I am trying to do my shopping for the metal parts of the dual controls but I cannot find sufficient details on the square tubing that forms the structure. I know that it is 38mm (1 1/2") square but I cannot find any indications of what thickness is considered sufficient. Also there is no detail on the material but I am assuming that a regular steel (not stainless) is used so welding is easier.
It took a little looking but I figured out that the stainless steel tubing used for the control shafts is 1.5mm (1/16") thick so not a problem there. It would be better if the plans were a bit clearer on the material specs on both of the metal types and not leave so much up to guessing.
Another problem is how does the outer tube for the control columns stay centered around the square tubing. In some of the images I see what appears to be a 3D printed part that is square in the middle to slide over the steel structure and round on the outer edge for the outer tube to slip over. I could not find the part in the files I received and there is not really any mention of that part of the assembly in the instructions I have been able to find.
One more question for the forum, the print files I have for the control column head say they are adapted for 0.8mm nozzle. So far I have only used the 0.4mm nozzle that came with the printer for safety. I did try to remove the current nozzle with the wrench provided with the printer but it did not seem to want to turn (yes I was doing "Lefty Loosey") and I did not want to destroy the machine before I had even printed my first part. What I do not know is if those 0.8mm adapted parts can be safely printed with the 0.4mm nozzle?
And a final question. Without realizing it I purchased several rolls of PTEG filament without realizing it. There was one post on the forum I saw that seemed to be indicating that it is OK to use that material and implied that it is actually stronger than PLA. I wanted to see if that is correct and find out if there are any specific changes I might need to make to the settings when using it.
Thanks in advance for the help. 🌝
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One more question for the forum, the print files I have for the control column head say they are adapted for 0.8mm nozzle. So far I have only used the 0.4mm nozzle that came with the printer for safety. I did try to remove the current nozzle with the wrench provided with the printer but it did not seem to want to turn (yes I was doing "Lefty Loosey") and I did not want to destroy the machine before I had even printed my first part. What I do not know is if those 0.8mm adapted parts can be safely printed with the 0.4mm nozzle?
When I playing around, somebody mentioned how superior 0.8mm is compared to 0.4mm. It takes a quarter of the time to produce parts and the parts are much stronger due to fewer seams. When using a 0.8mm nozzle your printer need calibrating to produce the correct size parts for the nozzle. to get around this, I adjusted the size of the parts so that when printed with a 0.8mm nozzle, they came out the exact dimension. However, I now just use 0.4mm for everything and I prefer the look and fit. Many people including myself have noticed the shafts snap when people take them part the no return point and they force them back. I printed all shafts now in ABS, when they were initially printed in PLA. I have already seen your next question and would recommend you use PETG instead of ABS and PLA for the shafts. This will save you from buying an enclosure.
Hi Sarah, I have now added the PVC tube supports (Parts 1 & 2 in your STL files) to the build section of the control frame. You were completely right, I had missed this part of the build in the step by step construction. These parts can be found here:
https://www.737diysim.com/dual-737-control-frame-build-guide
Hi Sarah!
Thank you for taking the time to write such comprehensive feedback. I will try to update all the plans as I try to answer your questions. Starting with the first, I used steel which was 38mm square external. It was 3mm thick and weighed a ton! If you can get thinner, I recommend it. People have also mentioned using aluminium, but it can be difficult to weld. Too hot and it just creates holes. You probably already know this more than me!
Just went to edit the site and the details are already there for the frame. They can be found here:
https://www.737diysim.com/dual-737-control-frame-build-guide