Modeling showcase

[jsc]

I'm starting this thread because we should stop going off on tangents in other people's threads on unrelated topics; makes the tangents hard to find. I have been particularly guilty of this lately.

This is from one of those tangents from viewtopic.php?f=8&t=37&start=30

I proposed a, not exactly contest, a modeling showcase, where we pick a theme and people would submit their takes on it in the modeler of their choice. No time limits, very low key. The themes would be fairly simple, to make it easy for people to participate. The objects should be of use, so people will conceivably want one.

Toby suggested "backscratcher" as a theme, and I quite like the idea. Useful (my daughter is always requesting her back be scratched), simple, and a good choice because the model must be joined to fit the bed; it opens the field to both sculptural extravagance and mechanical cleverness. I'm going to have a go on this theme, in the hopes that people will join in.

[Toby]

I'll give it a go as well. I need to learn how to make snap-fit joints and this will be a good project for that.

[jimc]

im in too. alot of times i sit down in front of the computer and just cant think of anything to make so this will be good. i am super busy working but as you say jin, no time limit or deadline so no pressure.

[jsc]

Okay, here's my first pass: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:330936

Not the most handsome thing, but the snap fit half blind dovetail joint was fun. 0.1mm clearance is a tight fit, but makes for a very solid joint with no gluing. The actual claw end is functional at best. Liberal use of fillets and rounds, but 45 degree chamfers on the bottom because I find it annoying to print models with rounded corners on the bed.

[Toby]

Here's my back scratcher.

Since I didn't know what angles would be good at the joints, I wanted a design where changing the angle didn't mean reprinting the whole thing. So I used small fittings that snap together the longer pieces. The system works but is comically clunky-looking. Call it a feature!

Here's the joint at the claw end before being assembled:

scratch.1.JPG (28.33 KiB) Viewed 8117 times

It's hard to tell from the pic, but the prongs are slightly flared so that they snap into the corresponding openings in the joint. Once in, they aren't coming out, but there is a bit of flex in the joint. Another feature!

Here's two views of the final assembly. It's about 16" long all told.

scratch.2.JPG (38.41 KiB) Viewed 8105 times

scratch.3.JPG (38.83 KiB) Viewed 8105 times