clockspring3D

Exclusive! Rollerbox 2 - Print in Place!

Added 2019-12-10 03:34:35 +0000 UTC

Hey there, wonderful supporters! You may or may not recall a design I posted on MyMiniFactory a while back, called "Rollerbox". Let me find a link...

https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-rollerbox-86036

That one was a fun project - how do you construct a box with an enclosed lid on a circular track? I ended up with a two-piece friction fit body and a separate lid, and it worked very nicely! As usual, the goal was to avoid needing supports, and to be as easily printable as possible.

So, fast forward to now. Is there a better way? Yes there is! Rollerbox 2! This one is a single piece body that still holds its lid in place. No supports needed! The secret is that back edge of the lid is in contact with the bed through an aperture in the box base. Essentially, the lid prints as a free-standing object, and the box prints around it with a very narrow gap in between. There are of course plenty of minor details that go into making it all work, but that's the key concept on which it all centres.

This is one of my favourite things about developing new approaches and innovations - being able to revisit old concepts and reimagine them in new ways. You know, it would still be entirely possible to print the lid in a different colour using a dual-extrusion or multimaterial machine...

Anyway, enjoy! Creative Printer tier supporters will find the model in the Dropbox as usual!