How to Create a Basic 3D Solar Printer

Materials: Boards of 2”x4”x8’ Wood, Powered Screw Driver and Screws 2” long, 50 lb., Cut the 9 boards, measured at 2”x4”x8’, into the following parameters: 2 Boards at 8’ ( Not cuts required ), 2 Boards at 6’, 4 Boards at 5’6”, and 1 Board into two...

31 Steps 2 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Materials: Boards of 2”x4”x8’ Wood

    Bag of Sand, 1/2 Thread bolts
    2.5” inches long, Bolt Spacers,Intense Sunlight, One open box with dimensions approximately 24”x24”x8”, Framed Spot Fresnel Lens 24”x24”, Fire extinguisher (Optional), and Possible friend for help.
  2. Step 2: Powered Screw Driver and Screws 2” long

    ,, (Note: the 8’ board will be the base of our structure and the 6’ will be the vertical beam.) , Then screw them in using 2 screws for each point of contact on the base and only one screw each into the vertical board. ,, This should result in both support structures to be parallel.

    With the second 2’8” board screw it to the posterior end of the two supports. , Drill a hole in the inside of the vertical boards, with thickness articulating to the bolt width and about 1” deep.

    These will act as grooves for our 1/2 threaded bolts. , If your lens differs in size, that’s okay just find the midpoint to it’s easy to balance. , Use Spacers to get the Fresnel Lens a taught feel, but not too taught that it’s fully immobilized. , With the open end facing up fill it with sand until about 2” covers the bottom. , To find the focal point have the face of the lens directly face the sun. (Note:
    Temperatures at the focal point can exceed 1600 degrees Celsius on a clear day). , If melting is taking place then we have prime conditions and can move forward. , Carefully move the box slowly to disperse the focal point into a design for the first layer. , Layers of sand should be added at about 1/8” per level.

    By sprinkling the sand is small stages this will allow for more preciseness of the levels of melted silicon(sand) on top of itself. , Center most of your first layers into a covered circle, and having following layers increased to rings that steadily have increasing diameters as the layers increase.

    Note:
    Contrary to the picture examples ( they act as a guideline) it’s generally a good idea to do a minimum of 15 layers for a bowl. , Wash it off with water.

    Add milk and cereal.

    ENJOY your new easy to make cereal bowl with sun power!
  3. Step 3: 50 lb.

  4. Step 4: Cut the 9 boards

  5. Step 5: measured at 2”x4”x8’

  6. Step 6: into the following parameters: 2 Boards at 8’ ( Not cuts required )

  7. Step 7: 2 Boards at 6’

  8. Step 8: 4 Boards at 5’6”

  9. Step 9: and 1 Board into two 2’8’’ pieces.

  10. Step 10: Take the 4 boards at 5’6” and cut 45 degree angles on each ends

  11. Step 11: so that the cuts are not parallel.

  12. Step 12: Find the midpoint of a 8’ board

  13. Step 13: mark it

  14. Step 14: and line up with a 6’ board’s 2x4 area so that it makes a flush ’T.’ Screw two screws going from the 8’ board into the 6’ board.

  15. Step 15: Take two of the newly cut boards

  16. Step 16: with the 45 degree angles and place them so that the touch connect with the base and vertical boards simultaneously.

  17. Step 17: Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the other half of the wood to have two identical support structures.

  18. Step 18: Using the one 2’8” boards

  19. Step 19: screw one perpendicular anterior to the base just below the 45 degree angle board

  20. Step 20: and with the other end of the 2’8” board attach it to the second structure created in step 5.

  21. Step 21: Measure 5 feet up on both vertical boards.

  22. Step 22: Drill a hole on both sides of the Fresnel Lens frame at the midpoint which should be at the 12” mark on a 24”x24” lens.

  23. Step 23: Using the 1/2 threaded bolts feed them through the Fresnel Lens frame and into the vertical supports we made in steps 1 - 5.

  24. Step 24: Acquire an open ended box.

  25. Step 25: Use your balance Fresnel Lens and find the focal point of the sun.

  26. Step 26: Use the focal point and direct the sunlight towards the sand in the box

  27. Step 27: monitoring for any melting taking place.

  28. Step 28: While you have the focal point secured.

  29. Step 29: Add layers of sand steadily to deduce a 3-D structure as you please.

  30. Step 30: To create a bowl.

  31. Step 31: Let bowl cool off.

Detailed Guide

Bag of Sand, 1/2 Thread bolts
2.5” inches long, Bolt Spacers,Intense Sunlight, One open box with dimensions approximately 24”x24”x8”, Framed Spot Fresnel Lens 24”x24”, Fire extinguisher (Optional), and Possible friend for help.

,, (Note: the 8’ board will be the base of our structure and the 6’ will be the vertical beam.) , Then screw them in using 2 screws for each point of contact on the base and only one screw each into the vertical board. ,, This should result in both support structures to be parallel.

With the second 2’8” board screw it to the posterior end of the two supports. , Drill a hole in the inside of the vertical boards, with thickness articulating to the bolt width and about 1” deep.

These will act as grooves for our 1/2 threaded bolts. , If your lens differs in size, that’s okay just find the midpoint to it’s easy to balance. , Use Spacers to get the Fresnel Lens a taught feel, but not too taught that it’s fully immobilized. , With the open end facing up fill it with sand until about 2” covers the bottom. , To find the focal point have the face of the lens directly face the sun. (Note:
Temperatures at the focal point can exceed 1600 degrees Celsius on a clear day). , If melting is taking place then we have prime conditions and can move forward. , Carefully move the box slowly to disperse the focal point into a design for the first layer. , Layers of sand should be added at about 1/8” per level.

By sprinkling the sand is small stages this will allow for more preciseness of the levels of melted silicon(sand) on top of itself. , Center most of your first layers into a covered circle, and having following layers increased to rings that steadily have increasing diameters as the layers increase.

Note:
Contrary to the picture examples ( they act as a guideline) it’s generally a good idea to do a minimum of 15 layers for a bowl. , Wash it off with water.

Add milk and cereal.

ENJOY your new easy to make cereal bowl with sun power!

About the Author

T

Tyler Rodriguez

Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.

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