It's Finally Time To Put A 3D Printer In Your Garage

[RWerksman]

This is an excellent video and as a Rivian owner, I couldn't agree with him more. You can start dabbling with 3D printing with excellent, new-tech machines for a few hundred bucks. There are tons of parts available for the R1T and R1S and loads of folks on here and elsewhere, including myself, who can give you advice to get you going.

I'd recommend looking at Printables to see what's available: https://www.printables.com/search/models?q=rivian&o=latest&ctx=models
For a printer, I'd recommend what Matt has - Bambu Labs: https://us.store.bambulab.com/collections/3d-printer

• The X1 is required to print CF filiment like he does. It's more difficult, btw.
• The P1S or X1 is required to print Polycarbonate, ABS, but the P1 will need additional parts to do CF/GF.
• The A1 / A1 Mini are really good for PETG and TPU rubber. The mini is smaller. I print all of my TPU on an A1.

I'd recommend starting with PETG-HF (high flow) and branch out beyond that.

Sponsored

 

[canyonero]

+1! My truck is in the shop with my 3D printed cup holders and phone holder so I printed new ones for my loaner truck. Might leave them in there for the next person. My Bambu X1C is idiot proof, printed my stuff in PETG.

 

[beatle]

I saw this video last night. I agree with pretty much everything in it. I have zero CAD skills, but I have found a lot of good models online to print on my P1S. The P1S is easily upgradable to print fiber reinforced filaments. Just swap out the nozzle and extruder gears with their hardened steel counterparts for under $50.

I have not found CF filament to be more difficult to print. In fact, PETG-CF is easier to print than regular PETG. I have not yet tried PETG-HF, but that looks promising since it's less expensive than PETG-CF, faster, and is available in more colors.

One thing not mentioned in the video was the AMS (automatic material system) which allows you to easily switch between filaments and also keep them dry. I was on the fence whether to buy one with my printer, but it was $100 cheaper if I bought one AMS with the printer so I went for it. A little over a year later and I now have 3 of them. I keep my printer in my basement and it's nice being able to pick a filament and start the printer up without loading it up if I want to switch. It's also nice for creating contrast in some prints with a different filament color, like the Rivian airbag label covers.

 

[kozak79]

I love 3D printing. I've printed a lot of things for my R1T. Yesterday, I decided to solve my daughter's iPhone charging needs and declutter her desk a little. I built her desk out of gas tubes and wanted to mount a MagSafe puck charger on the tube. Looked on Amazon first and after not finding anything, fired up Maya and 3D modeled this:

I exported it to my Prusa Mini, and a few hours later, here it is. Works great!

 

[jebinc]

This is an excellent video and as a Rivian owner, I couldn't agree with him more. You can start dabbling with 3D printing with excellent, new-tech machines for a few hundred bucks. There are tons of parts available for the R1T and R1S and loads of folks on here and elsewhere, including myself, who can give you advice to get you going.

I'd recommend looking at Printables to see what's available: https://www.printables.com/search/models?q=rivian&o=latest&ctx=models
For a printer, I'd recommend what Matt has - Bambu Labs: https://us.store.bambulab.com/collections/3d-printer

• The X1 is required to print CF filiment like he does. It's more difficult, btw.
• The P1S or X1 is required to print Polycarbonate, ABS, but the P1 will need additional parts to do CF/GF.
• The A1 / A1 Mini are really good for PETG and TPU rubber. The mini is smaller. I print all of my TPU on an A1.

I'd recommend starting with PETG-HF (high flow) and branch out beyond that.

Bambu P1S owner here! Bambu is the best - no hassle printing; just like a laser printer.

 

[dradam]

This is an excellent video and as a Rivian owner, I couldn't agree with him more. You can start dabbling with 3D printing with excellent, new-tech machines for a few hundred bucks. There are tons of parts available for the R1T and R1S and loads of folks on here and elsewhere, including myself, who can give you advice to get you going.

I'd recommend looking at Printables to see what's available: https://www.printables.com/search/models?q=rivian&o=latest&ctx=models
For a printer, I'd recommend what Matt has - Bambu Labs: https://us.store.bambulab.com/collections/3d-printer

• The X1 is required to print CF filiment like he does. It's more difficult, btw.
• The P1S or X1 is required to print Polycarbonate, ABS, but the P1 will need additional parts to do CF/GF.
• The A1 / A1 Mini are really good for PETG and TPU rubber. The mini is smaller. I print all of my TPU on an A1.

I'd recommend starting with PETG-HF (high flow) and branch out beyond that.

