3D printing service

I’ve got to make a prototype bowl 1:3 scale for a church font and I wondered if anyone had any recommendations for 3d printing services, beyond the first hit from Google. It would need a small amount of drawing up as I only have dimensions and CBA to draw it myself. Yorkshire if that matters and time is reasonably pressing.

All commercial services I’ve used require a 3d CAD file.

I’ve always had good results from Protolabs.

Is not drawing it just a “can’t be arsed” issue? It’ll be a thousand times easier if you have a 3D model. You can just upload the model, get a price, order it and wait for delivery, all automated. If you want it drawn then you’ll need to find someone willing, then do a load of back and forth. More time, hassle and money.

How complex is the bowl?

Send me a sketch over and maybe I could model it for you.

Well maybe CBA was a bit misleading. I meant I CBA with hours of swearing at the computer. However turns out I’ve impressed even myself and done it in SketchUp. Now anyone knows a workaround to export from free SketchUp?

One way or another you’re going to need a 3D model. If you can’t do this yourself you’re going to need a kind willing sole or you’re going to need to pay someone. I start at £85/hour and generally expect a min. 1 hour.

Then you’re going to need either someone with a 3D printer or a bureau you can upload your file to in order to get a quote and order it.

3dprintuk are really good for commercial MJF or SLS process. You may be able to find someone a little cheaper who can do it on a FDM machine (the cheaper printers you commmonly see when folk talk about 3D printing) – quite a few people with one at home stick their services on ebay. Again, at a cost I could quote it depending on what you want.

Feel free to PM me for my email address to share sketches with if you want a quote.

Cheers, Chris

Well maybe CBA was a bit misleading. I meant I CBA with hours of swearing at the computer. However turns out I’ve impressed even myself and done it in SketchUp. Now anyone knows a workaround to export from free SketchUp?

Nice one!

you need an STL file from Sketchup which you can upload to print services making sure it’s printable.

https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/importing-and-exporting-stl-files-3d-printing

if there are any options on the STL export, I recomend bumping up the curvature quality if such a thing exists, to make sure circular surfaces don’t end up hexagon shaped.

Well this technophobe is really outdoing himself today. All ordered – let’s see what turns up! The thread may get a hilarious update!

Many thanks for the help everyone.

cp

I start at £85/hour and generally expect a min. 1 hour.

Holy ****! I should have charged more when i was freelance.  Hell, I should go back to being freelance!

nealc
Well this technophobe is really outdoing himself today. All ordered – let’s see what turns up! The thread may get a hilarious update!

Many thanks for the help everyone.

best of luck.  Personally I’d rather remove a body part than use Sketchup so I reckon you’ve done well.  So long as it previews ok on the website, you should be ok. Hope it turns out as you expect.

I can’t model, but I’m a semi competent printer and it sounds like something i could do so let me know if you’re still looking once you have a good stl

sounds like you need to get onto on-shape, and use the ‘rotate’ tool after making a sketch..

DrP