3D printed strap cutting spacers

[RockyAussie]

This is the latest 3D project I am working on that shows the advantage of being able to print spacers for strap cutting work to the exact size width and all the same. Recently I decided to make up a 22mm width spacer for some dress belt fillers in order to not have to muck about measuring up various width spacers every time I wanted to do it. As it worked so well I decided to do myself a heap of 38mm spacers for my strap cutter as well. Previously I have had to cut pipe to length and lathe the ends up and try and get them all the same width. The side wall thickness of the pipe was a little thinner than I would have liked and with the printed version that enabled me to give plenty of side wall thickness at the blade and still allow plenty of clearance in the middle. The pictures should tell the story better than me I think -

This is the 22mm spacer as printed

These 2 pics show it in use

This picture shows all of the 38mm spacers in place and note the differance in the side wall thickness of the old as against the new one.

I have an order to do around 1200 of the 38mm width straps to do at the moment so as soon as I get through them I will let you know if any problems develop.

Merry Christmas to you all

Brian

[toxo]

I think there's some smug in there somewhere Brian and why not! You're just an awesome fabricator.

On a serious note I'm guessingthere's quite a gene pool of innovative thinkers over there stretching back to the day when the only way you were gonna get it was to make it yourself.

 

[RockyAussie]

4 hours ago, toxo said:

I think there's some smug in there somewhere Brian and why not! You're just an awesome fabricator.

On a serious note I'm guessingthere's quite a gene pool of innovative thinkers over there stretching back to the day when the only way you were gonna get it was to make it yourself.

 

Still is I reckon but as the 38mm spacers cost $1.03c au to print including the electricity cost and the fact I can be working on something else as it does it comes into it as well.

[chrisash]

Lateral thinking at its best once again Brian, well done

[kgg]

Nice job. Interested in how they standup to use.

6 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Still is I reckon but as the 38mm spacers cost $1.03c au to print

What would be the cost of the real 38 mm spacers? I bet considerably more plus wait time.

kgg

[DrmCa]

How does the side fan help printing?

[RockyAussie]

11 hours ago, kgg said:

Nice job. Interested in how they standup to use.

What would be the cost of the real 38 mm spacers? I bet considerably more plus wait time.

kgg

Last time I checked was years ago and it was cheaper for me to make them from pipe and dress them up on my lathe. In Australia some things like this can fall into the "specialist" type thing with a Fspecialist price tag. May be different in the USA/Canada? Here you go buy a colour printer for less than the cost to fill it with ink next time.

31 minutes ago, DrmCa said:

How does the side fan help printing?

With the heated bed it can take 10 or 15 minutes to cool down enough to get the print job off of the plate so the fan speeds this up to about 1 minute. I just turn it on when the bell that lets me know its finished goes off. If I was truly a bit smarter I would set it up so that the fan switched on when the bell goes off.

[kgg]

1 hour ago, RockyAussie said:

May be different in the USA/Canada? Here you go buy a colour printer for less than the cost to fill it with ink next time.

Same here when it comes to some of the printers. So we treat them like a Bic lighter and recycle to the trash heap.

kgg

[sbrownn]

On 12/19/2019 at 3:00 AM, kgg said:

Nice job. Interested in how they standup to use.

What would be the cost of the real 38 mm spacers? I bet considerably more plus wait time.

kgg

They don't have to do anything but space.  They will last forever...well until they end up in the landfill or oceans.

On 12/19/2019 at 2:20 PM, RockyAussie said:

Last time I checked was years ago and it was cheaper for me to make them from pipe and dress them up on my lathe. In Australia some things like this can fall into the "specialist" type thing with a Fspecialist price tag. May be different in the USA/Canada? Here you go buy a colour printer for less than the cost to fill it with ink next time.

With the heated bed it can take 10 or 15 minutes to cool down enough to get the print job off of the plate so the fan speeds this up to about 1 minute. I just turn it on when the bell that lets me know its finished goes off. If I was truly a bit smarter I would set it up so that the fan switched on when the bell goes off.

I can take the prints off of my bed as soon as the print is finished.  What is your bed temperature setting?

[sbrownn]

Here is a picture of the 3d printed forms I use to make a messenger bag.