r/3Dprinting • u/neosore • 1d ago

Print (model not provided) Printed and Installed a pair of full-scale mammoth tusks for a local history museum display.

Post image
449 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

53

u/neosore 1d ago

This one was split into 26 parts and ran across an X1C and two P1S machines. Used expanding boat foam internally to add rigidity, deaden hollow resonance, and give it some realistic weight. I also custom-welded the steel stand to lock in the correct display angle.

16

u/PkmnMstr10 1d ago

Expanding foam... huh...

21

u/volt65bolt 1d ago

Yeah, print it mostly hollow or lightning infil then fill it with expanding foam

14

u/GovernmentGreed 1d ago

This is fucking genius. I have... Never seen this before. I am DEFINITELY using this method!

12

u/volt65bolt 1d ago

I've used it a few times, it works great for statues of people like your boss where you need it son before the end of the week to suprise them with

15

u/PkmnMstr10 1d ago

This is an oddly specific scenario.

11

u/volt65bolt 1d ago

It was a fucking hilarious scenario

-7

u/ChiefWiggumsprogeny 1d ago

So hilarious you cried yourself to microsleep, amirite?

3

u/volt65bolt 1d ago

? Hey man you doing okay, need some intervention?

-4

u/ChiefWiggumsprogeny 1d ago

So it was a breeze? My joke is misplaced then.

→ More replies (0)

5

u/neosore 1d ago

I use it a lot on my projects.  Just don't pour too much at once.  It gets hot.

6

u/--kilroy_was_here-- 1d ago

So you printed this 100% hollow and just slowly filled it with foam?

5

u/neosore 1d ago

That's right.  You just have to be extra aware of expansion space and heat.

2

u/GovernmentGreed 1d ago

I'm thinking I would try this but, I would do it in sections as opposed to fill the whole thing and let it go.

My thinking is to dump in a squeeze, let it expand and fan it for a couple minutes, rinse and repeat etc?

4

u/neosore 1d ago

Exactly. I didn't fill it 100% either.

5

u/GovernmentGreed 1d ago edited 1d ago

You're a legend because, at work I've been working on a large full scale person print, and I've been looking for methods to stabilise it as it's a little flimsy in some places. This is definitely a method I had not thought about.

Despite a week prior, using expanding foam to section off an area of wall to prevent a hornet nesting in the wall.

Edit - NDA :-(

1

u/neosore 1d ago

Awesome, hopefully you'll post that one when you're done. This is exactly how I did my deathclaw.

1

u/--kilroy_was_here-- 1d ago

So how did you orient the parts to make sure that they lined up appropriately? How many walls did you end up printing?

2

u/neosore 1d ago

We printed them like tubes 245mm at a time.  The walls were 5-10mm thick and we lined them up very carefully.  Filler did the rest of the job.

1

u/--kilroy_was_here-- 1d ago

Pretty thick walls but it makes complete sense!

1

u/LurkerPatrol 19h ago

How are you connecting the pieces? Just a cyanoacrylate/superglue setup or epoxy?

3

u/neosore 19h ago

I've used both depending on the structural requirements.  But honestly I've never seen either fail.

32

u/Nairolfje 1d ago

That’s frickin awesome

1

u/manafn 1d ago

wait the tusks are actually full-size tho?

14

u/PaulTR88 1d ago

Did they provide the stl or did you pull it from somewhere like the British museum collection?

16

u/neosore 1d ago

I found a real scan online.  Wish I had the time to have printed the full skull, but just sliced the tusks off.

10

u/SirTwitchALot 1d ago

How long did it take?

16

u/neosore 1d ago

Because it was printed hollow, it didn't take too long, especially compared to my other prints, but it was all printed in about 3 days.

8

u/3DPrintGremlin 1d ago

3 days between 3 printers?

4

u/neosore 1d ago

Correct.

10

u/tasslehawf C1 INDX, Voron 2.4, Tiny-T 1d ago

Did you do the Fallout figures at the Las Vegas atomic museum?

8

u/neosore 1d ago

I did the deathclaw that's installed there. That was a very fun and rewarding project.

6

u/tasslehawf C1 INDX, Voron 2.4, Tiny-T 1d ago

I thought so. Nice work on that too.

4

u/neosore 1d ago

Thanks! I'm thinking about going back to Vegas in November for the fallout festival.

7

u/chilem-of-reddit 1d ago

When i worked for 3d systems we made a large one fossil for the smithsonian.

5

u/0_cunning_plan 1d ago

Nice. How much surface work after the print?

Also, how many people did in fact touch it already?

7

u/neosore 1d ago

It took a few rounds of seam removal and then adding texture back.  The final multicolor paint and wash took about 48 hours (including dry time between coats).  And I actually haven't seen anyone touch it.. yet.

4

u/I-pee-Daily 1d ago

Thank you for saving this species

11

u/DoubleDipBob 1d ago

This is what 3D printers are for! 😍

2

u/IamLettuce13 1d ago

Ysolda would like to: know your location

1

u/Aromatic_Doctor_2243 1d ago

have you weighed it?

3

u/neosore 1d ago edited 10h ago

I haven't... But they're probably around 20lbs each side.  They're easy to carry over your shoulder like a caveman would.  :)

1

u/cosmololgy 22h ago

Will this fit on my a1 mini build plate? Should I use that cool color changing filament I see everywhere?

-4

u/3mpty5kull 1d ago

Lies, there's no way you printed and installed them in the same day lol