GPS antenna plastic cover

[svana]

Guys, I still haven't been able to print out the model in a successful way that I'd want to send to people - I keep getting the burn marks. There are a few others on here that have printing capabilities and have asked about the latest - I've attached my model and would be more than pleased to see someone else take the ball and run with this. The model's been able to fit up well with the sample GPS I was sent, so it should just be a matter of printing it out. Sorry I wasn't able to get a good unit out to you folks but hopefully someone else can do a better job than I can.

 

[Mainah]

Guys, I still haven't been able to print out the model in a successful way that I'd want to send to people - I keep getting the burn marks. There are a few others on here that have printing capabilities and have asked about the latest - I've attached my model and would be more than pleased to see someone else take the ball and run with this. The model's been able to fit up well with the sample GPS I was sent, so it should just be a matter of printing it out. Sorry I wasn't able to get a good unit out to you folks but hopefully someone else can do a better job than I can.

Thanks so much for the time/effort you put in. I know @Bruce and perhaps others have been printing ear savers and face shield frames to donate. Perhaps there is an opportunity for folks who need the antenna covers to donate towards printing supplies and shipping costs for the PPE with a thanks to all who have put in the effort and receive an antenna cover.

 

[Drexx3]

hi folks...I can print these in an white ABS-like polymer resin. Layer lines should be all but invisible. I’ll have them available on my website soon @Svana’s version has apparently been size tested. I’ll need to print one out so I can take pics of it, etc. stay tuned.

 

[BigAbe75]

hi folks...I can print these in an white ABS-like polymer resin. Layer lines should be all but invisible. I’ll have them available on my website soon @Svana’s version has apparently been size tested. I’ll need to print one out so I can take pics of it, etc. stay tuned.

@Drexx3 The forum has an addon for processing purchases. It works great! You just setup the item and cost, then give it your PayPal email address. And, it has an option if you’d like to donate x% back to forum administration, you can. That’s what we are using for the floating keychains, spare tire covers, and maybe even the ballast Hotwire kit (I think).

@Bruce or I can answer questions, if you want to go that route. The PayPal integration is awesome, and the PayPal integration with usps is awesome as well. Just pay postage and print the shipping label right from the PayPal screen and stick it in your mailbox with the flag up.

If you get rolling with this (and are willing to make them somewhat long term), I would recommend making a new thread in the SWAG or Classifieds forum.

 

[Bruce]

@svana ,

Are you printing with supports that you later remove?

I would print the cap upside down with the logo recessed. The Yamaha tuning forks could get you in trouble. The JetBoater's logo is free.

PETG should be a good material for handling the sun exposure. @Drexx3's ABS would handle the sun well as well.

 

[Drexx3]

If @svana can send me his file from Fusion (as he’s verified measurements against a broken part) I can modify it to offer either blank, ‘GPS’, ‘NO STEP’, the JetBoaters.net logo, etc. @BigAbe75 the PayPal option sounds good, I can go that route. Stay tuned.

 

[Weeb]

If @svana can send me his file from Fusion (as he’s verified measurements against a broken part) I can modify it to offer either blank, ‘GPS’, ‘NO STEP’, the JetBoaters.net logo, etc. @BigAbe75 the PayPal option sounds good, I can go that route. Stay tuned.

Isn’t that the info a few post up in the attachment.

 

[Drexx3]

Not the same one I’m after. that Is the .stl file, the resulting 3D model File that is fed into a slicer Program to be turned into commands a 3D printer understands. The file I’m referring to is effectively the source file, the CAD file Itself from Fusion 360. We both use the same modeling software.

 

[Bruce]

I printed @svana’s model to understand it better. At 0.2mm layer height it was a little under three hours to print using $0.66 of PETG plastic followed by a few minutes of removing supports from the inside. I included a picture showing the partially removed supports so that they can be better understood. The top seems a little thin, that might be an issue with my slicing rather than the design itself or may be best for reception.

I do not have a sensor to test it with.

 

[svana]

@Bruce - Ya, I tried it with supports and without, different temps, extrusion amounts, etc. Just never got anything successful. Yours looks great. I intentionally tried to make the upper part of the model as thin as possible to not interfere with the signal as much as possible. Thicker would likely be more successful on my end, but obviously a capable printer should be able to knock it out as is.

@Drexx3 - Check your PM's. I've modeled the yamaha logo as a separate body so you can just delete.

 

[anmut]

Nice work! Let us know when we can buy one!

 

[Bruce]

@svana, what printer are you using?

