The Versatile Frag Plug Project.

spinycheek

Featured Sponsors
Featured Sponsor
I finally made a DIY 3D printable disc. I had to adjust quite a few things to account for the imperfections inherent in FDM printers, but the results are pretty cool. The surface texture is actually designed as a grid pattern on the CAD file, but it's meant to use the printer's bridging artefacts to get the course, textured surface where the glue/coral attaches.



 

SynDen

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
M.A.S.C President
M.A.S.C Webmaster
Yet one more reason for me to invest in a printer. Very nice.
 

SynDen

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
M.A.S.C President
M.A.S.C Webmaster
Those look great, very natural looking. What's your process for these like?
 

spinycheek

Featured Sponsors
Featured Sponsor
SynDen;n664310 said:
Those look great, very natural looking. What's your process for these like?
Thanks!

It takes about a week from start to finish, I have to blend colors to get the clay the right color then they're shaped and textured by hand. Dry for a day, Add more coloring, dry again. Fire them which takes about a day. Once they're cool, I clean them up with water and a toothbrush.

Then I print the threads and glue them into the bottom of the ceramic mounts. Let that cure for a day. Then they're finally done.



I started off using molds, but I couldn't get the concave underside the way I wanted it, which I've found to be really nice for conforming to live rock, because they wrap around it and don't stick out so bad.
 
Do you have any pictures of frags encrusted on your plugs? I'm curious about how fast they encrust compared to ceramic frag plugs, and how securely the frags stay attached once they encrust.
 

spinycheek

Featured Sponsors
Featured Sponsor
I don't have any encrusted pics, but I'm working on it. The plastic ones are made of the same stuff ORA plugs are made of, so growth should be similar.
 

spinycheek

Featured Sponsors
Featured Sponsor
Fitz19d;n667296 said:
Have a booth at reef stock by chance?

Still love that 3d octo you sent with samples. Need to get it painted and mounted.
I won't have a table, but Nick with Ambrosio Aquatics will have my stuff including the ceramic ones. Hopefully I will have time to stop by, but I may not make it.

Glad you like the octo! If I can, I try to throw something fun into my orders.
 

Tango

Bat Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
Man those glue less plugs look nice may have to order those when they come out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

SynDen

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
M.A.S.C President
M.A.S.C Webmaster
Tango;n669799 said:
Man those glue less plugs look nice may have to order those when they come out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You getting back in?
 

Tango

Bat Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
SynDen;669817 said:
You getting back in?
Yeah just started a biocube want to get some coral in it probably gonna get a frag tank going and the wife wants a predator tank


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top