You can always try to print out o-rings using a flexable filament like TPU or TPE. Some are more flexible than others. Layer adhesion is phenomenal and waterproof. I've actually made a few gaskets around the house out of it. If it's going deep, just like above, do the tissue test first.
Waterproof/watertight 3D prints
- Thread starter moose_grunt
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OTF
Coney Island Whitefish Biologist
Always wondered if that would work, guess I need to try it! His results look promising.
PLA is underrated. Everyone makes it sound like PLA will fall apart instantly in a boat or underwater.
I printed this part over 5 years ago. I've only used it a handful of times because it turns out attaching a gopro to your mask creates crappy videos but the part endures.
It's been on a few ocean dives, then stayed in my save-a-dive (aka junk) bag for a couple years and now it sits around in my garage.
For vapor smoothing, you can buy a polysher for 300 bucks. You can roll your own if you want, it's not hard, but this thing is nice and not too terribly expensive:
Polysher™ - Polymaker US
I printed this part over 5 years ago. I've only used it a handful of times because it turns out attaching a gopro to your mask creates crappy videos but the part endures.
It's been on a few ocean dives, then stayed in my save-a-dive (aka junk) bag for a couple years and now it sits around in my garage.
For vapor smoothing, you can buy a polysher for 300 bucks. You can roll your own if you want, it's not hard, but this thing is nice and not too terribly expensive:
Polysher™ - Polymaker US
I had serious to catastrophic failures with black PLA. The problem is direct sun light. I've used black PLA and it melts and deforms enormously left at direct sun light. I know that this only happens with black PLA. I've tried BCD flanges and second stage caps with black PLA and when left to direct sun light the part almost collapses.
This does not happen with black ABS. At least I had no complains with black ABS.
Dive gear is mostly black, so BCD flanges and second stage caps need to be printed in black.
I know that dive gear should not be left to direct sun light, but sometimes this is directly not possible.
I had also some printed parts with white PLA not related to diving, and they had no visible deformation though they were not left to direct sun light.
OTF
Coney Island Whitefish Biologist
So I just tried this remelting method for the first time. I've thought about trying this for years but never got around to it until seeing that video. I followed what he did in the video pretty closely - I used a small PETT (though not PETG as he did) 100% infill printed part packed in powdered salt in the oven for 45 minutes at 465˚f.
Imperfect result on the first try. I either gave it too much heat or too much time. Or maybe it was because I used a smaller container of salt and a much more powerful oven than he did. Interestingly, the perimeters of the part held up nicely while the infill areas fully melted forming some very solid areas with bubbles and voids. A bit of material sort of bubbled up out of the top like lava, leaving the walls empty. But it did succeed in preserving the external features while solidifying the micro gaps/pores between layers.
Semi win, semi fail. Needs further experimentation. I believe the concept is very good and this will work to make parts stronger and watertight once I nail the oven settings. It might also yield very transparent parts after polishing. Running more test prints now.
I'm going to get PETT figured out because that's what I'm using right now, but I will also tune this process in for ABS (my usual go-to material) and post results.
If anyone else tries anything please post!
broncobowsher
Contributor
I think there is needs to be a distinction between waterproof and pressure proof.
Another thought, a porous printing. Could you drop that in a vacuum pot, pull a vacuum while submerged is something that will seal once cured. It is a half baked thought, not sure what would work as a filler material.
Another thought, a porous printing. Could you drop that in a vacuum pot, pull a vacuum while submerged is something that will seal once cured. It is a half baked thought, not sure what would work as a filler material.
I remember 1 thousand years ago, Electric boards done with wood, they were vacummed and then filled with some filler material. Perhaps it can be done the same with 3D printed parts, however, the cost of those processes can be compared with ABS extrusion.
OTF
Coney Island Whitefish Biologist
The beauty of this process is that it's very easy, safe and can be done batchwise. It's potentially extremely effective at strengthening and sealing parts. It fuses the layers internally rather than applying an easily damaged exterior "skin". There are no volatile solvents or messy epoxies needed, and it can be done with equipment found in any kitchen or lab.
I just remelted another identical PETT part, this time at 445˚f for 30 minutes. Much better results this time, but still not perfect. The part looks great with a translucent sandblasted appearance much like in the video, although there are still some visible internal bubbles and voids on the bottom. Not sure if those voids are air that was in the part, or air that was trapped in the salt which made its way into the part. Might need to experiment with printer settings and/or packing the salt tighter to eliminate that. A big step in the right direction though.
I got excited and took the hot part out of the mold too early (so did the original video guy) and when I picked it up it was still flexible and warped a bit. Lesson is to set it aside and let it FULLY cool before removing the parts from the salt mold.
Powdered salt seems to work great, but other cheap water-soluble powder materials like chalk or baking soda would likely work too.
I just remelted another identical PETT part, this time at 445˚f for 30 minutes. Much better results this time, but still not perfect. The part looks great with a translucent sandblasted appearance much like in the video, although there are still some visible internal bubbles and voids on the bottom. Not sure if those voids are air that was in the part, or air that was trapped in the salt which made its way into the part. Might need to experiment with printer settings and/or packing the salt tighter to eliminate that. A big step in the right direction though.
I got excited and took the hot part out of the mold too early (so did the original video guy) and when I picked it up it was still flexible and warped a bit. Lesson is to set it aside and let it FULLY cool before removing the parts from the salt mold.
Powdered salt seems to work great, but other cheap water-soluble powder materials like chalk or baking soda would likely work too.
Get an SLA printer. Various type of UV-curin resins are available for them.
With the bast ones ypu get parts entirely solid and 100% waterproof, with a smooth finish.
I also own a filament 3D printer, which can use both ABS and PLA filaments: in no way you can get 100% waterproof parts with it...
Regarding O-rings: you can print it with UV resin, creating a positive model.
Then place the resin O-ring in a small container filled with silicon mold.
After curing, extract the silicon mold out of the container, and using a sharp blade cut it all around, so you can take out the model.
Now but a two-component PU liquid rubber for cast modelling.
Inject it in the silicon mold, squeezing the excess out through the blade-cut line.
After curing you extract the molded PU rubber part.
My own PU rubber is just 60 Shore-A: hence the resulting O-ring is good for low pressure usage.
It would not be usable as a 1st stage O-ring, withstanding 200 bar or more. You need a rubber having an durometer of at least 80 Shore-A for HP O-rings.
Last point: depending on how well you managed to close the silicon mold along the blade-cut line, the resulting O-ring can show some protrusion which need to be hand-sanded away for smoothing the sealing surface.
With the bast ones ypu get parts entirely solid and 100% waterproof, with a smooth finish.
I also own a filament 3D printer, which can use both ABS and PLA filaments: in no way you can get 100% waterproof parts with it...
Regarding O-rings: you can print it with UV resin, creating a positive model.
Then place the resin O-ring in a small container filled with silicon mold.
After curing, extract the silicon mold out of the container, and using a sharp blade cut it all around, so you can take out the model.
Now but a two-component PU liquid rubber for cast modelling.
Inject it in the silicon mold, squeezing the excess out through the blade-cut line.
After curing you extract the molded PU rubber part.
My own PU rubber is just 60 Shore-A: hence the resulting O-ring is good for low pressure usage.
It would not be usable as a 1st stage O-ring, withstanding 200 bar or more. You need a rubber having an durometer of at least 80 Shore-A for HP O-rings.
Last point: depending on how well you managed to close the silicon mold along the blade-cut line, the resulting O-ring can show some protrusion which need to be hand-sanded away for smoothing the sealing surface.
