More 3D printed magnetic magnetic connectors.

**BobL** · 7th August 2022, 07:32 PM

I'm slowly starting to switch some of my regularly swapped flexy hoses over to 3D printed magnetic connectors.

The first one I did was this one where the 100 mm flex connected to the TS OH guard is also sometimes used on the adjacent router fence.
TSguard15.jpg

In photosbelow, the grey flange is 3D printed with an internal thread to match the flexy wire rib so it screws straight onto the hose.
The black flange is a tapered close fit to stubs of 100mm PVC, helped stay in place with a small self tapper.
TS1.jpg RouterT.jpg RouterT2.jpg

The grey plastic cap that covered the back flange is used to reduce the amount of magnetic crap sticking to any exposed magnets.
Not so evident here - more so in the next application.
I'm using 8, 10 x 2 mm REE magnets on each flange, mainly because I bought 50 of them for another project a couple of years back and ended up using only a few.
It's fine in this application where one flange sits directly on top of the other but in other orientations a larger magnet may be needed.
Relese is by twist-n-pull.

The next application is the flexy swapped between the, BMH on the underside of the table collection point of the Bandsaw, and the metal dust catcher i use under my grinders and linisher.
Operation is fairly self evident.
The 8, 10 x 2 mm magnets are only just holding the flanges together in the more vertical orientation position on the BS BMH. Might have go for more or stronger magnets -time will tell.
BS2.jpg BS1.jpg

The grey cap has been covering the black flange on the metal catcher bin for about two days but a faint dusting of magnetic dust is appearing on top of the cap above the magnets on the black flange underneath. see red arrows,
Cap.jpg

A couple of things I've noticed about printing the screw connections for flexy.

The older and more stretched the flexy is, the smaller seems to be its diameter. eg the new stuff on the TS guard seems to be about 109/110mm in diameter where as the older on on the BS is about 106mm, They could also just have been different from the start.

This means just because a threaded flange goes on one piece of flexy doesn't necessarily mean it will fit on another and makes printing the threaded flanges an individual print for each piece of flexy. This sometimes means printing the thing twice or even another time to get a decent fit. I'm slowly getting better at winging this.

**BobL** · 7th August 2022, 07:53 PM

Pros/cons compared to the DWV threaded coupler method.the DWV threaded coupler method.

The 3D printed ones are lighter and less bulky
Cost of printing material is about $2-$4 depending on price of filament materials and number of time you have to print out.
Compared to $5.40 for a threaded DWV coupler and cap.

differences in level of fiddliness is difficult to determine, once you get some 3D printing experience under your belt its not too tricky.
If you need to make many the threaded coupler method will definitely be faster.

**Old Croc** · 12th August 2022, 10:41 PM

Bob, the photos don't show if there is a locating spigot for the two flanges or do they only locate via the magnets?
Rgds,
Crocy.

**BobL** · 12th August 2022, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by Old Croc

Bob, the photos don't show if there is a locating spigot for the two flanges or do they only locate via the magnets?
Rgds,
Crocy.

I've made both and like others have found out, locating spigots are not needed - bring te two halves close enough and "CLICK", the self locate.

**Old Croc** · 13th August 2022, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by BobL

I've made both and like others have found out, locating spigots are not needed - bring te two halves close enough and "CLICK", the self locate.

Bob, are you willing to sell the file so I can get them printed over here?
Rgds,
Crocy.

**BobL** · 14th August 2022, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by Old Croc

Bob, are you willing to sell the file so I can get them printed over here?
Rgds,
Crocy.

I can give you a STL file (3D printer file) for a specific size but there's no guarantee (in fact its unlikely) it will print a flange that will fit your specific flexy/ports/ducts (too tight or too loose). My experience is that ports. flex and even pipe vary enough to require custom printing/fitting. Most 3D printing software will allow for adjustment so the print can be enlarged or shrunk BUT it will do this to everything on the print, ie wall thickness, thread pitch, IDs/ODs, magnet holes etc. It means if you resize one flange to fit say your flexy then it may not fits the other flange.

The way some people get around these problems is to print everything slightly oversize and pad any gaps out with gaffer tape - not that satisfactory in my book. In terms of the threaded section for flexy, printing a different shaped profile thread that is more forgiving is a solution that is included but that only helps with "over", not undersize prints

To get around this I'm using CAD software called OPEN SCAD. The file I've worked up is extremely flexible all allows for almost ll of the parameters to be readj autewd without going into the actual program..

Here are just few of the types of connections it can generate.

Large to small and VV, all lengths, diameters and wall thicknesses are adjustable
Screen Shot 2022-08-14 at 5.57.52 am.png Screen Shot 2022-08-14 at 6.07.02 am.png
These flanged metic connectors you've already see,
Screen Shot 2022-08-14 at 6.09.41 am.png
Long tapered connections for connecting widely differing radii
Screen Shot 2022-08-14 at 6.14.13 am.png

One I printed out ON is this one, a 100.4mm unthreaded, to 107.0 mm flexy connect for the front of my BS.
BSfrontconnect.jpg
The BS connection is just a tight push on fit so disconnection is much easier than having to get a screwdriver and disconnect a hose clamp.

The SCAD file that does all these things will eventually be made FREELY available but currently I am working on it to make sure all the options work.
Then you will need to be able to use (or find someone that can use) OPEN SCAD to adjust all the sizes etc yourself to suit your stuff.

SCAD will then allow you to generate the STL file which can then be put into a "3D slicer program" to generate the GCODE file for your printer. Long winded I know but that's how it works. It's not as difficult as it sounds and without knowing any programming a user should able to use SCAD TO generate all of different types of flanges/connecctors.

In the meantime you might find some files from Bitingmidge's plans will work for you
Printables

**Old Croc** · 16th August 2022, 10:16 PM

Bob, there wasn't anything in the printables to suit.
The PVC pipe you mentioned, is it Sewer pipe? I have a length of it that is 103mm ID and 110mm OD.
I have a brand-new piece of 100mm Flexi like yours except the wire is copper coloured.
So if they match your files they will do and I can adapt the PVC pipe to everyone of my machines.
Rgds,
Crocy.

**BobL** · 17th August 2022, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Old Croc

Bob, there wasn't anything in the printables to suit.
The PVC pipe you mentioned, is it Sewer pipe? I have a length of it that is 103mm ID and 110mm OD.
I have a brand-new piece of 100mm Flexi like yours except the wire is copper coloured.
So if they match your files they will do and I can adapt the PVC pipe to everyone of my machines.
Rgds,
Crocy.

I'll send you a PM.

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