okay.........(way past) time for an update.
I've printed a few more small models/toys, but want to show that this 3D-printer is actually useful.
To me buying tools is about expanding the capabilities of me and my shop.
(Certainly a lot of learning goes along with it!)
Here's another small project to produce something useful.
I have two of these Lufkin measuring tapes:
They are my current favourites (since I lost my last favourite in the blown attic insulation, I dropped it and it disappeared, tried searching and finally gave up!). I like these for two reasons: i) they have both metric and imperial measures, and ii) the size is right...long enough for most jobs, but not too bulky.
The problem is with the little "brake" mechanism the locks the tape when you push the thumb button.
The original white plastic ones wore out.
I don't want to throw these away due to that minor issue, but sometimes it's a PITA when I need to pick up my pencil, but cannot let go of the measuring tape or it'll retract in a hurry.
It annoyed me enough that months ago I attempted a repair.....by CA-gluing on a piece of flat wood from a tongue depressor, and then adding a bit of hot glue as a gripping pad on the end.
Ugly? Yes, but they did work........for a little while.
Okay so can I 3D-print some replacements?
I can try..........here's my first model part:
The oval is meant to give some spring to the tip.
The little "bite" out of the tip is meant to clear the rivets that attach the edge-clip to the end fo the tape.
I printed four expecting to break at least one removing it from the "raft" support material.
Here's a picture of two removed from the raft, and one cleaned up.
Unfortunately, the first ones were too short...they did NOT stop the measuring tape from retracting.
Of course, I was guessing a little on size since the ones I was measuring were worn too short too.
However, the process is quick and easy to make a tweak and try again. This one is a little longer:
Fusion-360 model:
and actual parts:
The one on top-left is still attached to the "raft", the one on top-right has been removed and cleaned-up.
Here's the inside of the measuring tape:
Here's one of the old parts in the measuring tape:
....and here it is fixed and locked with the new 3D-printed brake part:
Both measuring tapes are back in operation with functional thumb locks!
These small parts but would have been tough to make any other way.
-brino