Anyone around here have experience with 3D printing a plane? I've found a design with instructions, and it doesn't seem like it's all too difficult to pull off. Would just appreciate any kinds of heads-up tips from people with actual experience.

The Saber is what I'm currently eyeballing. Won't be happening until next year, so it's a great time to research!
Rifter and Saber

Andreas-sa printed a wing a couple of years ago. Details are in the following thread...

https://intofpv.com/t-winter-project-micro-wing

(27-Nov-2022, 12:32 AM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: Andreas-sa printed a wing a couple of years ago. Details are in the following thread...

https://intofpv.com/t-winter-project-micro-wing

Good info to be found in there. Thanks!

Yes...........

1. It takes AGGGGEEEEESSSSSSS.................

2. Rest assured if a print is going to fail, even on the bset printers, it'll do so right at the end of a day and a half long print.

3. They are ALWAYS less robust and less suitable than really ideal.

It's like a Bamboo Bicycle (yes, they did exist) , if that is ALL you have available, fine, but its not a great material to try with.

IMO the best material for a flying wing is EPP.  (And I own in excess of 30 flying wings, Chevrons and Deltas, including some Dynamic Soaring ships (inc Slipstream, 190mph, and JW60, long time record holder at 244mph, now 265mph).  Yes, 265mph flying DS circuits from a lump of laminated foam.


Two are FPV, one of my 1 metre custom made Slipstreams and a small MSComposit Mini Swift, the latter for low level proximity flying and way sub 250g, built more than 20 years ago and micro FPV added many years  back, long before the rules appeared.

(27-Nov-2022, 09:03 AM)BadRaven Wrote: 1. It takes AGGGGEEEEESSSSSSS.................

2. Rest assured if a print is going to fail, even on the bset printers, it'll do so right at the end of a day and a half long print.

It's looking like the longest print in this set will be 6ish hours, so that saves some anxiety about long prints. Totally fine if it's not ideal as I'm testing the water. Kinda wanting to mix up my RC world a little bit. Quads are super neat, but there's a whole world of possibilities.

Someday, I gotta build a submarine...

I also want to try flying a wing some day, maybe next year some time, but I'm more interested in the Caipirinha. I almost bought one 3 months back off a guy near me. He was selling for £100, part built. But decided I should leave it for another day. But wings and planes do look fun.

As an avid fixed winger and fairly experienced pilot on them (way better than in quads) I would suggest against your first one being 3D printed. They absolutely shatter when you hit the ground. The only ones I have had luck with are the 3Dlabprint ones.

I am working on the saber here.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthre...V-cruisers

3D printed planes are a blast to print and put together, I don't even care when they disintegrate, it is actually an epic crash. My last one shattered when trying to fly LOS through a netless soccer goal. Just not great to start with.

EPP is the best.

I had a S800 for a while and it is nearly indestructible, but by far my favorite two FPV sleds are the Reptile Dragon V2 and the Atom RC Dolphin, depending on if you want a single or a twin. If you want to go in really cheap, I would look into flitetest/DTFB planes. You can build them out of dollar tree foam board. You already have motors/escs, all you need is a couple of servos and some foam and you are in business.

There are also crashtest hobby wings which are indestructible, and the albatross, which I taught my daughter to fly with and could be equipped with FPV if you do a pod set up. She flies FPV on hers and she is 8.

Finally, there is the dart 250g on sale for 53 dollars. It may have motor thrust angle issues though. I just bought one to replace my busted up one which I would let go for extremely cheap.

https://usa.banggood.com/ZOHD-Dart250G-5...&ID=531466

On the topic of exploding planes, I have to wonder if something like polypropylene filament would be viable. It's known to have a little bend to it, while still having enough rigidity to act as a structure. Don't get me wrong, I'll almost certainly enjoy planes enough to end up on EPP at some point, but I love the idea of trying oddball things.

(29-Nov-2022, 03:03 AM)Suros Wrote: On the topic of exploding planes, I have to wonder if something like polypropylene filament would be viable. It's known to have a little bend to it, while still having enough rigidity to act as a structure. Don't get me wrong, I'll almost certainly enjoy planes enough to end up on EPP at some point, but I love the idea of trying oddball things.

