10 FT Arms

prusaprinters

Ever wished you had 10ft arms? I frequently do, when I am trying to measure things. It seems the end of the tape measure will never stay on long boards, bookcases or other items with rounded or chamfered edges and my arms aren't long enough to hold it in place. This can be very annoying when you're working alone. Well I decided to solve that problem, to make things a little easier for myself. The devices here may not solve all measuring problems, but they help solve my most common problems.  The first one is a clamping device, good for vertical items like the side of a bookcase. It's only good for items up to about ¾".  It has a complex profile, so it requires supports. I also used a support blocker for the screw hole and a support enforcer for the overhang. This arrangement prevented supports on the internal grooves. This one also has a non-slip cover for the outer support. Due to the flex of the material I was having trouble getting it to grip the surface of the bookshelf I was using to test.The second one is for measurements where simply hooking the tape measure on the end of the object will suffice. This device also requires supports and a support enforcer placed at the overhang, to prevent support material being placed in the internal grooves.In both cases the devices are designed such that the flat of the Tape Measure hook lines up with the edge of the device, ensuring you get accurate measurements. Note (1-18-2024):  Update a few dimensions to give it a little more strength. Also added a version 3. If you are having problems with the slide plate sticking, try version 3. I eliminated the groove to give it less resistance. The original version will still work, and may be stronger; however, I printed mine at 0.1 resolution to get more accurate print, and lubricated the slide with past wax. If your machine isn't set up the same as mine it might be too tight,