Is it Time to Embrace 3D Printing?

[MachineHack]

I’d have to let raw dog answer for that US…I couldn’t give you an estimate for the US as I haven’t actually lived there in over a decade lol

 

I’ll have to try and find the quotes but from memory the ceramic coating ran me 350 aud and the straight polishing was gonna be marginally more (let me look back through emails) I got a deal on the coating as I went through a mates trade account. I remember it being tough to even get quotes because most of the shops around here don’t wanna do one offs.

[JungleJimbo]

8 minutes ago, MachineHack said:

I’d have to let raw dog answer for that US…I couldn’t give you an estimate for the US as I haven’t actually lived there in over a decade lol

 

I’ll have to try and find the quotes but from memory the ceramic coating ran me 350 aud and the straight polishing was gonna be marginally more (let me look back through emails) I got a deal on the coating as I went through a mates trade account. I remember it being tough to even get quotes because most of the shops around here don’t wanna do one offs.

@MachineHack noted with thanks. So “north of AUD 350” = a good-enough ballpark, for an estimated cost of that hand-finishing! Wow!

ie please don’t go to the extra effort to dig through old emails! 🙏 
 

That time is better-spent showing us the updates of your latest “old Ping modifications” passion project, that we’re thoroughly enjoying living vicariously through your skilful machine work!  👩‍🎨 

Edited July 30, 2022 by JungleJimbo

[MachineHack]

43 minutes ago, JungleJimbo said:

@MachineHack noted with thanks. So “north of AUD 350” = a good-enough ballpark, for an estimated cost of that hand-finishing! Wow!

ie please don’t go to the extra effort to dig through old emails! 🙏 
 

That time is better-spent showing us the updates of your latest “old Ping modifications” passion project, that we’re thoroughly enjoying living vicariously through your skilful machine work!  👩‍🎨 

Just sanding and polishing for me this weekend so this topic is very much front of mind and something I actually hate doing hahahaha. 
 

And as with anything there is likely some economies of scale with that 

 

having a shop do 1 vs 100 is gonna be completely different pricing 

 

@rawdog have you looked into shot peening at all? It won’t give you a completely smooth surface but it will give a very uniform textured surface. Most people think of peening for stress relieving metals but it’s also widely used for cleaning up raw castings. I’m by no means a expert on peening but it could be something to look into 

[rawdog]

On 7/29/2022 at 7:09 AM, GingerBubba said:

Excuse my ignorance, but why go to all the effort (and cost) of polishing, painting etc to end up with a product that looks like any other putter one could purchase/have made? As the chap towards the top of the thread said when it was suggested the finishing on his printed putter wasn't so good, he made it clear that he kept it like that on purpose, as a conversation piece so people would ask about it. The raw, freshly printed versions of your putters look pretty cool imo. Couldn't you forego all the expensive polishing and sell them as printed (perhaps with a tiny bit of work to ensure no jaggedy bits etc)?

 

Honestly, I just assumed no one would think it looked professionally-made. Seeing this thread and some others on here has changed my mind that there probably is a market for the "raw" look. However, one downside of the raw look is being able to do paintfill. The process of applying paintfill required wiping excess off, which is not really possible with a surface finish that is so rough.

 

But if people like the raw look, I'd probably have a commercially-viable product at a lower price-point than others in the market.

[rawdog]

On 7/30/2022 at 12:41 AM, MachineHack said:

Just sanding and polishing for me this weekend so this topic is very much front of mind and something I actually hate doing hahahaha. 
 

And as with anything there is likely some economies of scale with that 

 

having a shop do 1 vs 100 is gonna be completely different pricing 

 

@rawdog have you looked into shot peening at all? It won’t give you a completely smooth surface but it will give a very uniform textured surface. Most people think of peening for stress relieving metals but it’s also widely used for cleaning up raw castings. I’m by no means a expert on peening but it could be something to look into 

 

Here is an example of one that was shot-peened. It was printed using a DMLS method and I'm very happy with the results. This part cost $350 to make, plus $50 for peening from a third party. It will actually be going to receive cerakote and paintfill in the next couple weeks.

 

You guys are really making me want to revive this business! My local state university just got a new DMLS printer, which I was waiting on to be able to produce high-quality prints at a better price. Would love to partner with them.

 

[rawdog]

On 7/29/2022 at 11:10 PM, JungleJimbo said:

 

I don’t think the hand-finishing cost was quantified in $ terms in @rawdog’s earlier post above?

 

 

I found a guy who polishes auto-parts around here who does fantastic work. He charged me roughly $50/hr but that was about 3 years ago. That seems very low, and part of the issue was that his communication was spotty and the production timeline was a bit unreliable. But that's probably going to be anyone unless you're moving a high volume through their shop.

[mogc60]

9 hours ago, rawdog said:

 

Here is an example of one that was shot-peened. It was printed using a DMLS method and I'm very happy with the results. This part cost $350 to make, plus $50 for peening from a third party. It will actually be going to receive cerakote and paintfill in the next couple weeks.

 

You guys are really making me want to revive this business! My local state university just got a new DMLS printer, which I was waiting on to be able to produce high-quality prints at a better price. Would love to partner with them.

 

I actually love that finish a lot. 

[rawdog]

On 7/31/2022 at 9:06 PM, mogc60 said:

I actually love that finish a lot. 

 

It actually does look pretty sharp raw/peened. Update - I had it cerakoted over the weekend to match my friend/client's wishes. What do you think of the final product? I left the face milled. I think this is perhaps the most refined 3d printed putter I've made so far.

[AdamMH]

@rawdog looks like you're using DMLS, have you tried FDM + oven sintering at all? DMLS isn't especially available to hobbyists, but I can go spend 150$ on a spool of stainless filament that can be sintered. Granted, less than ideal due to shrinkage factors but...

[ChristopherMcDonald]

I honestly wouldn't be opposed to a 3D printed putter made almost entirely out of alternative materials, IE not metal. A super hard plastic, thinking like Odyssey insert material type of stuff perhaps? Add some weight port options on the bottom and off to the races you go.