I like the idea. The LW-PLA is the stuff that really explodes and scatters, but it is also best for planes because of lightness. It that polypropylene is the same density-ish of PLA, there are some good flying pla/petg models. 

This looks like a good candidate for polypropylene. I came in overweight and it flew well. I will make another one of these at some point. I may need to pick up a roll and give it a shot.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3040294

According to the chart I'm looking at, it's actually around 70-85% as dense as the typical print materials. That said, it appears to be much less forgiving to work with. It's less willing to stick to the print surface, a draft shield is highly recommended, and it may be subject to shrinkage. My heated bed should barely be able to handle it, and I'll probably just get a tall cardboard box with an acrylic window glued in to act as a draft shield.

If it builds, I will shout "All hail the rubber plane!"

Here's a review on the properties of the material.

(29-Nov-2022, 02:21 AM)burkeomatic Wrote: As an avid fixed winger and fairly experienced pilot on them (way better than in quads) I would suggest against your first one being 3D printed. They absolutely shatter when you hit the ground.    EPP is the best.

AMEN

(29-Nov-2022, 03:03 AM)Suros Wrote: On the topic of exploding planes, I have to wonder if something like polypropylene filament would be viable. It's known to have a little bend to it, while still having enough rigidity to act as a structure.

OK, my background, for what little its worth.  I have 3 of 3D printers, 2 Filament, one SLA, including a kit built and modified by me Prusa i3 Mk3.  The Prusa is used several times every week.  Raising my head from the laptop, I'm looking at 39 reels of filament, with another 8 that need it kept elsewhere minimally warmed to be pre-prepared super dry for use.

Various makes and types, wide variety. Have experimented with most as they are/were introduced.

Have been using 3D printed quad frames from TW's via toothpick to 3" cine-whoop for as long as the idea and technology has been around.  Made and modded a couple of flying wings in 2018.

Piloting?  Been flying line of sight fixed wing since 1972, and FPV fixed wing since 2018.  Including Dynamic Soaring and Plyon racing.  I have only truly crashed one plane due my fault in the last decade. Huge hours flown, several multi hour sessions most weeks.

So I know NOTHING, OK? 

Only you know your tenacity, but you are very much making it harder for yourself to get going by choosing 3D material construction as the start point.

That's it............Ignore me, everyone else does............  Good Luck!!

I have just watched the embedded PP video. He's printing to the Prusa under bed with only a clear tape covering, no sprung sheet interlayer.

The additional sheet layer and adequate heating time is integral in ensuring the heat is spread evenly away from the under bed heater elements. He's also using areas of the uncovered bed known to have irregular heating issues.

That alone just removed my confidence in his advice.

Also, the ambient temp at the flying site and solar gain impact will have major effect on the flexibility of the finished article in use! It "might" be a substitute for TPU, but its the last material I'd use for a structural wing or fuselage without far better stress/flexibility testing, if at all.

(29-Nov-2022, 08:03 AM)BadRaven Wrote: I have just watched the embedded PP video. He's printing to the Prusa under bed with only a clear tape covering, no sprung sheet interlayer.

The additional sheet layer and adequate heating time is integral in ensuring the heat is spread evenly away from the under bed heater elements.  He's also using areas of the uncovered bed known to have irregular heating issues.

That alone just removed my confidence in his advice.

Also, the ambient temp at the flying site and solar gain impact will have major effect on the flexibility of the finished article in use!  It "might" be a substitute for TPU, but its the last material I'd use for a structural wing or fuselage without far better stress/flexibility testing, if at all.

Why not just make a TPU plane.

If it’s your first plane use EPP.
I’ve been flying and building planes since 1983 and EPP is the best for small planes.
When you see an EPP plane or wing bounce off the ground instead of turning into 30 pieces going everywhere it’ll make sense why it’s the number one material used on small electric planes.

(30-Nov-2022, 01:18 AM)burkeomatic Wrote: Why not just make a TPU plane.

Because TPU is a totally unsuitable material. Period. 


[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k6HHCc4RhY&t=132s][/url]
EPP own design, Motor was £5  (2212-6T Suppo) , 40A ESC.


Keep the sound up to hear when on/off throttle. Now THAT is a glide, and a rigid, fast reacting wing.