Base Clip needed for Print-in-place Iris Box when printing it large

thingiverse

Technically, this is not a remix of LoboCNC's brilliant Print-in-place Iris Box. It's just a minor addition needed when printing at sizes larger than 100% scale. I originally printed LoboCNC's Iris box at the standard 100% size and found it too small to use as a storage container. The iris leaves and outer sphere were also too thin at this size, so I scaled it up. My printer's Y Axis has a max size of 145mm, so that was the largest I could print. Scaling the file to 220% gave me a size of approximately 140mm in both X and Y directions. I also had to print at 0.3mm layer height for it to print properly at this larger size because scaling up made the internal gaps bigger, causing problems with the rotating outer section when printing at smaller layers. Due to too many gap layers below it, any smaller layer height would fail. Another issue with printing larger is that the outer rotating sphere becomes very loose due to all tolerance gaps being enlarged by scaling. As a result, the weight of the iris leaves causes the box to fall open instead of staying closed when letting go of the outer sphere. These clips solve this problem by eliminating looseness in the outer sphere and adding friction between the bottom base ring and the rotating outer shell, preventing accidental twisting even when being jostled or knocked. They still allow easy opening and closing with a gentle twist. Please note that these clips are designed to work with the Iris Box at 220% scale. If you print your iris box at a larger scale again, you'll need to scale them accordingly. You can either print three clips spaced around the base ring every five bumps or five clips spaced every three bumps. It doesn't seem to make any difference in operation; it's just personal preference. The clips only require a tiny smear of super glue on the inside before sliding over the base ring and holding in place for 10-20 seconds. I recommend not twisting the box for an hour afterwards to ensure the clips are well-glued into place before using it. Here are two videos showing the iris box at 220% before and after fitting the clips: Before - https://www.dropbox.com/s/fzod8jhfyyy202y/20170715_195505.mp4?dl=0 After - https://www.dropbox.com/s/zy4ymwdvfzu028u/20170716_013324.mp4?dl=0 I'd also like to add that the iris box really does benefit from being printed larger; it feels so much more sturdy and substantial.