FreeCad Flower Mess

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RussG
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2022 11:27 pm

FreeCad Flower Mess

Post by RussG »

So...I'm new at FreeCAD (and CAD as well). I've been working on making a replacement flower for my hummingbird feeder. You can buy them online, but where’s the fun in that?

I’m using FreeCAD .19 on my MacBook Pro, macOS 11.5.2, Big Sur.

I made a model in FreeCAD that I think may work. I probably did it the hard way, and wrong as well, but I did it. That said there may be problems. You can see what I made in the first two screenshots. They show a couple views of the flower model. It’s made from two parts: 1. Body_Petals (the Model Tree is visible in the third screenshot), makes the petals and 2. Compound, makes the stem. (The stem by the way will fit into the surface of the feeder, passing through the surface. The bulbous part of the stem will compress in order to reduce its diameter while being inserted through the mounting hole in the feeder surface and expand once it’s been inserted in order to hold it in place. That’s why the stem is slotted—to allow for that compression.

When making this flower I wound up doing some copying and pasting and making the Compound (flower stem) which if I recall was to enable me to be able to reposition it in relationship to Body_Petals using Transform. Don’t ask me why—I’m like a fish flopping around out of water here, learning new software with a pretty steep learning curve. My girlfriend who is not too tech savvy usually just keeps clicking on things until she gets what she wants and I’ve sort of been doing that :)

What you see in the first two screenshots is what I want to make, to 3D print. What you see in the third screenshot is what’s listed as Revolution in the Model Tree smack dab in the middle of the model. It’s not part of what I am trying to make, not a part that I want. I can’t seem to get rid of it without warning messages about breaking something else.

I don’t know if there is anything that can easily be done about it, or for that matter if I even need to do anything. If I export an STL file after selecting Chamfer and Compound in the Model Tree I get what you see in the last screenshot below. I’m uncertain if the STL will work for printing or not so that’s one of my questions. I don’t understand why orientation of the flower is a different view in the STL than what I’m seeing on my screen when I export it or if that matters, but it appears to be the part I’m trying to make only I can’t see the other side in order to be able to tell if the chamfer is present or not.

So, do I need to try to fix the Model or will it work for 3D printing the way I have it?

Separately, I don’t have a 3D printer but a nearby library has a MakerSpace with a Prusa I3 MK3S and slicing software. I have no idea yet how all that works but it’s my understanding the slicing software can estimate how long a job will take to print. They limit how much time you get with the printer so it would seem to make sense to know how much I might need. I’m wondering if anyone knows of an online service that can calculate print times based on my STL files and intended printer. I opened an account at AstroPrint only to find it was for me a dead end.

Thanks much everyone!

[EDIT] I just added the STL file and I don't see the piece I don't want in it using an STL viewer called Pleasant3D, so maybe I'm OK?
Flower Mess 01 - Front View.png
Flower Mess 01 - Front View.png (138.18 KiB) Viewed 819 times
Flower Mess 02 - Rear View.png
Flower Mess 02 - Rear View.png (163.01 KiB) Viewed 819 times
Flower Mess 03 - Compound.png
Flower Mess 03 - Compound.png (618.56 KiB) Viewed 819 times
Flower Mess 04 - STL Screenshot.png
Flower Mess 04 - STL Screenshot.png (155.22 KiB) Viewed 819 times
Chamfer & Compound √.stl
(106.63 KiB) Downloaded 13 times
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Shalmeneser
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Re: FreeCad Flower Mess

Post by Shalmeneser »

* You should provide your FULL info (follow link in red banner)
* You should provide your FreeCAD file (not just the STL one)
* You should try to stay in the same workbench if possible.

3D print :
you can use your STL file in Prusa program (or other slicer program) without any 3D printer.
It will tell you time and material (according to the quality of your virtual print).
Attachments
Flower_SHALM-Body.stl
(123.13 KiB) Downloaded 13 times
Annotation 2022-05-17 091448.jpg
Annotation 2022-05-17 091448.jpg (41.78 KiB) Viewed 758 times
Annotation 2022-05-17 090536.jpg
Annotation 2022-05-17 090536.jpg (61.02 KiB) Viewed 758 times
Flower_SHALM.FCStd
(299.79 KiB) Downloaded 15 times
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adrianinsaval
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Re: FreeCad Flower Mess

Post by adrianinsaval »

RussG wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 1:54 am Flower Mess 03 - Compound.png
Don't use Part workbench operations on PD features! Your tree is a mess and it's a recipe for disaster, whenever you can use a PD equivalent and if you must use a Part workbench operation do it on the body not on a single feature inside the body.
RussG
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2022 11:27 pm

Re: FreeCad Flower Mess

Post by RussG »

Shalmeneser wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 7:17 am * You should provide your FULL info (follow link in red banner)
* You should provide your FreeCAD file (not just the STL one)
* You should try to stay in the same workbench if possible.

