Riser Feet for Alienware 13 R3

[smartroad]

So I have an Alienware 13 R3 laptop and like any gaming laptop it gets, well, warm when playing games. Using HWInfo I saw that the CPU/GPU temps easily reaching the 80C mark. If lifted the back end up (with a small block of wood at the time) the temps dropped down to around the 70-75C mark. Having a 3D printer I made some riser legs for it but while they worked, they weren't the most secure. The new version clips onto the outside edges of the vents. The final design takes advantage of being able to print using 2 materials. In this instance the main leg is PLA but the areas that clip into the laptops vent are a flexible material (FlexPLA in this instance). The reduces the stress on the vent plastic as it clips on that I could feel when I was testing using the single filament.

 

Just thought I would share if anyone is interested, I have put the design files up on Thingiverse (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2479022)

[Bananasplit_00]

Huh pretty cool. 

[kelvinhall05]

Smart.

 

 

 

@Bananasplit_00 Congrats on 10k posts.

[Bananasplit_00]

1 minute ago, kelvinhall05 said:

Smart.

 

 

 

@Bananasplit_00 Congrats on 10k posts.

Thanks, necrod the old LAN PC thread for my 10 000th post lol

[haft2doit]

Very nice.  Makes me want a 3d printer

[SlipperyPete]

2 hours ago, haft2doit said:

Very nice.  Makes me want a 3d printer

ive been trying to justify buying one for a while. used them a lot in highschool (took engineering courses) and have loved them since. they are just expensive and the money is better off being used for college

[smartroad]

2 hours ago, SlipperyPete said:

ive been trying to justify buying one for a while. used them a lot in highschool (took engineering courses) and have loved them since. they are just expensive and the money is better off being used for college

The first one I brought was actually a crowd funded machine (about the only success story I have from crowd funding!). It was a small machine that I got as a kit - a Huxley which was based off of the Prusa Mendel - so a print envelope of 140x140x80mm. I eventually started to out grow the size constraints so designed and built my own machine. One of the main things it has (other than an envelope of 200x200x180mm) is the ability to use 2 extruders. Part of the reason I built my own was in part for fun, but also it made it more manageable. It took me almost 3-4 months to get it built, using the smaller Huxley to print off the plastic parts I needed to build it. Although probably no cheaper that buying a pre-desgined kit, it spread the cost out making it much more manageable.

 

I was finally able to justify to 'the other half' when our Dyson vacuum broke the plastic connector at the top of the extension tube. Dyson wanted something like £60 for a new one! I pulled the old broken one off, used my trusty vernier caliper to measure it off, modelled it in CAD and then printed a new one for about £0.50 in plastic. I even improved the design, beefing up the plastic in the area it failed. That was some 6 years ago and it is still going strong

 

When I got my printer I got it mostly to make enclosures for my electronic projects, but I have used it for so much more. From silly little things, to cookie cutters, car phone holders, my RetroPie console, small drawers for electronic parts and nuts/bolts and Christmas ornaments!

 

If you are willing to build a machine, I saw that GearBest has one for $165 (http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_624058.html?currency=GBP&vip=760164&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8b_MBRDcARIsAKJE7lnykptAA9rDTeZDRhCvTWZtc7ydJ7zFmZ9soxMAy6wZwIxh93FNzqkaAjfMEALw_wcB) I have nothing to do with them just one I found on a quick google search

[SlipperyPete]

7 hours ago, smartroad said:

The first one I brought was actually a crowd funded machine (about the only success story I have from crowd funding!). It was a small machine that I got as a kit - a Huxley which was based off of the Prusa Mendel - so a print envelope of 140x140x80mm. I eventually started to out grow the size constraints so designed and built my own machine. One of the main things it has (other than an envelope of 200x200x180mm) is the ability to use 2 extruders. Part of the reason I built my own was in part for fun, but also it made it more manageable. It took me almost 3-4 months to get it built, using the smaller Huxley to print off the plastic parts I needed to build it. Although probably no cheaper that buying a pre-desgined kit, it spread the cost out making it much more manageable.

 

I was finally able to justify to 'the other half' when our Dyson vacuum broke the plastic connector at the top of the extension tube. Dyson wanted something like £60 for a new one! I pulled the old broken one off, used my trusty vernier caliper to measure it off, modelled it in CAD and then printed a new one for about £0.50 in plastic. I even improved the design, beefing up the plastic in the area it failed. That was some 6 years ago and it is still going strong

 

When I got my printer I got it mostly to make enclosures for my electronic projects, but I have used it for so much more. From silly little things, to cookie cutters, car phone holders, my RetroPie console, small drawers for electronic parts and nuts/bolts and Christmas ornaments!

 

If you are willing to build a machine, I saw that GearBest has one for $165 (http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_624058.html?currency=GBP&vip=760164&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8b_MBRDcARIsAKJE7lnykptAA9rDTeZDRhCvTWZtc7ydJ7zFmZ9soxMAy6wZwIxh93FNzqkaAjfMEALw_wcB) I have nothing to do with them just one I found on a quick google search

thanks i really appreciate this. i had a fellow student in the engineering program who designed his own out of 2x4s and whatnot. i was very impressed and didnt know that was a thing more people did. 165 is a very manageable price for a printer. i will seriously consider this as an option. thanks