When using OctoPrint you can take time-lapse video of the prints. I wanted to do this but I first had to figure out how to get a webcam over there. My first Idea was to just put it on a stand by the printer. That would work but it causes the print to move but the camera remains stationary so you do not get very good video. I searched Thingiverse for a mount for my webcam and I could not find a simple mount and not many for the MK3. I was a little shocked since I can find so much stuff on there. I took this opportunity to try to design something from scratch! I first started with OpenScad to try and create something. That took about 4 hours of failing to make me go why are you trying to do this the hard way? I downloaded Fusion 360 which is cad software that appears to be really suited to 3d printing! I spent the next 4 or 5 hours watching video tutorials and learning how to use the software. Navigation in the software did not come easily to me but the power of what you can do is really impressive! In OpenScad, you have to write code to build the objects. You need to know the math and how to translate, union and take the difference of objects. It was fun to try with simple shapes but this was not as simple of a shape for me. Someone good in OpenScad I am sure could build what I built but it was driving me crazy trying to remember the math needed to do stuff. Not to mention writing the code to do it. NO drag and drop in OpenScad. Fusion 360 makes it really easy to make shapes, join them or cut them. You can also make fillet and chamfer edges really easily. I have really enjoyed using Fusion 360 to design some prints. I am still very much a novice but I am learning as I go! I have created a profile on Thingiverse.com so that I can share my designs with the world! I only have a couple at the moment but it has been fun designing them! I have also printed the DnD dice roller from Thingiverse. You can read that blog here. This is what one of the mounts look like in Fusion 360.
This is a simple design that just flips over and slides onto the joint where the heated print bed and the print bed frame come together. I am not certain how well this design will hold up to the high temp prints like ABS, HIPPS, and PP but I have only printed in PLA so far so I guess I will cross that bridge when I get to it! I could also just print the mount out of one of those high temp materials which would probably take care of any issues. It would be worth a try if I start to have a problem with this design.
Its been great fun until next time “Keep on Making Things!!”