second-hand) with Elegoo FDM has been nothing but negative. Their printers are built like garbage, their support don't know anything, and I wouldn't recommend buying one under _any_ circumstances. I criticise Prusa a lot, but by comparison to Elegoo's FDM division, they're paragons of openness, good engineering and standards.

2026-02-10 05:56:42 GMT

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@nprofile…g5mr You won't be able to tinker with it much without an outright board swap. Its firmware is every bit as proprietary as Bambu's. Also, Elegoo are probably abandoning it soon for the CC2.
If you're after an enclosed printer, I'd sooner recommend the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro. That has full open source Klipper support, and also comes with a recirculating filter IIRC.

2026-02-08 07:03:25 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Ah yes, PLA. The easiest material to print. 😹

2026-02-07 02:36:47 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 'Colossal' is right.

2026-02-02 07:06:25 GMT

#3DPrinting Fedi: I am looking for a riser for the lid of my Creality K1 Max, as I'm getting a bit sick of all the reverse Bowden routing issues in the stock design. However, I need the following requirements to be met:
* No air vents in the riser, at least as an option.
* The ability to externally mount the filament sensor.
* Not too much plastic use (as far as reasonable).
Any good suggestions? I've seen a bunch of designs, but don't know which to pick.
@nprofile…ksy3

2026-02-01 01:14:19 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 That's really great to know. Now I just have to wait and hope Chitubox support the M7....

2026-01-30 01:54:25 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Oooof. That sounds rough, and I'm sorry you're in this boat now. You're 100% right about the law and enforcement, but it's still really shitty that you're having to experience the sharp end of that reality.

2026-01-29 07:33:31 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 @nprofile…xujt I think my biggest 'growing up' moment was legitimately 'something can be good, but not appeal to me specifically'. Scares me that apparently a large number of people, with large public presences, can't arrive at a conclusion I got to in my early 20s.

2026-01-29 07:20:55 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 @nprofile…xujt I also think that a lot of that crowd (and cishet white dudes in general) can't seem to grasp that something might be _good_, but not _for them_. I've had conversations with people in the past who ended up _straight up admitting_ that in their mind, 'good' is the same as 'I personally like it'. This is such a broken frame of mind I simply cannot follow it.

2026-01-29 07:19:00 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 @nprofile…xujt I generally find that if basement-dwelling incels hate something, I will probably at least _mildly_ enjoy it. Plus, the fact I'm finding joy where they can't makes me feel happy in a vindictive kind of way.

2026-01-28 04:19:03 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 At significantly higher cost, significantly nontrivial assembly (and design needed to make the housing, lightproofing etc). Then I'd have to find a control board, program it, etc.
Like, I have both the skills and (largely) the means to do this, but you have to admit, this is levels of 'I want to run linux-libre on a 2008 Thinkpad' commitment of resources and effort.

2026-01-28 04:14:38 GMT

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@nprofile…vhyf Also extremely cursed.

2026-01-28 04:14:02 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Or like, build my own, but that's a rather unreasonable ask.

2026-01-28 04:13:37 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Sure, but I don't see many alternatives. I _wish_ they existed, but barring an alternative to support, I have no choice, unless I don't want to print resin at all.

2026-01-27 17:27:45 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Bambu printers are an unacceptably proprietary solution for me. However, that's not the point I'm making here. What I meant was that the uber-cheap Anycubic Mono 2, which is in the same category as, for example, the Neptune 3 Pro price-wise, worked _way_ better and with _way_ less stupid hassles, than said Neptune 3 Pro. More generally, resin printers, even at the very low end, seem way more reliable than equivalent low-end FDM machines.

2026-01-27 07:32:28 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 And, at least IME, resin printers have been a _lot_ less janky. Maybe FDM just hates me or I've been unlucky, but both of my Anycubic resin printers have... just worked?

2026-01-27 06:30:56 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Yeah, the Chitubox monoculture isn't ideal. It _is_ slowly changing, but ultimately, we're still mostly stuck with it.

2026-01-27 06:16:35 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Yeah, resin lacks a DIY scene.

2026-01-27 06:09:29 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 It's because almost nobody on Youtube is doing SLA prints that aren't minis. I've done it a few times, and it's pretty damn useful in some niche cases, which is where heating for strength could be super nice.
A good example? Printing out of a tough resin, then heated curing for strength in return for some flexibility loss. Still very good impact resistance, but now it won't bend in a stiff wind.

2026-01-27 06:00:31 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Heated cure stations are something that could do with being more common, since this can increase both clarity (for translucent resins) and strength. _Prusa_ of all people have numbers to back at least one of these up, because they're one of the few vendors of such units.
I'd just like a wash station I can just plonk my plate into.

2026-01-27 05:40:21 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 There's kind of ... less to fiddle with when it comes to SLA printing? The main improvements lately have been various smart features (pressure sensors to detect junk in the vat, smart lifting, etc), or just better build quality (heated vats, a pouring spout that isn't awful), etc. FDM on the other hand is an endless fiddle fest: it's just now, the _manufacturers_ do most of the fiddling. Unless you're me.

