It’s heavier than the glowforge

I did get asked to print something for the hospital actually. Ironically not a “medical device” was in critical need. Which were iPad stands that could be autoclaved as we use them for telemedicine in the COVID testing area with the patients, so the docs in the ER can talk with them (particularly with a translator). Those are being SLA printed (no layer lines to trap particles) on my Form 3 in Tough 1500… They wanted to just order metal ones but all the ones on amazon were reporting many weeks of ship delay.

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I was surprised to see our hospitals even considering that. Hartford Hospital has made it an official part of their plan :man_shrugging: I wouldn’t have believed a device that is designed & built to have one set of lungs on the other end would be able to handle two sets. Manual (ambu-bag) ventilation would be a PITA to staff 24x7 but at least it’s using the device as designed.

That’s the discussion I’m having with the E.R at UCONN Med Center - the “it’s better than nothing” of using a hard plastic or resin mask is the current thinking. But I’m not comfortable with that because of the potential for a false sense of security. I’m only doing it for them with biocompatible/surgical grade resin and a flexible seal (like siloxane). They’re getting FDM ones from other makers using PETG or ABS filament. I don’t know whether I’m being too stubborn about it or not and maybe the lower efficacy of these “made” masks is being accounted for in the planning but it gives me the willies.

Thank you for spelling this out. I’ve been seeing multitudes of posts like this and thinking the medical facilities will not use them. I wonder how many people bring stuff in to hospitals only to have them thanked for their effort, taking the items and setting them aside to be quietly disposed of later.

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Yeah wouldn’t want something with layer lines that I was breathing on (nothing like a great culture media for staph and strep (those classics can still kill you!) from your mouth…

Most of the folks I know doing this are working with the hospitals so they’re delivering what the hospital is asking for. I just think there’s a lot of panic “planning” going on and a “better than nothing” attitude. I’m okay with that on a personal basis for instance when running my plasma cutter (I’m not willing to shave my beard for an approved respirator fit :slightly_smiling_face:) but I’m only exposing myself to nuisance dust & not a contagious pathogen.

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Yeah, finally found the right bolts and t-slot nuts.and used my magnetic indicator arm to dial it in. After facing a work piece yesterday with a face mill, realized I need to use my tramming rig to get exactly square

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If you do not want to dial in your vice each time you put it on the table you can key it to your T-slots. Then you can move it around without needing to dial it in every time. It is not difficult to do.

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If I find I am frequently taking it on and off, I will get a fixture plate (the SMW plates for the 440 are nice and factory supported). I hope I won’t need to given the carvesmart jaws I shouldn’t need to remove the vice frequently…

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Yes. fixture plate is great. I can see that you have a good mindset toward setups. Does the Tormach have good Z axis travel? For fixture plate.

I mean for its size, yes. Compared to the bigger Tormach models it has less (my z-limit was my basement ceiling, the 770mx and 1100mx have drag chains that stick up way into my ceiling…

Right, yes you have it in the basement. Have fun with it & keep us updated. :smiley:

I thought I was in better shape as we put in a drop ceiling, but there is a HVaC return 1/2” above the tile right above the mill, so no way to get more height. I probably could have gotten a 770mx there, but it would have had like maybe 1/2” leeway, and crashing your z-column into the duct seemed like a terrible idea.

But the 770 has WAAAAAAY better coolant seals (like real rubber seals on the windows)

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I’ll check out the Tormach line. I have a manual mill in my garage, but I did convert the 12 X 36 lathe that I bought from my Dad to CNC. Running Mach3 Lathe on that & upgrade to 3 hp. motor on a frequency drive. Think Tim Allen - Home Improvement. LOL

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They’re great. Even Titan has a 770mx. the Mx are the machines to get (servo drive, not steppers). I have a full flood coolant (mine is custom) and the ATC (tool changer) and the electronic probing (I’ve only used the Haimer so far). The conversational mode is great for quick projects (I need a quick 2” pocket). And it can mill legit stuff. titan just showed cutting hasteloy on it last week! I’m working on ups killing myself to 316L stainless which my research will need. so far just 6061 and 7075 (well not counting my misadventures in the class when I cut the hardened steel :crazy_face:)

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Yes, servos are the only way to fly. On my lathe conversion I started out by just direct mounting steppers to my carriage hand wheel shaft & cross slide screw - so steppers plus backlash. I ran that for a while and then bit the bullet for zero backlash NSK ballscrews and DMM servos. Faster, no backlash and no missed steps!
Are you doing research for medical stuff that requires machining Stainless Steel?

Yes, we are doing custom orthopedic fracture repair plates using Materialize’s Mimics software using CT scans (we already make bespoke surgical drill guides Which are SLA printed using a form 3)

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Thank you very much. That is good to know as the patient normally never would understand those details. I am using a nebulizer 3 or 4 times on a good day, and passed my 73d birthday a few months back. Just being in a hospital visiting a friend locked up my lungs from their cleaning solutions and my foolish attempt to go to the emergency room was an object lesson I will not soon forget. So I am quite concerned about the probabilities in the next year.

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And here is my secondary flood coolant filter under the 3D printed nozzle. All those chips got through the built in strainer (and now didn’t get pumped back through!)

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I’ve seen a fair number of the 770s available used but almost nothing for used 440s. Then you have to decide if a used 770 is better than a new 440 because the price tends to be in the same ballpark. :slightly_smiling_face: