geocache (hanging micro)
by bfabry, published
Summary
A small geocache container designed to hang from a tree with a zip-tie.
V2.0 sports a knurled base, and is shorter overall, ideal for the 1-1/4 inch width logs. The walls are slightly thicker which makes the inside of both the top and the bottom much cleaner with the slicer I'm using. It allows for two full perimeters on the external and internal walls which eliminated lot's of stray strings inside.
V2.1 has several minor improvements including slightly thinner walls.
In the wild: http://coord.info/GC50V7J
Instructions
You may like to print this one using ABS plastic. (PLA is biodegradable)
Straight out of the printer, the container is not very water-proof, so I used a small paintbrush and some acetone on the outside of the top portion to plug up all the little holes. This works better than I imagined, and dries back to hard plastic fairly fast. Make sure your work area is well venerated! That acetone can be nasty stuff.
If you have problems with the top half detaching before the print is complete, you can print an extra wide skirt right up against it.
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I used 0.4mm layer height, no supports. It used bridging to cover the top of the top half.
I ended up using a small handheld fan to help cool things off while printing the threads portion. This seemed to help them keep their shape better. I ended having to do some cleanup on the internal threads with an ex-acto knife for several stray "strings". The end result as a solid feeling container where threads go together very nicely.
I expect that people using different filament (make or color) may have different results. I'm guessing that if I pulled out my spool of trusty red filament that I have, I would not need to do so much clean-up, and may not need the fan. But a red geocache? probably not the best camo :) I may make another version of this where the threads don't overhang so much. This may be a more universal solution to making it easier to print. I'll have to play around with this.
Thanks, I wanted to know if it was within my printer's capabilities. it is! :D
I have some strange facing and modeling errors with the top half (geocache_top.stl) there are two panels on the side, some angles inside the piece and the whole top under the loop which are missing surfaces and will not print correctly. Tried to repair in Meshmixer but it didnt treat it correctly and would mess up the threads inside the piece...
Strange, I'm able to download and open these files in both the programs I have with no problems. What program are you using?
I am using Meshmixer to look at the files before putting them in makerware. The Makerware doesnt see the problems until it prints and there are just holes in the specific areas, but meshmixer outlines the holes and problems but cannot fix them properly...i'll try re downloading the files and check again...
Ah! I think I found the problem. I've been using sketchup to design things, and it has a notion of a face pointing in or pointing out. I noticed some of the faces were different colors, but never knew why. Some of the faces were facing the wrong way! I guess some applications that read the stl files don't care about this, but some do. Please try downloading the latest file and try again.
Wonderful! thanks for the update :D
you mean the .skp right? unless you updated them all...anyways i'll test them and let you know
I replaced both the .skp and the .stl files. The .stl used to be two separate files, but I've combined them into one. Hopefully this will work well for you!
Be sure to print this in ABS, as PLA is biodegradable and as such would make poor protection for whatever is being kept, if intended for outdoor use.
I've had a PLA address plate on my mailbox for a few months now, through a rough winter, and it shows no signs of wear at all. FYI....
PLA is a corn-based bioplastic. Some restaurants have PLA cups, which then go in the compost bin. I don't know how long the degrading process is, but it is biodegradable. Also the use for a geocashe is that it might be buried or hung from a tree or in a place where the conditions would be more conducive to degrading.
Yes, I am aware of that, thanks, just passing along the info that a full winter of snow, ice, salt and sand hasn't affected it at all. Have a nice day....
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