Painter bot (based on Reprap/ Eggbot?)

Hello all,

I have just joined the world of open source 3D printing, and of course, the first thing I wanted to print was model trains! Of course, I really don't know how to use an airgun to paint, so what about using something along the lines of a Reprap and an Eggbot combined with a small airgun and compressor, along with open source software to make... I guess, a Super Painter?

Of course, you could only paint one colour at a time ("Could you fetch me some striped paint?" said the boss to the apprentice) and you'd need to be careful with your air flow otherwise you'd end up with big blotches all over your model... but this could be done right? If we can print the object, and we can draw on eggs, surely we can paint the object too?

Yes, yes, this is cheating, so is an Eggbot. But I know of commercial trains that are painted by robots, and just a few years ago, the Reprap was a dream, 3D printers were lots and lots of money... I'm not going to pass off any of my trains as hand painted, if in fact they weren't.

I'm a dunce when it comes to wikis, I just build and design things. I have some ideas, I'd have to *draw* them or describe them (or both) to convey what I mean. I'm only coming back to 3D CAD after over fifteen years away - learning curve is steep...! I think I'd rather write the GCode files directly - if I can plot in 3D space what I want, I understand that better than using my mouse with my right hand when I'm left handed to draw (and nowhere near as precise).

My Reprap, which is being printed by my best friend in Sydney right this instant, is coming with a Dell Windows 8 tablet computer, and all the software I may need to make models. I can draw with a pen or a stylus, I can conceptualise, I just can't draw with a mouse. Tablets didn't exist in the form they do today fifteen years ago. Lots has changed! Very exciting!

So, is this a good idea? I'm hoping it is, cause I would like an open source painting robot. I'd obviously release my plans and information to the community to help out - you gave to me, the least I can do is help you too...!

Thanks everyone!

Shane.

Hello Shane,

I spent some time thinking about the same topic!

The Eggbot uses normal pens to draw on the eggs, I think pens would be a good start for a "PainterBot".
Pens could be one very simple solution to draw multi-color, just draw one color, change the pen, draw another, and so on...

Another esay way could be to use pad printing (thats almost like a pen but works with many different types of paint).

Christopher

Hi Chris!

I just had a look at a video of pad printing on Youtube - that could work for small decal like inscriptions, certainly, but I was thinking about painting lines and fluting details onto trains. Then again, why not do both? You could 3D print a plate for pad printing using a Reprap, and then use the machine to do both types of painting - long detail painting (the lines) and then the pad printing of the "decals."

Very interesting process! Its certainly food for thought!

Thanks!

Shane.

How about something like this:

[www.crayola.com]

-Rob A>

Thats interesting!

How does it turn the marker into a mist? I'm certain if I bought one, I'd find out - time to go to the local Target, or just eBay it...?

Imagine hooking it up to an air compressor so you don't have to pump it up... hours of fun.

One other niggling doubt, apart from "How does it do it?" is, how would you mix up custom colours? But this is interesting to say the least. Low cost too, I'd imagine...