Old media - could it be 3D-printed ?

[NormanDunbar]

I'm not a 3D printing expert, nor do I play one on TV, but I suspect that a decent printer with proper slicing/infill/whatever is settings and a good layer height and speed, probably could lay down a decent structure.

Something like an Ender 3 maybe? Resin printers are probably better but the resin is pretty nasty I'm told.

The problem with, day, an MDV casing (the bit holding the tape) would be his smooth it could be made internally to avoid catching/wearing the tape. For just the outer case than as long as the inner fits and stays, probably anything goes.

By the way, if anyone has a spare Ender 3 they don't need/want I'm open to adopt!

Cheers,
Norman.

[bwinkel67]

I think for MDV's it would be simpler to just create a small mold and create the parts that way. Doing molds isn't that difficult, just requires a bit of hand labor. I had planned to create a mold of the QL case (bought top and bottom on eBay for that purpose) but COVID has interrupted that since I can't get to my school's lab to do the work...maybe next winter or summer break.

[Pr0f]

There are some good youtube videos on 'smoothing' using pla for instance - using acetone fumes with the printed article suspended - that should help with the case internals.