3D Printer that prints balsa wood

[Tim Wescott]

I just read this thread, and realized that a 3D printer that laid down balsa wood is just what we need to free us from the tyranny of woodworking.  Someone needs to figure out how to make such a critter.

[Curare]

No, we don't need that.

I have to admit that I have found no better therapy than taking a large chunk of balsa, and whittling,carving and sanding away everything that doesn't  look like aeroplane.

So much so that tend to prefer carved blocks on my models even through I know they're heavier, simply because I love carving them.

Why would I let the computer have all the fun?

[jim gilmore]

wouldn't that mean you are not the builder then ?

[FLOYD CARTER]

3D printers rely on melting plastic.  I don't think balsa "melts" easily!  Since the plastic "wire" is thin, parts can be printed with thin cross section.  Whether the result would compare favorably with a similar carved balsa part, is open to debate.

[Mike Anderson]

Interesting thread that triggered a long-ago memory of a couple of press releases and magazine blurbs about someone developing a synthetic replacement for balsa - Mid to late '70's, I believe.   At any rate, in an attempt to scrounge up some info on it, I Googled 'synthetic balsa' - and found that we are behind the curve on this.  Here are the first three entries of several pages of results:

https://a3511.wordpress.com/2016/10/21/replacing-balsa/

https://www.greendotbioplastics.com/synthetic-balsa-wood-2/

http://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/harvard-researchers-develop-a-replacement-for-balsa-wood_o

Does anyone else remember what I do?

[Fredvon4]

Not too sure the medium NEEDS to be BALSA.... as Tim thought ---a very light wing tip CAP can probably be produced on a 3D printer and be relatively light and sturdy with many of the current materials a 3D printer can work with

I was good way back before getting old, bad eyes and shaky hands ... carving a tip cap, then lite .75 oz FG on the PLUG  for a few RC planes I built... flimsy and fussy and a LOT of work to make a near zero weight wing tip....compared to carved balsa block....they worked OK but would crush in a NY second if handled

[Tim Wescott]

3D printers rely on melting plastic.  I don't think balsa "melts" easily!  Since the plastic "wire" is thin, parts can be printed with thin cross section.  Whether the result would compare favorably with a similar carved balsa part, is open to debate.

Not all!  There's 3D concrete printers that lay down a 2" diameter swipe that then sets up (I assume it's quickset, and mixed at the head, but I don't know).  There's 3D thermoset plastic printers that shine a laser onto a pool of UV-hardening resin, with a platform that drops by increments each time.  There's similar printers for metal powder and casting sand, except they mechanically smooth the top layer of powder onto the partially-completed part before having their way with the laser beam.

To my knowledge no one has put a MIG welder on the end of a computer-controlled arm and 3D printed parts, but I won't fall off my chair in surprise if I see it happen.

[Tim Wescott]

I actually may have had my tongue in my cheek when I made that suggestion.

You could 3D print a 2-part mold, then fill it with urethane foam resin (Gorilla Glue if you're cheap), let it dry, pop the result out, finish the outside, then put on a thin layer of fiberglass/epoxy on the inside and outside.  Of course, it'd be as much work as carving out a nice wing tip...

[Fredvon4]

Tim...as noted I did a plug a few times... basically trying to emulate some planes I had with stupid light pre molded parts vs Carving a built up or solid block of balsa.... way too much time spent to save a few grams

So glad back then I had no clue about woven CF...and the way too cool pretty look of some CF lay ups....

The past few years I have been mildly intrigued with Low cost Laser etcher/cutters, low cost CNC routers and the whole 3D printing apparatus for DYI guys....

If I was back in my 40s just getting back to this modeling hobby I would probably have a whole slew of these new cool tools

[Wolfgang Nieuwkamp]

For $14 you can get the file to print an R/C plane, see https://www.eclipson-airplanes.com . Interesting!

Regards,

Wolfgang

[Dave Hull]

Well...we've kind of already been there and done that. The 3D printing only became a phenomenon lately when (a) the price became cheap, and (b) the material properties improved. But the technology has been around a long time. I think our lab had a couple of versions about 20-25 years ago.  I recall that NASA/JPL put out the request to aerospace firms to help them print sections of the Martian surface as they mapped it prior(?) to the rover landings. The ideas was to build a large map quickly a la quilting squares. At Hughes Aircraft, we printed large sections with one of our machines that was essentially laminated paper--or cellulose, which is about as close to wood as a processed material is going to be unless you are trying to replicate wood exactly. I, of course checked  what each of the new machines that we brought in could do with a hobbiest's agenda. None of the results were particularly attractive, except on the latest versions, which can grow parts with decent properties, so if you want some intricate fittings that is possible. They can do the same thing with certain metals, but it is quite fussy, and until you approach it as a "foundry on a desktop" you are going to have poor parts that crack before you finish depositing metal. It is a lot harder than buying the latest machine and then sending out advertisements. I believe GE was claiming success with near net shape turbine parts which is the most impressive achievement so far in my opinion. I was not that impressed with the internet "frenzy" over the "printed submarine" that the Navy was claiming.

But for model airplanes?  Not a real boon for a builder in my opinion. But certainly possible.

[Ken Culbertson]

After seeing the Olympic Drone show I think our next step is a GPS system that we can program to fly the pattern.  Make it small enough to hide in the fuselage then we could "Wrist Sync" the pattern.  Eventually we would have to add a "programmer of the Sim" rule.