Author Topic: 3d printed box for gear cutters  (Read 3027 times)

Offline awake

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3d printed box for gear cutters
« on: June 20, 2020, 03:17:05 PM »
I have recently acquired two full sets of gear cutters, M1 and M0.8 ... and I needed a better way to store them. A bit of work in OpenSCAD, and voila! See the pictures below.

The M1 cutters are 50mm diameter and 4.2mm thick; the M0.8 cutters are 40mm diameter and 4mm thick. The .stl files are too large to attach here, so I have uploaded them here:

http://www.wakefieldphd.com/hobbies/gear_cutter_box_40mm.stl
http://www.wakefieldphd.com/hobbies/gear_cutter_box_50mm.stl
Andy

Offline gerritv

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2020, 03:43:36 PM »
Beautiful implementation, the white seems appropriate

Gerrit
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Online Vixen

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2020, 04:48:47 PM »
Andy,

I am having difficulties opening your attachments. They appear to be txt files despite the STL in the file name.

Mike
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Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline gerritv

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2020, 05:16:27 PM »
On Windows right click, then Save As will save the file as an .stl

Gerrit
Don't confuse activity with progress

Offline crueby

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2020, 05:56:48 PM »
Nice setup, I need to make something like that for my sets, rather than just strewn in the drawer!

Online Vixen

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2020, 06:07:58 PM »
On Windows right click, then Save As will save the file as an .stl

Gerrit

Tried that, but it doesn't work on my PC, it will only allow me to save as, as a 'txt' file (which it already is).  :killcomputer:

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline kvom

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2020, 06:37:06 PM »
just try renaming

Online Vixen

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2020, 06:42:34 PM »
Kvom

Even after I rename it as a .STL file, it remains as a 'txt' file. Maybe I need a newer PC and the dreaded Win 10.  :killcomputer:

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline awake

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2020, 06:47:31 PM »
Thanks, all. It is nice not to have them sliding around, trying to find which one is which!

Mike, not sure why it isn't working, but PM me your email address and I'll send them directly.
Andy

Offline awake

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2020, 07:30:26 PM »
If anyone uses OpenSCAD and would like the files that generate the .stl, let me know. I've set it up so that you can change any parameters as desired. For example, I don't know if other sizes of cutters (or maybe inch-based DP cutters) come in sizes other than the 50x4.2mm and 40x4mm that my M1 and M0.8 cutters are, but if so, it would be a simple matter of entering the correct dimensions and re-generating. I also set it up to allow adjusting the number of cutters, wall thickness, spacing between cutters, and so on.

And if you have cutters of another size, but don't use OpenSCAD, feel free to let me know the dimensions and any other parameters, and I'll be happy to generate the corresponding .STL files.
Andy

Offline gerritv

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2020, 10:24:59 PM »
Kvom

Even after I rename it as a .STL file, it remains as a 'txt' file. Maybe I need a newer PC and the dreaded Win 10.  :killcomputer:

Mike
On Windows 10 a right click/Save as leaves it as .stl . Typically when renaming files I use the file explorer (even on Win 7). Again, right click on the file and change the whole file name, including the .txt

I use  Windows 10 on 4 machines, love it.

Gerrit
Don't confuse activity with progress

Online Vixen

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2020, 01:23:48 PM »
Hello Andy,

Here is my first print of the 40mm gear cutter box. It took ages (over 8 hours) to print, I expect to be able to reduce the print time on the next 50mm box by reducing the shell and wall thicknesses.





I have some 55mm cutters that could do with their own storage box. Would scaling up the 50mm box by 110% to 55mm in Cura work?

Stay safe

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Jo

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2020, 02:20:00 PM »
If you print too many of those Mike you will be forced to buy more gear cutters :facepalm:

Jo
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Online Vixen

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2020, 02:46:12 PM »
 :stir: Thanks Jo  :stir:

Those three 0.8 MOD gear cutters were the only sizes I needed for the Mercedes W165 camshaft drive train. I will fill in the empty slots if and when I run across some at the shows. but unfortunately, shows are out of the question for some time yet.

Mike
« Last Edit: June 22, 2020, 02:51:14 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline awake

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Re: 3d printed box for gear cutters
« Reply #14 on: June 22, 2020, 09:18:51 PM »
I have some 55mm cutters that could do with their own storage box. Would scaling up the 50mm box by 110% to 55mm in Cura work?

Yay! Nice to see that this worked for you. On the scaling ... I don't know - maybe? But if you tell me the thickness of the 55mm cutters, I can generate the appropriate .stl in a jiffy.
Andy

 

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