3D print :
you can use your STL file in Prusa program (or other slicer program) without any 3D printer.
It will tell you time and material (according to the quality of your virtual print).
Thanks so very much for your suggestions and tips! I really appreciate your efforts on my behalf!

To your first two points which seem closely related, I just want folks to know that I did in fact read the Read Me about posting before I made my post...at least twice, and I think I did pretty well in regard to supplying info. Didn't I? About the only thing I might have included but did not would have been the FreeCAD file. No? I supplied FreeCAD version, operating system, as thorough a description of my situation as I could, several screenshots and an STL file. So, simply saying to me that the FreeCAD file would have been a helpful addition may have been sufficient.

On your point of staying within the same WorkBench, thanks for that tip. It is not one I had encountered before. I've read some amount in the FreeCAD Wiki and watched I don't know how many tutorials online. Nowhere do I recall any information suggesting that staying in one WorkBench is important, but rather many of the videos show examples of switching WorkBenches. Even the FreeCAD Wiki says "You can switch workbenches at any time..." I am not disagreeing with you at all and I assume there is good reason for the suggestion you offered. I'm just saying that from my Newbie perspective it seems like I'm getting mixed messages. May I ask the reasoning behind your advice so that I might be better informed?

The info you provided that it isn't necessary to have a 3D printer to use the Prusa slicer program was great. I did not know that could be done. I've installed the software and am learning to use it.

And, that you reworked my FreeCAD file in order to show me a better way to do things was awesome of you! I don't yet understand 100% what you did but I have been learning about using the Polar Pattern tool. What a time saver.

Thanks again!
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Shalmeneser
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Re: FreeCad Flower Mess

Post by Shalmeneser »

1) We don't really need your full info HERE. But next post, perhaps will it be necessary.

2) You can use different workbenches in the same construction. BUT you need to know exactly why and how.
* PartDesign objects used in Part wb : OK -- Part object used in PartDesign : need a bridge
* Different wb = different mindset
* Use one wb = know better this wb

3) The use of a slicer can give info about time and material, but also perhaps how to modify to object to avoid overhang or other 3D print problem.
* the orientation of the object can change time
* 2 objects (with a way to glue them) are perhaps better (quicker) than one.

4) Feel free to ask any question about my file.

Code: Select all

OS: Windows 10 (10.0)
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.20.28717 (Git)
Build type: Release
Python 3.8.13, Qt 5.12.9, Coin 4.0.0, OCC 7.5.3
Locale: French/France (fr_FR)
Installed mods: 
  * fasteners 0.3.41
  * Manipulator 1.4.3
  * sheetmetal 0.2.49
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adrianinsaval
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Re: FreeCad Flower Mess

Post by adrianinsaval »

RussG wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:31 pm I just want folks to know that I did in fact read the Read Me about posting before I made my post...at least twice, and I think I did pretty well in regard to supplying info. Didn't I? About the only thing I might have included but did not would have been the FreeCAD file. No? I supplied FreeCAD version, operating system, as thorough a description of my situation as I could, several screenshots and an STL file.
Pretty well but you just missed the part there that says it's really important to post the FULL freecad info (help->about->copy to clipboard) since more often than not just the freecad major version number is not enough to troubleshoot, next time please do, it saves everyone time. And here you learned that STLs are useless for troubleshooting too because they are a really bad as a exchange format since they only save the mesh. Thank you for keeping a good attitude, not everyone comes here and behaves appropriately.
Shalmeneser wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 4:28 pm * PartDesign objects used in Part wb : OK -- Part object used in PartDesign : need a bridge
not any PD object, when you do this it's advisable to reference the entire body not specific features inside the body as it can get very messy and the different coordinate system scopes are troublesome.
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