3D Printed Black Egg Crate

[Starvin Marvin]

Hey! I'm printing my own black Egg crate and going to combine it with fluorescent green acrylic rods to make a multi-level frag rack.

Just need to find a good way to attach multiple pieces together side by side (might just try superglue).

I though if a couple ways to have tongue and groove type connections but decided against it for this first test print.

Anyone ever done this? Got any ideas?

I'm thinking of using a round bushing/washer (printed too) with a square top half, to fit inside the square of the eggcrate, to hold the acrylic rods secure.

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[Starvin Marvin]

Got a few done.

And designed a Bushing for the Acrylic Rod.

And a connecting piece to super-glue and help make the connected Egg-crate sections rigid.

Printing a few test pieces to see if I got the clearances right.

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[krazyk148]

cant wait to have a 3d printer!

 

[Starvin Marvin]

Yes they are cool!

Well, I had to make them with an extra 0.5mm of clearance in most directions. And I also changed from 0.25mm layer height to 0.1mm height to get some extra precision.

But it ended up working pretty good actually:

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[Starvin Marvin]

Assembly line


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[jrhupp]

Looking good. You can solvent weld abs with acetone. Or you can get a thickened abs glue in the plumbing section of any big box store. If you want to bond the acrylic rods to the abs Weldon 16 will work well.

 

[Starvin Marvin]

Thanks for the tips!

This is PLA but I was thinking of trying ABS at some point.

For the version I actually put in the tank I mean. I might even put the PLA in for a few months or a year but ideally I would want it to last and not break down, so I'm thinking ABS or PETG black filament.


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[shiftline]

Just *** a little circle ring the size of the tube with a flat spot in the middle to hold it with gravity. You could also glue it

Using abs or petg?


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[Starvin Marvin]

Using abs or petg?

PLA for now




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[Daniel716]

Are you planning on sharing the files? I would love to print some to play with!

 

[shiftline]

Me to . You got me thinking of what I can rig up for a cool rack


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[BigDave]

Looks good.

I definitely recommend going with ABS for anything in the tank. PLA falls apart after a while and disintegrates. Not sure I'd want whatever it melts in to floating around my tank.

 

[Starvin Marvin]

PLA falls apart after a while and disintegrates. Not sure I'd want whatever it melts in to floating around my tank.

Do you have any first hand experience with this?

How long does it take to break down?

I've never seen anything definitive on this..

Thanks




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[Pond Boy]

What's the cost compared to just buying one? I get that it cool to do just wondering,thanks.

 

[Starvin Marvin]

It's roughly $1.30 per Egg crate section (9 of them), and about $1.50 for all the connecting pieces, and the acrylic rod was $22 I think and there will be some leftover.

So I guess, $35-ish. Canadian dollars



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[Starvin Marvin]

Printer was $500


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[Starvin Marvin]

Well - it's done!

I'll be honest... the middle row of BRIGHT green rods is crooked. I found it extremely hard to super-glue things and keep them all straight. When I designed the square part that the rods go in, I gave a lot of clearance for it to fit within the eggcrate. This was to give me room to "play" but it actually was way too much.

But it still does the trick.

I'll post my .STL and Fusion 360 source files here tomorrow if I can figure out how to export them and how to log in via computer. I only ever use Tapatalk on the iPhone.

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[Daniel716]

Export as STL and upload to thingiverse....very easy!
Awesome work!

Also where did you source the rods?

 

[Starvin Marvin]

Here is the Thingiverse link:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2312333

Also here are the Rods. I guess they cost more than I remembered.

And finally here is the rack full of frags!

Post back of you have any issues making it or customizing it, and definitely post back pics of what you end up making ok?


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[Daniel716]

Thanks!!! I will print one up tonight!:thumbsup: