Cup and Saucer Display Stand

thingiverse

For owners of exquisite antique tea sets, one can purchase compact display stands similar to this for ridiculously low prices, like $10-20. Sounds like a challenge for 3D printing. Rather than replicate one of the commercial options, I designed my own configuration from scratch. You can print multiple units for less than the cost of a cup of coffee. I've refined my initial design several times and ended up with something nicely stable and functional. Prints without supports, for a smooth finish. With about 25% infill, it comes out nice and light (20g), and yet stable enough that even with a slight bump it'll hold the delicate items securely. I haven't translated this into an earthquake rating - but I'm guessing you're safe up to about a Richter M5.6 at least. Excuse the marginal grey-PLA print among the example photos - I had some filament feed issues so it was a bit stringy. :( My prints with translucent PLA material are my favorites - semi-clear to pick up the color if its surroundings so almost invisible. In testing, I see that different saucers will sit at varying angles. With a slight camber to the rear support face, this design appears to accommodate all I've tested quite well. I'm sure there's probably a 19th century Lithuanian saucer or a Nigerian chalice plate that will be terribly incompatible though, so no promises that it'll work for everyone. Use at your own risk - I'm not responsible for Grandma's priceless tea set if you try this and break anything. :) v5 STL uploaded - some small mesh fixes. v5b STL uploaded - further small improvements to meshes. Print Settings Printer: MP Select Mini Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: No Resolution: .15 Infill: 25% Notes: Prints well with medium/low resolution. Just clean up the chamfers with a bit of sandpaper or a knife and you're all set. Even with a coarse resolution, it works pretty good.