2026-01-27 05:06:34 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Which is weird because in every other respect, the M7 is a fantastic printer. If they'd just kept M5 vats, they'd save themselves (and by extension, me) a lot of hassle.

2026-01-27 05:04:55 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Nah, that's the M7 Pro. The M7 is just a slightly different vat design, which makes it incompatible with the M5 series vats, despite being almost exactly the same.

2026-01-27 05:02:45 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Yeah, exactly. I _really_ wish the M7 would get a Hoopat release some day. For this, among other, reasons.

2026-01-27 05:01:06 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 I guess that's the risk of steel screws in aluminium, but wow.

2026-01-27 04:59:16 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Does that vat use some kind of unusual screw type?

2026-01-27 00:11:49 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Which ones are left?

2026-01-26 04:27:21 GMT

Finally, an aluminium part made by #CNCMachining. This wasn't quite the part I wanted to make, and it did end up a little marred due to a mistake in my program, but I'm still happy with it.
If you're curious of its size, it's 40mm in diameter and 6mm thick.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/115/959/501/249/110/221/original/7c469ea4ed3e7f2c.jpg

2026-01-24 22:41:02 GMT

Want to add text to your #FreeCAD parts? Not sure how or need a reminder? This is probably the best video I found on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u12l8kFanmI
#CAD

2026-01-23 04:27:59 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 Which is a shame because the various smart features on it are _fantastic_. I absolutely love smart lifting and the pressure sensor stuff, as it's sped up my prints and saved me a whole lot of suffering. However, changing the ACF on it is actual pain.

2026-01-23 04:27:11 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 My strong suspicion is that the M7 just isn't popular enough to warrant a version being made for it. The other entries in that series are either very big (and very expensive) or very complicated because of their weird recirculatory heater, so they probably won't ever get supported, but the M7 is just a victim of its lack of success I guess.

2026-01-23 03:00:00 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 I would love some of those, but unfortunately, my printer is not supported. :(

2026-01-23 00:21:58 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 It's also LLM-generated into the bargain. Just to fuck with you extra.

2026-01-22 22:58:19 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 To be honest, given what's going on in that failed state, this isn't even the _fourth_ most absurd thing from them. This week.

2026-01-19 23:01:29 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 It's because you chat to me, since I'm a catboy, and thus, by extension, I guess a furry?

2026-01-04 17:20:22 GMT

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@nprofile…j3y3 And every hobby community while we're at it....

2026-01-03 20:47:25 GMT

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@nprofile…fz8u Ask them if they're wearing mixed-fibre clothing. If they are (and they probably are), hit them with Leviticus.

2025-12-30 21:03:01 GMT

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@nprofile…n5dp Addendum: when it comes to layer adhesion, Polymax PC absolutely _crushes_ Polymaker nylons. We're talking about a difference between ~70% layer adhesion (Polymax PC) versus ~60% _at best_ (PA6-CF IIRC).

2025-12-30 20:59:32 GMT

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@nprofile…n5dp So, what can we learn from this?
* Once again, when buying technicals, 'no TDS, no sale'. It was only this information that allowed me to make an informed choice here!
* If you care about _practical_ tensile strength and impact resistance, Polymax PC may be better than you expect. It's a lot easier to work with than nylons, has no CF or GF (which some folks care about), and is a damn sight cheaper too (like, half the price?).
* Read the TDS instead of assuming.
5/5

2025-12-30 20:57:38 GMT

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@nprofile…n5dp Now, to be clear, there _are_ some properties where nylons win regardless (stiffness and temperature resistance primarily), but this largely stems from Polymax PC not being CF or GF-reinforced. Stuff like tensile strength and impact resistance? Polymax PC is at least no worse than any Polymaker nylon when wet, and in most cases, is significantly better.
Also worth mentioning that annealing and conditioning can come into this too, but that would require further testing.
4/?

2025-12-30 20:55:55 GMT

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@nprofile…n5dp Now, this is the fun part:
When wet, nylons, CF, GF or none, from Polymaker, are _weaker_ than Polymax PC!
This genuinely surprised me, as I had always been led to believe that if you wanted strength above all else, nylons were the way to go. However, this only seems to apply (at least for Polymaker's nylons) when they're dry. In some cases, the difference is _enormous_: 50% dropoff or more.
That saved me a tonne of time and money!
3/?

2025-12-30 20:54:23 GMT

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@nprofile…n5dp Luckily, Polymaker have a useful filament property comparison tool: https://app.polymaker.com/
What's most interesting here is that for their nylon range (CF, GF and neither), they show filament properties both when dry _and_ when wet. Given that my workshop is a goddamned swamp, anything I printed out of any nylon that lived there would get water-logged fast. Thus, I compared the 'wet' values to Polymax PC.
2/?