If you PM your address I would be happy to mail this one to you.

 

[svana]

@svana, what printer are you using?

If you PM your address I would be happy to mail this one to you.

I built a BLV cube, but absolutely hate the extruder I installed - my old one worked much better. Thinking about switching it back. I appreciate the offer, but I’ve got an SX230 - no GPS on mine, was just trying to help out.

 

[Bruce]

I built a BLV cube, but absolutely hate the extruder I installed - my old one worked much better. Thinking about switching it back. I appreciate the offer, but I’ve got an SX230 - no GPS on mine, was just trying to help out.

Looks like a nice printer and very cool that you built it yourself. I am printing with a Creality CR-10S Pro. I swapped the hotend for a direct drive E3D Hemera that I am really happy with.

I have been printing face shields out of white PETG with a few tweaks to the temperature and retraction settings over the last 700 prints. I simply loaded your STL into Simplify3D, changed the layer height from 0.3mm to 0.2, let the program add supports and sent it to the printer. This is not a recommendation for Simplify3D. I paid for it and it makes nice supports so I use it but Cura is free and sometimes better.

Thanks for drawing the cover. I expect it will be useful to many.

 

[svana]

Looks like a nice printer and very cool that you built it yourself. I am printing with a Creality CR-10S Pro. I swapped the hotend for a direct drive E3D Hemera that I am really happy with.

I have been printing face shields out of white PETG with a few tweaks to the temperature and retraction settings over the last 700 prints. I simply loaded your STL into Simplify3D, changed the layer height from 0.3mm to 0.2, let the program add supports and sent it to the printer. This is not a recommendation for Simplify3D. I paid for it and it makes nice supports so I use it but Cura is free and sometimes better.

Thanks for drawing the cover. I expect it will be useful to many.

I've been putzing around with PrusaSlicer, still a little work there. I currently have a mosquito hotend w/ BMG which has been giving me problems - I had/have a Titan Aero that I'll probably put back on. I was printing ear savers while I was waiting for the new spool of PETG to arrive to get the covers wrapped up. I looked at the CR-10, but they're definitely pricey. Quality's been solid from everything I've seen though. It's the nature of the beast of building your own machine unfortunately. Sometimes you spend more time working on it than using it lol.

 

[Bruce]

I've been putzing around with PrusaSlicer, still a little work there. I currently have a mosquito hotend w/ BMG which has been giving me problems - I had/have a Titan Aero that I'll probably put back on. I was printing ear savers while I was waiting for the new spool of PETG to arrive to get the covers wrapped up. I looked at the CR-10, but they're definitely pricey. Quality's been solid from everything I've seen though. It's the nature of the beast of building your own machine unfortunately. Sometimes you spend more time working on it than using it lol.

Based on what I am seeing from people printing PPE and my Brother's experience I suspect that the Ender 3 series works better out of the box than my CR-10S Pro did. The decrease in size from 300x300 to 220x220 seems to increase stability and decrease the need for leveling. The CR-10S Pro has dual Z axis screws and dual Z steppers. This contributes to the Z axis easily getting out of level when powered off. I now have pulleys at the top of the Z screws with a belt to keep those in sync.

Creating a waterproof controller for this is what got me into 3D printing. Getting to the point that I could draw and print a rubber boot for the joystick was a long process.

 

[Bruce]

The cover test print went into the mail to @Mainah. I expect that he will let us know how it fits.

 

[Mainah]

The cover test print went into the mail to @Mainah. I expect that he will let us know how it fits.

I sure will. I again want to thank @svana for taking this on. It is folks like this that make this community great. I also want to thank all of the folks using their 3d printers to donate PPE. Hopefully the generosity is as infectious as the virus we are dealing with now.

 

[svana]

I sure will. I again want to thank @svana for taking this on. It is folks like this that make this community great. I also want to thank all of the folks using their 3d printers to donate PPE. Hopefully the generosity is as infectious as the virus we are dealing with now.

Thanks Maniah, hopefully it buttons right up - I believe it should.

 

[Mainah]

I received the cover yesterday. As already mentioned the top seemed a bit thin mostly because of how the layers set up. To be safe I coated the inside of the cover with MG chemicals acrylic conformal coating and let it cure for 24 hours. Installed today while out on the water in less than 10 minutes. Fit up good and screw holes were perfect diameter. The original was completely water tight with an o ring between the top and bottom cover. The test print prototype fit over the entire base which should fine as long as a pressure washer is not aimed right at it. No problems with the signal at all.

Thanks again @Bruce and @svana