You know, any time anybody finds out you have a 3D printer, the very first thing they almost always ask is "Have you printed a gun?" Well, now I can actually say yes. I mean, I've printed several TV/movie costume prop guns for friends, but never anything actually usable. And while this isn't a complete firearm, it qualifies as such on an AR based rifle. I got my SCR lower CAD file updated to where I wanted it, threw it in Cura, and hit print. 16 hours later, here's what I had:
I'm using eSun PLA+, and I chose grey for this project. I will probably eventually reprint it in black after it's tested and proven, but for now the grey will show any cracks or wear very well. I recently watched a Youtube series from CNC Kitchen where he did a bunch of tests showing how print settings can affect print strength, and I recommend that everyone who has a printer go through and watch them. Using his videos as a guideline, I'm using .16mm layer heights, 8 walls, 99% infill, .45mm line width, and 75% fan at 220°C/60°C bed. I almost never use a brim, but I chose to here because every now and then a completely solid(or at least 99% solid) part pull off the bed.
It took an hour or so to get the supports off. I'm not satisfied with how it looks. Because of the way I had to place it diagonally on the print bed to fit my printer, there is a lot of banding in it. Overstuffing the line width like I did (.45mm line width extruding from a .4mm nozzle) helps make the print stronger, but also exaggerates the look of the banding. It's not the prettiest, but it should be strong and functional.
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