DIY Cleaning Machine

[Waggy]

I'm currently 3D printing a new basket and trays for my Pearl machine - I printed one last week in PETG material and it worked well at first. I had taken a calibration cube and soaked it in old cleaning fluid for 8 weeks and then measured it, and there was no discernable swelling or shrinkage and the cube seemed mechanically intact. All went well after the cleaning cycles and then onto the drying cycle..... that's when things went awry. The heat was more than I was expecting and the basket and individual trays warped and deformed, I later found out that PETG is rated to 65°C working temperature (PLA = 54°C)

I am now trying to print from nylon (working temperature = +/- 100°C, depending on the specific blend) - but it is extremely difficult to print with, my third attempt is chugging away now while I am at work - hopefully I don't go home to a ball of wool like last time! 

Assuming the heating compartment can't go higher than 100°C.... but not second guessing myself...anyone have any ideas or measured it?

I also have a question on the trays, maybe I'm not seeing the obvious, but how do you use the ones identified with the arrow? they are called 

Basket_for_large_mainplate_and_mainspring.stl
Basket_for_small_mainplate_and_mainspring.stl

I can see the place for the mainplate, but how are you supposed to place the mainspring, you can't uncoil the mainspring to fit around the outer circumference of the tray or else you would damage the inner tight coils. Is the idea that you supposed to lay it on top of the mainplate?

Edited May 8, 2024 by Waggy

[Randy55]

Neverenoughwatches.

I did read your experience with the basket. I did try to file mine to true it up..but I couldn't find the sweet spot.

I figured I would just bite the bullet and get the Elma components.

 

Thanks

Randy

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, Randy55 said:

Neverenoughwatches.

I did read your experience with the basket. I did try to file mine to true it up..but I couldn't find the sweet spot.

I figured I would just bite the bullet and get the Elma components.

 

Thanks

Randy

I could only improve it, its still not perfect, the slight bit of wobble left seems to add to the agitation.

[Waggy]

39 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

the slight bit of wobble left seems to add to the agitation.

you mean your improved 3D oscillation design upgrade

[Neverenoughwatches]

15 minutes ago, Waggy said:

you mean your improved 3D oscillation design upgrade

Yes exactly scott, i managed to make it run perfectly true and then reintroduced some calculated wobble using a special formula that i created myself .

[RichardHarris123]

1 hour ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Yes exactly scott, i managed to make it run perfectly true and then reintroduced some calculated wobble using a special formula that i created myself .

Is your special formula called Bovine Excrement ? Hehe. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

21 hours ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Is your special formula called Bovine Excrement ? Hehe. 

Ey mate , if it works it works it also make my garden look great

[StephDiver]

On 3/20/2023 at 6:10 AM, gpraceman said:

At some point, I would like to try an automated design.  Maybe repurpose a 3D printer.  For giggles, I was able to easily fit 3 mason jars and my drying station on my Ender 3's bed.  Mount a stirring motor to the X-Z axis gantry.  Maybe repurpose the hotend heater, thermocouple and fan to make a drying station.  3D printed brackets to hold the jars and drying station in place on the bed.  Arduino or Raspberry Pi to control it all.  Not sure if anyone is interested in collaborating on such a project.

Hi @gpraceman it's been a long time that you wrote this, but anyway. I have started to think about building a DIY cleaning machine and while thinking about the parts to use, I am thinking about reusing an Ender 3 3D printing machine and controlling the stepper motors with an ESP32. It's very early stage in my mind, but I wonder if you had done some progress in this direction ?

All the best.

Stephan

[gpraceman]

4 hours ago, StephDiver said:

Hi @gpraceman it's been a long time that you wrote this, but anyway. I have started to think about building a DIY cleaning machine and while thinking about the parts to use, I am thinking about reusing an Ender 3 3D printing machine and controlling the stepper motors with an ESP32. It's very early stage in my mind, but I wonder if you had done some progress in this direction ?

All the best.

Stephan

Sorry, hadn't made any progress on that project.  Had family issues come up and took time off from watchmaking.  Still using my budget machine based on a lab stirrer motor and a lazy susan turntable.

 

On 5/8/2024 at 12:14 AM, Waggy said:

I also have a question on the trays, maybe I'm not seeing the obvious, but how do you use the ones identified with the arrow? they are called 

Basket_for_large_mainplate_and_mainspring.stl
Basket_for_small_mainplate_and_mainspring.stl

I can see the place for the mainplate, but how are you supposed to place the mainspring, you can't uncoil the mainspring to fit around the outer circumference of the tray or else you would damage the inner tight coils. Is the idea that you supposed to lay it on top of the mainplate?

I fit the main plate in the tray first and then place (stuff is more like it) the mainspring on top.  The tray is tall enough to accommodate both.

[Martin89]

Hello gpraceman I was thinking to buy a vintage cleaning machine until I saw you under budget cleaner machine, great idea, this has been my project for the past month. The only thing is I can't figure out how to make the drying station, I tried the heater but the wires gets too hot.

[gpraceman]

On 8/2/2024 at 4:54 PM, Martin89 said:

Hello gpraceman I was thinking to buy a vintage cleaning machine until I saw you under budget cleaner machine, great idea, this has been my project for the past month. The only thing is I can't figure out how to make the drying station, I tried the heater but the wires gets too hot.

Looks like a good setup.  I like how you put the stirring motor post through the center of the turntable.

What's the specs for the heater you are using?  Specs for the power supply?  How long are you running the heater?

Edited August 4, 2024 by gpraceman

[Martin89]

8 hours ago, gpraceman said:

Looks like a good setup.  I like how you put the stirring motor post through the center of the turntable.

What's the specs for the heater you are using?  Specs for the power supply?  How long are you running the heater?

I order a dc 12v adapter converter and a 12v ptc heater. The connector circled in red is the one getting hot when connected for 1 minute and the heater fun for some reason blows more air towards the back then thru the coils.

[tomh207]

The problem is likely the psu and cable are well underrated. 100W @12V is a bit over 8 amps, the psu and lead are designed for 5 amps

 

Tom

[gpraceman]

21 minutes ago, Martin89 said:

I order a dc 12v adapter converter and a 12v ptc heater. The connector circled in red is the one getting hot when connected for 1 minute and the heater fun for some reason blows more air towards the back then thru the coils.

As Tom indicated, your power supply is not up to the task.  With 12V and 5A, that makes only 60W while the heater it is supplying is rated at 100W.  Try to find a power supply that provides at least 100W.  This is the one that I have, which is a 120W unit.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PWZQ33N/

[HectorLooi]

Anyway, I think 100W is way too much power for the heaters. I use a 50W 220V PTC heater and I find that already too powerful. I think the original heater was only 15W or 30W.

[gpraceman]

If the fan is not rotating in the correct direction, you have your fan leads swapped.  The air should be flowing through the heater element.

7 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

Anyway, I think 100W is way too much power for the heaters. I use a 50W 220V PTC heater and I find that already too powerful. I think the original heater was only 15W or 30W.

That is the other way that he can go.  Keep the power supply and try a PTC heater that needs less power.  The 100W ones are more common, but I do see at least one 50W heater on Amazon.

Edited August 4, 2024 by gpraceman

[Martin89]

5 hours ago, gpraceman said:

If the fan is not rotating in the correct direction, you have your fan leads swapped.  The air should be flowing through the heater element.

That is the other way that he can go.  Keep the power supply and try a PTC heater that needs less power.  The 100W ones are more common, but I do see at least one 50W heater on Amazon.

Thank you gpraceman and hectorlooi.

I will try again with the right volts and watts. 

Thank you again for the info.