I guess I’ve been 3D printing close to a decade by now and I’ve always avoided supports for obvious reasons. Instead, I would design a would-be single part model into two or more parts and fasten them together.
At some point, a friend told me about tree supports that would do away with all the problems of other support modes. I did that for a while but ultimately found that they were only useful on organic shapes like a skull, not so much on mechanical parts with mostly right angles which is what I like to print.
After all this time, I decided to give it another shot. But instead of tree supports, I would use BBL’s default (which amounts to a recommendation) supports.
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the entire chunk of support material popped out with a little prying action. On this model, the supported surface will be hidden from view anyhow and even if it wasn’t, it’s not half bad. This is a big deal for me.
For what it’s worth, I used one of the cheapest process options of 2.0 Standard. Their would be no need for higher resolution. I used Gyroid sparse infill (Voxel PETG) because everyone seems to think it’s the bomb.
I dread to suggest this, but, explore “support interface layers” as a subject, and watch some videos before you try anything.
The basic principle is this, you use two different materials that are incompatible with each other. This means one cannot fuse to the other during printing.
You can buy special filaments to achieve this or use known incompatible filaments like PLA & PETG.
You need an AMS to get this to work.
Traditionally you would use the model material for the model and the support material for support, however, that causes significant waste in the form of ‘poop’.
The idea behind support interface layers is that ONLY the areas that touch the under surfaces of the model are printed in the support material and everything else is in the model material. This limits any filament swaps to those layers immediately under unsupported ones (if you didn’t enable support).
This can mean a 100 layer model on swaps 3 or 4 times. Very little waste is generated.
The upshot of this technique is you will get excellent quality on the underside where the support meets.
Your model wouldn’t benefit the technique above as no one will see the underside.
Something to explore AFTER you have researched it.
Filament choice
You have a model that will live outside, you have chosen PETG, which will last for a while. If you want something that will last, investigate ASA materials. They are designed to be used outside within sunlight and UV. You require an enclosed printer to achieve it. I know you have one.
Yep, I knew about the dissimilar material trick. I just didn’t want to use supports… Period! But I think I will give it a shot with pause. I would only have to do it on this model one time.
As to the longevity of the PETG, I have PLA parts that have been outdoors for years and look and work fine. If I live long enough to see my PETG post cap fail, no problem. I know someone with the file and a printer
I’m not sure what harm would be done if I did post my full mailing address. It would probably be fairly easy to find. For a while I was searching FB Marketplace for a particular motorcycle. I thought it was odd that people would always hide their license plate in the photos. Do they expose them to the world while they’re riding? Heaven forbid! Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t know how seeing my license plate on Marketplace would cause me a problem.
Oh it wouldn’t be a big deal if you posted it, but I thought Drakko posted it… and honestly here in the safe confines of the Bambu Lab forum it wouldn’t have caused you any problems even if he had posted it. It’s just become a big taboo on the internet to “doxx” someone. It will get you banned in a lot of places.
