5 replies to this topic

[Andy Holder]

I just thought I'd share my first attempt at 3D printing some parts, a test strip of buttons and reed frames.

Firstly a material called Alumide, which is an aluminium powder impregnated plastic. It has a grainy surface and is too soft for reed frames.



Secondly, stainless steel. This is much too heavy and quite expensive. You also can't get a good enough surface or detail with it. It is extremely hard though.



Titanium is on the way as a usable material. Very good detail and hardness. Sadly way too expensive at present.

Interesting trial.

Andrew

[JimLucas]

s, a test strip of buttons and reed frames.

Impressive!

I'm looking forward to further developments.

But I don't think I'd better hold my breath while waiting for your "whole Concertina".

(And I notice you didn't include "fully functioning" in your description. )

[Andy Holder]

s, a test strip of buttons and reed frames.

Impressive!

I'm looking forward to further developments.

But I don't think I'd better hold my breath while waiting for your "whole Concertina".

(And I notice you didn't include "fully functioning" in your description. )

You never know, they can now do flexible materials too so the bellows should be a breeze!

[JimLucas]

...the bellows should be a breeze!

A leaky bellows?

I think that's carrying vintage authenticity a bit too far!

[Ivan Viehoff]

I once met someone who had a guitar he made out of thousands of lollipop sticks glued together. Putting aside plastic children's toys, it was quite the worst guitar I had ever heard, weak and thin, and quite unlike a real guitar. I really was very surprised how awful it was, and it reinforces how important the nature of the material is when sound (among other things) is involved.

The material options for 3-d printing are limited, and even if the range of chemical possibilities grow, the layer-by-layer build up is going to affect the internal structure of the material, which often matters too. Springs, reed tongues, valves, bellows, it isn't just the fact that they flex, the way that they flex is very important, and the precise nature of the material is important for this.

3-d printing is a superb technology for making parts whose shape is more important than what they are made out of, especially when needed in quantities that tooling up to make them in bulk is not economic. I can see it might make a few parts of a concertina, like buttons, but there is a lot else it just isn't going to be suitable for, even in principle.

[Andy Holder]

I once met someone who had a guitar he made out of thousands of lollipop sticks glued together. Putting aside plastic children's toys, it was quite the worst guitar I had ever heard, weak and thin, and quite unlike a real guitar. I really was very surprised how awful it was, and it reinforces how important the nature of the material is when sound (among other things) is involved.

The material options for 3-d printing are limited, and even if the range of chemical possibilities grow, the layer-by-layer build up is going to affect the internal structure of the material, which often matters too. Springs, reed tongues, valves, bellows, it isn't just the fact that they flex, the way that they flex is very important, and the precise nature of the material is important for this.

3-d printing is a superb technology for making parts whose shape is more important than what they are made out of, especially when needed in quantities that tooling up to make them in bulk is not economic. I can see it might make a few parts of a concertina, like buttons, but there is a lot else it just isn't going to be suitable for, even in principle.

The whole thing is slightly tongue in cheek Ivan!