Stormrider with offset LDC

[naptemp]

This LDC is extremely quiet.
It can definitely be used for higher power PCPs (Bandit, Stormrider, etc).

I will print another one for my Diana Bandit as soon as I can remove the factory moderator.
I have been trying to remove that factory moderator for a long time (using a heat gun, etc).
I only managed to scratch the factory moderator.
Those SPA factory workers surely like to glue their moderators.

[subscriber]

Thanks, John

All is well, as long as it performs as expected

[avator]

I wonder if you guys might have better luck if you just chase the threads with the proper size tap?

[subscriber]

I wonder if you guys might have better luck if you just chase the threads with the proper size tap?

Absolutely, yes.  The trick here is that there is a mounting shoulder directly ahead of the thread, so a bottoming tap will also be required on top of a "plug" tap.  If one made a bunch of these printed parts for sale, the cost of a tap set would be justified.

If the barrel had a shoulder behind the thread, that would be conventional and preferred.  Instead, the front sight base is pressed on, and it seems is too uneven to act at the mounting shoulder.

[Back_Roads]

 If one has to use a tap might as well make the suppressor out of metal

[avator]

I just think a tap would sharpen up the threads that are already there.

[naptemp]

To get threads to print well I print just the threaded part at a a scale of 100%, 101%, etc until I get a good fit.
I printed many LDCs this way.

[subscriber]

Bill,

Chasing a printed threads with a tap will produce a more uniform  and stronger thread, if the part is deliberately printed tight with extra material to remove.  The extra strength is not always needed, but a side benefit is that the thread won't get much looser from screwing on and off multiple times.

John, what print resolution are you using for these parts?

[naptemp]

Bill,

Chasing a printed threads with a tap will produce a more uniform  and stronger thread, if the part is deliberately printed tight with extra material to remove.  The extra strength is not always needed, but a side benefit is that the thread won't get much looser from screwing on and off multiple times.

John, what print resolution are you using for these parts?

I am using 0.2 mm height, 0.4mm width.
I don't have a tap and so far I have printed a variety of threaded LDCs.

I just realized that the last (second) printed LDC (V3B, X and Y at 101%) is also a little loose.
I am reprinting it, after I figure out which version and at what scale.

[subscriber]

John,

You could print at 100.5%   

Many people have more success printing threads at 0.12 mm resolution.

Forum member TorqueMaster has a slicer that lets him print just the threaded portion of parts at higher resolution, while the rest of the part is printed at 0.2 mm, for speed.  My CAD designs are tuned for his printer, slicer, settings and material.  Your mileage may vary.

[naptemp]

John,

You could print at 100.5%   

Many people have more success printing threads at 0.12 mm resolution.

Forum member TorqueMaster has a slicer that lets him print just the threaded portion of parts at higher resolution, while the rest of the part is printed at 0.2 mm, for speed.  My CAD designs are tuned for his printer, slicer, settings and material.  Your mileage may vary.

I need to talk to TorqueMaster to see what slicer he uses.

[naptemp]

John,

You could print at 100.5%   

Many people have more success printing threads at 0.12 mm resolution.

Forum member TorqueMaster has a slicer that lets him print just the threaded portion of parts at higher resolution, while the rest of the part is printed at 0.2 mm, for speed.  My CAD designs are tuned for his printer, slicer, settings and material.  Your mileage may vary.

I have printed some very tight fitting moderators that I had to force on the threaded barrel.
Basically the barrel thread acted as a tap.
I might have to do this here too.

[TorqueMaster]

John,

You could print at 100.5%   

Many people have more success printing threads at 0.12 mm resolution.

Forum member TorqueMaster has a slicer that lets him print just the threaded portion of parts at higher resolution, while the rest of the part is printed at 0.2 mm, for speed.  My CAD designs are tuned for his printer, slicer, settings and material.  Your mileage may vary.

I need to talk to TorqueMaster to see what slicer he uses.

I agree with sub, try 100.5% on your test threads, and tweak it more from there if needed.

I'm using Ultimaker Cura 5.4 at the moment, they are up to 5.7 I think.
In the "experimental" settings, they offer settings for "adaptive layers."  Between those settings, and your chosen layer height, it varies the layer height (thicker or thinner) as it deems needed to follow the Z-contours of the object being printed.  Basically, if there is more extreme overhang, it uses thinner layers, and if there is little-to-no overhangs it starts printing thicker layers.

The feature does what it needs to, allows most of a moderator to be printed with normal or thick layers, but uses thinner layers to print the threads.

I've stopped using it for now -- I'm using a fixed layer height with wide print lines -- on a 0.5 nozzle averaging about 3:1 (0.60 lines with 0.20 layers or 0.72 lines and 0.24 layers)  and adjusting print speed to get a flow rate I like.   The 3:1 ratio works well for everything, threads included.  Bob Sterne has a thread in the printing area about strength of prints and what he has found experimentally that seems to work best.

Tiny 1.0mm pitch threads I would not recommend printing with any thicker layers than 0.20, approximately 5 layers per "tooth."  Thinner layers will hold more true to the designed thread contours.

[subscriber]

Thanks for the update, Bob.

[naptemp]

Today I have printed just the threaded part (about 1 hour each) for V1, V2 and V3.
V2 was the closest, so I decided to go with that.

I decided to print at 100% and not more since my previous 2 trials were too loose.

I am now printing the V2 version at 0.15mm height and 0.3mm width.
It will take about 11 hours, which is about 4 hours more than the 0.2mm height and 0.4 mm width.

The unthreaded LDC part has the most clearance issues.
I will grind the interior of the unthreaded part a small amount.

[WhatUPSbox?]

For chasing threads in plastic, If I don't have the right tap, I Dremel cut several longitudinal grooves on a bolt and use that. Works well to clean out 3D printing artifacts.

[subscriber]

Thanks for the improvised tap idea, Stan.

[naptemp]

Good news!

I printed V2 at 100% with a  resolution of 0.15mm height and 0.3mm width.
The thread fits very well, with no play/wobble.

The unthreaded part still gave me clearance issues, but I used a file for that.

It only took 300 grams of filament, 2 failed entire moderators (too loose) and another 7-8 prints only of the threaded part.
This was my mistake, not realizing that the clearance issues is on the unthreaded part and dealing with that.

Thank you subscriber.
The moderator is very quiet.

[subscriber]

Glad you found a working solution, John

[naptemp]

For chasing threads in plastic, If I don't have the right tap, I Dremel cut several longitudinal grooves on a bolt and use that. Works well to clean out 3D printing artifacts.

Why do you need the grooves in the steel bolts?