JD™ Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Howdy all. Cheeky request, not expecting anyone to actually be able to spare the time to help, but figured I'm not in a rush so I might as well try. I'm building myself a home bar, because alcoholic. I've just bought some taps, and was about to buy some handles when I thought I'd like to do something a little different to the ones I've seen. I needed to number the taps anyway, so that I can put a board up somewhere showing what beer is on what tap, so I figured I could incorporate it into the handle. I have access to a MakerBot ZX1 3D printer, so I'm going to print them. What I want is four handles with the number incorporated like this shoddy example: The idea being that it would look like the white area had been cut out of a normal handle. The number would be shaped so that from the top and side the handle followed the normal shape. I have no experience with any 3D modelling, so I thought I'd see if anyone else fancies helping out before I try to learn that and frustrating myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete.M Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 (edited) Not perfect. Have you got a particular font for the numbers? The problem with trying to match a font for all four handles is that the 'outline' of the number needs to neatly fit inside a circle... Edited May 25, 2016 by Pete.M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Whoa, that was quick! I've got a lot to do in terms of knowing the dimensions it needs to end up, as well as how to make sure that it ends up facing the right way when screwed on, and working out fonts and the like. Really impressed with that though, thanks for letting me see that what was in my head should look pretty good. Do you mind if I get back to you when I know the details and get you to do them? Happy to work something out payment wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete.M Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 No problem, how about one of those JD special beers when they're done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Don't worry about having the number facing the right way once screwed on, simply use a lock nut below it to set it in the correct orientation Were you going to have the thread printed in or were you going to tap it yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 In the end I've settled on having it printed with a recess for an M10 nut, which can then obviously be tightened to one of 6 directions (I think more if you flip it upside down) to get close. I'll put a rubber washer between the nut and the tap for fine tuning. I was worried about printing threads, although I would have chased them with a tap after anyway. This seems to solve both problems pretty neatly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 It's just been pointed out to me that I don't need to worry about the direction bit at all anyway, because I'm an idiot. Guess what the knurled bit on these does? In my defence, I don't actually have the taps yet as they're being shipped from the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Built in lock nut Personally I would print a plain hole Ø8.5mm (m10 tapping drill size) and cut the thread afterwards, I'm not sure just how strong a printed thread might be at that size and cutting it from solid material should be more reliable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Would you do that instead of just printing a hexagonal recess for an M10 nut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 There's nothing to hold the M10 nut in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyseemonkeydo Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 The other option would be to use M10 brass inserts along these lines: You can then use a soldering iron or whatever to melt them into the print material and leave behind a nice captive thread which will give good positive location. Tapping at M10 shouldn't be a problem though so long as you give the build enough wall thickness to take the thread nicely. These are only M3's but you get the idea: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Good point @forteh, I'm having a properly duncey time with this! What's your thoughts on printing the threads and then chasing them with a tap @monkeyseemonkeydo? With nothing but hand tools I feel like I'd be susceptible to drilling the holes off centre or not straight and ruining the piece. Is the idea of printing the plain hole and tapping it a better one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyseemonkeydo Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Yeah, definitely print the plain bore then tap the thread into the part. At M10 you should be fine with thread strength for your application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomturd Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 You could print a hexagonal hole for an m10 nut no? and epoxy it in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyseemonkeydo Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 You could but it's a bit more of a bodge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 I'll check whether I already have an M10 tap in my kit, because if I don't I definitely have M10 nuts and epoxy If when I show them to the homebrewing world they decide they want me to make some more I'll make sure I have the right tap. Cheers all for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Bit late now but have you tried Tinkerkad? https://www.tinkercad.com/ Its so simple even i can do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 (edited) An M10 tap is a couple of quid off ebay There is no hole drilling to worry about, just wind the tap into the Ø8.5 hole and it will self centre (assuming you're using a taper). The brass threaded insert would also work although possibly wouldn't last as long as the cut thread (they may eventually come loose due to material creep). In the mean time I made a shiny edit: you could be really clever and have a hexagonal hole through from below the number but leaving a shoulder for it to sit against, that way you only need the M10 nut and no epoxy. Still better to tap the thread out Edited May 26, 2016 by forteh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff costello Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 what happened to using a piece of stick and a post-it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Being as people are actually giving this a go, which I'm very pleased about, I actually put some thought into dimensions: Font is "Alfa Slab One". Don't worry about the recess/hole for now until I have a tap in my hand. I think it's fairly important to have the face of the numbers follow exactly the lines of the curve they've been 'cut' from, but I'm definitely no designer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Something like this.... Three options on the shape of the number section, left to right are: - Cut to the spherical section of the top only Cut to follow both the cylindrical and spherical section Cut to follow the cylindrical section only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Awesome work, thanks! The 2nd one is what I envisaged, and I still think it's the best looking out of those 3. i hope this isn't taking huge amounts of time or effort, I have no idea how long this stuff takes to an expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyseemonkeydo Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Something worth considering early on is that you might struggle to get a great finish on that sort of design without some 'post processing'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Are we talking just sanding, or something more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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