Thanks for posting this. I bought the Prusa MK3S+ kit a few years ago and have really enjoyed it. There are many online videos that have helped me with Fusion 360 free design software. Building the kit was just as much fun as learning to create new prints. Printables.com was a great resource for a variety of things I use in my RIVIAN- storage, phone holders, hitch tool box and more. Now, whenever something breaks around my house I first see if someone has printed it before I go buy it.

 

[Rivian Owner]

You can go here: https://greatdealsnv.com to find some really good deals on open box 3D printers. I've purchased two Elegoo printers from them and had good success with the printers. I think both printers were right around $100 so not a significant investment compared to your R1T or R1S.

As for carbon fiber, or polycarbonate, you may need a heated enclosure to minimize warping, and you should also make sure you have good ventilation as some of the plastics can give off toxic gasses when heated. I do most of my printing with PETG as it is durable and doesn't give off bad gases. I'd start with PLA which is the easiest to print with but has some significant drawbacks. PLA is inexpensive and will give you a chance to understand how to adjust the printer and let you learn the machines without spending a lot on filament.

 

[SwampNut]

Do NOT put it in your garaage! The filaments are sensitive to temp and moisture issues. OTOH, if you use exotic filaments the fumes can be bad indoors, but also bad in a closed garage or open without a fan. The general filaments post no danger and need to be climate controlled.

 

[RWerksman]

Do NOT put it in your garaage! The filaments are sensitive to temp and moisture issues. OTOH, if you use exotic filaments the fumes can be bad indoors, but also bad in a closed garage or open without a fan. The general filaments post no danger and need to be climate controlled.

This is a good point, especially when it comes to filament type and moisture.

PLA, PETG are fine to print indoors, but does have some smell when printing. ABS and ASA and other filaments do put off fumes and should not be inhaled.

Everything that I print with is in a moisture controlled Bambu Labs AMS. At one point I was producing CF Rangefinder Key Fob Surrounds. I found them to be extremely difficult to produce due to temperature control considerations.

I'd recommend a basement, away from folks. All of the Bambu stuff has built-in cameras to observe your print in real time, which I use every day.

 

[SwampNut]

ABS is horrible for humans but also has pretty critical temperature problems from what I have read. Because of the two combinations, I decided not to use it at all. I started to build an enclosure with venting and then realized that it’s just too much pressure and risk.

 

[monkeyracer]

I have a P1S, and I can print filled filaments. You only need to swap to a hardened steel nozzle and the hardened extruder gears. This was what pushed me to the P1S and save a ton of money compared to the X1C.
I didn't get an AMS, yet. I encouraged my workplace to get a P1S with AMS, and it works pretty nicely, but for the vast majority of my printing, I don't really need the filament changer. I will probably eventually get one though.

For making automotive parts, another thing superfastmatt didn't really go over is the 3D scanner or some way to accurately create the 3D geometry in CAD and then be able to create the part you want from there.

Finding models through CAD sites like thingiverse, maker world, etc, is sometimes fine, but 99% of the time, I find something inaccurate about the model that I then have to either live with, modify after printing, or correct in CAD before printing.

 

[SwampNut]

I'd recommend a basement, away from folks. All of the Bambu stuff has built-in cameras to observe your print in real time, which I use every day.

I wanted to key in on a detail here, not picking your post apart in any way, but to be sure people know. A basement is fine for isolating noise, and the annoying smells of the non-dangerous filaments. But is not at all suitable for ABS or anything toxic. That will still get in the house.

Another "fun" thing is that if you have AC/heat vents near the printer, you will get random spaghetti.

I use OctoPrint on a Raspberry Pi to monitor and control the printer in a remote, closed room with the vents covered, and The Spaghetti Detective to auto-stop it.

 

[RWerksman]

I wanted to key in on a detail here, not picking your post apart in any way, but to be sure people know. A basement is fine for isolating noise, and the annoying smells of the non-dangerous filaments. But is not at all suitable for ABS or anything toxic. That will still get in the house.

To be fair, all four of the printers that I print ASA with are:

1. In an insulated garage.
2. Have a two-stage filtration system on them
3. Are located right next to an air quality monitor

The VOCs are properly managed, the temperatures and humidity are controlled enough for my purposes.

My recommendation is that folks be mindful about where they put the equipment because at the end of the day, you're melting plastic. Printing a ton of ABS in your office when you work from home is a bad move. Printing PLA or PETG in your office is likely better. Putting it in the basement is likely even better.

Risk reduction is great. Being thoughtful about unintended consequences is good. There are loads of resources out there about how to do each with 3D printing. It's not complicated.

 

[SwampNut]

Risk reduction is great. Being thoughtful about unintended consequences is good. There are loads of resources out there about how to do each with 3D printing. It's not complicated.

Yeah, that's what I wanted to point out. I also use a basic consumer air monitor near the machine, just in case, though I don't print the dangerous stuff.

Sponsored