Don't mean to bump a dead thread, but didn't wanna make my own if it's already there. I've got access to one of those Cube 3D printers and a MakerBot Replicator 2. I've tried printing a cherry R2 keycap and it turned out alright, needs a bit of filing, but I recently found out I can change the filament to be much thinner. I've also tried printing a topre keycap, but had no support and the edges turned into spaghetti. I don't have much time to tinker around with 3D files at the moment, but once I do I would want to make MX compatible sliders next. Anyone have any experience with these?
This thread shouldn't be dead imvho
Makerbot Replicators 2 are solid machines.
What do you mean by changing the filament to much thinner? This shouldn't affect your prints. What you want to change is the print head diameter, preferably to something like 0.2.
If you want to avoid spaghetti, cut the models into two parts that will print nicely and glue them together, then file.
You can also use Replicator's two heads to print support from a dissolvable plastic. for PLA use PVA, for ABS use HIPS.
PVA dissolves in water, HIPS in Limonene.
That's overkill in most cases, though.
As for 3d printing keycaps: you need calipers, some 3d software, patience and time. Print, make amends to the model, print again. FFF printers tend to mess up the dimensions on a submilimeter scale, there are several factors that stack up on each other:
- calibration
- imperfections in the filament
- plastic properties (flow, shrinkage)
- approximations in the slicer software
- oscillation from mechanical parts
etc.
From my experience slicers mess up the most, both commercial and opensource. Stick to one slicer, get to know it, you'll do fine.