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Shapeways wants $130 to print all four pillars in PLA, or $170 for their "strong & flexible" material which I believe is done by SLS. That isn't too bad, but I should be able to do even better. My university library has a couple of 3D printers available to students for the cost of materials, which is somewhere around 25 cents a gram I believe. It's just a matter of being able to book a big enough block of time for a project like this. Of course, that's a pretty basic FDM printer. I've also been considering joining a local makerspace that has SLS printers and laser cutting machines I could use for the acrylic - obviously pricier than using my university's printers, but it would also be more convenient, and I wouldn't have to worry about factoring in a separate cost for the acrylic pieces.I have some experience of working with FDM printers, but never for anything that had to hold any weight. Is going with SLS my best bet for strength and longevity, or is the difference in a case like this mostly going to be quality of the finish? I'm generally working on the assumption that I'll have to sand down the 3D printed pieces, and I think I might end up painting them as well, so that's less important than the fact that they actually work.
Shapeways wants $130 to print all four pillars in PLA, or $170 for their "strong & flexible" material which I believe is done by SLS. That isn't too bad, but I should be able to do even better. My university library has a couple of 3D printers available to students for the cost of materials, which is somewhere around 25 cents a gram I believe. It's just a matter of being able to book a big enough block of time for a project like this. Of course, that's a pretty basic FDM printer. I've also been considering joining a local makerspace that has SLS printers and laser cutting machines I could use for the acrylic - obviously pricier than using my university's printers, but it would also be more convenient, and I wouldn't have to worry about factoring in a separate cost for the acrylic pieces.
I have some experience of working with FDM printers, but never for anything that had to hold any weight. Is going with SLS my best bet for strength and longevity, or is the difference in a case like this mostly going to be quality of the finish? I'm generally working on the assumption that I'll have to sand down the 3D printed pieces, and I think I might end up painting them as well, so that's less important than the fact that they actually work.
