7.4 KiB
contact printer
A desktop 16mm contact printer and film transport platform made using 3D printing and aluminum extrusion.
NOTE: This is a work in progress. Build instructions and whitepaper to follow.
This contact printer is designed to make 16mm prints using affordable electronics and 3D printing. It is not intended as a replacement for professional printers like the Bell & Howell Model C. This project is for DIY filmmakers, independent artists and small film labs to have a machine that can produce reasonable-quality work prints with a small footprint on short lengths of film easily.
This is intended to be a modular printer. As of now there is only a single lamp design that uses standard white 5mm LEDs.
Examples
Contact the first print made on the prototype during a residency at Filmwerkplaats. Soundtrack applied by the opt_snd soundtrack recorder system by Hrvoje Spudić.
Print Counts
Here is a table of all the parts and how many of them to print to make a single contact printer.
| Part | Print Count | Download |
|---|---|---|
| daylight spool insert reinforced nut | 4 | STL |
| slip coupling | 4 | STL |
| magnetic coupling | 2 | STL |
| knob | 14 | STL |
| lamp LEDs | 1 | STL |
| sprocketed roller invert solid | 1 | STL |
| corner foot | 8 | STL |
| feed panel motor mount | 2 | STL |
| feed panel stock | 1 | STL |
| feed panel picture | 1 | STL |
| takeup panel stock motor mount | 1 | STL |
| takeup panel stock | 1 | STL |
| takeup panel picture motor mount | 1 | STL |
| takeup panel picture | 1 | STL |
| panel | 1 | STL |
| lamp cover | 1 | STL |
| lamp single | 1 | STL |
| picture gate sound | 1 | STL |
| picture gate super16 | 1 | STL |
| picture gate full | 1 | STL |
| picture gate standard | 1 | STL |
| gate carrier | 1 | STL |
| idle roller b | 4 | STL |
| idle roller half a | 4 | STL |
Bill of Materials
Below are estimates based on per-unit costs found online. Actual price of a full build may be higher.
| Part | Qty | Cost (USD) | Minumum |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4 hex nut | 20 | $0.67 | 300 for $9.99 |
| M4 hex bolt 50mm | 4 | $2.68 | 10 for $6.69 |
| M4 hex bolt 35mm | 6 | $3.72 | 10 for $6.19 |
| M4 hex bolt 25mm | 10 | $1.84 | 50 for $9.19 |
| M3 sliding t slot nut | 72 | $4.11 | 105 for $5.99 |
| M3 hex cap bolt 8mm | 80 | $7.20 | 100 for $8.99 |
| M3 hex cap bolt 6mm | 8 | $0.59 | 100 for $7.26 |
| M3 hex cap bolt 12mm | 1 | $0.09 | 100 for $8.36 |
| L298N Motor driver module | 1 | $2.88 | 4 for $11.49 |
| ESP32 GPIO breakout board | 1 | $6.00 | 2 for $11.99 |
| ESP32 Dev board | 1 | $6.67 | 3 for $19.99 |
| 608-RS Ball Bearing | 1 | $0.18 | 100 for $17.79 |
| 5mm White LED | 6 | $0.36 | 100 for $5.99 |
| 250RPM DC geared motor | 2 | $29.98 | 1 for $14.99 |
| 220 Ohm Resistor | 6 | $0.36 | 100 for $5.99 |
| 2020 Aluminum extrusion mm | 1880 | $11.41 | 12200 for $73.99 |
| 100RPM DC geared motor with encoder | 1 | $16.19 | 1 for $16.19 |
| --------- | ------ | -------- | --------- |
| TOTAL | 2100 | $94.93 | $241.07 |
Acknowledgements
Developed with support from Filmwerkplaats at WORM and SPECTRAL. Read the report from the residency provided by Filmwerkplaats. Report as PDF.
Special thanks to Esther Urlus, Hrvoje Spudić and Nan Wang.
Magnetic clutch design inspired by Clyde Shaffer's Shaffer Linear Processor.