I would. I used CAD geometry directly and didn’t check to see if it is symmetrical.
Thanks for designing these! I installed some of the PVC version during our field element build session today. The parts are a very tight fit requiring no glue, which is great, but we found they were potentially too tight. Ended up sanding them down a bit, which worked well.
I made a modified part that has a chamfer up to about halfway up the pvc interface, hopefully it will make them easier to install. Either way, they look great!!
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Yeah, that is the trouble with 3D printed parts. Variance from machine-to-machine and even between different materials on the same machine can easily change a nice slip fit into either a sloppy mess or an impossible interference fit. That is why I always try to provide the CAD along with the STLs so that adjustments can be made to fit everyone’s needs. I hope they work well for you.
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Ah this was on a Bambu X1C with ABS, same settings you recommended above. But yeah I suppose even different printers of the same brand can have variances.
The T-connectors were pretty straightforward, but the curved pieces did not have a good way to hammer in. If I have time I may try to come up with a jig that would make it easier to mallet
We “thickened” the PVC interface pieces by -0.005" (in radius) which turned them from quite difficult to still tight but just about perfect. We tip the hat for the time-savings that your work represented for us.
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I made essentially the same replacement with PVC and 3D printed parts. I made it available here as a public document on Onshape. I created a variable for the insert diameter to make it easier to change. I removed a little material from the extrusion profile to allow for any elephant foot (which can also be deburred) and the top layer can make insertion more difficult. Here are a some suggestions to make printing and assembling these a little easier.
- Print several endcaps with different diameters to find the one that works best with your printer and filament. Either can make a difference with you final dimensions.
- Swab the PVC pipe interior with PVC pipe cement before inserting. This softens the PVC and makes it a little easier to insert. It also creates a very strong bond if you print the parts out of ABS.
- Another version of the pipe cement bonds to PVC and ABS. It is a little more expensive so I have been “sticking” with the standard PVC cement.
- To create a line for drilling the mounting holes on the PVC pipe, lay the finished assembly on a flat surface and drag the edge of a metal square along the pipe. Now mark the correct distance up the bottom of the assembly.
- Use these same holes to hang the pipe upside-down for painting.
- Split all parts to create to symmetric haves in your slicer.
I have been sliding one half of a connector in then the other. I found it a little easier to get one piece wedged in than two at once. I have not tried inserting both since I added the chamfers so that may not be an issue now.
If you have any suggestions, you can post them here with a reply. I would also appreciate a direct message if you find an error. All dimensions should be within 0.02 inches.
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It’s not just printer difference but also difference in the pipe itself. Pipe form two different manufacturers or even batches can vary in size enough to make a difference.
My team printed these and they work perfectly. We ended up using a file for some of the PVC and added painters tape onto some of the other fittings to dial in the correct tolerance. No glue was required and was a fairly simple assembly.