2025-12-30 20:52:26 GMT

Fun #FDM discovery yesterday. I was printing some clamps for my new CNC, and of course, I wanted the strongest material I could get my hands on. I have Polymax PC to hand, but I could also source some CF or GF nylon (also from Polymaker).
Now, one thing I learned about nylon (from this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8dIpwd6tzo) is that nylon is _so_ hygroscopic that finished prints absorb water and change their properties as they do so. This helped set the context for what I saw.
@nprofile…n5dp
1/?

2025-12-28 19:22:16 GMT

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@nprofile…493e @nprofile…n5dp Yeah, that surprised me too at first. However, it's a sensible choice here: something less stiff would probably be harder to work with, as it would try to bend where it's not meant to.

2025-12-28 18:18:15 GMT

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@nprofile…32p0 @nprofile…62zu Will report on everything I find out. It's been a lot of fun so far, but CNC is a _very_ deep topic with a lot to learn, so be prepared for that at least.
Also, in six months' time, there might be even better options when it comes to enclosed desktop machines. It's definitely a bit of a trend right now.

2025-12-28 06:24:10 GMT

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@nprofile…32p0 For aluminium alloys, the generally suggested stuff is 6061-T6, which is a good all-rounder alloy. 5083 isn't bad (it's what almost any Voron kit bed will be made of), and if you can get 2017-T4, celebrate because you just won the fucking machining lottery.
@nprofile…62zu might have some more suggestions here, as he's _way_ more experienced.
Also worth noting: any chips or scraps should be taken to a recycler, they'll pay for them.

2025-12-28 06:21:47 GMT

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@nprofile…32p0 One important thing I discovered: metal shops live in the last fucking millennium. If they have websites, they're old, useless things with no information: you _have_ to pick up the phone and call them to find out anything.
Not my favourite activity for sure, but there really is no other good way to source metal.

2025-12-28 06:20:52 GMT

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@nprofile…32p0 Aluminium is definitely the plan, but the CAM skills required are trickier: stuff like toolpaths and speeds and feeds are _way_ more important there, and wood is like the PLA of CNC, so it's good to learn on.
By 'costs' I guess you mean 'raw materials'? Essentially, your best bet is either a recycler or metal shop offcuts. What's available, and at what cost, depends a _lot_ what's around.

2025-12-28 05:27:56 GMT

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I _definitely_ need to figure out how to prevent that 'tearing', both on my jigsaw and on my CNC. I suspect this is operator error, but I don't know what I should be doing differently in both cases.

2025-12-28 05:27:12 GMT

For my first #CNCMachining job, I decided to be on-brand. This was made using the SVG tracing functionality in UGS (so, not even proper CAM), and I ended up doing an inside-line, followed by an on-line, pass.
I plan to cut it down a bit on the edges, then display it somewhere. That way, I can see where I came from as I learn more.
@nprofile…32p0 - you wanted cool thing, you get (kinda) cool thing.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/115/795/528/922/698/391/original/3a9d11d54766acfa.jpg

2025-12-27 20:37:48 GMT

So, I got a new CNC, which I am slowly learning to use. It's been fairly good so far, apart from the position of the estop button, which was less than great.
However, I have an #FDM printer, and #FreeCAD, so I fixed this problem. Figured I'd publish it for everyone to use and modify.
https://www.printables.com/model/1530863-lunyee-3018-cnc-endstop-relocation
#3DPrinting #CNCMachining
@nprofile…n5dp

2025-12-26 09:55:13 GMT

Just came across this video. Really clever combination of ideas! Never thought this could work with FDM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNVBK7-h9Fs
#3DPrinting #FDM
@nprofile…n5dp

2025-12-26 05:09:55 GMT

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@nprofile…32p0 You might be waiting a while. I just tried to take my first cut (just as a test to see what the machine would tolerate in aluminium). It was going fine until the workholding failed and I was scrambling for the estop button.

2025-12-26 04:42:36 GMT

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@nprofile…32p0 This one is really, really complicated, lol.

2025-12-26 02:43:54 GMT

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@nprofile…32p0 I had to spend quite some time setting up a suitable space, including printing a cyclonic separator. You can get stuff like the Cubiko or Makera Z1, which are fully enclosed desktop boxes.

2025-12-25 23:24:57 GMT

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@nprofile…32p0 Thanks, I have been! Been setting up my new CNC, which of course involves mods and wiring. It's now Boxing Day here, and thus I went to get myself the most absurdly named saw blade in existence.
How's yours going?

2025-12-22 23:42:15 GMT

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@nprofile…ndjm @nprofile…sc6z There's two forces at play here AFAICT:
* A lot of (mostly Europe-based) people are unconditional fanboys of Prusa in spite of all evidence to the contrary; and
* A lot of people in the 3D printing space do not understand what 'open source' means.
Prusa have (for no good reason) developed a reputation for being 'friendly' and 'open'. Combine with Eurochauvinism and ignorance, and this kind of reaction is both utterly expected and entirely sad.

2025-12-22 23:37:02 GMT

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@nprofile…ndjm @nprofile…sc6z Thank you so much for making this! Reading it was both entertaining and informative.
It won't convince the Prusa fanboy crowd, but at least it's there to point sensical people at next time someone says Prusa are an 'open source company' or something similar.