Doorstop Exploration

thingiverse

My mom owns a store with multiple doors, and one of them has an unusual doorstop made from two standard ones stuck together. This was done after a larger wooden doorstop failed to work. The combined doorstops are quite unsightly, as seen in the accompanying diagram. When I mentioned my 3D design capabilities, she sent me pictures of the custom-made doorstop along with its dimensions in inches, asking for a replacement that would be easier to print and more aesthetically pleasing. I designed a single-color version first, which was super easy to print. The model features filleted edges that printed perfectly without any support on my printer. Next, I aimed to surprise her by creating an identical two-tone doorstop. Since my 3D printer has dual extrusion capabilities, I thought it would be a straightforward process. However, I encountered issues with sizing the male and female connectors, which required adjustments in geometry and symmetry. After printing several halves that didn't fit together properly due to incorrect scaling or axis flipping, I achieved the desired result. The design includes four versions: left, right, male, and female parts. This allows users to print matching pairs of each color on the same bed, ensuring a proper fit when assembled. If you prefer a single 50/50 doorstop, you can print one part with each color, or alternate between different colors for each half. The difference in size between the male and female parts is minimal, so friction may not be sufficient to keep them together permanently. You might need to use super glue to secure them firmly. I tested two combinations and found that they varied in difficulty to disassemble - one was difficult to separate, while the other came apart more easily. I have a couple of ideas for future iterations: adding a monogrammed letter on the side using the Williams College colors (purple and gold), or creating a tri-color doorstop with a similar connector scheme. If you're interested in customizing your doorstop with a monogram, please let me know - it's simple to implement using Fusion 360.