RV parts and 3d printing

[geotex1]

Josh,

If you are that proficient in computer-aided design, you do not have to limit yourself to what you can print with what you have! There are many shops that are happy to print larger, with other resins, and you can even get into metals taking the files to a CNC job shop. Sure, can get pricey, but if you are making them for someone...

[Paragod1345]

Thanks! I have done that some… I designed a pocket tool that you attach to your keychain and had a small run cut out of tool steel to give away as an alpha test. They were well received, but I never had the chance to do much more with them.

We have looked into other options, and may buy a large format printer or an injection molding machine eventually, but the print farm has worked to make the stuff we sell so far. Using a printer does force you to be a bit more creative with design sometimes, but most of the stuff that we break on the RV seems to be little parts. I actually just installed a fishing pole rack in our “attic” that was too big for the print bed, so I did the print in 2 pieces. Here is a picture of it.


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[SMXChris]

Thanks for the link to your Thingiverse profile, I have a filament printer and a resin printer, although I haven’t designed anything for the trailer yet as I just traded in the old trailer for a new toy hauler last week and stopped spending money and time upgrading the old one a year ago when we made the decision to change trailers.


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[Paragod1345]

Thingiverse has a decent amount I’d useful prints for RVs. Congrats on the new rig!


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[CaptPicardo]

Hi all, I just wanted to share this and see how much interest there was...

My wife, kids, and I fulltime in our Momentum, so there are things that need repairing and replacing frequently. A lot of those parts seem to be little plastic doodads of one flavor or another. Over the past few months, I've discovered that it's easier to fix small things on my own, especially since we have a 3d printer in the rig as part of a business venture with a friend. I end up doing a lot of CAD design for our products, so making replacements for miscellaneous broken plastic parts isn't particularly complicated. This has saved a ton of time and hassle for us.

Anyways, to the point... I have saved and shared all of the designs I've made on a free file sharing website called thingiverse, (I'll link it below.) so if anyone wants to use them to print parts, please feel free. I've also made several organization type designs as well that have come in handy.

What I was wondering was if anyone was interested in or needed specific parts designed or printed? I'm just trying to see if there is an interest for that kind of thing, and see if I could help folks out some if there was. It would be limited to plastic parts (of course), and it is difficult to make anything that won't fit in a 23cm cube.

If anyone is interested, reply or send me a PM. I'd also love to know if anyone else in the community has 3d printers?

Here is the link to the thingiverse page: https://www.thingiverse.com/lightsnsiren79/designs

Here is a link to the website for the company my friend and I run, for anyone who is curious: [Commercial link deleted]

Cheers

Josh

Brilliant idea! We're full-time as well and same experience, frequently need a doodad to fix something that failed, broke or got damaged - just small things that are hard to find/replace. I'll send you a list

[Paragod1345]

I don’t know about you, but I find mysterious plastic bits laying on the floor regularly with the kids and the dog all trying to look innocent.


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[CaptPicardo]

I don’t know about you, but I find mysterious plastic bits laying on the floor regularly with the kids and the dog all trying to look innocent.


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A little trickier for me...kids are both grown up and in college. Dog is a tiny spaniel, wife is more careful than I....in short, it's usually my fault

[Paragod1345]

Yeah I may be blaming a bit on them… [emoji23]


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[rfarmer]

Hi Josh,
I also have a couple of printers and use them for creating whatever I need to fix around the house as well as the RV. We have a GD Imagine XLS 17MKE, and there are plenty of things to fix, repair or replace as time goes on. We are not full-time but get out when we can, traveling from the North Florida panhandle.

I haven't put anything on Thingiverse as I've been using the printers for my own needs and with the recent data breach they have had I'm not sure it's a safe place to have an account.

I have two FFF printers, a Prusa 2.5S, and a Lulzbot Taz5, and have been doing this for about 7 years. I have a Resin printer also but after using it I'm not so much a fan anymore. It makes great prints but the handling and post-processing, not to mention the fumes are not my favorite thing to do. I've paid for my place in line for the new Prusa XL coming out next year. will see how that goes...

I use Fusion360 to design everything, the hobby version is enough for me.

Richard Farmer
my email is: frichard7gmail.com