Show & Tell: 3-D printed corner supports for sewing table

[Uwe]

I finally got a 3-D printer (Cetus 3D) a few weeks ago and I'm starting to make a few useful things. 

Today I printed corner support inserts that were missing from a used table top. It worked out quite nicely and the inserts fit perfectly. I designed the part in Fusion 360 and printed it using a hard plastic material. You can also print with flexible, rubber-like plastic filament to closely match the vibration damping properties of the original rubber parts. Printing took about one hour for each part. Not exactly fast, but way faster than ordering something online.

I uploaded the design to GrabCad in case anybody wants to experiment with it: https://grabcad.com/library/corner-support-sewing-table-1

I'm rather excited about the possibilities this cheap at-home 3-D printing makes accessible. 

Here are a few pictures:

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by Uwe

[RockyAussie]

Well done Uwe and welcome to the 3d printing world. I know I'm going to see a bigger fancier printer in your workshop pretty soon.

[Constabulary]

nice idea - how long does it take to print a corner thingy? Printing Blue Guns could be an idea too.

[dikman]

Thanks for making the files available Uwe, I'll add them to my collection. The "standard" PLA filament used in home printing is surprisingly strong.

Edit: I had to join to download them. Is there a reason you put them there and not Thingyverse (which is where most seem to post 3D files)?

Edited April 19, 2018 by dikman

[koreric75]

That is awesome!  I've been really wanting to add a 3d printer to my workshop, as well as a laser cutter/engraver, oh and a cnc for wood and metal...lol.  I just need to hit the lottery now and seal the deal.  I will check out fusion 360, I've been playing with artcam free version to design cutouts for cnc (for when i eventually get one) figured since it's free i can work in that and learn how to build the designs well before getting the machines so i don't waste too much material in the beginning.

For the corner piece do you think you could've used a piece of wood and a router bit to get the same?  I'm curious about the accuracy for the 3d printer vs this method,  also if you were to fudge one of the measurements slightly have you tried tooling the finished product, i.e. sanding, routing, cutting etc?  

[Uwe]

Material cost of the PLA filament was about $1 per part. Flexible rubber-like filament would cost about $4 per part and requires a heated base plate.

@koreric75 Fusion 360 is a great industrial strength CAD program that you can use for free as a hobbyist or small business. It's a very powerful system with lots of features, but the learning curve is steep and long. You can sand, file, saw, drill and Dremel these parts like most plastics - if you go very slowly. Friction heat will melt the plastic again and gum up the tools. Machinability also depends how dense/solid you print the part - the inside can be nearly solid, or just a light, hollow lattice support structure.) These corner supports are almost solid plastic to make them strong. I had to file the first corner support a little because the outer radius wasn't quite right. I then adjusted the CAD model and the second part slid right in place. For this particular part, a wooden piece made with a router would have accomplished the same thing.

@dikman GrabCAD is just the first CAD community I connected with. I had downloaded a few other sewing related models there and John Saunders of NYC-CNC had mentioned it on several occasions. I'll have to check out Thingyverse, too.

@Constabulary It took about an hour to print per thingy. I'm not into guns but, yes, you can print mold dies for making various wet molded leather gear. 

@RockyAussie I'd have to sell quite few more sewing machines to make room and money for a bigger 3d printer, the next step up is ten times more expensive. I'll be busy making small parts for a while.

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by Uwe

[dikman]

Thingyverse has a huge amount of stuff posted there! Now all you need to make are the Singer-type corner pieces and you should have all the bases covered.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Very nice, good job.

[DonInReno]

That's the coolest thing I've seen all week!  

[suzelle]

Uwe,

This is very exciting! I've been following this technology since it first came out, but can't make the investment myself in this type of printer right now. I've got wide format printing equipment and make banners and such, I don't have the Customer base for that type of product (yet). It's so Jetsons though!  : )

I don't think I'd ever eat 3-D printed food, lol. However, for machine and car parts, very cool!

This is weird stuff:

https://www.cnn.com/2014/11/06/tech/innovation/foodini-machine-print-food/index.html

Edited April 22, 2018 by suzelle
adding link for 3D food printer